Exodus 22
New King James Version
Responsibility for Property
22 “If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and slaughters it or sells it, he shall (A)restore five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep. 2 If the thief is found (B)breaking in, and he is struck so that he dies, there shall be (C)no guilt for his bloodshed. 3 If the sun has risen on him, there shall be guilt for his bloodshed. He should make full restitution; if he has nothing, then he shall be (D)sold[a] for his theft. 4 If the theft is certainly (E)found alive in his hand, whether it is an ox or donkey or sheep, he shall (F)restore double.
5 “If a man causes a field or vineyard to be grazed, and lets loose his animal, and it feeds in another man’s field, he shall make restitution from the best of his own field and the best of his own vineyard.
6 “If fire breaks out and catches in thorns, so that stacked grain, standing grain, or the field is consumed, he who kindled the fire shall surely make restitution.
7 “If a man (G)delivers to his neighbor money or articles to keep, and it is stolen out of the man’s house, (H)if the thief is found, he shall pay double. 8 If the thief is not found, then the master of the house shall be brought to the (I)judges to see whether he has put his hand into his neighbor’s goods.
9 “For any kind of trespass, whether it concerns an ox, a donkey, a sheep, or clothing, or for any kind of lost thing which another claims to be his, the (J)cause of both parties shall come before the judges; and whomever the judges condemn shall pay double to his neighbor. 10 If a man delivers to his neighbor a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any animal to keep, and it dies, is hurt, or driven away, no one seeing it, 11 then an (K)oath of the Lord shall be between them both, that he has not put his hand into his neighbor’s goods; and the owner of it shall accept that, and he shall not make it good. 12 But (L)if, in fact, it is stolen from him, he shall make restitution to the owner of it. 13 If it is (M)torn to pieces by a beast, then he shall bring it as evidence, and he shall not make good what was torn.
14 “And if a man borrows anything from his neighbor, and it becomes injured or dies, the owner of it not being with it, he shall surely make it good. 15 If its owner was with it, he shall not make it good; if it was hired, it came for its hire.
Moral and Ceremonial Principles
16 (N)“If a man entices a virgin who is not betrothed, and lies with her, he shall surely pay the bride-price for her to be his wife. 17 If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money according to the (O)bride-price of virgins.
18 (P)“You shall not permit a sorceress to live.
19 (Q)“Whoever lies with an animal shall surely be put to death.
20 (R)“He who sacrifices to any god, except to the Lord only, he shall be utterly destroyed.
21 (S)“You shall neither mistreat a [b]stranger nor oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.
22 (T)“You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child. 23 If you afflict them in any way, and they (U)cry at all to Me, I will surely (V)hear their cry; 24 and My (W)wrath will become hot, and I will kill you with the sword; (X)your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.
25 (Y)“If you lend money to any of My people who are poor among you, you shall not be like a moneylender to him; you shall not charge him (Z)interest. 26 (AA)If you ever take your neighbor’s garment as a pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down. 27 For that is his only covering, it is his garment for his skin. What will he sleep in? And it will be that when he cries to Me, I will hear, for I am (AB)gracious.
28 (AC)“You shall not revile God, nor curse a (AD)ruler of your people.
29 “You shall not delay to offer (AE)the first of your ripe produce and your juices. (AF)The firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me. 30 (AG)Likewise you shall do with your oxen and your sheep. It shall be with its mother (AH)seven days; on the eighth day you shall give it to Me.
31 “And you shall be (AI)holy men to Me: (AJ)you shall not eat meat torn by beasts in the field; you shall throw it to the dogs.
Footnotes
- Exodus 22:3 Sold as a slave
- Exodus 22:21 sojourner
Exodus 22
American Standard Version
22 If 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. 2 If the thief be found breaking in, and be smitten so that he dieth, there shall be no [a]bloodguiltiness for him. 3 If 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. 4 If the theft be found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall pay double.
5 If 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.
6 If 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.
7 If 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. 8 If 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. 9 For 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 [b]God; he whom [c]God shall condemn shall pay double unto his neighbor.
10 If 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: 11 the 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. 12 But if it be stolen from him, he shall make restitution unto the owner thereof. 13 If it be torn in pieces, let him bring it for witness; he shall not make good that which was torn.
14 And if a man [d]borrow aught of his neighbor, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof not being with it, he shall surely make restitution. 15 If the owner thereof be with it, he shall not make it good: if it be a hired thing, [e]it came for its hire.
16 And 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. 17 If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.
18 Thou shalt not suffer a sorceress to live.
19 Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death.
20 He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto Jehovah only, shall be [f]utterly destroyed. 21 And a sojourner shalt thou not wrong, neither shalt thou oppress him: for ye were sojourners in the land of Egypt. 22 Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child. 23 If thou afflict them at all, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry; 24 and my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.
25 If 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. 26 If thou at all take thy neighbor’s garment to pledge, thou shalt restore it unto him before the sun goeth down: 27 for 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.
28 Thou shalt not revile [g]God, nor curse a ruler of thy people. 29 Thou shalt not delay to offer of [h]thy harvest, and of the outflow of thy presses. The first-born of thy sons shalt thou give unto me. 30 Likewise 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. 31 And 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.
Footnotes
- Exodus 22:2 Hebrew blood.
- Exodus 22:9 Or, the judges
- Exodus 22:9 Or, the judges
- Exodus 22:14 Hebrew ask.
- Exodus 22:15 Or, it is reckoned in (Hebrew cometh into) its hire
- Exodus 22:20 Hebrew devoted.
- Exodus 22:28 Or, the judges
- Exodus 22:29 Hebrew thy fulness and thy tear.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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