Exodus 22 Study Notes
General
True or False: According to Exodus 22:14-15, a man who borrowed an animal had to pay for it if it died while its owner was there with it.
Answer: False
This is false. The borrower owed full payment only if the borrowed animal was hurt or died while its owner was away (22:14). With the owner there beside it, the borrower owed nothing, since the owner was still looking after his own animal. And if the borrower had hired the animal for a fee, the fee covered the loss (22:15). These rules divide responsibility fairly according to who was in charge of the animal. Scripture marks failing to pay back a loan as a sign of wickedness (Psalm 37:21), and Jesus taught us to treat others as we would want to be treated (Matthew 7:12).
- Exodus 22:14-15 (BSB)“If a man borrows an animal from his neighbor and it is injured or dies while its owner is not present, he must make full restitution. If the owner was present, no restitution is required. If the animal was rented, the fee covers the loss.”Laws for a borrowed animal that is hurt or dies, depending on whether the owner was present, and for a hired animal.
- Psalm 37:21 (BSB)“The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous are gracious and giving.”The wicked borrow and do not repay, so a borrower's duty to make good his loss is a mark of righteousness.
- Matthew 7:12 (BSB)“In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law and the Prophets.”Treating others as we would want to be treated underlies making good a neighbor's loss.
Theological
True or False: Exodus 22:14-15 holds the borrower liable for a borrowed animal that dies even when its owner was present.
Answer: False
This is false. The borrower owes full compensation only when injury or death occurs in the owner's absence (22:14); with the owner on hand, nothing is owed, and for a hired animal the rental price absorbs the loss (22:15). Liability follows who had charge of the animal. The righteous repay what they borrow (Psalm 37:21), and the golden rule captures the fairness these statutes express (Matthew 7:12).
- Exodus 22:14-15 (BSB)“If a man borrows an animal from his neighbor and it is injured or dies while its owner is not present, he must make full restitution. If the owner was present, no restitution is required. If the animal was rented, the fee covers the loss.”Laws for a borrowed animal that is hurt or dies, depending on whether the owner was present, and for a hired animal.
- Psalm 37:21 (BSB)“The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous are gracious and giving.”The wicked borrow and do not repay, so a borrower's duty to make good his loss is a mark of righteousness.
- Matthew 7:12 (BSB)“In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law and the Prophets.”Treating others as we would want to be treated underlies making good a neighbor's loss.
General
In Exodus 22:7-9, what happens when two people both claim the same property, or when goods left with a neighbor go missing and no thief is found?
Answer: The case goes before the judges, and the one found guilty pays double
If someone left money or goods with a neighbor to look after and they were stolen, a caught thief paid double. If no thief was found, the neighbor had to come before the judges so they could decide whether he had taken the goods himself (22:7-8). Any dispute where two people claimed the same animal, garment, or lost item was also brought to the judges, and whoever they found guilty repaid double (22:9). Israel did not settle such disputes by force or by who shouted loudest, but through fair hearings. On Jethro's advice, God-fearing men had been set over the people to judge ordinary cases (Exodus 18:21-22), and judges were to hear everyone fairly because judging is ultimately God's work (Deuteronomy 1:17).
- Exodus 22:7-9 (BSB)“If 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. In 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.”Laws for goods left with a neighbor that go missing, and for disputes over property both parties claim.
- Exodus 18:21-22 (BSB)“Furthermore, select capable men from among the people—God-fearing, trustworthy men who are averse to dishonest gain. Appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. Have these men judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you any major issue, but all minor cases they can judge on their own, so that your load may be lightened as they share it with you.”On Jethro's advice, capable, God-fearing men were to be appointed to judge the people's ordinary cases.
- Deuteronomy 1:17 (BSB)“Show no partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be intimidated by anyone, for judgment belongs to God. And bring to me any case too difficult for you, and I will hear it.””Judges were to hear small and great alike without fear, because judgment belongs to God.
Theological
How does 22:7-9 resolve cases of missing deposits and contested property?
Answer: By adjudication before the judges, with double restitution from the party found guilty
A caught thief of deposited goods repays double; if none is found, the custodian must come before the judges so they can establish whether he has misappropriated his neighbor's property (22:7-8). Every contested claim to an ox, donkey, sheep, garment, or lost item likewise comes before them, and the party they condemn pays double (22:9). Property disputes are settled by impartial hearing, not self-help. This builds on the judicial order of God-fearing officers set up on Jethro's counsel (Exodus 18:21-22), who were to judge without partiality because judgment is God's (Deuteronomy 1:17).
- Exodus 22:7-9 (BSB)“If 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. In 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.”Laws for goods left with a neighbor that go missing, and for disputes over property both parties claim.
- Exodus 18:21-22 (BSB)“Furthermore, select capable men from among the people—God-fearing, trustworthy men who are averse to dishonest gain. Appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. Have these men judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you any major issue, but all minor cases they can judge on their own, so that your load may be lightened as they share it with you.”On Jethro's advice, capable, God-fearing men were to be appointed to judge the people's ordinary cases.
- Deuteronomy 1:17 (BSB)“Show no partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be intimidated by anyone, for judgment belongs to God. And bring to me any case too difficult for you, and I will hear it.””Judges were to hear small and great alike without fear, because judgment belongs to God.
General
True or False: Under Exodus 22:4, if a stolen animal was found still alive with the thief, he had to repay double.
