Exodus 22:4

Exodus 22:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double.
• English Standard Version (ESV)If the stolen beast is found alive in his possession, whether it is an ox or a donkey or a sheep, he shall pay double.
• New King James Version (NKJV)If the theft is certainly found alive in his hand, whether it is an ox or donkey or sheep, he shall restore double.
• New Living Translation (NLT)If someone steals an ox or a donkey or a sheep and it is found in the thief’s possession, then the thief must pay double the value of the stolen animal.

Context of Exodus 22:4

2“If a thief is caught breaking in at night and is struck a fatal blow, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed; 3but if it happens after sunrise, the defender is guilty of bloodshed. “Anyone who steals must certainly make restitution, but if they have nothing, they must be sold to pay for their theft. If the stolen animal is found alive in their possession—whether ox or donkey or sheep—they must pay back double. 5“If anyone grazes their livestock in a field or vineyard and lets them stray and they graze in someone else’s field, the offender must make restitution from the best of their own field or vineyard. 6“If a fire breaks out and spreads into thornbushes so that it burns shocks of grain or standing grain or the whole field, the one who started the fire must make restitution.

Exodus 22:4 word by word

אִֽם־הִמָּצֵא֩ תִמָּצֵ֨א בְיָד֜וֹ הַגְּנֵבָ֗ה מִשּׁ֧וֹר עַד־חֲמ֛וֹר עַד־שֶׂ֖ה חַיִּ֑ים שְׁנַ֖יִם יְשַׁלֵּֽם׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• If the theftגְּנֵבָהgenêbâh · theftH1591
• be certainlyמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• in his handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
• aliveחַיchay · aliveH2416
• whether it be oxשׁוֹרshôr · cattleH7794
• or assחֲמוֹרchămôr chămôr · donkeyH2543
• or sheepשֶׂהώeh ώêy · sheepH7716
• he shall restoreשָׁלֵםshâlam · to completeH7999
• doubleשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147

Cross-references for Exodus 22:4

• Exodus 21:16“Anyone who kidnaps someone is to be put to death, whether the victim has been sold or is still in the kidnapper’s possession.
• Exodus 21:1“These are the laws you are to set before them:
• Proverbs 6:31Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold, though it costs him all the wealth of his house.
• Isaiah 40:2Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.
• Jeremiah 16:18I will repay them double for their wickedness and their sin, because they have defiled my land with the lifeless forms of their vile images and have filled my inheritance with their detestable idols.”
• Revelation 18:6Give back to her as she has given; pay her back double for what she has done. Pour her a double portion from her own cup.

Commentaries on Exodus 22:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4He shall restore double - In no case of theft was the life of the offender taken away; the utmost that the law says on this point is, that, if when found breaking into a house, he should be smitten so as to die, no blood should be shed for him; Exodus 22:2. If he had stolen and sold the property, then he was to restore four or fivefold, Exodus 22:1; but if the animal was found alive in his possession, he was to restore double.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2-4Verses 2-4 If a thief, in breaking into a dwelling in the night, was slain, the person who slew him did not incur the guilt of blood; but if the same occurred in daylight, the slayer was guilty in accordance with Exodus 21:12. The distinction may have been based on the fact that in the light of day there was a fair chance of identifying and apprehending the thief.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 22:4

• Animals
• Bullock
• Fine
• Restitution
• Theft and Thieves

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