Exodus 22:2 "If a thief is caught breaking in at night and is struck a fatal blow, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed;

◄ Exodus 22:2 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
"If a thief is caught breaking in at night and is struck a fatal blow, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed;

English Standard Version
If a thief is found breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no bloodguilt for him,

New American Standard Bible
"If the thief is caught while breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there will be no bloodguiltiness on his account.

King James Bible
If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
If a thief is caught in the act of breaking in, and he is beaten to death, no one is guilty of bloodshed.

International Standard Version
"If a thief is found while breaking into a house, and is struck down and dies, it is not a capital crime in that case,

American Standard Version
If the thief be found breaking in, and be smitten so that he dieth, there shall be no bloodguiltiness for him.

Douay-Rheims Bible
If a thief be found breaking open a house or undermining it, and be wounded so as to die: he that slew him shall not be guilty of blood.

Darby Bible Translation
If the thief be encountered breaking in, and be smitten so that he die, there shall be no blood-guiltiness for him.

Young's Literal Translation
'If in the breaking through, the thief is found, and he hath been smitten, and hath died, there is no blood for him;

Cross References

Matthew 6:19
Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust does corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

Matthew 24:43
But know this, that if the manager of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

1 Peter 4:15
But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.

Job 24:16
In the dark they dig through houses, which they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the light.

Jeremiah 2:34
Also in your skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents: I have not found it by secret search, but on all these.

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Account Act Alive Ass Beast Blood Bloodguiltiness Blood-Guiltiness Bloodshed Blow Breaking Caught Caused Death Defender Die Died Dies Dieth Double Encountered Forcing Found Guilt Guilty House Owner Ox Pay Possession Shed Sheep Smitten ss ss Stolen Struck Thief Way Whether

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Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary

22; 1 - 31 Judicial laws. - The people of God should ever be ready to show mildness and mercy, according to the spirit of these laws. We must answer to God, not only for what we do maliciously, but for what we do heedlessly. Therefore, when we have done harm to our neighbour, we should make restitution, though not compelled by law. Let these scriptures lead our souls to remember, that if the grace of God has indeed appeared to us, then it has taught us, and enabled us so to conduct ourselves by its holy power, that denying ungodliness and wordly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, Titus 2:12. And the grace of God teaches us, that as the Lord is our portion, there is enough in him to satisfy all the desires of our souls.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

CHAPTER 22

Ex 22:1-31. Laws concerning Theft.

1-4. If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep—The law respects the theft of cattle which constituted the chief part of their property. The penalty for the theft of a sheep which was slain or sold, was fourfold; for an ox fivefold, because of its greater utility in labor; but, should the stolen animal have been recovered alive, a double compensation was all that was required, because it was presumable he (the thief) was not a practised adept in dishonesty. A robber breaking into a house at midnight might, in self-defense, be slain with impunity; but if he was slain after sunrise, it would be considered murder, for it was not thought likely an assault would then be made upon the lives of the occupants. In every case where a thief could not make restitution, he was sold as a slave for the usual term.