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Exodus 22:14

in Exodus 22

If a man borrows an animal from his neighbor and it is injured or dies while its owner is not present, he must make full restitution.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And if a man borrow aught of his neighbor, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof not being with it, he shall surely make restitution.

KJV

And 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.

This verse in Exodus 22

Commentary

3 notes on this verse

This site's exposition

If a man borrows an animal from his neighbor

on Exodus 22:14-15

A borrower carries the whole loss, where a paid keeper could clear himself by an oath. The exceptions give the reason, since an owner standing by sees what happened and a rented animal has the risk priced into its fee.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

And if a man borrow ought of his neighbour,....

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

Let us learn hence to be very careful not to abuse any thing that is lent us; it is not only unjust, but base and disingenuous, inasmuch as it is rendering evil for good; we should much rather choose to lose ourselves than that any should sustain loss by their kindness to us.

How the passage was read

What the Jewish commentators add

On the verses either side of this one

AND IF A MAN ‘Y’FATEH’ — “speaks to her emotions [until she submits to him]. And so did Onkelos render it arei y’shadeil, the term shidul in Aramaic being like pitui [persuasion, seduction], in the Sacred Language.
Ramban: Spain, 1194–1270 · Ramban on Exodus 22:15:1, via Sefaria, Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976

This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.

Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.

The words behind it

13 Hebrew words

Every 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.

  • וְכִֽי־and if

    vekhi-H3588 →4482 times

  • יִשְׁאַ֥לhe will ask

    yishalH7592 →171 times

  • אִ֛ישׁanyone

    ʾishH376 →1663 times

  • מֵעִ֥םfrom with

    meimH5973 →1050 times

  • רֵעֵ֖הוּneighbor his

    reehuH7453 →188 times

  • וְנִשְׁבַּ֣רand it will be maimed

    venishbarH7665 →147 times

  • אוֹ־or

    ʾov-H176 →321 times

  • מֵ֑תit died

    metH4191 →839 times

  • בְּעָלָ֥יוowner<s> its

    bealavH1167 →84 times

  • אֵין־not

    ʾein-H369 →789 times

  • עִמּ֖וֹ[was] with it

    imoH5973 →1050 times

  • שַׁלֵּ֥םcertainly <make restitution>

    shalemH7999 →116 times

  • יְשַׁלֵּֽם׃he will make restitution

    yeshalemH7999 →116 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    Luke 6:35

    But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is…

    it leads to

    • Matthew 5:44–45

      But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

    • John 13:35

      By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”

    • Proverbs 19:17

      Kindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD, and He will repay the lender.

    • Romans 5:8–10

      But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

    • Psalms 145:9

      The LORD is good to all; His compassion rests on all He has made.

  • Through

    Deuteronomy 15:2

    This is the manner of remission: Every creditor shall cancel what he has loaned to his neighbor. He is not to collect anything from his neighbor or brother, because the LORD’s time of release…

    it leads to

    • James 2:13

      For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

    • Luke 7:42

      When they were unable to repay him, he forgave both of them. Which one, then, will love him more?”

  • Through

    Leviticus 24:18

    Whoever kills an animal must make restitution—life for life.

    it leads to

    • Leviticus 24:21

      Whoever kills an animal must make restitution, but whoever kills a man must be put to death.

Where this verse is studied

About Exodus

The Israelites Leaving Egypt, David Roberts, 1829. Public domain.
The Israelites Leaving Egypt, David Roberts, 1829. Public domain.

This page draws on John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.