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Exodus 22
Evangelical Heritage Version
Exodus 22
Evangelical Heritage Version
Laws About Property
22 If a man steals an ox or a sheep and butchers it or sells it, he shall pay five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep.[a]
2 If a thief is caught breaking in and is struck so that he dies, the one who kills him shall not be guilty of bloodshed. 3 But if this takes place after sunrise, the one who kills him shall be guilty of bloodshed.
A thief shall make restitution. If he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft. 4 If the stolen animal found in his possession is alive, whether it is an ox, donkey, or sheep, he shall repay double.
5 If a man is grazing livestock in a field or a vineyard, and he lets his animals run loose and they graze in another man’s field, ⎣he shall make restitution from his own field on the basis of the produce that was eaten,[b] but if they have grazed over the whole field,⎦ he shall make restitution from the best of his own field and from the best of his own vineyard.[c]
6 If a fire gets out of control and spreads through the thorn bushes so that someone else’s shocks of grain, standing grain, or grain field are consumed, the one who lit the fire must certainly make restitution.
7 If a man entrusts money or other items to his neighbor for safekeeping, and they are stolen out of that man’s house, if the thief is found, he shall repay double. 8 If the thief is not found, then the owner of the house shall appear before the judges[d] to find out whether he has laid his hands on his neighbor’s goods. 9 In every such offense, whether it involves an ox, a donkey, a sheep, clothing, or any other kind of lost property about which someone claims, “This is mine,” the claims of both parties shall be presented before the judges. Whichever party the judges find guilty shall repay double to his neighbor.
10 If a man entrusts a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any animal to his neighbor for safekeeping, and it dies or is injured or is driven off, and no one sees what happened, 11 to settle the matter between them, the man who received the property must make an oath to the Lord that he has not laid his hands on his neighbor’s goods. Its owner must accept the oath, and the man who received the property shall not be required to make restitution. 12 But if, in fact, it was stolen while in his custody, he shall make restitution to its owner. 13 If it was torn in pieces by animals, let him bring it for evidence. He is not required to make good that which was torn.
14 If a man borrows anything from his neighbor, and it is injured or dies while its owner is not with it, the borrower must certainly make restitution. 15 If its owner is with it, the borrower will not be required to make restitution. If it was rented, the rent covers the loss.
Laws About Morals in Society
16 If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged in marriage and lies down with her, he must pay a bride price for her to be his wife. 17 If her father flatly refuses to give her to him, the offender still must weigh out silver equivalent to the bride price for virgins.
18 You shall not allow a sorceress[e] to live.
19 Whoever lies down with an animal shall certainly be put to death.
20 Whoever sacrifices to any god, except to the Lord alone, shall be devoted to destruction.
21 You shall not wrong a resident alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.
22 You shall not take advantage of any widow or fatherless child. 23 If you take advantage of them in any way, and they make even the faintest cry to me, I will surely hear their cry, 24 and my anger will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives will be widows, and your children fatherless.
25 If you lend money to anyone among my people who is poor, you must not act like a moneylender. You must not charge him interest. 26 If you take your neighbor’s outer garment as collateral, you must restore it to him before the sun goes down, 27 for his garment is the only cover he has for his skin. What would he sleep in? Be assured that when he cries to me, I will hear, for I am gracious.
28 You shall not malign the judges,[f] nor curse a ruler of your people.
29 You shall not delay bringing offerings from your abundant harvest and from your overflowing wine vats.
You shall present the firstborn of your sons to me. 30 You shall do the same with your cattle and with your sheep. For seven days a newborn animal shall be with its mother. Then on the eighth day you shall present it to me.
31 You are to be men set apart as holy for me. So you shall not eat any flesh that is torn by wild animals. You shall cast it to the dogs.
Footnotes
- Exodus 22:1 In chapter 22, English verse 1 is equal to Hebrew verse 21:37. English verses 2-31 are equal to Hebrew verses 1-30.
- Exodus 22:5 This seems to mean that if only part of the other field was eaten, the quality of the crops that remained in that field would be used to determine the quality of the repayment, but if the whole field was eaten, the guilty party had to repay the loss with the best of his own field.
