Bible/Exodus/22

Exodus 22:2

22:1 If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. or a sheep: or, or a goat
If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him.

KJV

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If the thief is found breaking in, and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no guilt of bloodshed for him.

If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him.

If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him.

22:3 If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him; for he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.

What does Exodus 22:2 mean?

Exodus 22:2 is a verse in the book of Exodus, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include גַּנָּב (gannâb), מָצָא (mâtsâʼ), מַחְתֶּרֶת (machtereth). It connects to 9 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

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If
a
thiefגַּנָּבgannâb/gaw-nab'/H1590a stealer
be
foundמָצָאmâtsâʼ/maw-tsaw'/H4672properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present
breaking
up,מַחְתֶּרֶתmachtereth/makh-teh'-reth/H4290a burglary; figuratively, unexpected examination
and
be
smittenנָכָהnâkâh/naw-kaw'/H5221to strike (lightly or severely, literally or figuratively)
that
he
die,מוּתmûwth/mooth/H4191to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill
there
shall
no
bloodדָּםdâm/dawm/H1818blood (as that which when shed causes death) of man or an animal; by analogy, the juice of the grape; figuratively (especially in the plural) bloodshed (i.e. drops of blood)
be
shed
for
him.

Commentary on Exodus 22:2

HENRY_FULL · Exodus 22:2
tion" The laws of this chapter relate, I. To the eighth commandment, concerning theft ( ver. 1-4 ), trespass by cattle ( ver. 5 ), damage by fire ( ver. 6 ), trusts ( ver. 7-13 ), borrowing cattle ( ver. 14, 15 ), or money, ver. 25-27 . II. To the seventh commandment. Against fornication ( ver. 16, 17 ), bestiality, ver. 19 . III. To the first table, forbidding witchcraft ( ver. 18 ), idolatry, ver. 20 . Commanding to offer the firstfruits, ver. 29, 30 . IV. To the poor, ver. 21-24 . V. To the civil government, ver. 28 . VI. To the peculiarity of the Jewish nation, ver. 31 . Judicial Laws. ( b. c. 1491.

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Numbers 35:27

And the revenger of blood find him without the borders of the city of his refuge, and the revenger of blood kill the slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood: he: Heb. no blood shall be to him

Job 24:14

The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief.

Job 30:5

They were driven forth from among men, (they cried after them as after a thief;)

Hosea 7:1

When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without. wickedness: Heb. evils spoileth: Heb. strippeth

Joel 2:9

They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief.

Matthew 6:19

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

Matthew 6:20

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

Matthew 24:43

But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

1 Thessalonians 5:2

For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

Topics

PunishmentsRestitutionTheftTheft and Thieves

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Exodus 22:2.

Exodus 12:13

And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. to destroy: Heb. for a destruction

Exodus 7:17

Thus saith the LORD, In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.

Exodus 7:20

And Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood.

Genesis 19:11

And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.

Genesis 19:19

Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die:

Genesis 4:15

And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.

Frequently asked questions

What does Exodus 22:2 say?

Exodus 22:2 (King James Version) reads: "If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him."

Is Exodus 22:2 in the Old or New Testament?

Exodus 22:2 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Exodus.

Reflect

As you read Exodus 22:2, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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