Exodus 22:4
in Exodus 22If what was stolen is actually found alive in his possession—whether ox or donkey or sheep—he must pay back double.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
If the theft be found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep, he shall pay double.
KJV
If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double.
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This verse in Exodus 22
Commentary
5 notes on this verseHe shall restore double - In no case of theft was the life of the offender taken away; the utmost that the law says on this point is, that, if when found breaking into a house, he should be smitten so as to die, no blood should be shed for him; Exo 22:2. If he had stolen and sold the property, then he was to restore four or fivefold, Exo 22:1; but if the animal was found alive in his possession, he was to restore double.
This site's exposition
If a thief is caught breaking in
on Exodus 22:2-4
A burglar killed in the dark leaves the householder clear, and the same blow after sunrise makes him answerable, because daylight lets the man be recognised and taken to court instead. Adam Clarke reads the sunrise clause exactly so. A thief who cannot pay is sold for his theft, and an animal recovered alive costs double rather than four or five, so the scale is set by what the thief has already done with it.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Thus he must both satisfy for the wrong and suffer for the crime. But it was afterwards provided that if the thief were touched in conscience, and voluntarily confessed it, before it was discovered or enquired into by any other, then he should only make restitution of what he had stolen, and add to it a fifth part, Lev. vi.
If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The penalty for the theft of a sheep which was slain or sold, was fourfold; for an ox fivefold, because of its greater utility in labor; but, should the stolen animal have been recovered alive, a double compensation was all that was required, because it was presumable he (the thief) was not a practised adept in dishonesty.
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אִֽם־ | ʾim- | if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| הִמָּצֵא֩ | himatze' | actually <be found> | H4672 → | 455 times |
| תִמָּצֵ֨א | timatze' | it will be found | H4672 → | 455 times |
| בְיָד֜וֹ | veyado | in hand his | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| הַגְּנֵבָ֗ה | hagenevah | the thing stolen | H1591 → | |
| מִשּׁ֧וֹר | mishor | from an ox | H7794 → | 79 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | unto | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| חֲמ֛וֹר | chamor | a donkey | H2543 → | 96 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | unto | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| שֶׂ֖ה | seh | a sheep | H7716 → | 47 times |
| חַיִּ֑ים | chaiyim | alive | H2416 → | 498 times |
| שְׁנַ֖יִם | shenayim | twofold | H8147 → | 768 times |
| יְשַׁלֵּֽם׃ ס | yeshalem | he will make restitution | H7999 → | 116 times |
אִֽם־if
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
הִמָּצֵא֩actually <be found>
himatze'H4672 →455 times
תִמָּצֵ֨אit will be found
timatze'H4672 →455 times
בְיָד֜וֹin hand his
veyadoH3027 →1618 times
הַגְּנֵבָ֗הthe thing stolen
hagenevahH1591 →
מִשּׁ֧וֹרfrom an ox
mishorH7794 →79 times
עַד־unto
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
חֲמ֛וֹרa donkey
chamorH2543 →96 times
עַד־unto
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
שֶׂ֖הa sheep
sehH7716 →47 times
חַיִּ֑יםalive
chaiyimH2416 →498 times
שְׁנַ֖יִםtwofold
shenayimH8147 →768 times
יְשַׁלֵּֽם׃ סhe will make restitution
yeshalemH7999 →116 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Exodus 21:16Whoever kidnaps another man must be put to death, whether he sells him or the man is found in his possession.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 24:7
If a man is caught kidnapping one of his Israelite brothers, whether he treats him as a slave or sells him, the kidnapper must die. So you must purge the evil from among you.
- 1 Timothy 1:10
for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave traders and liars and perjurers, and for anyone else who is averse to sound teaching
- Deuteronomy 24:7
Through
Revelation 18:6Give back to her as she has done to others; pay her back double for what she has done; mix her a double portion in her own cup.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 50:29
Summon the archers against Babylon, all who string the bow. Encamp all around her; let no one escape. Repay her according to her deeds; do to her as she has done. For she has…
- Psalms 137:8
O Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, blessed is he who repays you as you have done to us.
- Jeremiah 50:15
Raise a war cry against her on every side! She has thrown up her hands in surrender; her towers have fallen; her walls are torn down. Since this is the vengeance of the LORD,…
- Jeremiah 50:29
Through
Exodus 22:1“If a man steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters or sells it, he must repay five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep.
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 12:6
Because he has done this thing and has shown no pity, he must pay for the lamb four times over.”
- Luke 19:8
But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, half of my possessions I give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will repay it fourfold.”
- 2 Samuel 12:6
Through
Exodus 22:9In all cases of illegal possession of an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any lost item that someone claims, ‘This is mine,’ both parties shall bring their cases before the judges.…
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 25:1
If there is a dispute between men, they are to go to court to be judged, so that the innocent may be acquitted and the guilty condemned.
- Deuteronomy 25:1
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
On this verse
About Exodus
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.