Laws about Theft

22 “When a man steals an ox or a sheep and butchers it or sells it, he must repay(A) five cattle for the ox or four sheep for the sheep. If a thief is caught in the act of breaking in, and he is beaten to death, no one is guilty of bloodshed.(B) But if this happens after sunrise, the householder is guilty of bloodshed. A thief must make full restitution. If he is unable, he is to be sold because of his theft.(C) If what was stolen—whether ox, donkey, or sheep—is actually found alive in his possession, he must repay double.

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Protection of Property

22 [a]“If someone steals an ox[b] or sheep and then kills or sells it, the thief must pay back five oxen for each ox stolen, and four sheep for each sheep stolen.

[c]“If a thief is caught in the act of breaking into a house and is struck and killed in the process, the person who killed the thief is not guilty of murder. But if it happens in daylight, the one who killed the thief is guilty of murder.

“A thief who is caught must pay in full for everything he stole. If he cannot pay, he must be sold as a slave to pay for his theft. If someone steals an ox or a donkey or a sheep and it is found in the thief’s possession, then the thief must pay double the value of the stolen animal.

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Footnotes

  1. 22:1a Verse 22:1 is numbered 21:37 in Hebrew text.
  2. 22:1b Or bull, or cow; also in 22:4, 9, 10.
  3. 22:2 Verses 22:2-31 are numbered 22:1-30 in Hebrew text.