Answer: True
This is true. When the stolen animal was found alive in the thief's possession, whatever kind of animal it was, he was to repay double (22:4). The penalty was lower than the fivefold or fourfold payment for an animal already killed or sold (22:1), since the animal could be returned, but it was still more than he took, so the thief lost exactly what he had tried to gain. Other laws of restitution follow the same idea of paying back in full and adding more (Leviticus 6:4-5). Love for a neighbor includes making right what we owe him (Romans 13:8).
- Exodus 22:4 (BSB)“If what was stolen is actually found alive in his possession—whether ox or donkey or sheep—he must pay back double.”If the stolen animal is still alive in the thief's hands, the penalty is double.
- Leviticus 6:4-5 (BSB)“once he has sinned and becomes guilty, he must return what he has stolen or taken by extortion, or the deposit entrusted to him, or the lost property he found, or anything else about which he has sworn falsely. He must make restitution in full, add a fifth of the value, and pay it to the owner on the day he acknowledges his guilt.”Another law of restitution requires returning the property in full plus an added fifth, showing restitution's consistent principle.
- Romans 13:8 (BSB)“Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.”Love fulfills the law, so owing a neighbor anything wrongly taken must be put right.
Theological
True or False: Exodus 22:4 requires double restitution when the stolen animal is recovered alive from the thief.
Answer: True
This is true. A live animal recovered in the thief's hand, whether ox, donkey, or sheep, requires twofold repayment (22:4), a lesser penalty than the fivefold and fourfold restitution for animals already disposed of (22:1), yet still more than the loss, so the thief forfeits the equivalent of what he sought to gain. The pattern of full restoration plus an added penalty recurs in the guilt-offering law (Leviticus 6:4-5), and neighbor-love includes rectifying every wrongful debt (Romans 13:8).
- Exodus 22:4 (BSB)“If what was stolen is actually found alive in his possession—whether ox or donkey or sheep—he must pay back double.”If the stolen animal is still alive in the thief's hands, the penalty is double.
- Leviticus 6:4-5 (BSB)“once he has sinned and becomes guilty, he must return what he has stolen or taken by extortion, or the deposit entrusted to him, or the lost property he found, or anything else about which he has sworn falsely. He must make restitution in full, add a fifth of the value, and pay it to the owner on the day he acknowledges his guilt.”Another law of restitution requires returning the property in full plus an added fifth, showing restitution's consistent principle.
- Romans 13:8 (BSB)“Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.”Love fulfills the law, so owing a neighbor anything wrongly taken must be put right.
General
According to Exodus 22:29-30, on what day was a firstborn calf or lamb to be given to God?
Answer: When the eighth day came, after a week with its mother
God told Israel not to hold back the offerings from their harvest and to give Him their firstborn sons, and to do the same with their cattle and sheep (22:29-30). The young animal was to stay with its mother for seven days, and when the eighth day came it was given to God. Giving God the first and best showed that everything they had came from Him (Proverbs 3:9). God had already claimed every firstborn in Israel as His after the Passover (Exodus 13:2). Firstborn sons were not sacrificed; they were to be redeemed, that is, bought back with a payment (Exodus 13:12-13).
- Exodus 22:29-30 (BSB)“You must not hold back offerings from your granaries or vats. You are to give Me the firstborn of your sons. You shall do likewise with your cattle and your sheep. Let them stay with their mothers for seven days, but on the eighth day you are to give them to Me.”Israel must not delay its offerings and must give its firstborn sons and animals to God, the animals on the eighth day.
- Exodus 13:2 (BSB)““Consecrate to Me every firstborn male. The firstborn from every womb among the Israelites belongs to Me, both of man and beast.””God had already claimed every firstborn in Israel, both of people and animals, as His own.
- Exodus 13:12-13 (BSB)“you are to present to the LORD the firstborn male of every womb. All the firstborn males of your livestock belong to the LORD. You must redeem every firstborn donkey with a lamb, and if you do not redeem it, you are to break its neck. And every firstborn of your sons you must redeem.”Firstborn sons were to be redeemed rather than sacrificed.
- Proverbs 3:9 (BSB)“Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your crops;”Honoring the LORD with the firstfruits expresses that the first and best belong to Him.
Theological
When was a firstborn animal to be given to the LORD, according to 22:30?
Answer: When the eighth day came, after a week with its dam
Israel must not delay offering from the fullness of its harvest, and must give God its firstborn sons, doing likewise with cattle and sheep: the firstborn animal stays with its mother seven days and is given on the eighth (22:29-30). The claim rests on God's prior consecration of every firstborn in Israel (Exodus 13:2); firstborn sons, however, were redeemed rather than offered (Exodus 13:12-13). Rendering the first to God confesses Him as the source and owner of all increase (Proverbs 3:9).
- Exodus 22:29-30 (BSB)“You must not hold back offerings from your granaries or vats. You are to give Me the firstborn of your sons. You shall do likewise with your cattle and your sheep. Let them stay with their mothers for seven days, but on the eighth day you are to give them to Me.”Israel must not delay its offerings and must give its firstborn sons and animals to God, the animals on the eighth day.
- Exodus 13:2 (BSB)““Consecrate to Me every firstborn male. The firstborn from every womb among the Israelites belongs to Me, both of man and beast.””God had already claimed every firstborn in Israel, both of people and animals, as His own.
- Exodus 13:12-13 (BSB)“you are to present to the LORD the firstborn male of every womb. All the firstborn males of your livestock belong to the LORD. You must redeem every firstborn donkey with a lamb, and if you do not redeem it, you are to break its neck. And every firstborn of your sons you must redeem.”Firstborn sons were to be redeemed rather than sacrificed.
