Exodus 22:7

7 If a man betaketh into keeping money to a friend, or a vessel, and it is taken away by theft from him that received it, if the thief is found, he shall restore the double. (If anyone taketh money, or a vessel, to a friend for safe keeping, and it is taken away by theft from him who received it, if the thief is found, he shall restore double what he stole.)

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 harmeth a field, or a vinery, and suffereth his beast, that it waste other men's things (If anyone harmeth a field, or a vineyard, by allowing his beast to destroy another person's things), he shall restore for the value of [the] harm (done), (with) the best thing(s) (of) whatever he hath in his (own) field, either in his (own) vinery.

6 If fire goeth out, and findeth, or burneth, ears of corn, and catcheth heaps of corn, or corns standing in (the) fields, he that kindled the fire shall yield (for) the harm (he who kindled the fire shall make recompense for the harm done).

7 If a man betaketh into keeping money to a friend, or a vessel, and it is taken away by theft from him that received it, if the thief is found, he shall restore the double. (If anyone taketh money, or a vessel, to a friend for safe keeping, and it is taken away by theft from him who received it, if the thief is found, he shall restore double what he stole.)

8 (But) If the thief is hid(den), or unknown, the lord of the house that received that good shall be brought to the gods, that is, to (the) judges, and he shall swear, that he held not forth his hand into his neighbour's thing, to defraud (and he shall swear, that he did not put forth his hand to his neighbour's thing, to defraud him);

9 as well in ox, as in ass, and in sheep, and in cloth; and in whatever thing may bring in harm, the cause of ever either shall come to the judges, and if they deem him guilty, he shall restore the double to his neighbour. (and with any ox, or donkey, or sheep, or cloak, or whatever thing which may be claimed by two people, the case shall come to the judges, and whom they judge guilty, he shall restore double to his neighbour.)