“If a man gives to his neighbor money or goods to keep safe, and it is stolen from the man’s house, then, if the thief is found, he shall pay double.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse highlights a crucial distinction: if the thief is caught, the depositary (the one holding the item) only pays double what was stolen. However, if the thief isn't found, the text implies a different outcome is coming in the next verse, suggesting the depositary might have to answer for it themselves. This setup emphasizes the immense trust placed in the person holding a deposit, as their integrity could be tested if the guilty party disappears.
“If a man gives to his neighbor money or goods to keep safe, and it is stolen from the man’s house, then, if the thief is found, he shall pay double.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage is part of a larger section detailing various civil laws designed to ensure justice and fairness within Israelite society. Following laws about damage to property and restitution for theft, this verse addresses what happens when someone entrusts valuables to another for safekeeping and they are stolen. The subsequent verses will clarify the responsibilities of the custodian if the thief is not found and explore other scenarios involving lost or damaged entrusted goods.
Imagine leaving your most valuable possessions with a friend for safekeeping. What happens if they get stolen? This ancient law sheds light on the weighty responsibility of trust.
This passage deals with the concept of a deposit – something willingly entrusted to another for safekeeping. The law recognizes this as a significant act, carrying a real responsibility for the person holding the deposit.
A Matter of Faith
When someone gave their 'money or stuff' to a neighbor, it wasn't just a casual transaction. It was built on trust and confidence in that person's integrity. In a time before banks, these personal deposits were crucial for security. The law acknowledges that the person receiving the goods is essentially acting as a guardian.
Responsibility and Reckoning
If the entrusted items were stolen from the keeper's house, and the thief was caught, the law demanded a penalty of double the value. This wasn't just about financial loss; it was about the breach of trust. The double payment served as a strong deterrent against carelessness and a just recompense for the wronged party.
Why 'double'? This penalty wasn't just about making things even; it was a powerful statement about accountability in ancient Israel.
The requirement for the thief to pay 'double' when caught is a significant aspect of this law. It goes beyond simple restitution and highlights the principles of justice and deterrence that were foundational to Israel's legal system.
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More Than Just Value
Paying double served a dual purpose. Firstly, it aimed to compensate the owner not just for the lost item itself, but also for the inconvenience, the violation of their property, and the broken trust. It acknowledged that the loss was more than just monetary.
A Message to Potential Thieves
Secondly, the double penalty acted as a strong deterrent. The risk of being caught and having to pay twice the value of what was stolen would make potential thieves think twice. It reinforced the sanctity of property and the severe consequences of violating it, especially when it involved betraying a neighbor's trust.
Understand the original words
rea · Hebrew Noun
One living nearby, with whom one is to be in covenant relationship. The biblical law mandates love and honesty toward one's neighbor as a reflection of one's relationship with God.
This passage shows a similar principle of restitution where a person, Zacchaeus, voluntarily makes amends for past wrongs by promising to pay back double the amount he defrauded anyone, reflecting a divine standard of justice that goes beyond simple repayment.
Proverbs 6:30-31While Exodus 22:7 focuses on the restitution for theft from a deposit, Proverbs addresses the societal view on theft, stating that a thief who is caught will repay sevenfold, highlighting a broader, perhaps more severe, societal consequence for theft compared to the specific deposit scenario.
2 Samuel 12:6In this passage, the prophet Nathan confronts David about his sin with Bathsheba, and God's judgment dictates a fourfold restitution, illustrating a principle of amplified repayment for severe transgressions against innocence and trust, which resonates with the double restitution in Exodus.
Matthew 18:23-25This parable of the unforgiving servant demonstrates the immense debt owed to God and contrasts it with the small debt a fellow servant owes, showing how a refusal to forgive or make restitution can lead to severe consequences, echoing the idea of significant repayment for wrongs.
gillExodus 22:7: "If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man's house; if the thief be found, let him pay double."
If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour money or stock to keep,.... Without any reward for keeping it, as the Targum of Jonathan; and so other Jewish writers (p) understand this passage of such as keep a deposit freely, having nothing for it; whether it be money or goods, gold, silver, jewels, raiment, household stuff or any kind…
bensonExodus 22:7: "If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man's house; if the thief be found, let him pay double."
Exodus 22:7-13 . If a man deliver goods, suppose to a carrier to be conveyed, or to a warehouse-keeper to be preserved, or cattle to a farmer to be fed, upon a valuable consideration, and a special confidence reposed in the person they are lodged with, in case these goods be stolen or lost, perish or be damaged, if it appear that it…
This verse highlights a crucial distinction: if the thief is caught, the depositary (the one holding the item) only pays double what was stolen. However, if the thief isn't found, the text implies a different outcome is coming in the next verse, suggesting the depositary might have to answer for it themselves. This setup emphasizes the immense trust placed in the person holding a deposit, as their integrity could be tested if the guilty party disappears.
This passage is part of a larger section detailing various civil laws designed to ensure justice and fairness within Israelite society. Following laws about damage to property and restitution for theft, this verse addresses what happens when someone entrusts valuables to another for safekeeping and they are stolen. The subsequent verses will clarify the responsibilities of the custodian if the thief is not found and explore other scenarios involving lost or damaged entrusted goods.
This passage is part of a larger section detailing various civil laws designed to ensure justice and fairness within Israelite society. Following laws about damage to property and restitution for theft, this verse addresses what happens when someone entrusts valuables to another for safekeeping and they are stolen. The subsequent verses will clarify the responsibilities of the custodian if the thief is not found and explore other scenarios involving lost or damaged entrusted goods.
"“If a man gives to his neighbor money or goods to keep safe, and it is stolen from the man’s house, then, if the thief is found, he shall pay double." — This verse highlights a crucial distinction: if the thief is caught, the depositary (the one holding the item) only pays double what was stolen. However, if the thief isn't found, the text impl…
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Last reviewed October 2026