- Proverbs 3:9 (BSB)“Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your crops;”Honoring the LORD with the firstfruits expresses that the first and best belong to Him.
General
According to Exodus 22:1, what did a man owe if he stole an ox and then slaughtered or sold it?
Answer: Five oxen in its place
If a thief had already killed or sold a stolen animal, he could not simply hand it back. The law required fivefold repayment for each ox, and fourfold for each sheep (22:1). The penalty was far more than the value of what was taken, so theft never paid, and the victim was restored more than fully. Restitution, meaning paying back and making things right, runs through this whole section of the law. David applied the fourfold rule when Nathan told him about a rich man who took a poor man's lamb (2 Samuel 12:6), and Zacchaeus, after meeting Jesus, promised to repay fourfold anyone he had cheated (Luke 19:8). The New Testament likewise tells the thief to stop stealing and work so he can give to others (Ephesians 4:28).
- Exodus 22:1 (BSB)““If a man steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters or sells it, he must repay five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep.”The law for a thief who has already killed or sold a stolen ox or sheep.
- 2 Samuel 12:6 (BSB)“Because he has done this thing and has shown no pity, he must pay for the lamb four times over.””David, hearing Nathan's parable of the stolen lamb, applies this law's fourfold penalty.
- Luke 19:8 (BSB)“But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, half of my possessions I give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will repay it fourfold.””Zacchaeus, converted by Christ, voluntarily pledges fourfold repayment, echoing the penalty for theft.
- Ephesians 4:28 (BSB)“He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing good with his own hands, that he may have something to share with the one in need.”The New Testament also calls the thief not merely to stop but to work honestly and give to others.
Theological
What penalty does 22:1 lay on a thief who has slaughtered or sold a stolen ox?
Answer: Fivefold restitution in oxen
The thief who has disposed of a stolen animal must restore fivefold for each ox and fourfold for each sheep (22:1). The covenant law treats theft primarily through restitution to the injured party, with a multiple that removes any gain and compensates the loss generously. David invokes the fourfold rule in response to Nathan's parable (2 Samuel 12:6), and Zacchaeus, transformed by Christ's grace, freely pledges fourfold restoration (Luke 19:8). The apostolic ethic likewise moves the former thief from taking to honest labor and generosity (Ephesians 4:28).
- Exodus 22:1 (BSB)““If a man steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters or sells it, he must repay five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep.”The law for a thief who has already killed or sold a stolen ox or sheep.
- 2 Samuel 12:6 (BSB)“Because he has done this thing and has shown no pity, he must pay for the lamb four times over.””David, hearing Nathan's parable of the stolen lamb, applies this law's fourfold penalty.
- Luke 19:8 (BSB)“But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, half of my possessions I give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will repay it fourfold.””Zacchaeus, converted by Christ, voluntarily pledges fourfold repayment, echoing the penalty for theft.
- Ephesians 4:28 (BSB)“He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing good with his own hands, that he may have something to share with the one in need.”The New Testament also calls the thief not merely to stop but to work honestly and give to others.
General
What reason does Exodus 22:31 give for not eating meat from an animal torn apart by wild beasts?
Answer: Israel was to be God's holy people
God told Israel that they were to be His holy people, set apart for Him, and so they must not eat meat from an animal torn apart in the field; it was to be thrown to the dogs (22:31). God had already called Israel a holy nation at Sinai (Exodus 19:6). Elsewhere the law explains that eating such meat made a person ceremonially unclean, meaning unfit for worship until cleansed (Leviticus 17:15). The specific food rule belonged to Israel's worship, but the call behind it remains: Peter tells believers to be holy in every part of life, because God is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16).
- Exodus 22:31 (BSB)“You are to be My holy people. You must not eat the meat of a mauled animal found in the field; you are to throw it to the dogs.”Because Israel is to be God's holy people, they must not eat the flesh of an animal torn by beasts.
- Exodus 19:6 (BSB)“And unto Me you shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to speak to the Israelites.””At Sinai God had called Israel to be a holy nation.
- Leviticus 17:15 (BSB)“And any person, whether native or foreigner, who eats anything found dead or mauled by wild beasts must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening; then he will be clean.”Eating an animal mauled by beasts made a person ceremonially unclean.
- 1 Peter 1:15-16 (BSB)“But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.””God's call to holiness, grounded in His own holiness, is applied to believers in Christ.
Theological
What rationale does 22:31 give for refusing the flesh of a beast torn in the field?
Answer: Israel's calling to be a people holy to God
The prohibition is explicitly grounded in Israel's identity: they are to be holy to God, so a carcass torn in the field is thrown to the dogs rather than eaten (22:31). The rule works out the Sinai calling to be a holy nation (Exodus 19:6), and the purity code specifies that eating such flesh rendered one unclean (Leviticus 17:15). The dietary regulation belongs to the ceremonial order, but its underlying summons to holiness, grounded in God's own holiness, is applied by Peter to the church (1 Peter 1:15-16).
- Exodus 22:31 (BSB)“You are to be My holy people. You must not eat the meat of a mauled animal found in the field; you are to throw it to the dogs.”Because Israel is to be God's holy people, they must not eat the flesh of an animal torn by beasts.
- Exodus 19:6 (BSB)“And unto Me you shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to speak to the Israelites.””At Sinai God had called Israel to be a holy nation.
