Exodus 22:1-9 ▼

1 When someone steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters or sells it, he shall restore five oxen for the one ox, and four sheep for the one sheep.

2 [If a thief is caught in the act of housebreaking and beaten to death, there is no bloodguilt involved.

3 But if after sunrise he is thus beaten, there is bloodguilt.] He must make full restitution. If he has nothing, he shall be sold to pay for his theft.

4 If what he stole is found alive in his possession, be it an ox, a donkey or a sheep, he shall make twofold restitution.

5 When someone causes a field or a vineyard to be grazed over, by sending his cattle to graze in another’s field, he must make restitution with the best produce of his own field or vineyard.

6 If a fire breaks out, catches on to thorn bushes, and consumes shocked grain, standing grain, or the field itself, the one who started the fire must make full restitution.

7 When someone gives money or articles to another for safekeeping and they are stolen from the latter’s house, the thief, if caught, must make twofold restitution.

8 If the thief is not caught, the owner of the house shall be brought to God, to swear that he himself did not lay hands on his neighbor’s property.

9 In every case of dishonest appropriation, whether it be about an ox, or a donkey, or a sheep, or a garment, or anything else that has disappeared, where another claims that the thing is his, the claim of both parties shall be brought before God; the one whom God convicts must make twofold restitution to the other.