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1–20. Various cases of damage to a neighbor's property and punishment imposed for violating the commandment “thou shalt not steal.” 21–27. Indication of the rules for treating people in cramped and difficult situations. 28. On the attitude towards judges and bosses. 29–31. The obligation to bring to God the firstfruits of bread and grapes and the firstborn of clean animals and the prohibition of eating the meat of an animal torn to pieces by a beast. Exodus 22:1. If someone steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it, then five oxen will be paid for the ox and four sheep for the sheep. The theft of an ox, as a more valuable and useful animal on the farm than a sheep, causes greater damage to it; For greater damage, greater punishment is imposed. Anyone who slaughters or sells an animal is punished more severely than the person in whose hands it was found. The reason for this is that the slaughter or sale of a stolen animal, on the one hand, deprives the owner of the opportunity to ever return the stolen property, and on the other hand, it indicates the absence of any desire on the part of the thief to confess his crime. Ex.22:2. If someone catches a thief digging in and hits him so that he dies, then the blood will not be imputed to him; Ex.22:3. but if the sun has risen on him, then his blood will be imputed to him. The one who stole must pay; and if there is nothing, then let him be sold to pay for what he stole; Ex.22:4. if [he is caught and] the stolen property is found alive in his hands, whether it be an ox, or a donkey, or a sheep, let him pay [for them] twice. Killing a thief at night is equated to unintentional murder, since in the dark it is difficult to determine where the blow is struck and to measure the force of the latter. Since it was unintentional, it is not punishable by death. The killing of a thief in daylight, when the householder could have avoided him by using other means to protect his property, is considered deliberate and, according to the general law (Ex. 21:12), is punishable by death. In the case when a thief is caught red-handed and has not had time to carry out his plan to sell or slaughter the stolen animal, he does not cause damage to the householder and is punished only for the crime itself: he pays double for the ox and sheep (Ex. 22:4). Such a ruling is completely inapplicable to poor thieves, which in turn could encourage them to steal. In view of the possibility of thefts being committed by people who, according to the specified regulations, go unpunished, a new regulation is being introduced into the law: if the person who stole is not able to compensate for the loss caused by his property, then it is sold, and the sale price goes to the satisfaction of the victim. Exodus 22:5. If anyone poisons a field or vineyard by letting his cattle eat someone else's field, [depending on its fruits, let him pay from his own field; and if he destroys the whole field, he shall reward him with the best of his field and the best of his vineyard. Ex.22:6. If a fire appears and engulfs the thorns and burns up the haystacks, or the harvest, or the field, then whoever caused the fire must pay. A neighbor's property should be valued and respected as if it were personal. A disdainful attitude towards it, especially a conscious one: “letting your cattle poison someone else’s field,” is punished by the fact that the one who caused damage to his neighbor’s property compensates for it in abundance: he pays with the best from his vineyard. Greek and Slavic texts speak of rewarding the best only in the case when the entire field or vineyard is poisoned. When plants are completely destroyed, it is difficult to determine what they were, good or bad; but since the law is on the side of the offended, and not the offender, the latter gives the former the best of his field. He who makes a fire in his field, perhaps intended to burn weeds, is to blame for allowing it to reach enormous proportions - to burn thorns, hedges of thorny plants that separated one field from another, and the neighbor’s bread (Lev. 26:4). Exodus 22:7. If someone gives silver or things to his neighbor for safekeeping, and they are stolen from his house, then if a thief is found, let him pay double; Exodus 22:8. and if the thief is not found, let the owner of the house come before the judges [and swear] that he has not stretched out his hand on his neighbor’s property. If the thief is not found, suspicion of theft falls on the one who took the missing item from a neighbor for safekeeping. To be released from it, it is enough for the suspect to swear one oath before the judges that he “did not stretch out his hand on his neighbor’s property.” Exodus 22:9. About every thing in dispute, about a will, about a donkey, about a sheep, about clothes, about every thing that is lost, about which someone says that it is his, the case of both must be brought before the judges: whoever the judges accuse, he will pay his neighbor twice. The above-mentioned particular case gives rise to the establishment of a general rule on the resolution of litigation “in every wrong case,” i.e. in such cases in which an incorrect, inconsistent with the truth mode of action of the interested parties is assumed. The question of who owns the disputed item or animal is decided by the judges, and if the truth is on the side of the owner, then the one who appropriated it pays him twice. If the owner slandered his neighbor, then he is subject to the punishment prescribed for false testimony (Deut. 19:19). Ex.22:10. If