Exodus 22
1599 Geneva Bible
22 1 Of theft. 5 Damage. 7 Lending. 14 Borrowing. 16 Enticing of maids. 18 Witchcraft. 20 Idolatry. 21 Support of strangers, widows, and fatherless. 25 Usury. 28 Reverence to Magistrates.
1 If a man steal an [a]ox or a sheep, and kill it or sell it, he shall restore five oxen for the ox, (A)and four sheep for the sheep.
2 ¶ If a thief be found [b]breaking up, and be smitten that he die, no blood shall be shed for him.
3 But if it be [c]in the daylight, [d]blood shall be shed for him: for he should make full restitution: if he had not wherewith, then should he be sold for his theft.
4 If the theft be found [e]with him alive, (whether it be ox, ass, or sheep) he shall restore the double.
5 ¶ If a man do hurt field, or vineyard, and put in his beast to feed in another man’s field, he shall recompense of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard.
6 ¶ If fire break out, and catch in the thorns, and the stacks of corn, or the standing corn, or the field be consumed, he that kindled the fire shall make full restitution.
7 ¶ If a man deliver his neighbor money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of his house, if the thief be found, he shall pay the double.
8 If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the [f]Judges to swear, whether he hath [g]put his hand unto his neighbor’s good, or no.
9 In all manner of trespass, whether it be for oxen, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing which another challengeth to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges, and whom the Judges condemn, he shall pay the double unto the neighbor.
10 If a man deliver unto his neighbor to keep ass, or ox, or sheep, or any beast, and it die, or be [h]hurt, or taken away by enemies, and no man see it,
11 [i]An oath of the Lord shall be between them twain, that he hath not put his hand unto his neighbor’s good, and the owner of it shall take the oath, and he shall not make it good:
12 (B)But if it be stolen from him, he shall make restitution unto the owner thereof.
13 If it be torn in pieces, he shall bring [j]record, and shall not make that good, which is devoured.
14 ¶ And if a man borrow ought of his neighbor, and it be hurt, or else die, the owner thereof not being by, he shall surely make it good.
15 If the owner thereof be by, he shall not make it good: for if it be an hired thing, it [k]came for his hire.
16 ¶ (C)And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall endow her, and take her to his wife.
17 If her father refuse to give her to him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.
18 ¶ Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
19 Whosoever lieth with a beast, shall die the death.
20 ¶ (D)He that offereth unto any gods, save unto the Lord only, shall be slain.
21 ¶ (E)Moreover, thou shalt not do injury to a stranger, neither oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
22 ¶ (F)Ye shall not trouble any widow, nor fatherless child.
23 If thou vex or trouble such, and so he call and cry unto me, I will surely hear his cry.
24 Then shall my wrath be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword, and your [l]wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.
25 ¶ (G)If thou lend money to my people, that is, to the poor with thee, thou shalt not be as an usurer unto him: ye shall not oppress him with usury.
26 If thou take thy neighbor’s raiment to pledge, thou shalt restore it unto him before the sun go down.
27 For that is his covering only, and this is his garment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? therefore when he [m]crieth unto me, I will hear him: for I am merciful.
28 ¶ (H)Thou shalt not rail upon the Judges, neither speak evil of the ruler of thy people.
29 ¶ Thine [n]abundance and thy liquor shalt thou not keep back. (I)The firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give me.
30 Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen and with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with his dam, and the eighth day thou shalt give it me.
31 ¶ Ye shall be an holy people unto me, (J)neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field: ye shall cast it [o]to the dog.
Footnotes
- Exodus 22:1 Either [a] great beast of the herd, or a small beast of the flock.
- Exodus 22:2 Breaking an house to enter in, or undermining.
- Exodus 22:3 Hebrew, when the sun riseth upon him.
- Exodus 22:3 He shall be put to death that killeth him.
- Exodus 22:4 Hebrew, in his hand.
- Exodus 22:8 Hebrew, gods.
- Exodus 22:8 That is, whether he hath stolen.
- Exodus 22:10 Hebrew, broken.
- Exodus 22:11 They should swear by the Name of the Lord.
- Exodus 22:13 He shall show some part of the beast, or bring in witnesses.
