⁶ then his master must take him before the judges.^[a](A) He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce^(B) his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life.^(C)

⁸ But if the thief is not found, the owner of the house must appear before the judges,^(A) and they must^[a] determine whether the owner of the house has laid hands on the other person’s property. ⁹ In all cases of illegal possession of an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any other lost property about which somebody says, ‘This is mine,’ both parties are to bring their cases before the judges.^[b](B) The one whom the judges declare^[c] guilty must pay back double to the other.