ASV

Exodus 22

Compare: BSB WEB KJV ASV

1If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall pay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.

2If the thief be found breaking in, and be smitten so that he dieth, there shall be no bloodguiltiness for him.

3If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be bloodguiltiness for him; he shall make restitution: if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.

4If the theft be found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall pay double.

5If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall let his beast loose, and it feed in another man's field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution.

6If fire break out, and catch in thorns, so that the shocks of grain, or the standing grain, or the field are consumed; he that kindled the fire shall surely make restitution.

7If a man shall deliver unto his neighbor money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man's house; if the thief be found, he shall pay double.

8If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall come near unto God, [to see] whether he have not put his hand unto his neighbor's goods.

9For every matter of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, [or] for any manner of lost thing, whereof one saith, This is it, the cause of both parties shall come before God; he whom God shall condemn shall pay double unto his neighbor.

10If a man deliver unto his neighbor an ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or any beast, to keep; and it die, or be hurt, or driven away, no man seeing it:

11the oath of Jehovah shall be between them both, whether he hath not put his hand unto his neighbor's goods; and the owner thereof shall accept it, and he shall not make restitution.

12But if it be stolen from him, he shall make restitution unto the owner thereof.

13If it be torn in pieces, let him bring it for witness; he shall not make good that which was torn.

14And if a man borrow aught of his neighbor, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof not being with it, he shall surely make restitution.

15If the owner thereof be with it, he shall not make it good: if it be a hired thing, it came for its hire.

16And if a man entice a virgin that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely pay a dowry for her to be his wife.

17If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.

18Thou shalt not suffer a sorceress to live.

19Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death.

20He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto Jehovah only, shall be utterly destroyed.

21And a sojourner shalt thou not wrong, neither shalt thou oppress him: for ye were sojourners in the land of Egypt.

22Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.

23If thou afflict them at all, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry;

24and my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.

25If thou lend money to any of my people with thee that is poor, thou shalt not be to him as a creditor; neither shall ye lay upon him interest.

26If thou at all take thy neighbor's garment to pledge, thou shalt restore it unto him before the sun goeth down:

27for that is his only covering, it is his garment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious.

28Thou shalt not revile God, nor curse a ruler of thy people.

29Thou shalt not delay to offer of thy harvest, and of the outflow of thy presses. The first-born of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.

30Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, [and] with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with its dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it me.

31And ye shall be holy men unto me: therefore ye shall not eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs.

Commentary Insights

Study and Reflection

Explore devotional and study commentary connected to this passage.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary

Historical, contextual, and verse-level study notes for deeper biblical exploration.

Exodus 22:1-31 Laws concerning Theft.

1-4. If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep--The law respects the theft of cattle which constituted the chief part of their property. The penalty for the theft of a sheep which was slain or sold, was fourfold; for an ox fivefold, because of its greater utility in labor; but, should the stolen animal have been recovered alive, a double compensation was all that was required, because it was presumable he (the thief) was not a practised adept in dishonesty. A robber breaking into a house at midnight might, in self-defense, be slain with impunity; but if he was slain after sunrise, it would be considered murder, for it was not thought likely an assault would then be made upon the lives of the occupants. In every case where a thief could not make restitution, he was sold as a slave for the usual term.

Exodus 22:6 Verse 6

If fire break out, and catch in thorns--This refers to the common practice in the East of setting fire to the dry grass before the fall of the autumnal rains, which prevents the ravages of vermin, and is considered a good preparation of the ground for the next crop. The very parched state of the herbage and the long droughts of summer, make the kindling of a fire an operation often dangerous, and always requiring caution from its liability to spread rapidly. stacks--or as it is rendered "shocks" (Jud 15:5; Job 5:26), means simply a bundle of loose sheaves.

Exodus 22:26-27 Verses 26-27

If thou at all take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge, &c.--From the nature of the case, this is the description of a poor man. No Orientals undress, but, merely throwing off their turbans and some of their heavy outer garments, they sleep in the clothes which they wear during the day. The bed of the poor is usually nothing else than a mat; and, in winter, they cover themselves with a cloak--a practice which forms the ground or reason of the humane and merciful law respecting the pawned coat.

Exodus 22:28 Verse 28

gods--a word which is several times in this chapter rendered "judges" or magistrates. the ruler of thy people--and the chief magistrate who was also the high priest, at least in the time of Paul (Ac 23:1-5).

Study This Passage

Key Words and Topics

These study connections are drawn from the internal BSB concordance and topical index imported into Daily Bread Intake.

Related Topics

Adultery: Penalties For Exodus 22:16, 17

If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged in marriage and sleeps with her, he must pay the full dowry for her to be his wife. / If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, the man still must pay an amount comparable to the bridal price of a virgin.

Agriculture: Laws Concerning Exodus 22:5, 6

If a man grazes his livestock in a field or vineyard and allows them to stray so that they graze in someone else’s field, he must make restitution from the best of his own field or vineyard. / If a fire breaks out and spreads to thornbushes so that it consumes stacked or standing grain, or the whole field, the one who started the fire must make full restitution.

Anger: Anger of God Exodus 22:24

My anger will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword; then your wives will become widows and your children will be fatherless.

Animals: Laws Concerning Exodus 22:1–4

“If a man steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters or sells it, he must repay five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep. / If a thief is caught breaking in and is beaten to death, no one shall be guilty of bloodshed. / But if it happens after sunrise, there is guilt for his bloodshed. A thief must make full restitution; if he has nothing, he himself shall be sold for his theft.

Arson: Law Concerning Exodus 22:6

If a fire breaks out and spreads to thornbushes so that it consumes stacked or standing grain, or the whole field, the one who started the fire must make full restitution.

Bankruptcy Exodus 22:25–27

If you lend money to one of My people among you who is poor, you must not act as a creditor to him; you are not to charge him interest. / If you take your neighbor’s cloak as collateral, return it to him by sunset, / because his cloak is the only covering he has for his body. What else will he sleep in? And if he cries out to Me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.

Beasts: Unclean: Dog Exodus 22:31

You are to be My holy people. You must not eat the meat of a mauled animal found in the field; you are to throw it to the dogs.

Beds of the Poor Covered with Upper Garment Exodus 22:26, 27

If you take your neighbor’s cloak as collateral, return it to him by sunset, / because his cloak is the only covering he has for his body. What else will he sleep in? And if he cries out to Me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.

Black Magic Exodus 22:18

You must not allow a sorceress to live.

Borrowing: General Scriptures Concerning Exodus 22:14, 15

If a man borrows an animal from his neighbor and it is injured or dies while its owner is not present, he must make full restitution. / If the owner was present, no restitution is required. If the animal was rented, the fee covers the loss.

Bullock: Laws Concerning: Theft of Exodus 22:1–10

“If a man steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters or sells it, he must repay five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep. / If a thief is caught breaking in and is beaten to death, no one shall be guilty of bloodshed. / But if it happens after sunrise, there is guilt for his bloodshed. A thief must make full restitution; if he has nothing, he himself shall be sold for his theft.

Charging Interest Exodus 22:25

If you lend money to one of My people among you who is poor, you must not act as a creditor to him; you are not to charge him interest.

Children: God's Care of Exodus 22:22–24

You must not mistreat any widow or orphan. / If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to Me in distress, I will surely hear their cry. / My anger will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword; then your wives will become widows and your children will be fatherless.

Coercion: Religious Exodus 22:20

If anyone sacrifices to any god other than the LORD alone, he must be set apart for destruction.

Compensation Exodus 22:1

“If a man steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters or sells it, he must repay five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep.

Corn: Mosaic Laws Concerning Exodus 22:6

If a fire breaks out and spreads to thornbushes so that it consumes stacked or standing grain, or the whole field, the one who started the fire must make full restitution.

Select a topic to open the full topical search.

Bible Dictionary

Related Dictionary Terms

Explore people, places, themes, and biblical terms connected to this passage.