- Exodus 22:15 He that hired it shall be free by paying the hire.
- Exodus 22:24 The just plague of God upon the oppressors.
- Exodus 22:27 For cold and necessity.
- Exodus 22:29 Thine abundance of thy corn, oil and wine.
- Exodus 22:31 And so have nothing to do with it.
Exodus 22
English Standard Version
22 [a] “If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it or sells it, he shall repay five oxen for an ox, and (A)four sheep for a sheep. 2 [b] If a thief is found (B)breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no bloodguilt for him, 3 but if the sun has risen on him, there shall be bloodguilt for him. He[c] shall surely pay. If he has nothing, then (C)he shall be sold for his theft. 4 If the stolen beast (D)is found alive in his possession, whether it is an ox or a donkey or a sheep, (E)he shall pay double.
5 “If a man causes a field or vineyard to be grazed over, or lets his beast loose and it feeds in another man's field, he shall make restitution from the best in his own field and in his own vineyard.
6 “If fire breaks out and catches in thorns so that the stacked grain or the standing grain or the field is consumed, he who started the fire shall make full restitution.
7 “If a man gives to his neighbor money or goods to keep safe, and it is stolen from the man's house, then, if the thief is found, (F)he shall pay double. 8 If the thief is not found, the owner of the house shall come near to God to show whether or not he has put his hand to his neighbor's property. 9 For every breach of trust, whether it is for an ox, for a donkey, for a sheep, for a cloak, or for any kind of lost thing, of which one says, ‘This is it,’ the case of both parties shall come before God. The one whom God condemns shall pay double to his neighbor.
10 “If a man gives to his neighbor a donkey or an ox or a sheep or any beast to keep safe, and it dies or is injured or is driven away, without anyone seeing it, 11 (G)an oath by the Lord shall be between them both to see whether or not he has put his hand to his neighbor's property. The owner shall accept the oath, and he shall not make restitution. 12 But if (H)it is stolen from him, he shall make restitution to its owner. 13 If it is torn by beasts, let him bring it as evidence. He shall not make restitution for what has been torn.
14 “If a man borrows anything of his neighbor, and it is injured or dies, the owner not being with it, he shall make full restitution. 15 If the owner was with it, he shall not make restitution; if it was hired, it came for its hiring fee.[d]
Laws for a Just Community
16 (I)“If a man seduces a virgin[e] who is not betrothed and lies with her, he shall give the bride-price[f] for her and make her his wife. 17 If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, (J)he shall pay money equal to the (K)bride-price for virgins.
18 (L)“You shall not permit a sorceress to live.
19 (M)“Whoever lies with an animal shall be put to death.
20 (N)“Whoever sacrifices to any god, other than the Lord alone, shall be devoted to destruction.[g]
21 (O)“You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. 22 (P)You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. 23 If you do mistreat them, and they (Q)cry out to me, I will surely (R)hear their cry, 24 and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and (S)your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.
25 (T)“If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him. 26 (U)If ever you take your neighbor's cloak in pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down, 27 for that is his only covering, and it is his cloak for his body; in what else shall he sleep? And if he (V)cries to me, I will hear, for I am (W)compassionate.
28 (X)“You shall not revile God, nor (Y)curse a ruler of your people.
29 “You shall not delay to offer from the fullness of your harvest and from the outflow of your presses. (Z)The firstborn of your sons you shall give to me. 30 (AA)You shall do the same with your oxen and with your sheep: (AB)seven days it shall be with its mother; on the eighth day you shall give it to me.
31 (AC)“You shall be consecrated to me. Therefore (AD)you shall not eat any flesh that is torn by beasts in the field; (AE)you shall throw it to the dogs.
Footnotes
- Exodus 22:1 Ch 21:37 in Hebrew
- Exodus 22:2 Ch 22:1 in Hebrew
- Exodus 22:3 That is, the thief
- Exodus 22:15 Or it is reckoned in (Hebrew comes into) its hiring fee
- Exodus 22:16 Or a girl of marriageable age; also verse 17
- Exodus 22:16 Or engagement present; also verse 17
- Exodus 22:20 That is, set apart (devoted) as an offering to the Lord (for destruction)
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