- Leviticus 17:15 (BSB)“And any person, whether native or foreigner, who eats anything found dead or mauled by wild beasts must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening; then he will be clean.”Eating an animal mauled by beasts made a person ceremonially unclean.
- 1 Peter 1:15-16 (BSB)“But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.””God's call to holiness, grounded in His own holiness, is applied to believers in Christ.
General
In Exodus 22:25-27, why must a neighbor's cloak taken as a pledge be returned by sunset?
Answer: Because it may be the only covering the poor man has to sleep in, and God is compassionate
When lending money to a poor fellow Israelite, a lender was not to act like a harsh creditor or charge him interest (22:25). If he took the man's cloak as a pledge (a guarantee of repayment), he had to give it back before night, because the cloak might be all the man had to keep warm while sleeping (22:26-27). God says that if the poor man cries out to Him, He will hear, for He is compassionate. The law elsewhere repeats that a poor countryman must be helped without interest (Leviticus 25:35-37) and that his pledged cloak be returned by sunset (Deuteronomy 24:12-13). The LORD describes Himself as compassionate and gracious (Exodus 34:6), and His people must reflect that.
- Exodus 22:25-27 (BSB)“If you lend money to one of My people among you who is poor, you must not act as a creditor to him; you are not to charge him interest. If you take your neighbor’s cloak as collateral, return it to him by sunset, because his cloak is the only covering he has for his body. What else will he sleep in? And if he cries out to Me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.”Laws against charging a poor Israelite interest and for returning a cloak taken as a pledge before night.
- Leviticus 25:35-37 (BSB)“Now if your countryman becomes destitute and cannot support himself among you, then you are to help him as you would a foreigner or stranger, so that he can continue to live among you. Do not take any interest or profit from him, but fear your God, that your countryman may live among you. You must not lend him your silver at interest or sell him your food for profit.”The law repeats that a destitute countryman must be helped without charging interest or profit.
- Deuteronomy 24:12-13 (BSB)“If he is a poor man, you must not go to sleep with the security in your possession; be sure to return it to him by sunset, so that he may sleep in his own cloak and bless you, and this will be credited to you as righteousness before the LORD your God.”The pledged cloak of a poor man must be returned by sunset so that he can sleep in it.
- Exodus 34:6 (BSB)“Then the LORD passed in front of Moses and called out: “The LORD, the LORD God, is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness,”God's own proclaimed name begins with His compassion and grace, the character this law reflects.
Theological
What ground does 22:25-27 give for returning a poor man's pledged cloak before sunset?
Answer: The man's need of it as his only covering at night, and the LORD's own compassion
Lending to a poor member of God's people must not become exploitation: no creditor's pressure and no interest (22:25). A cloak taken in pledge must be restored by sunset, since it may be his only covering for sleep; should he cry to the LORD, he will be heard, because He is compassionate (22:26-27). The law elsewhere reiterates the ban on interest to the destitute brother (Leviticus 25:35-37) and the return of the pledged cloak by sunset (Deuteronomy 24:12-13). Such laws express the character the LORD proclaims of Himself, compassionate and gracious (Exodus 34:6), which His people are to image.
- Exodus 22:25-27 (BSB)“If you lend money to one of My people among you who is poor, you must not act as a creditor to him; you are not to charge him interest. If you take your neighbor’s cloak as collateral, return it to him by sunset, because his cloak is the only covering he has for his body. What else will he sleep in? And if he cries out to Me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.”Laws against charging a poor Israelite interest and for returning a cloak taken as a pledge before night.
- Leviticus 25:35-37 (BSB)“Now if your countryman becomes destitute and cannot support himself among you, then you are to help him as you would a foreigner or stranger, so that he can continue to live among you. Do not take any interest or profit from him, but fear your God, that your countryman may live among you. You must not lend him your silver at interest or sell him your food for profit.”The law repeats that a destitute countryman must be helped without charging interest or profit.
- Deuteronomy 24:12-13 (BSB)“If he is a poor man, you must not go to sleep with the security in your possession; be sure to return it to him by sunset, so that he may sleep in his own cloak and bless you, and this will be credited to you as righteousness before the LORD your God.”The pledged cloak of a poor man must be returned by sunset so that he can sleep in it.
- Exodus 34:6 (BSB)“Then the LORD passed in front of Moses and called out: “The LORD, the LORD God, is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness,”God's own proclaimed name begins with His compassion and grace, the character this law reflects.
General
True or False: The apostle Paul quotes Exodus 22:28 when he realizes he has spoken harshly to the high priest.
Answer: True
This is true. Exodus 22:28 forbids speaking against God and forbids cursing the ruler of God's people. Centuries later, when Paul was on trial and spoke sharply to a man he did not know held the office of high priest, he apologized and quoted this very command (Acts 23:5). Respect for God and respect for those He has placed in authority go together, because authorities are appointed by God (Romans 13:1). Peter joins the same two duties in a single breath, reverence toward God and honor toward the king (1 Peter 2:17).
- Exodus 22:28 (BSB)“You must not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.”Israel must not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of the people.
- Acts 23:5 (BSB)““Brothers,” Paul replied, “I was not aware that he was the high priest, for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’””Paul quotes this very law to explain his apology after speaking harshly to the high priest.
- Romans 13:1 (BSB)“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God.”Governing authorities are appointed by God, which is why cursing them is forbidden.
