Exodus 22:8

8 Yf the thefe be not founde, then the goodma of the housse shalbe brought vnto the goddes and swere, whether he haue put his hande vnto his neghbours good.

Exodus 22:8 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 22:8

If the thief be not found
And so no account can be given of the goods deposited, what is become of them, and it becomes a doubtful case whether they have been stolen or embezzled, and there is suspicion of the latter:

then the master of the house shall be brought unto the judges:
here called Elohim, gods, because they were God's vicegerents, and represented him, and acted under his power and authority; and who at this present were Moses, and those that judged the people under him, and afterwards the seventy elders, and all such who in succeeding times were judges in Israel, and bore the office of civil magistrates; before these the master of the house, or the person who had any goods committed to his care, and they were lost, was to be brought and put to his oath, and upon it examined, in order to find out what was become of the goods committed to him: to see whether he has put his hand to his neighbour's goods: took them to himself, made use of them, or disposed of them to his own advantage, and which was no other than a kind of theft.

Exodus 22:8 In-Context

6 Yf fyre breake out and catch in the thornes, so that the stoukes of corne or the stodynge corne or felde be consumed therwith: he that kynled the fyre shall make restitucyon.

7 Yf a man delyuer his neghboure money or stuffe to kepe, and it be stolen out of his housse: Yf the these be foude, he shal paye double

8 Yf the thefe be not founde, then the goodma of the housse shalbe brought vnto the goddes and swere, whether he haue put his hande vnto his neghbours good.

9 And in all maner of trespace, whether it be oxe, asse, shepe, rayment or ony maner lost thynge which another chalegeth to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the goddes. And whom the goddes condene: the same shall paye double vnto his neghboure.

10 Yf a man delyuer vnto his neghboure to kepe, asse, oxe, shepe or what soeuer beest it be and it dye or be hurte or dryuen awaye and no man se it: