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Summarized Bible Commentary

Exodus 22:1-31

Contents: Judgments on rights of property; crimes against humanity.

Characters: God, Moses.

Conclusion: Man's attitude to his fellow man will be based on his attitude to God and His law.

Key Word: Judgments, Exodus 21:1.

Strong Verses: Exodus 22:29; Exodus 22:30; Exodus 22:31.

Striking Facts: One is struck by the number of things we are told NOT to do. These negative commands reveal human nature to itself. All is changed in the New Testament through Christ's sacrifice.

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See also Exodus 22:1-31 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    CHAPTER XXII _Laws concerning_ theft, 1-4; _concerning_ trespass, 5; _concerning_ casualties, 6. _Laws concerning_ deposits, _or goods left in custody of others_, _which may have been_ lost, stol...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    The theft of an ox appears to have been regarded as a greater crime than the theft of a sheep, because it showed a stronger purpose in wickedness to take the larger and more powerful animal. It may ha...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 22 FURTHER JUDGMENTS _ 1. Concerning theft (Exodus 22:1)_ 2. Concerning neglect in case of fire (Exodus 22:6) 3. Concerning dishonesty (Exodus 22:7) 4. Concerning immoralities and forbidde...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    EXODUS 22:1 E. THEFT AND DAMAGE. Fourfold restitution was due (Exodus 22:1), as in Roman law and Bedawin custom, for theft of a sheep (though fivefold for the doubly useful ox), reduced to twofold (Ex...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    A MAN. Hebrew. _'ish_ (App-14). FOUR SHEEP. So David Jdg 2 Samuel 12:6....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Exodus 20:22 to Exodus 23:33 _The Book of the Covenant_ The -Book of the Covenant" (see Exodus 24:7 in explanation of the name) is the oldest piece of Hebrew legislation that we possess. The laws co...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    1 4. Theft of ox or sheep; and burglary....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it or sells it (so as to make profit by it), he is to repay fivefold for the ox, and fourfold for the sheep. Cf. (with differences) Ḥamm. § 8 (see p. 420)....

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    IF A MAN SHALL STEAL AN OX OR A SHEEP, &C.— If he killed or sold such stolen ox, sheep, or goat, and was legally convicted of the crime, he was to _restore five oxen for an ox,_ &c. If they were found...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    THE TEXT OF EXODUS TRANSLATION 22 If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall pay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. (2) If the thief be found breaking in,...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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._ If a man shall steal. The law respects the theft of cattle, which...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    22:1 sheep, (b-9) Strictly, 'small cattle,' sheep or goats. so ch. 34.3,19....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE BOOK OF THE COVENANT (CONTINUED) 1. Four sheep] The larger compensation required in the case of the ox is probably due to the fact that it is an animal used for labour, and of proportionately hig...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    EXODUS: *ISRAEL BECOMES A NATION GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS TO MOSES EXODUS CHAPTER S 19 TO 40 _HILDA BRIGHT AND KITTY PRIDE_ CHAPTER 22 LAWS ABOUT PROPERTY – VERSES 1-15 V1 The *LORD continued to spe...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    IF A MAN SHALL STEAL AN OX, OR A SHEEP. — The flocks and herds of the Israelites constituted their principal property, and hence cattle-stealing is taken as the representative of theft in general. AN...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    XXII. (1-4) Theft is here treated of with great brevity, only three kinds being distinguished — (1) Housebreaking; (2) stealing without conversion of the property; (3) stealing with conversion. The ma...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    _[Exodus 21:37]_ כִּ֤י יִגְנֹֽב ־אִישׁ֙ שֹׁ֣ור אֹו...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    PART III.--RIGHTS OF PROPERTY. Exodus 21:33 - Exodus 22:15. The vital and quickening principle in this section is the stress it lays upon man's responsibility for negligence, and the indirect conseq...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The laws of property follow. The section really begins with verse Exo 21:33 of the previous chapter. These laws also began by laying emphasis on the guilt of carelessness. The truth emphasized is that...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    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 fl...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Five oxen; because they are of greater value than sheep. (Theodoret) --- As these things may easily be stolen, a heavier fine is imposed than on those who steal money. The Scythians punish theft with...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    CONTENTS The same subject as in the former Chapter is pursued through this. Here is a further explanation of the social duties and obligations, as comprised in the second table of the law, given on M...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    "In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai." Up to this point all the dealings of God have been the...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    Thus far God has proclaimed Himself the avenger of iniquities, and, citing thieves before His tribunal, has threatened them with eternal death. Now follow the civil laws, the principle of which is not...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 19 THROUGH 23. But having thus terminated the course of grace, the scene changes entirely. They do not keep the feast on the mountain, whither God, as He had...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    IF A MAN SHALL STEAL AN OX OR A SHEEP,.... In which the substance of men chiefly lay in those times, and particularly the people of Israel, who were now come out of Egypt, with their flocks and herds,...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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. Ver. 1. _If a man shall steal, &c._] The Persians at this day punish...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep_ More for an ox than for a sheep, because the owner, besides all the other profit, lost the daily labour of his ox. If he were not able to make restitu...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Of theft. 5 Of dammage. 7 Of trespasses. 14.Of borrowing. 16 Of fornication. 18 Of witchcraft. 19 Of bestialitie. 20 Of idolatrie. 21 Of strangers, widowes, and fatherlesse. 25 Of vsurie. 2...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    REGARDING PROPERTY...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    If a man shall steal an ox or a sheep, and kill it or sell it, he shall restore five oxen, five head of cattle, FOR AN OX AND FOUR SHEEP FOR A SHEEP. The Lord wanted complete restoration to be made, t...

  • Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures

    C. FIRST FORM OF THE LAW OF THE POLITICAL COMMONWEALTH Exodus 21:1 to Exodus 23:33 _a. Right of Personal Freedom (according to Bertheau, ten in number)_ 1Now these _are_ the judgments [ordinances] w...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    LAWS AS REGARDS PROPERTY (vs.1-15) While one rightly was control over his own property, yet he is also responsible as to how he uses it. If one were to dig a pit, even on his own property, and leave...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    SHEEP: Or, goat...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    EXODUS CHAPTER 22 Of theft, EXODUS 22:1. Of eating another man's vineyard, EXODUS 2:5 Of hurt coming by fire, EXODUS 22:6. Of hurt coming to goods committed to one's trust,...

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    The study of this section of our book is eminently calculated to impress the heart with a sense d God's unsearchable wisdom and infinite goodness. It enables one to form some idea of the character of...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Exodus 22:1 man H376 steals H1589 (H8799) ox H7794 sheep H7716 slaughters H2873 (H8804) sells H4376 ...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    EXPANSION OF THE TEN WORDS OF THE COVENANT (EXODUS 20:22 TO EXODUS 23:33). In this section, which is composed of elements put together mainly in chiastic form (see later), Yahweh expands on the Ten W...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    REGULATIONS CONCERNING FARMING THEFT AND DAMAGE (EXODUS 22:1). Here we have five main paragraphs which begin with ‘if (ci) a man' or ‘if (ci) a fire' (English text (verses) Exodus 22:1; Exodus 22:5;...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Exodus 22:2. _Breaking up,_ by forcible entrance into a house, _there shall no blood be shed for him,_ though he be killed by another in his own defence. In that case the thief might be presumed to ha...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _If a man steal._ THE LAW OF ROBBERY God made provision not only for the acquisition of property, but for its security. Hence this law, which respects-- 1. Theft. 2. Housebreaking. I. Theft (Exodu...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— Exodus 22:2. No blood be shed for him.] This is a free translation, which, however, fairly gives the purport of the original words. The Hebrew phrase reads literally: “There is of for...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION II. LAWS CONNECTED WITH RIGHTS OF PROPERTY (verses 33-36). From the consideration of injuries to the person, the legislator proceeds to treat of injuries to property, and, as he has been sp...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION THE BOOK OF THE COVENANT, _continued_. _Laws connected with rights of property, continued_ (Exodus 22:1). The fret section—Exodus 22:1—is upon theft. The general principle laid down is, th...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    If a man shall steal an ox, and kill it, [The rustlers] and sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, four sheep for a sheep (Exodus 22:1). You see in those days they were interested in taking ca...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    sheep. or, goat. He shall. There is a smaller compensation Leviticus 6:1 Numbers 5:7 2 Samuel 12:6 Proverbs 6:31...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep — More for an ox than for a sheep, because the owner, besides all the other profit, lost the daily labour of his ox. If we were not able to make restitu...

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