EXO 22

Exodus 22:3

WEB

If the sun has risen on him, he is guilty of bloodshed. He shall make restitution. If he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.

BSB

But if it happens after sunrise, there is guilt for his bloodshed. A thief must make full restitution; if he has nothing, he himself shall be sold for his theft.

KJV

If the sun be 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.

Matthew Henry

Verses 1–6

Exodus 22:1–6

Here are the laws,

I. Concerning theft, which are these: - 1. If a man steal any cattle (in which the wealth of those times chiefly consisted), and they be found in his custody, he must restore double, Exo 22:4. Thus he must both satisfy for the wrong and suffer for the crime. But it was afterwards provided that if the thief were touched in conscience, and voluntarily confessed it, before it was discovered or enquired into by any other, then he should only make restitution of what he had stolen, and add to it a fifth part, Lev 6:4, Lev 6:5. 2. If he had killed or sold the sheep or ox he had stolen, and thereby persisted in his crime, he must restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep (Exo 22:1), more for an ox than for a sheep because the owner, besides all the other profit, lost the daily labour of his ox. This law teaches us that fraud and injustice, so far from enriching men, will impoverish them: if we unjustly get and keep that which is another's, it will not only waste itself, but it will consume that which is our own. 3. If he was not able to make restitution, he must be sold for a slave, Exo 22:3. The court of judgment was to do it, and it is probable that the person robbed had the money. Thus with us, in some cases, felons are transported into plantations where alone Englishmen know what slavery is. 4. If a thief broke a house in the night, and was killed in the doing of it, his blood was upon his own head, and should not be required at the hand of him that shed it, Exo 22:2. As he that does an unlawful act bears the blame of the mischief that follows to others, so likewise of that which follows to himself. A man's house is his castle, and God's law, as well as man's, sets a guard upon it; he that assaults it does so at his peril. Yet, if it was in the day-time that the thief was killed, he that killed him must be accountable for it (Exo 22:3), unless it was in the necessary defence of his own life. Note, We ought to be tender of the lives even of bad men; the magistrate must afford us redress, and we must not avenge ourselves.

II. Concerning trespass, Exo 22:5. He that wilfully put his cattle into his neighbour's field must make restitution of the best of his own. Our law makes a much greater difference between this and other thefts than the law of Moses did. The Jews hence observed it as a general rule that restitution must always be made of the best, and that no man should keep any cattle that were likely to trespass upon his neighbours or do them any damage. We should be more careful not to do wrong than not to suffer wrong, because to suffer wrong is only an affliction, but to do wrong is a sin, and sin is always worse than affliction.

III. Concerning damage done by fire, Exo 22:6. He that designed only the burning of thorns might become accessory to the burning of corn, and should not be held guiltless. Men of hot and eager spirits should take heed, lest, while they pretend only to pluck up the tares, they root out the wheat also. If the fire did mischief, he that kindled it must answer for it, though it could not be proved that he designed the mischief. Men must suffer for their carelessness, as well as for their malice. We must take heed of beginning strife; for, though it seem but little, we know not how great a matter it may kindle, the blame of which we must bear, if, with the madman, we cast fire-brands, arrows, and death, and pretend we mean no harm. It will make us very careful of ourselves, if we consider that we are accountable, not only for the hurt we do, but for the hurt we occasion through inadvertency.

Cross-references: Exod 22:4 · Lev 6:4 · Lev 6:5 · Exod 22:1 · Exod 22:3 · Exod 22:2 · Exod 22:5 · Exod 22:6

Hebrew interlinear

ל֑וֹloprep + suffix · pronominal · 3rd · masc · sing
ל֔וֹloprep + suffix · pronominal · 3rd · masc · sing

H518

אִםʼim/eem/

prt — lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

Derivation: a primitive particle;

used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not

KJV: (and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), + but, either, + except, + more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, + save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, + surely (no more, none, not), though, + of a truth, + unless, + verily, when, whereas, whether, while, + yet.

אִם

conj — if

אִם conj.

1. hypoth. part. if

2. Interrog. part.

כִּי אם־

relative conjunction

כִּי אם־

1. each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:

a. that if

b. for if

2. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—

a. limiting the prec. clause, except

b. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

c. after an oath, surely

H2224

זָרַחzârach/zaw-rakh'/

v — irradiate, rise, appear

Derivation: a primitive root;

properly, to irradiate (or shoot forth beams), i.e. to rise (as the sun); specifically, to appear (as a symptom of leprosy)

KJV: arise, rise (up), as soon as it is up.

זָרַח

vb — rise

זָרַח vb. rise, come forth

H8121

שֶׁמֶשׁshemesh/sheh'-mesh/

n — sun, east, ray, battlement

Derivation: from an unused root meaning to be brilliant;

the sun; by implication, the east; figuratively, a ray, i.e. (architectural) a notched battlement

KJV: east side(-ward), sun (rising), west(-ward), window. See also 1053.

