10 "If someone gives a donkey or ox or lamb or any kind of animal to another for safekeeping and it dies or is injured or lost and there is no witness, 11 an oath before God must be made between them to decide whether one has laid hands on the property of the other. The owner must accept this and no damages are assessed. 12 But if it turns out it was stolen, the owner must be compensated. 13 If it has been torn by wild beasts, the torn animal must be brought in as evidence; no damages have to be paid. 14 "If someone borrows an animal from a neighbor and it gets injured or dies while the owner is not present, he must pay for it. 15 But if the owner was with it, he doesn't have to pay. If the animal was hired, the payment covers the loss.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Exodus 22:10-15
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.