- 1 Peter 2:17 (BSB)“Treat everyone with high regard: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.”Believers are told both to fear God and to honor the king, matching the two halves of this verse.
Theological
True or False: Paul cites Exodus 22:28 in Acts 23 after rebuking the high priest unawares.
Answer: True
This is true. Exodus 22:28 joins reverence for God with respect for the ruler of His people, forbidding both blasphemy and cursing the ruler. Paul, having unknowingly rebuked the high priest, cites this law in acknowledging his fault (Acts 23:5), showing that the principle still governed apostolic conduct. Civil authority derives from God's appointment (Romans 13:1), and Peter pairs the fear of God with honor for the king (1 Peter 2:17).
- Exodus 22:28 (BSB)“You must not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.”Israel must not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of the people.
- Acts 23:5 (BSB)““Brothers,” Paul replied, “I was not aware that he was the high priest, for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’””Paul quotes this very law to explain his apology after speaking harshly to the high priest.
- Romans 13:1 (BSB)“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God.”Governing authorities are appointed by God, which is why cursing them is forbidden.
- 1 Peter 2:17 (BSB)“Treat everyone with high regard: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.”Believers are told both to fear God and to honor the king, matching the two halves of this verse.
General
According to Exodus 22:10-13, how was a case settled when an animal left in a neighbor's care died or went missing and nobody saw what happened?
Answer: The neighbor swore by the LORD that he had not taken it, and the owner accepted his word
When no one had seen what happened to an animal left in someone's care, the caretaker swore in the LORD's name that he had not taken it, and the owner had to accept that oath without payment (22:10-11). If the animal had actually been stolen from him, he was to repay the owner, since guarding it was his job (22:12). If a wild animal had torn it apart, he brought the remains as proof and owed nothing (22:13). An oath in God's name settled the matter because an oath appeals to One greater than the one swearing (Hebrews 6:16), and lying under such an oath would misuse God's name (Exodus 20:7). Jacob recalled that under Laban he had borne the loss himself even for animals killed by predators, a loss this law would not have required of an honest keeper (Genesis 31:39).
- Exodus 22:10-13 (BSB)“If 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, an oath before the LORD shall be made between the parties to determine whether or not the man has taken his neighbor’s property. The owner must accept the oath and require no restitution. But if the animal was actually stolen from the neighbor, he must make restitution to the owner. If the animal was torn to pieces, he shall bring it as evidence; he need not make restitution for the torn carcass.”Laws for an animal left in a neighbor's care that dies, is injured, is stolen, or is torn by a wild beast.
- Hebrews 6:16 (BSB)“Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and their oath serves as a confirmation to end all argument.”An oath by one greater than oneself ends a dispute, which is how the oath before the LORD functions here.
- Exodus 20:7 (BSB)“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave anyone unpunished who takes His name in vain.”Swearing falsely in the LORD's name would break the third commandment, which gave such an oath its weight.
- Genesis 31:39 (BSB)“I did not bring you anything torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for what was stolen by day or night.”Jacob recalls that while serving Laban he bore the loss himself even for animals torn by beasts, a loss this law would not have laid on him.
Theological
How does 22:10-13 resolve the loss of an entrusted animal when there are no witnesses?
Answer: The custodian's sworn oath by the LORD settles it, and the owner receives no compensation
Where there is no witness, a sworn oath in the LORD's name between the parties determines whether the custodian has misappropriated the animal, and the owner is bound to accept it without compensation (22:10-11). Theft from the custodian, however, requires restitution, since he failed in his charge (22:12), while an animal torn by beasts is excused when he produces the remains as evidence (22:13). The oath works because it invokes One greater and so ends dispute (Hebrews 6:16), and perjury would profane the divine name (Exodus 20:7). By contrast, Jacob recalls absorbing himself the loss of animals torn by beasts while serving Laban, a burden this statute lifts from an honest custodian (Genesis 31:39).
- Exodus 22:10-13 (BSB)“If 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, an oath before the LORD shall be made between the parties to determine whether or not the man has taken his neighbor’s property. The owner must accept the oath and require no restitution. But if the animal was actually stolen from the neighbor, he must make restitution to the owner. If the animal was torn to pieces, he shall bring it as evidence; he need not make restitution for the torn carcass.”Laws for an animal left in a neighbor's care that dies, is injured, is stolen, or is torn by a wild beast.
- Hebrews 6:16 (BSB)“Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and their oath serves as a confirmation to end all argument.”An oath by one greater than oneself ends a dispute, which is how the oath before the LORD functions here.
- Exodus 20:7 (BSB)“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave anyone unpunished who takes His name in vain.”Swearing falsely in the LORD's name would break the third commandment, which gave such an oath its weight.
- Genesis 31:39 (BSB)“I did not bring you anything torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for what was stolen by day or night.”Jacob recalls that while serving Laban he bore the loss himself even for animals torn by beasts, a loss this law would not have laid on him.
General
What reason does Exodus 22:21 give for Israel not to mistreat foreigners living among them?
Answer: Israel itself had once been foreigners in Egypt
God told Israel not to wrong or oppress a foreigner, because they themselves had been foreigners in Egypt (22:21). They knew from experience what it was to be powerless in someone else's land. God also forbade mistreating women whose husbands had died or children who had lost their fathers, warning that if such people cried out to Him, He would hear, and His anger would bring judgment so that the oppressors' own wives and children would become widows and orphans (22:22-24). That is exactly how God had acted for Israel: He heard their cry in Egypt (Exodus 2:23-24). God defends children without fathers and women without husbands, and He shows love to the outsider (Deuteronomy 10:17-19), and looking after such widows and orphans is still called pure religion (James 1:27).
