Exodus Chapter 22
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Remember the following truth
from our beloved Torah!
“Ye shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which
I command you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM
IT, that ye may keep the commandments of יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloleichem, which I command you”. Davarim -
Deuteronomy 4:2. (JPS-1917).
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With
Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
Introduction:
Exodus
Chapter 22 continues the expansion of the civil and ethical laws that began in
the previous chapter. While Chapter 21 focused largely on person-to-person
violence and servitude, Chapter 22 shifts into the realm of property rights,
social responsibility, and the moral character of the community. It outlines a
system where accountability is central; it is not enough to simply feel sorry
for a mistake or a crime, one must actively restore the balance of justice
through specific, practical restitution.
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Exodus Chapter 22, verses 1 to 30:
Whilst below the verses are the Explanation’s. (The Chapter is from JPS-1917 version
of the Torah).
Verses 1-3: If a thief be found breaking in, and
be smitten so that he dieth, there shall be no blood guiltiness for him. If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood guiltiness for him he shall make restitution;
if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft. If
the theft be found in his hand alive, whether it be
ox, or ass, or sheep, he shall pay double.
Explanation Verses 1-3, the focus regarding the laws of theft and restitution for livestock. If a person steals an ox or sheep and then slaughters or sells it, they must pay back five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep. This multi-layered restitution serves as both a penalty and a deterrent. The law also clarifies that if a thief is caught breaking in at night and is killed, there is no bloodguilt, but if it happens after sunrise, the slayer is liable; emphasizing that lethal force is only a last resort for immediate self-defence.
Verse 4: If a man cause a field or
vineyard to be eaten, and shall let his beast loose, and it feed in another man’s
field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall
he make restitution.
Explanation Verse 4, addresses the situation where the stolen animal is found alive in the thief’s possession. In this case, the penalty is reduced to double the value. This distinction encourages the preservation of the property and acknowledges a lower level of “completeness” in the crime compared to selling or slaughtering the animal.
Verses 5-6: If fire break out, and catch
in thorns, so that the shocks of corn, or the standing corn, or the field are
consumed; he that kindled the fire shall surely make restitution. If a man deliver unto his neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it
be stolen out of the man's house; if the thief be found, he shall pay double.
Explanation Verses 5-6, the above moves into the territory of negligence and accidental damage. If a person’s animal grazes in another man’s field, or if a fire started on one’s property spreads to a neighbour’s harvest, the one responsible must make full restitution from the “best” of their own field. This ensures that victims of negligence are made whole with high-quality produce.
Verses 7-12: If the thief be not found,
then the master of the house shall come near unto God, to see whether he have
not put his hand unto his neighbour’s goods. For every
matter of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for
sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing, whereof one saith: ‘This
is it’, the cause of both parties shall come before God; he whom God shall
condemn shall pay double unto his neighbour. If a man
deliver unto his neighbour an ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or any beast, to keep,
and it die, or be hurt, or driven away, no man seeing it; the
oath of the LORD shall be between them both, to see whether he have not put his
hand unto his neighbour’s goods; and the owner thereof shall accept it, and he
shall not make restitution. But if it be stolen from him,
he shall make restitution unto the owner thereof. If it be
torn in pieces, let him bring it for witness; he shall not make good that which
was torn.
Explanation Verses 7-12, this details the laws of safekeeping and deposits. If a person leaves money or goods with a neighbour and they are stolen, the thief pays double. If the thief is not found, the “master of the house” must appear before the judges to prove they did not personally take the items. If an animal dies or is injured while in someone else’s care without witnesses, a vow of the LORD is used to settle the matter of honesty and liability.
Verses 13-14: And if a man borrow aught of
his neighbour, and it be hurt, or die, the owner
thereof not being with it, he shall surely make restitution. If
the owner thereof be with it, he shall not make it good; if it be a hireling,
he loseth his hire.
Explanation Verses 13-14, deals with borrowed items. If a person borrows an animal and it is injured or dies while the owner is away, the borrower is fully liable. However, if the owner was present, or if the animal was hired for a fee, the risk remains with the owner or is covered by the hire price.
Verses 15-16: And if a man entices a virgin
that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely pay a dowry for her to
be his wife. If her father utterly refuses to give her unto
him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.
Explanation Verses 15-16, these two verses together establish a system of restorative justice for cases of seduction. In that culture, a woman's virginity was tied to her social status and her “bride-price” (the dowry her future husband would pay her family). If she was seduced, her future marriage prospects were severely damaged.
Verse 17-19: Thou shalt not suffer a
sorceress to live. Whosoever lieth
with a beast shall surely be put to death. He that sacrificeth unto the gods, save
unto the LORD only, shall be utterly destroyed.
Explanation Verses 17-19, it lists three severe violations of the communal and moral order: sorcery, bestiality, and sacrificing to any power other than the Divine. These are treated as capital offences because they represent a total abandonment of the ethical and spiritual framework that defines the nation.
Verses 20-23: And a stranger shalt thou not
wrong; neither shalt thou oppress him; for ye were strangers in the
Explanation Verses 20-23, shifts to the treatment of the vulnerable. The law strictly
forbids the oppression of the “stranger” (sojourner), reminding the people that
they themselves were once strangers in
Verses 24-26: If thou lend money to any of My people, even to the poor with thee, thou shalt not be to
him as a creditor; neither shall ye lay upon him interest. If
thou at all take thy neighbour’s garment to pledge, thou shalt restore it unto
him by that the sun goeth down; for that is his only
covering, it is his garment for his skin; wherein shall he sleep? And it shall
come to pass, when he crieth unto Me,
that I will hear; for I am gracious.
Explanation Verses 24-26, this covers lending and basic human needs. When lending to the poor, interest (usury) is forbidden. Furthermore, if a neighbour’s garment is taken as a pledge (collateral), it must be returned by sunset. This recognizes that for a poor person, a cloak is not just property but their “only covering” for sleep.
Verses 27-30: Thou shalt not revile God, nor
curse a ruler of thy people. Thou shalt not delay to offer
of the fullness of thy harvest, and of the outflow of thy presses. The
first-born of thy sons shalt thou give unto Me. Likewise
shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep; seven days it shall be with
its dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it Me. And ye
shall be holy men unto Me; therefore ye shall not eat
any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs.
Explanation Verses 27-30, we now conclude this section with laws of reverence and dedication. They forbid reviling the Divine or cursing a leader. They also command the prompt offering of first-fruits and the dedication of the firstborn of both sons and livestock, reminding the people that all life and bounty ultimately belong to the Creator.
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My Closing Message:
Exodus 22
paints a picture of a society where holiness is defined by how we treat our
neighbour's property and how we protect those who have no one to speak for
them. By mandating restitution for theft and compassion for the poor, the Torah
moves beyond abstract ideals and establishes a concrete "safety net"
of justice. It teaches that true righteousness is found in the integrity of our
daily transactions and the mercy we show to the stranger, the widow, and the needy.
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