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1 If a man shal steale an oxe, or a sheepe, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore fiue oxen for an oxe, and foure sheepe for a sheepe.

2 ¶ If a thiefe bee found breaking vp, and be smitten that he die, there shal no blood be shed for him.

3 If the Sunne be risen vpon him, there shall be blood shed for him: for hee should make full restitution: if he haue nothing, then he shall bee sold for his theft.

4 If the theft be certainely found in his hand aliue, whether it bee oxe or asse, or sheepe, he shall restore double.

5 ¶ If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall put in his beast, and shall feede in another mans field: of the best of his owne field, and of the best of his owne vineyard shall he make restitution.

6 ¶ If fire breake out, and catch in thornes, so that the stackes of corne, or the standing corne, or the field be consumed therewith; hee that kindled the fire, shall surely make restitution.

7 ¶ If a man shal deliuer vnto his neighbour money or stuffe to keepe, and it be stollen out of the mans house; if the thiefe be found, let him pay double.

8 If the thiefe be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought vnto the Iudges, to see whether he haue put his hande vnto his neighbours goods.

9 For all maner of trespasse, whether it be for oxe, for asse, for sheepe, for raiment, or for any maner of lost thing, which another challengeth to be his: the cause of both parties shall come before the Iudges, and whome the Iudges shall condemne, he shall pay double vnto his neighbour.

10 If a man deliuer vnto his neighbour an asse, or an oxe, or a sheepe, or any beast to keepe, and it die, or be hurt, or driuen away, no man seeing it,

11 Then shall an othe of the Lord be betweene them both, that hee hath not put his hand vnto his neighbours goods: and the owner of it shall accept thereof, and he shall not make it good.

12 And if it be stollen from him, he shall make restitution vnto the owner thereof.

13 If it be torne in pieces, then let him bring it for witnesse, and hee shall not make good that which was torne.

14 ¶ And if a man borrowe ought of his neighbour, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof being not with it, he shall surely make it good.

15 But if the owner thereof be with it, he shall not make it good: If it bee an hired thing, it came for his hire.

16 ¶ And if a man entice a maide that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife.

17 If her father vtterly refuse to giue her vnto him, he shall pay money according to the dowrie of virgins.

18 ¶ Thou shalt not suffer a witch to liue.

19 ¶ Whosoeuer lieth with a beast, shall surely be put to death.

20 ¶ Hee that sacrificeth vnto any god saue vnto the Lord onely, hee shall be vtterly destroyed.

21 ¶ Thou shalt neither vexe a stranger, nor oppresse him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

22 ¶ Yee shall not afflict any widow, or fatherlesse child.

23 If thou afflict them in any wise, and they crie at all vnto mee, I will surely heare their crie.

24 And my wrath shall waxe hote, and I will kill you with the sword: and your wiues shall be widowes, and your children fatherlesse.

25 ¶ If thou lend money to any of my people that is poore by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an vsurer, neither shalt thou lay vpon him vsurie.

26 If thou at all take thy neighbors raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliuer it vnto him by that the sun goeth downe.

27 For that is his couering onely, it is his raiment for his skinne: wherein shal he sleepe? and it shal come to passe, when he crieth vnto mee, that I will heare: for I am gracious.

28 ¶ Thou shalt not reuile the Gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.

29 ¶ Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the first borne of thy sonnes shalt thou giue vnto me.

30 Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheepe: seuen dayes it shall be with his damme, on the eight day thou shalt giue it me.

31 ¶ And ye shall be holy men vnto me: neither shall ye eate any flesh that is torne of beasts in the field: yee shall cast it to the dogs.

Viewing the original 1611 KJV with archaic English spelling
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Commentary for Exodus 22

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, #Tit 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.

Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.

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