Deuteronomy 24:7
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The text here is incredibly precise: the penalty of death is for stealing a fellow Israelite, not just any person. This highlights how deeply God valued the covenant community, punishing the violation of its internal bonds with the utmost severity.
“If a man is found stealing one of his brothers of the people of Israel, and if he treats him as a slave or sells him, then that thief shall die. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage is a stern warning against man-stealing, a horrific crime within the community of Israel. It reiterates an earlier law and emphasizes that kidnapping and selling fellow Israelites into slavery, or exploiting them as property, is a capital offense that must be rooted out. This prohibition is set within a series of laws designed to maintain the purity and justice of the community, including regulations on leprosy and fair treatment of debtors.
Imagine a crime so severe that it demanded the ultimate punishment. In ancient Israel, one such act stood out: stealing a fellow Israelite.
Deuteronomy 24:7 lays down a stark penalty for man-stealing: death. This wasn't just about taking property; it was about enslaving a fellow human, reducing them to merchandise. The text specifically calls it stealing 'one of his brothers of the people of Israel.' This highlights the deep betrayal of community and kinship. Unlike other forms of theft which might be rectified with restitution, man-stealing was seen as an irreparable violation, a 'soul-theft' that struck at the very heart of Israel's identity as a people set free by God. The severe punishment served as a powerful deterrent and a declaration that such evil had no place within the community.
The verse doesn't just condemn the criminal; it calls the entire community to action. What does it mean to 'purge the evil'?
The final command, 'So you shall purge the evil from your midst,' is crucial. This wasn't just a matter for judges or leaders; it was a collective responsibility. The presence of such a heinous crime like man-stealing was a spiritual contagion that threatened the whole community. To 'purge' it meant actively removing the offender and the sin itself, ensuring that the nation remained holy and set apart for God. This proactive stance aimed to prevent the 'evil' from spreading and corrupting others, maintaining the integrity and purity of Israel as God's chosen people.
Understand the original words
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gannab · Hebrew Noun
A person who commits theft, which is the act of taking what belongs to another without permission. Biblical law views stealing as a violation of God’s law regarding property and community integrity.
ebed · Hebrew Noun
The state of being held in servitude or forced labor; it denotes a loss of liberty and personhood. The Mosaic law placed high value on human freedom, especially among fellow Israelites.
ba'ar · Hebrew Verb
The act of removing wickedness or sin from the community to maintain holiness and prevent the judgment of God upon the nation. It implies decisive, active cleansing.
This passage lays the groundwork for the prohibition against man-stealing, establishing it as a capital offense punishable by death within Israelite law.
1 Timothy 1:9-10Paul lists 'man-stealers' alongside other serious offenders, underscoring that this crime is fundamentally against God and fundamentally lawless, aligning with the severe punishment prescribed in Deuteronomy.
Leviticus 19:11-12These verses prohibit stealing, false dealing, and taking a false oath, all of which speak to the sanctity of truth and integrity in God's community that man-stealing profoundly violates.
Acts 17:24-25This passage highlights God as the Creator and Sustainer of all humanity, reinforcing that treating another person as property through theft and sale is a direct offense against the One who made them in His image.
pooleDeuteronomy 24:7: "If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and maketh merchandise of him, or selleth him; then that thief shall die; and thou shalt put evil away from among you."
See Poole "Exodus 21:16" .
ellicottDeuteronomy 24:7: "If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and maketh merchandise of him, or selleth him; then that thief shall die; and thou shalt put evil away from among you."
(7) If a man be found stealing (a soul) any of his brethren . . . —See Exodus 21:16 . (8,9) Take heed in the plague of leprosy. . . . Remember what the Lord thy God did to Miriam.—The point here seems to be that though Miriam was one of the three leaders of Israel (“I sent before thee…
The text here is incredibly precise: the penalty of death is for stealing a fellow Israelite, not just any person. This highlights how deeply God valued the covenant community, punishing the violation of its internal bonds with the utmost severity.
This passage is a stern warning against man-stealing, a horrific crime within the community of Israel. It reiterates an earlier law and emphasizes that kidnapping and selling fellow Israelites into slavery, or exploiting them as property, is a capital offense that must be rooted out. This prohibition is set within a series of laws designed to maintain the purity and justice of the community, including regulations on leprosy and fair treatment of debtors.
This passage is a stern warning against man-stealing, a horrific crime within the community of Israel. It reiterates an earlier law and emphasizes that kidnapping and selling fellow Israelites into slavery, or exploiting them as property, is a capital offense that must be rooted out. This prohibition is set within a series of laws designed to maintain the purity and justice of the community, including regulations on leprosy and fair treatment of debtors.
"“If a man is found stealing one of his brothers of the people of Israel, and if he treats him as a slave or sells him, then that thief shall die. So you shall purge the evil from your midst." — The text here is incredibly precise: the penalty of death is for stealing a fellow Israelite, not just any person. This highlights how deeply God valued the covenant community, punishing the violatio…
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Last reviewed October 2026
