Exodus 22:7

7 "If a person entrusts a neighbor with money or goods, and they are stolen from the trustee's house, then, if the thief is found, he must 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 person causes a field or vineyard to be grazed over or lets his animal loose to graze in someone else's field, he is to make restitution from the best produce of his own field and vineyard.

6 "If a fire is started and spreads to thorns, so that stacked grain, standing grain or a field is destroyed, the person who lit it must make restitution.

7 "If a person entrusts a neighbor with money or goods, and they are stolen from the trustee's house, then, if the thief is found, he must pay double.

8 But if the thief is not found, then the trustee must state before God that he did not take the person's goods himself.

9 In every case of dispute over ownership, whether of an ox, a donkey, a sheep, clothing, or any missing property, where one person says, 'This is mine,' both parties are to come before God; and the one whom God condemns must pay the other one double.