Exodus 22:4

KJV1611 – Modern English

If the stolen goods are found alive in his hand, whether it is ox, donkey, or sheep, he shall restore double.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

כִּ֤י יַבְעֶר־אִישׁ֙ שָׂדֶ֣ה אוֹ־כֶ֔רֶם וְשִׁלַּח֙ אֶת־*בעירה **בְּעִיר֔וֹ וּבִעֵ֖ר בִּשְׂדֵ֣ה אַחֵ֑ר מֵיטַ֥ב שָׂדֵ֛הוּ וּמֵיטַ֥ב כַּרְמ֖וֹ יְשַׁלֵּֽם‪

Transliteration

When yabʿer-ʾîš śādeh or-kerem and wĕšillaḥ ʾet-bĕʿîrô and ûbiʿēr in śādeh ʾaḥēr, from mêṭab śādēhû and from mêṭab karmô yĕšallēm.

Grammar Details

• *yabʿer*: hiphil imperfect, 3rd masculine singular, 'causes to burn/consume'
• *ʾîš*: masculine singular noun, 'man'
• *śādeh*: masculine singular noun, 'field'
• *kerem*: masculine singular noun, 'vineyard'
• *wĕšillaḥ*: piel perfect with waw consecutive, 3rd masculine singular, 'and lets loose'
• *bĕʿîrô*: feminine singular noun with 3rd masculine singular suffix, 'his cattle/beast'
• *ûbiʿēr*: piel perfect with waw consecutive, 3rd masculine singular, 'and it grazes/consumes'
• *śādeh ʾaḥēr*: masculine singular noun + masculine singular adjective, 'another field'
• *mêṭab*: masculine singular construct, 'best of'
• *śādēhû*: masculine singular noun with 3rd masculine singular suffix, 'his field'
• *karmô*: masculine singular noun with 3rd masculine singular suffix, 'his vineyard'
• *yĕšallēm*: piel imperfect, 3rd masculine singular, 'he shall repay'

Word Meanings

• *yabʿer*: causes to burn/consumes/destroys
• *bĕʿîrô*: his cattle/livestock/beast
• *ûbiʿēr*: feeds upon/grazes/consumes

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  If a man lets his animal graze in another's field or vineyard, and it feeds there, he must repay with the best of his own field or vineyard.

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  If the theft be found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall pay double.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  Yf the thefte be founde in his hande alyue (whether it be oxe, asse or shepe) he shall restore double.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  But yf ye theft be founde by him alyue (from the oxe vnto the Asse or shepe) then shall he restore dubble.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  If the theft bee founde with him, aliue, (whether it be oxe, asse, or sheepe) he shal restore the double.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  If the theft be founde in his hande, aliue, whether it be oxe, asse, or sheepe, he shall restore double.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  If the stolen property is found in his hand alive, whether it is ox, donkey, or sheep, he shall pay double.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  if the theft is certainly found in his hand alive, whether ox, or ass, or sheep -- double he repayeth.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  If the theft be found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep, he shall pay double.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  If the theft be found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall pay double.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  If he still has what he had taken, whatever it is, ox or ass or sheep, he is to give twice its value.

• World English Bible (2000)

  If the stolen property is found in his hand alive, whether it is ox, donkey, or sheep, he shall pay double.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  If the stolen item should in fact be found alive in his possession, whether it be an ox or a donkey or a sheep, he must pay back double.

Referenced Verses

• Exod 21:16 : 16 He who kidnaps a man, and sells him, or if he is found in his hand, shall surely be put to death.
• Exod 22:1 : 1 If a man steals an ox or a sheep and kills it or sells it, he shall restore five oxen for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.
• Exod 22:7 : 7 If a man gives his neighbor money or goods to keep safe, and it is stolen out of the man's house, if the thief is found, he shall pay double.
• Exod 22:9 : 9 For every kind of trespass, whether it is for ox, donkey, sheep, clothing, or any lost thing that another claims to be his, both parties shall come before the judges; and he whom the judges convict shall pay double to his neighbor.
• Prov 6:31 : 31 But if he is found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.
• Isa 40:2 : 2 Speak kindly to Jerusalem and cry out to her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, for she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins.
• Jer 16:18 : 18 And first I will repay double for their iniquity and their sin, because they have defiled my land; they have filled my inheritance with the carcasses of their detestable and abominable things.
• Rev 18:6 : 6 Repay her even as she repaid you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she has filled, fill to her double.