שֶׁ֫מֶשׁ

n.f — sun

שֶׁ֫מֶשׁ 133 n.f. et m. sun

1. sun

2. of direction: toward sun-rise, = East

3. obj. of worship

4. other phr.

5. pinnacle, as glittering, shining

H5921

עַלʻal/al/

prep — above, over, upon, against

Derivation: properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a particle following);

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

KJV: above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, × as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, × both and, by (reason of), × had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-) on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, × with.

כִּי עַל כֵּן

forasmuch as

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

עַל

subst — above

עַל, עָ֑ל

I. subst. height

II. As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

1. Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed

a.

(a). of clothing, etc., which any one wears

(b). With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

b. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

c. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

d. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

e. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

f. Of the ground or basis, on which a thing is done

2. It expresses excess

3. It denotes elevation or pre-eminence

4. It expresses addition

5. It expresses the idea of being extended, or suspended over anything, without however being in contact with it, above, over

6. From the sense of inclining or impending over, על comes to denote contiguity or proximity, Engl. by (or sts. on)

7. In connection with verbs of motion (actual or fig.)

8. By writers of the silver age, על is sts. used with the force of a dative

9. With other particles:

III. As conj.

a. עַל אֲשֶׁר because that

b. עַל כִּי similar in meaning, but less frequent

c. עַל alone:

(a). because

(b). notwithstanding that, although

IV. Compounds:

1. with כְּ (rare and late)

a. as concerning, as upon

b. the like of their deeds is the like of (that which) he will repay

2. מֵעַל from upon, from over, from by

H1818

דָּםdâm/dawm/

n-m — blood, juice, bloodshed

Derivation: from 1826 (compare 119);

blood (as that which when shed causes death) of man or an animal; by analogy, the juice of the grape; figuratively (especially in the plural) bloodshed (i.e. drops of blood)

KJV: blood(-y, -guiltiness, (-thirsty), innocent.

דָּם

n.m — blood

דָּם 300 n.m. blood

1. blood of man or animal

2. usually blood become visible

3. blood used with religious significance

4. fig. of wine

H7999

שָׁלַםshâlam/shaw-lam'/

v — be safe, be, make, completed, be friendly, reciprocate

Derivation: a primitive root;

to be safe (in mind, body or estate); figuratively, to be (causatively, make) completed; by implication, to be friendly; by extension, to reciprocate (in various applications)

KJV: make amends, (make an) end, finish, full, give again, make good, (re-) pay (again), (make) (to) (be at) peace(-able), that is perfect, perform, (make) prosper(-ous), recompense, render, requite, make restitution, restore, reward, × surely.

שָׁלֵם

vb — be complete

[שָׁלֵם] 103 vb. be complete, sound

Qal

1. be complete, finished, ended

2. be sound, uninjured

Pi.

1. complete, finish, temple

2. make safe

3. make whole or good, restore

4. make good, i.e. pay, vows

5. requite, recompense, reward

Pu.

1. be performed, of vow

2. be repaid, requited

Hiph.

1. complete, perform

2. make an end of

שָׁלַם

vb. denom — be in covenant of peace

[שָׁלַם] vb. denom. be in covenant of peace

Qal be at peace

Pu. Pt. one in covt. of peace

Hiph.

1. make peace with

2. cause to be at peace

Hoph. live at peace with

H369

אַיִןʼayin/ah'-yin/

np — nonentity

Derivation: as if from a primitive root meaning to be nothing or not exist;

a nonentity; generally used as a negative particle

KJV: else, except, fail, (father-) less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without. Compare 370.

אַ֫יִן

subst — nothing

אַ֫יִן, אָ֑֫יִן cstr. אֵין subst. prop. nothing, nought

1. to nothing, as nothing

2. cstr. אֵין, very freq. as particle of negation, is not, are not, was not, were not

3. אֵין לְ׳, with subst., or pron., there is (was) not to … = … have, has, had, etc. not

4. in circumst. clauses

5. with inf. and ל׳, it is not to

6. with prefixes

H4376

מָכַרmâkar/maw-kar'/

v — sell, surrender

Derivation: a primitive root;

to sell, literally (as merchandise, a daughter in marriage, into slavery), or figuratively (to surrender)

KJV: × at all, sell (away, -er, self).

מָכַר

vb — sell

מָכַר vb. sell

Qal sell

Niph. be sold

Hithp. sell oneself as slave

H1591

גְּנֵבָהgᵉnêbâh/ghen-ay-baw'/

n-f — stealing, stolen

Derivation: from 1589;

stealing, i.e. (concretely) something stolen

KJV: theft.

גְּנֵבָה

n.f — thing stolen

גְּנֵבָה n.f. thing stolen

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