> [[exodus-21|← Previous]] | [[exodus-00|TOC]] | [[exodus-23|Next →]] --- # Exodus, Chapter 22 ## Chapter 22 1 \[If a thief is caught in the act of housebreaking and beaten to death, there is no bloodguilt involved. ^exodus-22-1 2 But if after sunrise he is thus beaten, there is bloodguilt.\] He must make full restitution. If he has nothing, he shall be sold to pay for his theft. ^exodus-22-2 3 If what he stole is found alive in his possession, be it an ox, a donkey or a sheep, he shall make twofold restitution. ^exodus-22-3 4 When someone causes a field or a vineyard to be grazed over, by sending his cattle to graze in another’s field, he must make restitution with the best produce of his own field or vineyard. ^exodus-22-4 5 If a fire breaks out, catches on to thorn bushes, and consumes shocked grain, standing grain, or the field itself, the one who started the fire must make full restitution. ^exodus-22-5 **Trusts and Loans.** 6 When someone gives money or articles to another for safekeeping and they are stolen from the latter’s house, the thief, if caught, must make twofold restitution. ^exodus-22-6 7 If the thief is not caught, the owner of the house shall be brought to God, to swear that he himself did not lay hands on his neighbor’s property. ^exodus-22-7 8 In every case of dishonest appropriation, whether it be about an ox, or a donkey, or a sheep, or a garment, or anything else that has disappeared, where another claims that the thing is his, the claim of both parties shall be brought before God; the one whom God convicts must make twofold restitution to the other. ^exodus-22-8 9 When someone gives an ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or any other animal to another for safekeeping, if it dies, or is maimed or snatched away, without anyone witnessing the fact, ^exodus-22-9 10 there shall be an oath before the LORD between the two of them that the guardian did not lay hands on his neighbor’s property; the owner must accept the oath, and no restitution is to be made. ^exodus-22-10 11 But if the guardian has actually stolen from it, then he must make restitution to the owner. ^exodus-22-11 12 If it has been killed by a wild beast, let him bring it as evidence; he need not make restitution for the mangled animal. ^exodus-22-12 13 When someone borrows an animal from a neighbor, if it is maimed or dies while the owner is not present, that one must make restitution. ^exodus-22-13 14 But if the owner is present, that one need not make restitution. If it was hired, this was covered by the price of its hire. ^exodus-22-14 **Social Laws.** 15 When a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed, and lies with her, he shall make her his wife by paying the bride price. ^exodus-22-15 16 If her father refuses to give her to him, he must still pay him the bride price for virgins. ^exodus-22-16 17 You shall not let a woman who practices sorcery live. ^exodus-22-17 18 Anyone who lies with an animal shall be put to death. ^exodus-22-18 19 Whoever sacrifices to any god, except to the LORD alone, shall be put under the ban. ^exodus-22-19 20 You shall not oppress or afflict a resident alien, for you were once aliens residing in the land of Egypt. ^exodus-22-20 21 You shall not wrong any widow or orphan. ^exodus-22-21 22 If ever you wrong them and they cry out to me, I will surely listen to their cry. ^exodus-22-22 23 My wrath will flare up, and I will kill you with the sword; then your own wives will be widows, and your children orphans. ^exodus-22-23 24 If you lend money to my people, the poor among you, you must not be like a money lender; you must not demand interest from them. ^exodus-22-24 25 If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge, you shall return it to him before sunset; ^exodus-22-25 26 for this is his only covering; it is the cloak for his body. What will he sleep in? If he cries out to me, I will listen; for I am compassionate. ^exodus-22-26 27 You shall not despise God, nor curse a leader of your people. ^exodus-22-27 28 You shall not delay the offering of your harvest and your press. You shall give me the firstborn of your sons. ^exodus-22-28 29 You must do the same with your oxen and your sheep; for seven days the firstling may stay with its mother, but on the eighth day you must give it to me. ^exodus-22-29 30 You shall be a people sacred to me. Flesh torn to pieces in the field you shall not eat; you must throw it to the dogs. ^exodus-22-30 \* (22:1] – [2) If a thief is caught: this seems to be a fragment of what was once a longer law on housebreaking, which has been inserted here into the middle of a law on stealing animals. At night the householder would be justified in killing a burglar outright, but not so in the daytime, when the burglar could more easily be caught alive. He must make full restitution: this stood originally immediately after [21:37]. \* (22:7) Brought to God: either within the household or at the sanctuary, the owner of the house is required to take an oath before God. \* (22:16) The bride price for virgins: fifty shekels according to [Dt 22:29]. \* (22:27) Despise God: a turning away from God’s authority and so failing to honor God (cf. [1 Sm 2:30]). a. (22:12) [Gn 31:39]. b. (22:15] – [16) [Dt 22:28] – [29]. c. (22:17) [Lv 19:26], [31]; [20:6], [27]; [Dt 18:10] – [11]. d. (22:18) [Lv 18:23]; [Dt 27:21]. e. (22:19) [Dt 13]; [17:2] – [7]. f. (22:20] – [23) ([[exodus-23|Ex 23]]:9]; [Lv 19:33] – [34]; [Dt 10:18] – [19]; [24:17] – [18]; [27:19]; [Zec 7:10]. g. (22:24) [Lv 25:35] – [38]; [Dt 23:19] – [20]; [24:10] – [13]; [[ezekiel-18|Ez 18]]:7 – [8], [17] – [18]. h. (22:25] – [26) [Dt 24:10] – [13]; [Jb 22:6]; [Prv 20:16]; [27:13]; [Am 2:8]. i. (22:27) ([[acts-of-the-apostles-23|Acts 23]]:5]. j. (22:29) ([[exodus-13|Ex 13]]:2]; [34:19]; [Lv 22:27]; [Dt 15:19]. k. (22:30) [Lv 7:24]; [17:15]; [22:8]. --- _New American Bible, revised edition_ (2010, 1991, 1986, 1970) Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. > [[exodus-21|← Previous]] | [[exodus-00|TOC]] | [[exodus-23|Next →]]