- Exodus 22:21-24 (BSB)“You must not exploit or oppress a foreign resident, for you yourselves were foreigners in the land of Egypt. You must not mistreat any widow or orphan. If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to Me in distress, I will surely hear their cry. My anger will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword; then your wives will become widows and your children will be fatherless.”God forbids oppressing foreigners, widows, and orphans, and warns that He will hear their cry.
- Exodus 2:23-24 (BSB)“After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned and cried out under their burden of slavery, and their cry for deliverance from bondage ascended to God. So God heard their groaning, and He remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”God heard Israel's own cry under Egyptian bondage, the same pattern He promises for the oppressed widow and orphan.
- Deuteronomy 10:17-19 (BSB)“For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God, showing no partiality and accepting no bribe. He executes justice for the fatherless and widow, and He loves the foreigner, giving him food and clothing. So you also must love the foreigner, since you yourselves were foreigners in the land of Egypt.”God executes justice for the fatherless and widow and loves the foreigner, so His people must love the foreigner too.
- James 1:27 (BSB)“Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”Caring for orphans and widows in their distress is named as pure religion before God.
Theological
On what ground does 22:21 forbid oppressing the foreign resident?
Answer: Israel's own experience as foreigners in Egypt
Israel must not wrong or oppress the sojourner, because they themselves were sojourners in Egypt (22:21): redeemed people are to treat the vulnerable as God treated them. The prohibition extends to the widow and orphan, with God as their avenger: if they cry to Him He will hear, and His wrath will make the oppressors' wives widows and their children fatherless (22:22-24). This mirrors God's hearing of Israel's cry under Egyptian bondage (Exodus 2:23-24). The LORD upholds the cause of the orphan and the widow and loves the sojourner (Deuteronomy 10:17-19), and James defines pure religion as tending to widows and orphans in their affliction (James 1:27).
- Exodus 22:21-24 (BSB)“You must not exploit or oppress a foreign resident, for you yourselves were foreigners in the land of Egypt. You must not mistreat any widow or orphan. If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to Me in distress, I will surely hear their cry. My anger will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword; then your wives will become widows and your children will be fatherless.”God forbids oppressing foreigners, widows, and orphans, and warns that He will hear their cry.
- Exodus 2:23-24 (BSB)“After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned and cried out under their burden of slavery, and their cry for deliverance from bondage ascended to God. So God heard their groaning, and He remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”God heard Israel's own cry under Egyptian bondage, the same pattern He promises for the oppressed widow and orphan.
- Deuteronomy 10:17-19 (BSB)“For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God, showing no partiality and accepting no bribe. He executes justice for the fatherless and widow, and He loves the foreigner, giving him food and clothing. So you also must love the foreigner, since you yourselves were foreigners in the land of Egypt.”God executes justice for the fatherless and widow and loves the foreigner, so His people must love the foreigner too.
- James 1:27 (BSB)“Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”Caring for orphans and widows in their distress is named as pure religion before God.
General
What do the laws about straying livestock and spreading fire in Exodus 22:5-6 have in common?
Answer: The person whose animals or fire caused the damage must repay the loss
If someone let his animals wander and eat a neighbor's crops, he had to repay out of the finest produce of his own land (22:5). If someone started a fire that spread through thorns and burned a neighbor's grain, he had to pay back the loss in full (22:6). Neither law requires that the harm was intended. The point is responsibility: a person must take care that what belongs to him does not harm his neighbor, and if it does, he must make it good. A related law makes a man who leaves a pit uncovered pay for the animal that falls in (Exodus 21:33-34). This is part of what it means to care about what is good for others, not just for ourselves (Philippians 2:4).
- Exodus 22:5-6 (BSB)“If a man grazes his livestock in a field or vineyard and allows them to stray so that they graze in someone else’s field, he must make restitution from the best of his own field or vineyard. If 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.”Laws for livestock that graze a neighbor's field and for a fire that burns a neighbor's grain.
- Exodus 21:33-34 (BSB)“If a man opens or digs a pit and fails to cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, the owner of the pit shall make restitution; he must pay its owner, and the dead animal will be his.”A related law makes the man who leaves a pit uncovered pay for the animal that falls in, the same principle of responsibility for negligence.
- Philippians 2:4 (BSB)“Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”Looking out for others' interests is the heart of the care these laws require for a neighbor's property.
Theological
What principle unites the grazing and fire laws of 22:5-6?
Answer: One is accountable for damage his property or carelessness causes a neighbor, and must make it good
The owner who lets his livestock graze another's field must repay out of the finest yield of his own land (22:5), and the one who kindles a fire that spreads to a neighbor's grain must repay the loss completely (22:6). Intent is not the test; responsibility for what one controls is. The same principle governs the uncovered pit (Exodus 21:33-34). Such laws give concrete form to neighbor-love, which considers the good of others and not only one's own (Philippians 2:4).
- Exodus 22:5-6 (BSB)“If a man grazes his livestock in a field or vineyard and allows them to stray so that they graze in someone else’s field, he must make restitution from the best of his own field or vineyard. If 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.”Laws for livestock that graze a neighbor's field and for a fire that burns a neighbor's grain.
