Discovery BoxExodus 21:28 
Context21:28 1 “If an ox 2 gores a man or a woman so that either dies, 3 then the ox must surely 4 be stoned and its flesh must not be eaten, but the owner of the ox will be acquitted.
Exodus 21:36
Context21:36 Or if it is known that the ox had the habit of goring, and its owner did not take the necessary precautions, he must surely pay 5 ox for ox, and the dead animal will become his. 6
Exodus 22:8
Context22:8 If the thief is not caught, 7 then the owner of the house will be brought before the judges 8 to see 9 whether he has laid 10 his hand on his neighbor’s goods.
Exodus 22:11
Context22:11 then there will be an oath to the Lord 11 between the two of them, that he has not laid his hand on his neighbor’s goods, and its owner will accept this, and he will not have to pay.
Exodus 22:14
Context22:14 “If a man borrows an animal 12 from his neighbor, and it is hurt or dies when its owner was not with it, the man who borrowed it 13 will surely pay.
1 sn The point that this section of the laws makes is that one must ensure the safety of others by controlling the circumstances.
2 tn Traditionally “ox,” but “bull” would also be suitable. The term may refer to one of any variety of large cattle.
3 tn Heb “and he dies”; KJV “that they die”; NAB, NASB “to death.”
4 tn The text uses סָקוֹל יִסָּקֵל (saqol yissaqel), a Qal infinitive absolute with a Niphal imperfect. The infinitive intensifies the imperfect, which here has an obligatory nuance or is a future of instruction.
5 tn The construction now uses the same Piel imperfect (v. 34) but adds the infinitive absolute to it for emphasis.
6 sn The point of this section (21:28-36) seems to be that one must ensure the safety of others by controlling one’s property and possessions. This section pertained to neglect with animals, but the message would have applied to similar situations. The people of God were to take heed to ensure the well-being of others, and if there was a problem, it had to be made right.
7 tn Heb “found.”
8 tn Here again the word used is “the gods,” meaning the judges who made the assessments and decisions. In addition to other works, see J. R. Vannoy, “The Use of the Word ha’elohim in Exodus 21:6 and 22:7,8,” The Law and the Prophets, 225-41.
9 tn The phrase “to see” has been supplied.
10 tn The line says “if he has not stretched out his hand.” This could be the oath formula, but the construction here would be unusual, or it could be taken as “whether” (see W. C. Kaiser, Jr., “Exodus,” EBC 2:438). U. Cassuto (Exodus, 286) does not think the wording can possibly fit an oath; nevertheless, an oath would be involved before God (as he takes it instead of “judges”) – if the man swore, his word would be accepted, but if he would not swear, he would be guilty.
11 tn The construct relationship שְׁבֻעַת יְהוָה (shÿvu’at yÿhvah, “the oath of Yahweh”) would require a genitive of indirect object, “an oath [to] Yahweh.” U. Cassuto suggests that it means “an oath by Yahweh” (Exodus, 287). The person to whom the animal was entrusted would take a solemn oath to Yahweh that he did not appropriate the animal for himself, and then his word would be accepted.
12 tn Heb “if a man asks [an animal] from his neighbor” (see also Exod 12:36). The ruling here implies an animal is borrowed, and if harm comes to it when the owner is not with it, the borrower is liable. The word “animal” is supplied in the translation for clarity.
13 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the man who borrowed the animal) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
