Exodus 22:7

7 If a man shall deliver to his neighbor money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man's house; if the thief shall be found, let him pay double.

Exodus 22:7 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 22:7

If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour money or stock to
keep
Without any reward for keeping it, as the Targum of Jonathan; and so other Jewish writers ^F16 understand this passage of such as keep a deposit freely, having nothing for it; whether it be money or goods, gold, silver, jewels, raiment, household stuff or any kind of vessels or instruments used in the house, or in trade; and also cattle, as appears from ( Exodus 22:9 )

and if it be stolen out of the man's house;
into whose custody it was delivered:

if the thief be found, let him pay double: the worth of what is stolen,
agreeably to the law in ( Exodus 22:4 ) that is, if it was found in his hands; but if he had disposed of it, then he was to pay five fold or four fold, as in ( Exodus 22:1 ) , and so runs the Jewish canon ^F17,

``if anyone delivers to his neighbour a beast or vessels, and they are stolen or lost, he shall make restitution; but if he will not swear, for they say, one that keeps for nothing, may swear and be free; then if the thief should be found he shall pay double; if he has killed or sold, he shall pay four fold or five fold: to whom shall he pay? to him with whom the depositum is: if he swears, and will not pay, and the thief is found, he shall pay double; if he has killed or sold he shall pay four fold and five fold: to whom shall he pay? to the owner of the depositum.''

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 Jarchi in ver. 10. Bartenora in Misn. Shebuot, c. 6. sect. 5.
F17 Misn. Bava Metzia, c. 3. sect. 1.

Exodus 22:7 In-Context

5 If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall put in his beast, and shall 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.

6 If fire shall break out, and catch in thorns, so that the stacks of corn, or the standing corn, or the field shall be consumed; he that kindled the fire shall surely make restitution.

7 If a man shall deliver to his neighbor money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man's house; if the thief shall be found, let him pay double.

8 If the thief shall not be found, then the master of the house shall be brought to the judges, [to see] whether he hath put his hand to his neighbor's goods.

9 For all manner of trespass, [whether it be] for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, [or] for any manner of lost thing which [another] challengeth to be his: the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; [and] he whom the judges shall condemn, shall pay double to his neighbor.