Exodus 22
New American Standard Bible
Property Rights
22 “[a]If someone steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it, he shall pay five oxen for the ox and (A)four sheep for the sheep— 2 [b]If the (B)thief is [c]caught while [d]breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there will be no guilt for bloodshed on his account. 3 If the sun has risen on him, there will be guilt for bloodshed on his account—A thief shall certainly make restitution; if he owns nothing, then he shall be (C)sold for his theft. 4 If what he stole is actually found alive in his [e]possession, whether an ox or a donkey or a sheep, (D)he shall pay double.
5 “If someone lets a field or vineyard be grazed bare and lets his animal loose so that it grazes in another person’s field, he shall make restitution from the best of his own field and the best of his own vineyard.
6 “If a fire breaks out and spreads to thorn bushes, and stacked grain or the standing grain or the field itself is consumed, the one who started the fire must make restitution.
7 “(E)If someone gives his neighbor money or goods to keep for him and it is stolen from the [f]neighbor’s house, if the thief is [g]caught, then the thief shall pay double. 8 If the thief is not [h]caught, then the owner of the house shall [i]appear before [j](F)the judges, to determine whether he [k]laid his hands on his neighbor’s property. 9 For every [l]breach of trust, whether it is for ox, for donkey, for sheep, for clothing, or for any lost thing about which one says, ‘This is it,’ the [m]case of both parties shall come before [n](G)the judges; he whom [o]the judges condemn shall pay double to his neighbor.
10 “If someone gives his neighbor a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any animal to keep for him, and it dies or is injured or is driven away while no one is looking, 11 an (H)oath before the Lord shall be [p]taken by the two of them [q]that he has not [r]laid a hand on his neighbor’s property; and its owner shall accept it, and he shall not be compelled to make restitution. 12 But if it is actually stolen from him, he shall make restitution to its owner. 13 If it is all torn to pieces, have him bring it as evidence; he shall not be compelled to make restitution for what has been torn to pieces.
14 “And if someone [s]borrows an animal from his neighbor, and it is injured or dies while its owner is not with it, he shall make full restitution. 15 If its owner is with it, the borrower shall not be compelled to make restitution. If it is hired, it [t]came by its hire.
Various Laws
16 “(I)If a man seduces a virgin who is not [u]betrothed and sleeps with her, he must pay a [v]dowry for her to be his wife. 17 If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he shall [w]pay money equal to the (J)dowry for virgins.
18 “You shall not allow a (K)sorceress to live.
19 “(L)Whoever has sexual intercourse with an animal must be put to death.
20 “(M)He who sacrifices to [x]any god, other than to the Lord alone, shall be [y]utterly destroyed.
21 “(N)You shall not oppress a stranger nor torment him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. 22 (O)You shall not oppress any widow or orphan. 23 If you oppress him at all, and (P)if he does cry out to Me, (Q)I will assuredly hear his cry; 24 and My anger will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword, (R)and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.
25 “(S)If you lend money to My people, to the poor [z]among you, you are not to [aa]act as a creditor to him; you shall not [ab]charge him (T)interest. 26 If you ever seize your neighbor’s cloak (U)as a pledge, you are to return it to him before the sun sets, 27 for that is his only covering; it is his cloak for his [ac]body. What else is he to sleep in? And it will come about that (V)when he cries out to Me, I will listen to him, for (W)I am gracious.
28 “You shall not [ad](X)curse God, (Y)nor curse a ruler of your people.
29 “(Z)You shall not hold back the offering from your entire harvest and your [ae]wine. (AA)The firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me. 30 (AB)You shall do the same with your oxen and with your sheep. It shall be with its mother for seven days; (AC)on the eighth day you shall give it to Me.
31 “(AD)You shall be holy people to Me, therefore (AE)you shall not eat any flesh torn to pieces in the field; you shall throw it to the dogs.
