Bible Strands
Exodus 22:12
But if the animal was actually stolen from the neighbor, he must make restitution to the owner.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The passage addresses a community under covenant law, specifying liability when a borrowed animal is stolen from its keeper. It follows a legal procedure where an oath resolves unprovable loss, then shifts to a confirmed theft scenario.
The words — The Hebrew יְשַׁלֵּם (ye.sha.Lem) means he will make restitution, paired with לִבְעָלָיו (li.v.'a.La/v) to the owner. These terms establish a mandatory financial penalty to replace what was taken.
The thread — The liability principle echoes in Genesis 31:39, where a shepherd bears loss for beasts torn by wild animals, contrasting with Exodus 22:7, which extends theft restitution to stolen goods left for safekeeping.
Why it lands — The text demands that verified theft trigger full compensation to the rightful owner, removing personal discretion from the penalty. It requires readers to recognize that legal accountability applies specifically to proven wrongdoing.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And if it be stolen from him, he shall make restitution unto the owner thereof.
Cross-references
- Genesis 31:39 I did not bring you anything torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for what was stolen by day or night.
- Exodus 22:7 If a man gives his neighbor money or goods for safekeeping and they are stolen from the neighbor’s house, the thief, if caught, must pay back double.