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

6Someone might light a fire in his field to burn thorn bushes. But the fire might grow and it might burn the crops in another farmer's field. It may destroy the crops that are growing there or the grain that is ready for harvest. It might even destroy the whole field. Then the person who lit the fire must pay the farmer for the crops that the fire has destroyed. 7Perhaps you may give some of your money or your valuable things to your neighbour. You may ask your neighbour to keep them safe for you. But a robber might take those things from your neighbour's house. If you catch the robber, he must pay back twice the value of the things that he took. But if you do not find the robber, you must take your neighbour to stand in front of the judges. They must decide if your neighbour has taken your things for himself. 9Perhaps two people both say that something belongs to them. They may argue about a cow, a donkey, a sheep, some clothes or anything else that they have lost. Then both of them must go to stand in front of the judges. The judges will decide which of them is guilty. The guilty person must pay back twice the value of the thing to the other person. 10Perhaps you may ask your neighbour to keep one of your animals safe for you. It may be a donkey, a cow, a sheep or any other animal that belongs to you. Then the animal may die, or something may hurt it. Or perhaps a robber takes it for himself. If nobody has seen what really happened, you must do this:

Exodus 22:8 word by word

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• If the thiefגַּנָּבgannâb · thiefH1590
• be notלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• foundמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• then the masterבַּעַלba‛al · masterH1167
• of the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
• shall be broughtקָרַבqârab · to present: comeH7126
• unto the judgesאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• whether he have putשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: reachH7971
• his handיָדyâd · handH3027
• unto his neighbour’sרֵעַrêa‛ rêya‛ · neighborH7453
• goodsמְלָאכָהmelâ'kâh · workH4399

Cross-references for Exodus 22:8

• Exodus 22:28Never insult God. Never curse anyone who is a leader of your people.
• Exodus 21:6Then his master must take the slave to stand in front of the judges. He must lead the slave to stand beside the door, or the wood that holds the door. Then the master must push the sharp point of a tool through the slave's ear. After that, he will serve his master for all his life.
• Deuteronomy 16:18Each tribe must choose judges and officers in every town that the Lord gives you. They must judge the people in a way that is fair.
• Deuteronomy 19:17Then both of them must stand in front of the judges that the Lord has chosen. Those are the priests and the judges who have authority at that time.
• 1 Chronicles 23:4David said, ‘24,000 of these Levite men must have authority for the work of the Lord's temple. 6,000 of them will be officers and judges.
• Psalms 82:1God calls the powerful rulers to meet in heaven. He sits on his throne to judge them.

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