Exodus 21:16

16 “Anyone who kidnaps someone is to be put to death, whether the victim has been sold or is still in the kidnapper’s possession.

Exodus 21:16 in Other Translations

16 And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.

16 “Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death.

16 “Kidnappers must be put to death, whether they are caught in possession of their victims or have already sold them as slaves.

16 "If someone kidnaps a person, the penalty is death, regardless of whether the person has been sold or is still held in possession.

16 And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.

16 "Whoever kidnaps another person must be put to death, whether he has sold the kidnapped person or still has him.

16 "Whoever kidnaps a person must be put to death, whether he sells him or the person is found in his possession.

16 "If anyone kidnaps and sells another person, he will be put to death. If he still has the person with him when he is caught, he will be put to death.

Exodus 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.

Exodus 21:16 In-Context

14 But if anyone schemes and kills someone deliberately, that person is to be taken from my altar and put to death.

15 “Anyone who attacks their father or mother is to be put to death.

16 “Anyone who kidnaps someone is to be put to death, whether the victim has been sold or is still in the kidnapper’s possession.

17 “Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.

18 “If people quarrel and one person hits another with a stone or with their fist and the victim does not die but is confined to bed,

Cross References

• 1. Genesis 37:28
• 2. Exodus 22:4; Deuteronomy 24:7