- Exodus 21:33-34 (BSB)“If a man opens or digs a pit and fails to cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, the owner of the pit shall make restitution; he must pay its owner, and the dead animal will be his.”A related law makes the man who leaves a pit uncovered pay for the animal that falls in, the same principle of responsibility for negligence.
- Philippians 2:4 (BSB)“Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”Looking out for others' interests is the heart of the care these laws require for a neighbor's property.
General
What do the three offenses in Exodus 22:18-20 (sorcery, bestiality, and sacrificing to another god) have in common in Israel's law?
Answer: Each carried the penalty of death in Israel
These verses name three offenses that Israel's law punished with death: practicing sorcery, having sexual relations with an animal, and offering sacrifice to some god besides the LORD, which brought destruction on the offender (22:18-20). Unlike the property cases before them, these struck at the heart of Israel's covenant life with God: turning to occult powers instead of the LORD, corrupting the created order, and giving worship to false gods. Elsewhere the law calls sorcery an abomination in God's sight (Deuteronomy 18:10-12), forbids bestiality as a perversion (Leviticus 18:23), and treats worship of other gods as breaking God's covenant (Deuteronomy 17:2-5). These penalties belonged to Israel's life as a nation under God at Sinai.
- Exodus 22:18-20 (BSB)“You must not allow a sorceress to live. Whoever lies with an animal must surely be put to death. If anyone sacrifices to any god other than the LORD alone, he must be set apart for destruction.”Three offenses carrying the death penalty in Israel: sorcery, bestiality, and sacrifice to other gods.
- Deuteronomy 18:10-12 (BSB)“Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, practices divination or conjury, interprets omens, practices sorcery, casts spells, consults a medium or spiritist, or inquires of the dead. For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD. And because of these detestable things, the LORD your God is driving out the nations before you.”Sorcery and related practices are detestable to the LORD and were among the reasons He drove out the nations.
- Leviticus 18:23 (BSB)“You must not lie carnally with any animal, thus defiling yourself with it; a woman must not stand before an animal to mate with it; that is a perversion.”Bestiality is forbidden as a defiling perversion.
- Deuteronomy 17:2-5 (BSB)“If a man or woman among you in one of the towns that the LORD your God gives you is found doing evil in the sight of the LORD your God by transgressing His covenant and going to worship other gods, bowing down to them or to the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven—which I have forbidden— and if it is reported and you hear about it, you must investigate it thoroughly. If the report is true and such an abomination has happened in Israel, you must bring out to your gates the man or woman who has done this evil thing, and you must stone that person to death.”Worshiping other gods is called a transgression of God's covenant, punished by death after careful investigation.
Theological
What unites the offenses listed in 22:18-20?
Answer: All were capital offenses in Israel's covenant order
Sorcery, bestiality, and sacrifice to any god but the LORD alone were capital offenses in Israel, the last under the ban of destruction (22:18-20). They differ from the surrounding property cases in striking directly at the covenant relationship: occult power in place of the LORD, perversion of the created order, and idolatrous worship. The wider law names sorcery detestable (Deuteronomy 18:10-12), bestiality a perversion (Leviticus 18:23), and idolatry a transgression of the covenant (Deuteronomy 17:2-5). These are judicial penalties of Israel's theocratic order; the historic Reformed reading (Westminster Confession 19) distinguishes such judicial laws, given to Israel as a body politic, from the moral law that binds all.
- Exodus 22:18-20 (BSB)“You must not allow a sorceress to live. Whoever lies with an animal must surely be put to death. If anyone sacrifices to any god other than the LORD alone, he must be set apart for destruction.”Three offenses carrying the death penalty in Israel: sorcery, bestiality, and sacrifice to other gods.
- Deuteronomy 18:10-12 (BSB)“Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, practices divination or conjury, interprets omens, practices sorcery, casts spells, consults a medium or spiritist, or inquires of the dead. For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD. And because of these detestable things, the LORD your God is driving out the nations before you.”Sorcery and related practices are detestable to the LORD and were among the reasons He drove out the nations.
- Leviticus 18:23 (BSB)“You must not lie carnally with any animal, thus defiling yourself with it; a woman must not stand before an animal to mate with it; that is a perversion.”Bestiality is forbidden as a defiling perversion.
- Deuteronomy 17:2-5 (BSB)“If a man or woman among you in one of the towns that the LORD your God gives you is found doing evil in the sight of the LORD your God by transgressing His covenant and going to worship other gods, bowing down to them or to the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven—which I have forbidden— and if it is reported and you hear about it, you must investigate it thoroughly. If the report is true and such an abomination has happened in Israel, you must bring out to your gates the man or woman who has done this evil thing, and you must stone that person to death.”Worshiping other gods is called a transgression of God's covenant, punished by death after careful investigation.
General
In Exodus 22:2-3, what difference does it make whether a burglar is killed at night or after sunrise?
Answer: At night the one who strikes him bears no bloodguilt, but after sunrise he does
If a burglar breaking in was struck and died, the householder bore no bloodguilt (guilt for shedding blood); yet if it took place once the sun was up, he did (22:2-3). In the dark a homeowner cannot tell who is there or what he intends, so defending his household is allowed. In daylight the thief can be seen, identified, and dealt with through the courts, so killing him is treated as taking a life. Even a thief's life mattered, because every person is made in God's image (Genesis 9:6) and murder is forbidden (Exodus 20:13). The proper penalty for theft was paying it back, and a thief with nothing to pay was sold to work off his debt (22:3; compare Proverbs 6:30-31).