Footnotes
- Exodus 22:1 Ch 21:37 in Heb
- Exodus 22:2 Ch 22:1 in Heb
- Exodus 22:2 Lit found
- Exodus 22:2 I.e., at night; cf. v 3
- Exodus 22:4 Lit hand
- Exodus 22:7 Lit man’s
- Exodus 22:7 Lit found
- Exodus 22:8 Lit found
- Exodus 22:8 Lit approach to
- Exodus 22:8 Or God
- Exodus 22:8 Lit stretched his hand
- Exodus 22:9 Or matter of wrongdoing
- Exodus 22:9 Lit matter
- Exodus 22:9 Or God
- Exodus 22:9 Or God
- Exodus 22:11 Lit between the two
- Exodus 22:11 Lit if
- Exodus 22:11 Lit reached out his hand
- Exodus 22:14 Lit asks
- Exodus 22:15 I.e., the fee covers the loss
- Exodus 22:16 A betrothed couple was considered legally married, but did not yet live together
- Exodus 22:16 I.e., bride-price
- Exodus 22:17 Lit weigh out silver
- Exodus 22:20 Lit the gods
- Exodus 22:20 Lit put under the ban
- Exodus 22:25 Lit with
- Exodus 22:25 Lit be
- Exodus 22:25 Lit lay upon
- Exodus 22:27 Lit skin
- Exodus 22:28 Or revile
- Exodus 22:29 Lit juice
Exodus 22
Common English Bible
22 [a] When someone steals an ox or a sheep and then slaughters or sells it, the thief must pay back five oxen for the one ox or four sheep for the one sheep.
2 [b] If the thief is caught breaking in and is beaten and dies, the one who killed him won’t be guilty of bloodshed. 3 However, if this happens in broad daylight, then the one who killed him is guilty of bloodshed. For his part, the thief must make good on what he stole. If he has nothing, he must be sold to pay for his theft. 4 If an animal (whether ox, donkey, or sheep) is found alive in the thief’s possession, he must pay back double.
5 When someone lets an animal loose to eat in another person’s field and causes the field or vineyard to be stripped of its crop, the owner must pay them back with the best from his own field or vineyard.
6 When someone starts a fire and it catches in thorns and then spreads to someone else’s stacked grain, standing grain, or a whole field, the one who started the fire must fully repay the loss.
7 When someone entrusts money or other items to another person to keep safe and they are stolen from the other person’s house and the thief is caught, the thief must pay back double. 8 If the thief isn’t caught, the owner of the house should be brought before God to determine whether or not the owner stole the other’s property.
9 When any dispute of ownership over an ox, donkey, sheep, piece of clothing, or any other loss arises in which someone claims, “This is mine,” the cases of both parties should come before God. The one whom God finds at fault must pay double to the other.
10 When someone gives a donkey, ox, sheep, or any other animal to another person to keep safe, and the animal dies or is injured or taken and no one saw what happened, 11 the person should swear a solemn pledge before the Lord in the presence of the owner that he didn’t touch the other’s property. The owner must accept that, and no payment needs to be made. 12 But if the animal was stolen, the person must make full payment to its owner. 13 If the animal was attacked and ripped apart and its torn body is brought as evidence, no payment needs to be made.
14 When someone borrows an animal from another and it is injured or dies while the owner isn’t present, full payment must be made. 15 If the owner was present, no payment needs to be made. If the animal was hired, only the fee for hiring the animal is due.
Instructions about social and religious matters
16 When a man seduces a young woman who isn’t engaged to be married yet and he sleeps with her, he must marry her and pay the bride-price for her. 17 But if her father absolutely refuses to let them marry, he must still pay the same amount as the bride-price for young women.
18 Don’t allow a female sorcerer to live.
19 Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal should be put to death.
20 Anyone who offers sacrifices to any god, other than the Lord alone, should be destroyed.
21 Don’t mistreat or oppress an immigrant, because you were once immigrants in the land of Egypt. 22 Don’t treat any widow or orphan badly. 23 If you do treat them badly and they cry out to me, you can be sure that I’ll hear their cry. 24 I’ll be furious, and I’ll kill you with the sword. Then your wives will be widows, and your children will be orphans.
25 If you lend money to my people who are poor among you, don’t be a creditor and charge them interest. 26 If you take a piece of clothing from someone as a security deposit, you should return it before the sun goes down. 27 His clothing may well be his only blanket to cover himself. What else will that person have to sleep in? And if he cries out to me, I’ll listen, because I’m compassionate.
28 Don’t say a curse against God, and don’t curse your people’s chief.
29 Don’t delay offering the produce of your vineyards and winepresses. Give me your oldest son. 30 Do the same with your oxen and with your sheep. They should stay with their mother for seven days. On the eighth day, you should give them to me.
31 You are holy people to me. Don’t eat any meat killed by wild animals out in the field. Throw it to the dogs instead.
Footnotes
- Exodus 22:1 21:37 in Heb
- Exodus 22:2 22:1 in Heb
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Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible