Shemot 21:16

16 And he that kidnaps an ish, and selleth him, or if he be found in his power, the kidnapper shall surely be put to death.

Shemot 21:16 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 21:16

And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him
One of the children of Israel, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, and so the Septuagint version: but though this law was given to the Israelites primarily, yet was made for men stealers in general, as the apostle observes, who plainly has reference to it, ( 1 Timothy 1:9 1 Timothy 1:10 ) :

or if he be found in his hand;
before the selling of him, as Jarchi notes, since he stole him in order to sell him, he was guilty of death, as follows:

he shall surely be put to death;
with strangling, as the same Jewish writer remarks, as on the preceding verse; and Jarchi sets it down as a rule, that all death in the law, simply expressed, is strangling.

Shemot 21:16 In-Context

14 But if an ish come premeditatedly upon his re’a, to murder him by guile; thou shalt take him from Mine Mizbe’ach for capital punishment.

15 And he that striketh down his av, or his em, shall be surely put to death.

16 And he that kidnaps an ish, and selleth him, or if he be found in his power, the kidnapper shall surely be put to death.

17 And he that curseth his av, or his em, shall surely be put to death.

18 And if anashim quarrel, and one strike another with an even (stone), or with his egrof (fist), and he die not, but is bedfast;