- Exodus 22:2-3 (BSB)“If a thief is caught breaking in and is beaten to death, no one shall be guilty of bloodshed. But if it happens after sunrise, there is guilt for his bloodshed. A thief must make full restitution; if he has nothing, he himself shall be sold for his theft.”The law distinguishes a burglar struck down in the dark from one killed after sunrise, and requires restitution from a thief.
- Genesis 9:6 (BSB)“Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man his blood will be shed; for in His own image God has made mankind.”Human life bears God's image, so shedding blood carries guilt unless the law excuses it.
- Exodus 20:13 (BSB)“You shall not murder.”The commandment against murder stands behind the rule that killing a daytime thief brings bloodguilt.
- Proverbs 6:30-31 (BSB)“Men do not despise the thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger. Yet if caught, he must pay sevenfold; he must give up all the wealth of his house.”A caught thief is to repay what he took, showing that the ordinary penalty for theft was restitution, not death.
Theological
What principle best explains the night/day distinction for killing a burglar in 22:2-3?
Answer: Lethal defense is excused when intent and identity cannot be known in the dark, but a daylight killing incurs bloodguilt because the thief's life is still protected
A householder who kills a burglar at night incurs no bloodguilt, but once the sun has risen, bloodguilt attaches (22:2-3). The evident principle is a limited right of self-defense: in darkness the intruder's intent and identity are unknown and the threat is real, while by daylight he can be recognized and brought to justice. The thief remains an image-bearer whose blood may not be shed at will (Genesis 9:6; Exodus 20:13). Theft itself was answered by restitution, and if the thief could not pay he was to be sold to pay for what he stole (22:3; compare Proverbs 6:30-31), not executed.
- Exodus 22:2-3 (BSB)“If a thief is caught breaking in and is beaten to death, no one shall be guilty of bloodshed. But if it happens after sunrise, there is guilt for his bloodshed. A thief must make full restitution; if he has nothing, he himself shall be sold for his theft.”The law distinguishes a burglar struck down in the dark from one killed after sunrise, and requires restitution from a thief.
- Genesis 9:6 (BSB)“Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man his blood will be shed; for in His own image God has made mankind.”Human life bears God's image, so shedding blood carries guilt unless the law excuses it.
- Exodus 20:13 (BSB)“You shall not murder.”The commandment against murder stands behind the rule that killing a daytime thief brings bloodguilt.
- Proverbs 6:30-31 (BSB)“Men do not despise the thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger. Yet if caught, he must pay sevenfold; he must give up all the wealth of his house.”A caught thief is to repay what he took, showing that the ordinary penalty for theft was restitution, not death.
General
What did Exodus 22:16-17 require of a man who seduced and slept with a virgin who was not engaged?
Answer: He had to pay the bride-price and marry her, and if her father refused the marriage, he still paid
A man who seduced an unengaged virgin had to pay the full bride-price (the gift a groom gave the bride's family) and take her as his wife (22:16). If her father would not allow the marriage, the man still had to pay an amount equal to the bride-price for a virgin (22:17). The man could not use the woman and walk away. He was held responsible, and the woman and her family were protected, while the father kept the right to refuse the marriage. A similar law in Deuteronomy required the man to marry her and forbade him ever to divorce her (Deuteronomy 22:28-29). Scripture treats sex as belonging within marriage, which everyone is to hold in honor (Hebrews 13:4).
- Exodus 22:16-17 (BSB)“If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged in marriage and sleeps with her, he must pay the full dowry for her to be his wife. If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, the man still must pay an amount comparable to the bridal price of a virgin.”The law for a man who seduces an unbetrothed virgin.
- Deuteronomy 22:28-29 (BSB)“If a man encounters a virgin who is not pledged in marriage, and he seizes her and lies with her, and they are discovered, then the man who lay with her must pay the young woman’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she must become his wife because he has violated her. He must not divorce her as long as he lives.”A related law likewise requires the man to pay the father and marry the woman, and adds that he may never divorce her.
- Hebrews 13:4 (BSB)“Marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.”Marriage is to be honored and the marriage bed kept pure, the standard this law protects.
Theological
What does 22:16-17 require of a man who seduces an unbetrothed virgin?
Answer: Payment of the bride-price and marriage, with the price still owed if her father refuses
The seducer owes the entire bride-price and takes the woman as his wife (22:16); if her father utterly refuses the match, he must still pay the equivalent of the bride-price for a virgin (22:17). The law holds the man accountable, protects the woman and her household from being wronged and abandoned, and leaves the father a right of refusal. The related law in Deuteronomy adds that such a man may never divorce her (Deuteronomy 22:28-29). The statute presupposes the creational norm that sexual union belongs within honored marriage (Hebrews 13:4).
- Exodus 22:16-17 (BSB)“If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged in marriage and sleeps with her, he must pay the full dowry for her to be his wife. If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, the man still must pay an amount comparable to the bridal price of a virgin.”The law for a man who seduces an unbetrothed virgin.
- Deuteronomy 22:28-29 (BSB)“If a man encounters a virgin who is not pledged in marriage, and he seizes her and lies with her, and they are discovered, then the man who lay with her must pay the young woman’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she must become his wife because he has violated her. He must not divorce her as long as he lives.”A related law likewise requires the man to pay the father and marry the woman, and adds that he may never divorce her.
- Hebrews 13:4 (BSB)“Marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.”Marriage is to be honored and the marriage bed kept pure, the standard this law protects.