Exodus 22: Laws about theft, borrowed goods, and care for the poor

In plain English: "If a man steals an ox or a sheep and kills it or sells it, he is to pay five oxen for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.

Good to know: This Bible numbers the verses as English Bibles do. In Hebrew Bibles this verse is Exodus 21:37, and each verse after it in this chapter has a number one lower, so that chapter 22 there has 30 verses and this one has 31.

In plain English: If a thief is found breaking in, and is struck so that he dies, there is no guilt of bloodshed for the one who struck him.

In plain English: If the sun has risen on him, the one who struck him is guilty of bloodshed. The thief is to make restitution (pay back). If he has nothing, he is to be sold for his theft.

In plain English: If the stolen animal is found alive in his hand, whether it is an ox, a donkey, or a sheep, he is to pay double.

In plain English: "If a man lets his animal loose so that a field or vineyard is eaten, and it grazes in another man's field, he is to make restitution from the best of his own field and the best of his own vineyard.

In plain English: "If a fire breaks out and catches in thorns, so that stacked grain, standing grain, or the field is burned up, the one who started the fire is surely to make restitution.

In plain English: "If a man gives his neighbor money or goods to keep, and it is stolen out of the man's house, then if the thief is found, he is to pay double.

In plain English: If the thief is not found, the master of the house is to come near to God (or: to the judges), to find out whether or not he has put his hand on his neighbor's goods.

The Hebrew word: "God" is elohim again, as in Exodus 21:6. The word-by-word meaning in this verse is "the judges".

What changes: Read as "the judges", the master of the house comes near to the judges, the men who hear the case, to find out whether he took his neighbor's goods. Read as "God", he comes near to God to settle it. The Hebrew allows both, and the text does not say which is meant.

In plain English: For every matter of wrongdoing, whether it is about an ox, a donkey, a sheep, clothing, or any kind of lost thing about which someone says, 'This is mine,' the case of both sides is to come before God (or: the judges). The one whom God (or: the judges) condemns is to pay double to his neighbor.

The Hebrew word: "God" is elohim twice in this verse. The word-by-word meaning is "the judges" both times, as in verse 8. The verb in "whom God condemns" is plural in the Hebrew: "they condemn".

What changes: Read as "the judges", the case comes before the judges, and the one whom they condemn pays double. Read as "God", the one whom God condemns pays double.

In plain English: "If a man gives his neighbor a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any animal to keep, and it dies or is injured or is driven away, with no one seeing it,

In plain English: the oath of Yahweh is to be between the two of them, that he has not put his hand on his neighbor's goods. Its owner is to accept it, and he is not to make restitution.

In plain English: But if it is stolen from him, he is to make restitution to its owner.

Good to know: The Hebrew says only "he will make restitution to its owner". The words "the one who stole" are not in the Hebrew, and the verse does not name who "he" is.

What changes: Read as the man who was keeping the animal, the verse says he repays the owner even though it was stolen from him. Read as the thief, it says the thief repays the owner.

In plain English: If it is torn in pieces, let him bring it as evidence. He is not to make good what was torn.

In plain English: "If a man borrows anything from his neighbor, and it is injured or dies while its owner is not with it, he is surely to make restitution.

In plain English: If its owner is with it, he is not to make it good. If it was hired, it came for its hire.

In plain English: "If a man entices a virgin who is not pledged to be married and lies with her, he is surely to pay a dowry (bride-price) for her to be his wife.

In plain English: If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he is to pay money equal to the dowry (bride-price) of virgins.

The Hebrew words: "Pay a dowry" in verse 16 is the verb mahar, and "dowry" here is the noun mohar. The dictionary gives them as "to bargain (for a wife), i.e. to wed" and "a price (for a wife)".

How it is translated: The noun mohar is in only 3 verses of the Bible: here, Genesis 34:12 and 1 Samuel 18:25. This Bible says "dowry" in all 3.

In plain English: "You are not to let a sorceress live.

In plain English: "Whoever has sex with an animal is surely to be put to death.

In plain English: "Whoever sacrifices to any god, except to Yahweh only, is to be utterly destroyed.

In plain English: "You are not to wrong an alien (a foreigner living among you) or oppress him, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.

The Hebrew word: "Alien" is ger. The dictionary gives it as "properly, a guest; by implication, a foreigner".

How it is translated: In Exodus this Bible says "alien" in 3 of the 9 verses that use the word, "foreigner" in 5 and "stranger" in 3 (some verses use two of these words). The three "alien" verses are this one, 23:9 and 23:12.

In plain English: "You are not to take advantage of (literally: afflict) any widow or fatherless child.

In plain English: If you take advantage of them at all, and they cry out to me at all, I will surely hear their cry,

In plain English: and my anger will burn, and I will kill you with the sword. Your wives will be widows, and your children fatherless.

In plain English: "If you lend money to any of my people who is poor and lives with you, you are not to act toward him as a creditor. You are not to charge him interest.

In plain English: If you take your neighbor's cloak as a pledge, you are to give it back to him before the sun goes down,

In plain English: for it is his only covering. It is his cloak for his skin. What would he sleep in? When he cries out to me, I will hear, for I am gracious.

The Hebrew word: "Gracious" is channun. In Exodus this word is in only 2 verses: this one and Exodus 34:6, where the name Yahweh is proclaimed with the words "a merciful and gracious God". This Bible says "gracious" in both.

In plain English: "You are not to blaspheme (speak with contempt against) God (or: the judges), and you are not to curse a ruler of your people.

The Hebrew words: "God" is elohim, as in Exodus 21:6. "Blaspheme" is qalal, the same verb as "curses" in Exodus 21:17. "Curse" in the second half is a different verb, arar, and "ruler" is nasi.

How it is translated: The verb arar is in only this verse of Exodus. Qalal is in 3 verses of Exodus: this Bible says "easier" in 18:22, "curses" in 21:17 and "blaspheme" here. Nasi is in 4 verses of Exodus, and this Bible says "ruler" or "rulers" in all 4.

What changes: Read as "the judges", the verse is about two kinds of leaders: the judges, and a ruler of the people. Read as "God", the first half is about God and the second half about a ruler.

Good to know: The Greek Old Testament reads "gods" here: in Brenton's English, "Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor speak ill of the ruler of thy people".

In plain English: "You are not to delay giving from your full harvest and from the flow of your presses. "You are to give me the firstborn of your sons.

Good to know: The verse says to give the firstborn of your sons to Yahweh. It does not say how. Exodus 13:13 and 34:20 say that the firstborn of the sons are to be redeemed.

In plain English: You are to do the same with your cattle and your sheep. It is to stay with its mother seven days, and on the eighth day you are to give it to me.

In plain English: "You are to be holy men to me. So you are not to eat any meat that is torn by animals in the field. You are to throw it to the dogs.