Exodus 22
Whoever steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it must pay back five head of cattle for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.
2 “If a thief is caught breaking in at night and is struck a fatal blow, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed; 3 but 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. 4 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.
7 “If anyone gives a neighbor silver or goods for safekeeping and they are stolen from the neighbor’s house, the thief, if caught, must pay back double. 8 But if the thief is not found, the owner of the house must appear before the judges, and they must[b] determine whether the owner of the house has laid hands on the other person’s property. 9 In all cases of illegal possession of an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any other lost property about which somebody says, ‘This is mine,’ both parties are to bring their cases before the judges.[c] The one whom the judges declare[d] guilty must pay back double to the other.
10 “If anyone gives a donkey, an ox, a sheep or any other animal to their neighbor for safekeeping and it dies or is injured or is taken away while no one is looking, 11 the issue between them will be settled by the taking of an oath before the Lord that the neighbor did not lay hands on the other person’s property. The owner is to accept this, and no restitution is required. 12 But if the animal was stolen from the neighbor, restitution must be made to the owner. 13 If it was torn to pieces by a wild animal, the neighbor shall bring in the remains as evidence and shall not be required to pay for the torn animal.
14 “If anyone borrows an animal from their neighbor and it is injured or dies while the owner is not present, they must make restitution. 15 But if the owner is with the animal, the borrower will not have to pay. If the animal was hired, the money paid for the hire covers the loss.
Social Responsibility
16 “If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price, and she shall be his wife. 17 If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must still pay the bride-price for virgins.
18 “Do not allow a sorceress to live.
19 “Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal is to be put to death.
20 “Whoever sacrifices to any god other than the Lord must be destroyed.[e]
21 “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt.
22 “Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless. 23 If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. 24 My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.
25 “If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not treat it like a business deal; charge no interest. 26 If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge, return it by sunset, 27 because that cloak is the only covering your neighbor has. What else can they sleep in? When they cry out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.
28 “Do not blaspheme God[f] or curse the ruler of your people.
29 “Do not hold back offerings from your granaries or your vats.[g]
“You must give me the firstborn of your sons. 30 Do the same with your cattle and your sheep. Let them stay with their mothers for seven days, but give them to me on the eighth day.
31 “You are to be my holy people. So do not eat the meat of an animal torn by wild beasts; throw it to the dogs.
Footnotes
- Exodus 22:1 In Hebrew texts 22:1 is numbered 21:37, and 22:2-31 is numbered 22:1-30.
- Exodus 22:8 Or before God, and he will
- Exodus 22:9 Or before God
- Exodus 22:9 Or whom God declares
- Exodus 22:20 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.
- Exodus 22:28 Or Do not revile the judges
- Exodus 22:29 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
Why Pay Back More Than You Took?
In Exodus 22, the Lord gives a principle in His laws, saying that if someone has stolen something, they have to pay back more than what they took. Take a look at these examples:
Exodus 22:1 – “Whoever steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it must pay back five head of cattle for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.”
Exodus 22:4 – “If the stolen animal is found alive in their possession—whether ox or donkey or sheep—they must pay back double.”
Why does God say that people should pay back more than what they took? Wouldn’t simply replacing what they took be enough? Why go beyond it?
First, paying back more than what they took is a punishment to the thief. But, it’s also a blessing to the victim to cover up their loss. God always gives us more than we lost. In the Book of Job, we read about the horrible things that happened to him, but at the end, the Lord blessed with more than he had at the beginning. Jesus told His disciples, “Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life” (Matthew 19:29).
In His justice and grace, God not only restores what we lost, but blesses us above our loss.
Taking Responsibility
There are other laws in this chapter that say someone has to take responsibility for things that go wrong, even if it wasn’t their fault. Here a couple of examples:
Exodus 22:5 - 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.
Exodus 22:6 - 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 22:14 - If anyone borrows an animal from their neighbor and it is injured or dies while the owner is not present, they must make restitution.
The persons in these verses didn’t sin. Their animal strayed, or a fire accidentally spread, or a mishap occurred while borrowing someone else’s animal. And yet, they have to pay for the loss. Does that seem unfair?
To me, it sounds like it’s calling people to step up to their responsibility. It was the person’s choice to own livestock and take on the risk of them straying. It was the person’s choice to start a fire and take on the risk of it spreading. It was the person’s choice to borrow something that belonged to someone else, knowing something unfortunate could happen while he was using it. Thought it’s not their fault something bad happened, it is their responsibility to make it right.
