Exodus 22

King James Version

Full text for Exodus Chapter 22

1¶ If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.

2If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, [there shall] no blood [be shed] for him.

3If the sun be risen upon him, [there shall be] blood [shed] for him; [for] he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.

4If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double.

5If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall put in his beast, and shall 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.

6If fire break out, and catch in thorns, so that the stacks of corn, or the standing corn, or the field, be consumed [therewith]; he that kindled the fire shall surely make restitution.

7¶ If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man's house; if the thief be found, let him pay double.

8If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the judges, [to see] whether he have put his hand unto his neighbour's goods.

9For all manner of trespass, [whether it be] for ox, 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 shall condemn, he shall pay double unto his neighbour.

10If a man deliver unto his neighbour 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[Then] shall an oath of the LORD be between them both, that he hath not put his hand unto his neighbour's goods; and the owner of it shall accept [thereof], and he shall not make [it] good.

12And if it be stolen from him, he shall make restitution unto the owner thereof.

13If it be torn in pieces, [then] let him bring it [for] witness, [and] he shall not make good that which was torn.

14And if a man borrow [ought] of his neighbour, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof [being] not with it, he shall surely make [it] good.

15[But] if the owner thereof [be] with it, he shall not make [it] good: if it [be] an hired [thing], it came for his hire.

16¶ And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife.

17If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.

18Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.

19Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death.

20He that sacrificeth unto [any] god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed.

21Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

22Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.

23If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry;

24And 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 [that is] poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.

26If thou at all take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down:

27For that [is] his covering only, it [is] his raiment 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.

28Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.

29Thou shalt not delay [to offer] the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.

30Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, [and] with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with his dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it me.

31And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat [any] flesh [that is] torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Exodus 22 outlines various civil and religious laws for Israel, focusing on justice and social responsibility. It details restitution for theft and property damage, rules for deposits and loans, and protections for the vulnerable like strangers, widows, and orphans. The chapter also includes strict prohibitions against witchcraft, bestiality, and idolatry, emphasizing the people's obligation to holiness and justice before the LORD.

Medium Summary

Exodus 22 establishes a comprehensive legal framework, beginning with specific penalties for theft, such as fivefold restitution for an ox and double for a live stolen animal. It addresses property damage, requiring compensation for grazing livestock or fires. The chapter then details regulations for entrusted goods and borrowed animals, outlining conditions for liability and the role of judges in disputes. Beyond civil matters, it includes severe penalties for moral transgressions like enticing an unbetrothed maid, bestiality, and idolatry, along with the command not to suffer a witch to live. Furthermore, the text emphasizes social justice, commanding kindness to strangers, widows, and orphans, and prohibiting usury when lending to the poor. Finally, it reiterates religious duties, including the offering of firstfruits and firstborn, and the call for the people to be holy.

Long Summary

Exodus 22 presents a detailed collection of laws governing civil and religious life in ancient Israel. The chapter opens with stipulations for theft, demanding significant restitution, such as five oxen for a stolen ox or double for a live animal found in a thief's possession. It differentiates between a thief killed at night, for whom no blood is shed, and one killed by day, requiring full restitution or sale into servitude. Laws concerning property damage are also laid out, including compensation for fields eaten by livestock or for destruction caused by fire. The text then addresses the handling of entrusted goods, money, and animals, specifying conditions under which a keeper is liable for loss or theft, and the role of an oath before the LORD in cases of dispute. Rules for borrowed and hired animals are also defined, distinguishing liability based on the owner's presence. Transitioning to moral and religious ordinances, the chapter mandates that a man who entices an unbetrothed maid must marry her or pay a dowry. It issues severe capital punishments for witchcraft, bestiality, and sacrificing to any god other than the LORD. A significant portion emphasizes social justice, commanding the people not to vex or oppress strangers, remembering their own past in Egypt, and strictly forbidding the affliction of widows and fatherless children, with a divine promise of wrath against those who do. Lending to the poor is regulated, prohibiting usury, and requiring the return of pledged raiment by sundown. The chapter concludes with religious injunctions, including the prohibition against reviling rulers, the command to offer firstfruits and firstborn sons and animals to the LORD, and the directive for the people to be holy, forbidding the eating of flesh torn by beasts.

Core Concepts

  • Restitution for TheftThe chapter details specific requirements for restitution, ranging from double payment for a live stolen animal to fivefold for a killed ox, emphasizing the principle of restoring more than what was taken.
  • Property Damage LiabilityLaws are established to hold individuals accountable for damage to another's property, such as livestock grazing in fields or fires spreading, requiring the responsible party to make full compensation.
  • Protection of the VulnerableGod commands special care for strangers, widows, and fatherless children, explicitly forbidding their oppression and promising divine judgment against those who afflict them.
  • Prohibition of UsuryWhen lending money to the poor among the people, the law strictly forbids charging interest (usury), highlighting a principle of compassion within the community.
  • Religious AbominationsThe chapter lists severe prohibitions against practices deemed anathema to the LORD, including witchcraft, bestiality, and idolatry, with capital punishment prescribed for these offenses.
  • Firstfruits and FirstbornA recurring theme of dedication to the LORD is reinforced through the command to offer the first of ripe fruits, liquors, and the firstborn of sons and animals.
  • Holiness and PurityThe people are called to be "holy men unto me," reinforced by specific dietary laws such as not eating flesh torn by beasts in the field, signifying a separation for divine service.