Exodus

Exodus 22:1–4

¹“If a man steals an ox^a or a sheep and slaughters or sells it, he must repay five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep.

²If a thief is caught breaking in and is beaten to death, no one shall be guilty of bloodshed. ³But if it happens after sunrise, there is guilt for his bloodshed.

A thief must make full restitution; if he has nothing, he himself shall be sold for his theft. ⁴If what was stolen is actually found alive in his possession— whether ox or donkey or sheep— he must pay back double.

Footnotes

a 22:1 Or a bull or a cow; also in verses 4, 9, and 10

Read all of Exodus 22

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Exodus 22:1

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
If	כִּ֤י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
a man	אִישׁ֙	’îš	Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
steals	יִגְנֹֽב־	yiḡ·nōḇ-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1589 steal
an ox	שׁ֣וֹר	šō·wr	Noun - masculine singular	H7794 head of cattle
or	אוֹ־	’ōw-	Conjunction	H176 or
a sheep	שֶׂ֔ה	śeh	Noun - masculine singular	H7716 one of a flock, a sheep (or goat)
and slaughters	וּטְבָח֖וֹ	ū·ṭə·ḇā·ḥōw	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singular	H2873 slaughter, butcher, slay
or	א֣וֹ	’ōw	Conjunction	H176 or
sells it	מְכָר֑וֹ	mə·ḵā·rōw	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singular	H4376 sell
he must repay	יְשַׁלֵּם֙	yə·šal·lêm	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7999 be complete, sound
five	חֲמִשָּׁ֣ה	ḥă·miš·šāh	Number - masculine singular	H2568 five
oxen	בָקָ֗ר	ḇā·qār	Noun - masculine singular	H1241 cattle, herd, ox
for	תַּ֣חַת	ta·ḥaṯ	Preposition	H8478 the under part
an ox	הַשּׁ֔וֹר	haš·šō·wr	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H7794 head of cattle
and four	וְאַרְבַּע־	wə·’ar·ba‘-	Conjunctive waw; Number - feminine singular	H702 four
sheep	הַשֶּֽׂה׃	haś·śeh	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H7716 one of a flock, a sheep (or goat)
for a sheep	צֹ֖אן	ṣōn	Noun - common singular	H6629 small cattle, sheep and goats, flock, flocks

Exodus 22:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
If	אִם־	’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
a thief	הַגַּנָּ֖ב	hag·gan·nāḇ	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H1590 thief
is caught	יִמָּצֵ֥א	yim·mā·ṣê	Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H4672 attain to, find
breaking in	בַּמַּחְתֶּ֛רֶת	bam·maḥ·te·reṯ	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H4290 breaking in, burglary
and is beaten	וְהֻכָּ֣ה	wə·huk·kāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hofal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H5221 smite
to death	וָמֵ֑ת	wā·mêṯ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H4191 die
no one	אֵ֥ין	’ên	Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
shall be guilty of bloodshed	דָּמִֽים׃	dā·mîm	Noun - masculine plural	H1818 blood

Exodus 22:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But if	אִם־	’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
it happens after sunrise	זָרְחָ֥ה	zā·rə·ḥāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H2224 rise, come forth
there is guilt for his bloodshed	דָּמִ֣ים	dā·mîm	Noun - masculine plural	H1818 blood
A thief must make full restitution	שַׁלֵּ֣ם	šal·lêm	Verb - Piel - Infinitive absolute	H7999 be complete, sound
if	אִם־	’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
he has nothing	אֵ֣ין	’ên	Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
he himself shall be sold	וְנִמְכַּ֖ר	wə·nim·kar	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H4376 sell
for his theft	בִּגְנֵבָתֽוֹ׃	biḡ·nê·ḇā·ṯōw	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H1591 thing stolen

Exodus 22:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
If what was stolen	אִֽם־	’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
is actually found	הִמָּצֵא֩	him·mā·ṣê	Verb - Nifal - Infinitive absolute	H4672 attain to, find
alive	חַיִּ֑ים	ḥay·yîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H2416 alive, living
in his possession	בְיָד֜וֹ	ḇə·yā·ḏōw	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3027 hand
whether ox	מִשּׁ֧וֹר	miš·šō·wr	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H7794 head of cattle
or	עַד־	‘aḏ-	Preposition	H5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
donkey	חֲמ֛וֹר	ḥă·mō·wr	Noun - masculine singular	H2543 heap
or	עַד־	‘aḏ-	Preposition	H5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
sheep	שֶׂ֖ה	śeh	Noun - masculine singular	H7716 one of a flock, a sheep (or goat)
he must pay back	יְשַׁלֵּֽם׃ס	yə·šal·lêm	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7999 be complete, sound
double	שְׁנַ֖יִם	šə·na·yim	Number - md	H8147 two