someone gives his neighbor a donkey, or an ox, or a sheep, or any other livestock for safekeeping, and it dies, or is damaged, or is taken away so that no one sees it, - Ex.22:11. let there be an oath before the Lord between both of them, that the one who took it did not stretch out his hand on his neighbor’s property; and the owner must accept, but he will not pay; The absence of testimony (“no one will see this”) under what circumstances the loss of livestock taken for safekeeping occurred is replaced by trust in the oath of the suspect (Ex. 22:8). The owner of the livestock “must accept” it - he is content and has no right to demand payment. Exodus 22:12. and if it is stolen from him, he must pay his owner; If livestock given for safekeeping is stolen, and it is assumed that the thief has not been found, and that the livestock is stolen from a house where it could have been saved, then the one who took the livestock for safekeeping pays the victim. Ex.22:13. if he is torn to pieces by a beast, then let him present what was torn to pieces as proof: he does not pay for what was torn to pieces. The presentation of an animal torn to pieces by a wild animal serves not only as confirmation of the accomplished fact, but also as proof that the one who took the animal protected it and drove away the predator (the torn animal was not eaten). Therefore he is not guilty (Gen. 31:39). Ex.22:14. If anyone borrows his neighbor's livestock, and it is damaged or dies, and its owner was not with him, he must pay; Cattle taken from a neighbor for use must be protected more than those taken for safekeeping, since in the first case they provide direct benefit to the taker. Therefore, if he does not take care of it, he is punished for his careless attitude, the consequence of which is death or damage to the animal from cruel treatment. Ex.22:15. if his owner was with him, he should not pay; if he was hired for money, then let him go for that price. The presence of the owner at the death or damage of livestock loaned to another freed the latter from the obligation to pay for it, because the owner could personally see that there was no negligence or cruelty in the treatment of his animal, and he himself could take measures to protect his property. “If he is a hired man, then let him go for his rent.” By lending his cattle to another for profit, for a fee, the lender, taking advantage, takes at his own peril and damage, which can be covered by the rent received. Ex.22:16. If someone seduces an unengaged maiden and sleeps with her, let him give her wine [and take her] as his wife; Exodus 22:17. and if the father does not agree [and does not want] to marry her to him, let him pay [the father] as much silver as the maidens are entitled to for money. The seduction of a girl is the theft of her highest asset - her virginity, and at the same time her devaluation in case of marriage or sale into slavery. Therefore, the seducer pays a vena of 50 shekels (Deut. 22:28–29) and, if the father agrees to the marriage (Gen. 34:11–12), marries her without the right to divorce for the rest of his life. Exodus 22:18. Don't leave the witches alive. The laws set forth in these verses do not protect one or another rights of one’s neighbor, but determine punishment for the intolerable violation of the fundamental principles of their moral and religious life among the people of God. The common punishment between them is death. Divination, the imaginary or actual entry into communication with a dark force, is incompatible with belief in divine protection (Num. 23:22–23 - that they decide the same thing) and the existence of revelation (Deut. 18:10–14). Soothsayers, fortune tellers, sorcerers, etc. should be put to death by stoning (Lev. 20:27), and a feeling of compassion for a weak woman should not incline a Jew to the desire not to apply the law to the witch in all its severity. Ex.22:19. Every cower shall be put to death. Bestiality is a vice of nations rejected by God (Lev.18:23, etc.), is a violation of the law and the purposes of marriage, and defiles the earth (Lev.18:28). Ex.22:20. He who sacrifices to the gods, except the Lord alone, shall be destroyed. As God's chosen people, Jews must serve Jehovah; he who sacrifices to other gods is a violator of the law that lies at the basis of the covenant between God and the chosen people (Ex. 20:5). Ex.22:21. Do not oppress the stranger and do not oppress him, for you yourselves were strangers in the land of Egypt. The humane attitude towards strangers (Ex. 23:9, Lev. 19:33, 25:35, Deut. 10:19, Jer. 7:6, Mal. 3:5), persons of other nationalities, represents, according to its motives - “for you yourselves were strangers in the land of Egypt” - an application to a particular case of the general rule; “Do not do to others what you do not want to do to yourself” (Matthew 7:12). As can be seen from Lev.19:33–34, the law means not only the avoidance of offenses and a partial attitude towards them, but much more, namely love for them: “love him as yourself.” Ex.22:22. Do not oppress the widow or the orphan; Exodus 22:23. if you oppress them, then when they cry out to Me, I will hear their cry, Exodus 22:24. and My anger will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives will be widows and your children orphans. The easy opportunity to oppress widows and orphans who do not have an intercessor for themselves, to deny them legal demands (Deut. 27:19), to take away their property (Isa. 10:2, Mic. 2:9), by turning them into slaves (2 Kings 4:1), should not serve as a bait for selfish people. The protector of