What decisions have you made? Have you calculated and accepted the risks? Have you taken responsibility?
Getting Married
Exodus 22:16-17
“If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price, and she shall be his wife. If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must still pay the bride-price for virgins.
When did this go out of style? It used be our culture, and it’s Biblical, that if you have sex, you take responsibility and marry the woman. It also used to be part of our culture, and it’s Biblical, that you get permission from the woman’s parents before you marry her.
This is the standard. It hasn’t changed.
Kill the Witch
Exodus 22:18
“Do not allow a sorceress to live.”
Do we believe that someone who practices magic or claims to have psychic abilities actually does have those powers? If so, where do those powers come from?
Sorcery and other forms of occult practice are ways for humans to try to exert control over the world, over their lives, and over other people. But we aren’t called to try to take control. We’re called to surrender to the One who is in control.
If someone is engaging in magic, and things are happening, they’re doing so by demonic power. If someone is a charlatan and only claiming to do magic, they’re still inviting dark powers into their lives and leading others to do the same. That sort of deception, God says, cannot be allowed.
Animal Nature
Exodus 22:19
“Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal is to be put to death.”
Our Lord created us to rule over the animals. We’re permitted to use them for food, for work. In doing so, we understand that we’re to treat them as kindly as possible out of respect for their Creator. He has placed us above them, but He is above us.
Scripture says that when a man and a woman have sex, they become one flesh (Genesis 2:24). When someone uses an animal to satisfy their lust, they’re lowering themselves to the level of the animal. They’re becoming one flesh with it. It’s below human dignity to have sex with something lower than us in the created order. It’s also an abuse to the animal.
Does This Sound Harsh?
Exodus 22:20
“Whoever sacrifices to any god other than the Lord must be destroyed.”
How offensive to the only God, the Creator, to sacrifice to, to worship, to pray to, to offer anything to anyone but Him. When people serve other gods, they’re doing one of two things. Either they’re serving a figment of their imagination, something that’s not real because there are no other gods, or they’re serving God’s enemy, the devil or a demon masquerading as a god. In both, they’re turning away from the true God and disrespecting Him by making Him less than what He is. If they don’t repent, the Lord will punish them by sending them to Hell.
But why does He tell the Israelites to kill them? Because someone serving other gods might entice others to do the same. And what will be the result? Now, instead of just that one person going to Hell for their sin, all the people they misled are bound for Hell as well. The Lord knows it’s better to cut off the evil of that one person than to let them drag others down with them.
Remember What You Were
Exodus 22:21
“Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt.”
What were your circumstances in life? Where did you come from? Were you poor, addicted, arrogant, self-centered, rude, greedy, unloving?
Be careful not to look down on such people, because without the grace of God in your life, you’d still be right there with them. And you know that the grace of God can change them just like it changed and is changing you. Maybe you can even be on instrument of God’s grace in their life.
Do Not Take Advantage
Exodus 22:22-27
“Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless. If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless. If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not treat it like a business deal; charge no interest. If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge, return it by sunset, because that cloak is the only covering your neighbor has. What else can they sleep in? When they cry out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.”
Not everything you do is supposed to benefit you. Many times, you’re supposed to lend someone money just because they need it. You’re supposed to treat widows and orphans fairly, not trying to get all you can out of them just because there’s no man around to speak up for them. If you’re greedy and just using people for your own gain, God will speak up for them, and you don’t want God speaking against you.
Instead, ask the Lord to change your heart so that you’re looking for opportunities to give rather than to get. Then, you can trust God to reward you for your generosity and to supply your needs, just as He used you to supply others’ needs.
All-Encompassing
Exodus 22:28-31
“Do not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people. Do not hold back offerings from your granaries or your vats. You must give me the firstborn of your sons. Do the same with your cattle and your sheep. Let them stay with their mothers for seven days, but give them to me on the eighth day. “You are to be my holy people. So do not eat the meat of an animal torn by wild beasts; throw it to the dogs.”
The Law shows us that God is to be sovereign over area of our lives, from how we treat other people, to how we speak about God, to how we show respect to the people in authority over us, to how we worship and give to God, to what we eat. He’s sovereign over everything because He created everything. He’s to be honored in everything because He gave us everything.
Pray today and ask the Spirit of Jesus to show you one area in your life in which God is not sovereign. In what area of your life do you need to honor Him more?
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