Exodus 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.

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

3 If the sun shall have 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.

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

5 If 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.

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

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

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

9 For 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] he whom the judges shall condemn, shall pay double to his neighbor.

10 If a man shall deliver to his neighbor an ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or any beast to keep; and it shall 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 to his neighbor's goods; and the owner of it shall accept of it, and he shall not make restitution.

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

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

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

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

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

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

18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.

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

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

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

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

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

24 And 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 shalt lend money to [any of] my people [that is] poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as a usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.

26 If thou shalt at all take thy neighbor's raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it to him by the setting of the sun.

27 For that [is] his only covering, it [is] his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth to me, that I will hear; for I [am] gracious.

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

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

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

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

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Exodus 22 Commentary

Chapter 22

Judicial laws.

- The people of God should ever be ready to show mildness and mercy, according to the spirit of these laws. We must answer to God, not only for what we do maliciously, but for what we do heedlessly. Therefore, when we have done harm to our neighbour, we should make restitution, though not compelled by law. Let these scriptures lead our souls to remember, that if the grace of God has indeed appeared to us, then it has taught us, and enabled us so to conduct ourselves by its holy power, that denying ungodliness and wordly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, ( Titus 2:12 ) . And the grace of God teaches us, that as the Lord is our portion, there is enough in him to satisfy all the desires of our souls.

Taken from Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 22

This chapter contains various laws concerning theft, Ex 22:1-4, concerning damage done to fields and vineyards by beasts, and to corn in stacks or standing, by fire, Ex 22:5,6, concerning anything or creature deposited in the hands of a neighbour, and they be stolen or lost by one means or another, Ex 22:7-13, concerning anything borrowed, and it comes to any damage, Ex 22:14,15, concerning fornication, Ex 22:16,17 concerning witchcraft, bestiality, and idolatry, Ex 22:18-20 concerning oppression, and affliction of the stranger, fatherless, and widow, Ex 22:21-24 concerning taking usury and pledges, Ex 22:25-27, concerning irreverence to magistrates, Ex 22:28, concerning the offering of firstfruits to God, Ex 22:29,30 and the chapter is concluded with a prohibition of eating anything torn by beasts, Ex 22:31.