- Exodus 22:5 The words in half-brackets are not in the Hebrew text but are in the Greek Old Testament. An omission from the Hebrew text may have occurred as the Hebrew copyist’s eye skipped from one occurrence of field to another.
- Exodus 22:8 Or before God. The Hebrew word is elohim, which usually means God.
- Exodus 22:18 Or witch
- Exodus 22:28 Or blaspheme God. The Hebrew word is elohim, which usually means God, but see John 10:35.
Exodus 22
New International Version
Exodus 22
New International Version
Protection of Property
22 [a]“Whoever steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it must pay back(A) five head of cattle for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.
2 “If a thief is caught breaking in(B) at night and is struck a fatal blow, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed;(C) 3 but if it happens after sunrise, the defender is guilty of bloodshed.
“Anyone who steals must certainly make restitution,(D) but if they have nothing, they must be sold(E) to pay for their theft. 4 If the stolen animal is found alive in their possession(F)—whether ox or donkey or sheep—they must pay back double.(G)
5 “If anyone grazes their livestock in a field or vineyard and lets them stray and they graze in someone else’s field, the offender must make restitution(H) from the best of their own field or vineyard.
6 “If a fire breaks out and spreads into thornbushes so that it burns shocks(I) of grain or standing grain or the whole field, the one who started the fire must make restitution.(J)
7 “If anyone gives a neighbor silver or goods for safekeeping(K) and they are stolen from the neighbor’s house, the thief, if caught, must pay back double.(L) 8 But if the thief is not found, the owner of the house must appear before the judges,(M) and they must[b] determine whether the owner of the house has laid hands on the other person’s property. 9 In all cases of illegal possession of an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any other lost property about which somebody says, ‘This is mine,’ both parties are to bring their cases before the judges.[c](N) The one whom the judges declare[d] guilty must pay back double to the other.
10 “If anyone gives a donkey, an ox, a sheep or any other animal to their neighbor for safekeeping(O) and it dies or is injured or is taken away while no one is looking, 11 the issue between them will be settled by the taking of an oath(P) before the Lord that the neighbor did not lay hands on the other person’s property. The owner is to accept this, and no restitution is required. 12 But if the animal was stolen from the neighbor, restitution(Q) must be made to the owner. 13 If it was torn to pieces by a wild animal, the neighbor shall bring in the remains as evidence and shall not be required to pay for the torn animal.(R)
14 “If anyone borrows an animal from their neighbor and it is injured or dies while the owner is not present, they must make restitution.(S) 15 But if the owner is with the animal, the borrower will not have to pay. If the animal was hired, the money paid for the hire covers the loss.(T)
Social Responsibility
16 “If a man seduces a virgin(U) who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price,(V) and she shall be his wife. 17 If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must still pay the bride-price for virgins.
18 “Do not allow a sorceress(W) to live.
19 “Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal(X) is to be put to death.
20 “Whoever sacrifices to any god(Y) other than the Lord must be destroyed.[e](Z)
21 “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner,(AA) for you were foreigners(AB) in Egypt.
22 “Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless.(AC) 23 If you do and they cry out(AD) to me, I will certainly hear their cry.(AE) 24 My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.(AF)
25 “If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not treat it like a business deal; charge no interest.(AG) 26 If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge,(AH) return it by sunset, 27 because that cloak is the only covering your neighbor has. What else can they sleep in?(AI) When they cry out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.(AJ)
28 “Do not blaspheme God[f](AK) or curse(AL) the ruler of your people.(AM)
29 “Do not hold back offerings(AN) from your granaries or your vats.[g]
“You must give me the firstborn of your sons.(AO) 30 Do the same with your cattle and your sheep.(AP) Let them stay with their mothers for seven days, but give them to me on the eighth day.(AQ)
31 “You are to be my holy people.(AR) So do not eat the meat of an animal torn by wild beasts;(AS) throw it to the dogs.
Footnotes
- Exodus 22:1 In Hebrew texts 22:1 is numbered 21:37, and 22:2-31 is numbered 22:1-30.
- Exodus 22:8 Or before God, and he will
- Exodus 22:9 Or before God
- Exodus 22:9 Or whom God declares
- Exodus 22:20 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.
- Exodus 22:28 Or Do not revile the judges
- Exodus 22:29 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
Evangelical Heritage Version (EHV)
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.