221 If a man steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it, he shall restore five oxen for the ox, and four sheep for the sheep. 2 If the thief be encountered breaking in, and be smitten so that he die, there shall be no blood-guiltiness for him. 3 If the sun be risen on him, there shall be blood-guiltiness for him; he should have made full restitution: if he had nothing, he would have been sold for his theft. 4 If the stolen thing be actually found alive in his hand, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep, he shall restore double. 5 If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and put in his cattle, and pasture in another man's field, of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard shall he make [it] good. 6 —If fire break out, and seize the thorns, and the stacks of corn, or the standing corn, or the field be consumed, he that kindled the fire shall fully make it good.
7 —If a man deliver unto his neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man's house; if the thief be found, let him restore double; 8 if the thief be not found, the master of the house shall be brought before the judges, [to see] if he has not put his hand unto his neighbour's goods. 9 As to all manner of fraud,—as to ox, as to ass, as to sheep, as to clothing, as to everything lost, of which [a man] saith, It is this—the cause of both parties shall come before the judges: he whom the judges shall condemn shall restore double to his neighbour. 10 If a man deliver unto his neighbour an ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or any cattle, to keep, and it die, or be hurt, or driven away, and no man see [it], 11 an oath of Jehovah shall be between them both, that he hath not put his hand unto his neighbour's goods; and the owner of it shall accept it, and he shall not make [it] good. 12 But if it have been stolen from him, he shall make [it] good unto its owner. 13 If it have been torn in pieces, let him bring it [as] witness: he shall not make good what was torn. 14 —And if a man borrow anything of his neighbour, and it be hurt, or die, its owner not being with it, he shall fully make it good; 15 if the owner thereof be with it, he shall not make [it] good; if it be a hired [thing], it came for its hire.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Exodus 22:1-15
Chapter Contents
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.