widows and orphans instead of the deceased head of the family is God himself (Ps. 67:6); He will hear their cries, as well as the cries of all those in need (Job 34:28), and will punish the oppressors with the widowhood of their wives and the orphanhood of their children. The basis for a humane attitude towards widows and orphans is the same as the basis for a compassionate attitude towards strangers (see above). Ex.22:25. If you lend money to the poor of My people, do not oppress him or impose an increase on him. The purpose of the loan is not to enrich the creditor, but to support the impoverished neighbor (Lev. 25:35–37), therefore, one cannot take interest from him, neither silver nor grain can be given at interest (Deut. 23:20, Ps. 14:5, Ezek. 18:8, 13, etc.). The basis for this particular prescription is the general position that there should be no poverty among the Jewish people (Deut. 15:4). Ex.22:26. If you take your neighbor's clothing as collateral, return it before the sun goes down. Ex.22:27. for she is his only covering, she is the garment of his body: what will he sleep in? So when he cries to Me, I will hear, for I am merciful. To ensure payment of the debt, the lender was allowed to take collateral from the debtor, but even in this case the first had to be guided by compassion for the poor debtor. The lender could not go to the debtor's house for this collateral; the latter was left to choose the thing himself, without which he could relatively easily do for a certain time (Deut. 24:10–11, Ex. 22:26). Such a thing was, by the way, clothing, often given as collateral (Job 22:6, Proverbs 20:16, 27:13, Am.2:8). Returning it to the debtor is an act of compassion for the poor neighbor, otherwise doomed, for lack of a special covering, to tremble from the cold during the cold eastern night (Job 24:7). Since the lender might be afraid that the return of the mortgage would not deprive him of the opportunity to receive payment of the debt, and he might not give much importance to the thought that his debtor would have nothing to cover himself during the night, then the motivation for compassion is the consideration that God, who is merciful to the poor (Ex. 34:6, Ps. 85:15, 2 Chron. 30:9), will be strict towards hard-hearted, he will punish him (Job 22:6, 10). Exodus 22:28. Do not slander the judges and do not revile the ruler of your people. “Do not slander, do not reproach the judges.” According to the explanation of some - God, for which understanding Proverbs vouches. 24:21 and 1 Pet. 2:17, - in both places the commandment to fear God stands, as in this verse, in connection with an indication of respect for superiors. According to others, they are judges in the literal sense, since the name “elohim” is attached to them (Ps. 81:6). In the latter case, the injunction would tend to raise respect for the law, which is undermined by the reproach of its representatives. But since the understanding of “elohim” in the sense of “judges” introduces a tautology into the legalization: “do not slander the judges, do not revile the boss,” then it is much more natural to understand God by “elohim.” This is vouched, by the way, by the fact that the injunction: “do not reproach elohim” comes before the speech about delays in bringing God the fruits of the earth and delivering the firstborn ( Exodus 22:29, 30) Finally, with such an explanation, the connection between the words in question and the previous ones becomes completely clear and natural. Fulfillment of the moral instructions given in Exodus 22:21–27 constrained the tendency of many to increase their well-being by oppressing the poor and therefore could cause grumbling and dissatisfaction with the law. In view of this, it is now said: “Do not blame God,” - do not complain about God, do not murmur at Him for the fact that you are given instructions that constrain your selfish endeavors. “Do not vilify the authorities” who monitor the implementation of these laws. Ex.22:29. Do not delay [to bring Me] the firstfruits of your threshing floor and your winepress; give me the firstborn of your sons; The beginnings of the “threshing floor”, i.e. bread, “grind”, i.e. grapes and oil were offered to God, as the ruler of the Promised Land, in gratitude for the gift of it to the Jews (Deut. 26:2–11), and He gave them to the priests (Num. 18:12). So that the latter can receive the means necessary for life in due time, the Jews should not hesitate to offer the first fruits. The people are warned against a frivolous attitude towards fulfilling the commandments. “Give me the firstborn of your sons.” These words do not represent a repetition of the previously given commandment (Ex. 13:13), but only the application of the command “not to delay” to the fulfillment of the already known commandment regarding the firstborn. Ex.22:30. Do the same with your ox and with your sheep [and with your donkey]: let them be with their mother for seven days, and on the eighth day give them to Me. The remark about offering the firstborn of clean animals to God on the eighth day after birth suggests that they were intended as sacrifices (Lev. 22:27). And since the need for sacrificial animals was great, the law requires that there should be no delay in delivering them. Ex.22:31. And you will be holy people to Me; and do not eat meat torn to pieces by wild beasts in the field; throw it to the dogs. Eating the meat of an animal torn to pieces by a beast desecrated a Jew (Lev. 22:8, Ezek. 4:14), therefore the prohibition to eat it is in connection with the command to be holy people. You might be interested in: