Bible Commentaries

If a man shall steal an ^a ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.

(a) Either a great beast of the herd, or a small beast of the flock.

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

(b) Breaking a house to enter in, or undermining.

If the sun be risen upon him, [there shall be] ^c blood [shed] for him; [for] he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.

(c) He shall be put to death that kills him.

If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the judges, [to see] whether he have ^d put his hand unto his neighbour's goods.

(d) That is, whether he has stolen.

^e [Then] shall an oath of the LORD be between them both, that he hath not put his hand unto his neighbour's goods; and the owner of it shall accept [thereof], and he shall not make [it] good.

(e) They should swear by the name of the Lord.

If it be torn in pieces, [then] let him bring ^f it [for] witness, [and] he shall not make good that which was torn.

(f) He shall show some part of the beast or bring in witnesses.

[But] if the owner thereof [be] with it, he shall not make [it] good: if it [be] an hired [thing], it ^g came for his hire.

(g) He that hired it shall be free by paying the hire.

And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your ^h wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.

(h) The just plague of God on the oppressors.

For that [is] his covering only, it [is] his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he ⁱ crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I [am] gracious.

(i) For cold and necessity.

Thou shalt not delay [to offer] the ^k first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.

(k) Your abundance of your corn.

And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat [any] flesh [that is] torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it ^l to the dogs.

(l) And so have nothing to do with it.