Exodus 22:8

Exodus 22:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the judges, to see whether he have put his hand unto his neighbour’s goods.
• New International Version (NIV)But if the thief is not found, the owner of the house must appear before the judges, and they must determine whether the owner of the house has laid hands on the other person’s property.
• English Standard Version (ESV)If the thief is not found, the owner of the house shall come near to God to show whether or not he has put his hand to his neighbor's property.
• New King James Version (NKJV)If the thief is not found, then the master of the house shall be brought to the judges to see whether he has put his hand into his neighbor’s goods.

Context of Exodus 22:8

6If a fire breaks out and spreads to thornbushes so that it consumes stacked or standing grain, or the whole field, the one who started the fire must make full restitution. 7If a man gives his neighbor money or goods for safekeeping and they are stolen from the neighbor’s house, the thief, if caught, must pay back double. If the thief is not found, the owner of the house must appear before the judges to determine whether he has taken his neighbor’s property. 9In all cases of illegal possession of an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any lost item that someone claims, ‘This is mine,’ both parties shall bring their cases before the judges. The one whom the judges find guilty must pay back double to his neighbor. 10If a man gives a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any other animal to be cared for by his neighbor, but it dies or is injured or stolen while no one is watching,

Exodus 22:8 word by word

אִם־לֹ֤א יִמָּצֵא֙ הַגַּנָּ֔ב וְנִקְרַ֥ב בַּֽעַל־הַבַּ֖יִת אֶל־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים אִם־לֹ֥א שָׁלַ֛ח יָד֖וֹ בִּמְלֶ֥אכֶת רֵעֵֽהוּ׃Read the interlinear

• Ifאִם'im · ifH518
• the thiefגַּנָּבgannâb · thiefH1590
• is notלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• foundמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• the ownerבַּעַלba‛al · masterH1167
• of the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
• must appearקָרַבqârab · to present: comeH7126
• beforeאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
• the judgesאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• he has takenשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: reachH7971
• he has takenיָדyâd · handH3027
• his neighbor’sרֵעַrêa‛ rêya‛ · neighborH7453
• propertyמְלָאכָהmelâ'kâh · workH4399

Cross-references for Exodus 22:8

• Exodus 22:28You must not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.
• Exodus 21:6then his master is to bring him before the judges. And he shall take him to the door or doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he shall serve his master for life.
• Deuteronomy 16:18You are to appoint judges and officials for your tribes in every town that the LORD your God is giving you. They are to judge the people with righteous judgment.
• Deuteronomy 19:17both parties to the dispute must stand in the presence of the LORD, before the priests and judges who are in office at that time.
• 1 Chronicles 23:4“Of these,” said David, “24,000 are to oversee the work of the house of the LORD, 6,000 are to be officers and judges,
• Psalms 82:1God presides in the divine assembly; He renders judgment among the gods:

Commentaries on Exodus 22:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Unto the judges - See Clarke's note on Exodus 21:6.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8It would appear that if the master of the house would clear himself of imputation, the loss of the pledged article fell upon its owner.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-15In cases involving loss of property, the responsible person had to pay compensation equal to the value of what was lost. If the person had actually stolen the property, the compensation was multiplied (22:1, 4, 7). Where there was a question of responsibility, the parties were to appear before God for adjudication (22:8). The means by which the judgment was reached is not reported.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-311-4. If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep--The law respects the theft of cattle which constituted the chief part of their property. The penalty for the theft of a sheep which was slain or sold, was fourfold; for an ox fivefold, because of its greater utility in labor; but, should the stolen animal have been recovered alive, a double compensation was all that was required, because it was presumable he (the thief) was not a practised adept in dishonesty…Read the comment

Topics related to Exodus 22:8

• Bullock
• Fine
• Trustee

In the dictionaries

• Book
• Cause
• Curse
• Feed
• God
• Put
• Restore
• Revile
• Theft
• Torn

Commentaries on Exodus 22

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings