The Meaning of Exodus 22:1 Explained

Exodus 22:1

KJV: If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.

YLT: 'When a man doth steal an ox or sheep, and hath slaughtered it or sold it, five of the herd he doth repay for the ox, and four of the flock for the sheep.

Darby: If a man steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it, he shall restore five oxen for the ox, and four sheep for the sheep.

ASV: If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall pay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

If a man  shall steal  an ox,  or a sheep,  and kill  it, or sell  it; he shall restore  five  oxen  for an ox,  and four  sheep  for a sheep. 

What does Exodus 22:1 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Exodus 22

1  Of Theft
5  Of damage
7  Of trespasses
14  Of borrowing
16  Of fornication
18  Of witchcraft
19  Of bestiality
20  Of idolatry
21  Of strangers, widows, and fatherless
25  Of usury
26  Of pledges
28  Of reverence to magistrates
29  Of the first fruits
31  Of torn flesh

What do the individual words in Exodus 22:1 mean?

If steals a man an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it five oxen he shall restore for an ox and four sheep a sheep
כִּ֤י יִגְנֹֽב־ אִישׁ֙ שׁ֣וֹר אוֹ־ שֶׂ֔ה וּטְבָח֖וֹ א֣וֹ מְכָר֑וֹ חֲמִשָּׁ֣ה בָקָ֗ר יְשַׁלֵּם֙ תַּ֣חַת הַשּׁ֔וֹר וְאַרְבַּע־ צֹ֖אן הַשֶּֽׂה

יִגְנֹֽב־  steals 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: גָּנַב  
Sense: to steal, steal away, carry away.
אִישׁ֙  a  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
שׁ֣וֹר  an  ox 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֹׁור  
Sense: ox, bull, a head of cattle.
שֶׂ֔ה  a  sheep 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֶׂה  
Sense: one of a flock, lamb, sheep, goat, young sheep, young goat.
וּטְבָח֖וֹ  and  slaughters  it 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: טָבַח  
Sense: to slaughter, slay, butcher, kill ruthlessly.
מְכָר֑וֹ  sells  it 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: מָכַר  
Sense: to sell.
חֲמִשָּׁ֣ה  five 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: חָמֵשׁ  
Sense: five.
בָקָ֗ר  oxen 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בָּקָר  
Sense: cattle, herd, oxen, ox.
יְשַׁלֵּם֙  he  shall  restore 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלֵם  
Sense: .
הַשּׁ֔וֹר  an  ox 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֹׁור  
Sense: ox, bull, a head of cattle.
וְאַרְבַּע־  and  four 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Number, feminine singular
Root: אַרְבַּע  
Sense: four.
צֹ֖אן  sheep 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: צֹאן  
Sense: small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks.
הַשֶּֽׂה  a  sheep 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֶׂה  
Sense: one of a flock, lamb, sheep, goat, young sheep, young goat.