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Sunday, July 27th, 2025
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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Literal Standard Version

Exodus 22:13

if it is certainly torn, he brings it in [as] a witness; he does not repay the torn thing.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Debtor;   Property;   Theft and Thieves;   Trustee;   The Topic Concordance - Recompense/restitution;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Ox, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Marriage;   Restitution;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Neighbour;   Shepherd;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Wealth;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Deposit;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Canon of the Old Testament;   Covenant, Book of the;   Ethics;   Hexateuch;   Law;   Leviticus;   Priests and Levites;   Sin;   Ten Commandments;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Witness;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Covenant, the Book of the;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Accident;   Baba Meẓi'a;   Bailments;   Borrower;   Cattle;   Gentile;   Shebu'ot;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
If it is torn in pieces, let him bring it for evidence. He shall not make good that which was torn.
King James Version
If it be torn in pieces, then let him bring it for witness, and he shall not make good that which was torn.
Lexham English Bible
If indeed it was torn to pieces, he will bring it as evidence—the mangled carcass; he will not make restitution.
New Century Version
If wild animals killed it, the neighbor must bring the body as proof, and he will not have to pay for the animal that was killed.
New English Translation
If it is torn in pieces, then he will bring it for evidence, and he will not have to pay for what was torn.
Amplified Bible
"If it is torn to pieces [by some predator or by accident], let him bring the mangled carcass as evidence; he shall not make restitution for what was torn to pieces.
New American Standard Bible
"If it is all torn to pieces, have him bring it as evidence; he shall not be compelled to make restitution for what has been torn to pieces.
Geneva Bible (1587)
If it be torne in pieces, he shall bring recorde, and shall not make that good, which is deuoured.
Legacy Standard Bible
Now if it is all torn to pieces, let him bring it as evidence; he shall not make restitution for what has been torn to pieces.
Contemporary English Version
If the animal was attacked and killed by a wild animal, and you can show the remains of the dead animal to its owner, you do not have to replace it.
Complete Jewish Bible
"If someone borrows something from his neighbor, and it gets injured or dies with the owner not present, he must make restitution.
Darby Translation
If it have been torn in pieces, let him bring it [as] witness: he shall not make good what was torn.
Easy-to-Read Version
If wild animals killed the animal, then the neighbor should bring the body as proof. The neighbor will not have to pay the owner for the animal that was killed.
English Standard Version
If it is torn by beasts, let him bring it as evidence. He shall not make restitution for what has been torn.
George Lamsa Translation
If it is torn in pieces, then let him bring it as evidence, and he shall not make good that which was torn.
Good News Translation
If it was killed by wild animals, the man is to bring the remains as evidence; he need not pay for what has been killed by wild animals.
Christian Standard Bible®
If it was actually torn apart by a wild animal, he is to bring it as evidence; he does not have to make restitution for the torn carcass.
Literal Translation
If it is completely torn in pieces, he shall bring it as a witness; he shall not repay that which was torn.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But yf it be rauyshed (of beastes) then shal he brynge recorde therof, and not make it good.
American Standard Version
If it be torn in pieces, let him bring it for witness; he shall not make good that which was torn.
Bible in Basic English
But if it has been damaged by a beast, and he is able to make this clear, he will not have to make payment for what was damaged.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
If it be torne in peeces, then let him bryng recorde of the tearing, and he shall not make it good.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And if a man borrow aught of his neighbour, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof not being with it, he shall surely make restitution.
King James Version (1611)
If it be torne in pieces, then let him bring it for witnesse, and hee shall not make good that which was torne.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And if it be seized of beasts, he shall bring him to witness the prey, and he shall not make compensation.
English Revised Version
If it be torn in pieces, let him bring it for witness; he shall not make good that which was torn.
Berean Standard Bible
If it was torn to pieces, he shall bring it as evidence; he need not make restitution for the torn carcass.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
if it is etun of a beeste, he schal brynge to the lord that that is slayn, and he schal not restore.
Young's Literal Translation
if it is certainly torn, he bringeth it in -- a witness; the torn thing he doth not repay.
Update Bible Version
If it is torn in pieces, let him bring it for witness: he shall not make good that which was torn.
Webster's Bible Translation
If it shall be torn in pieces; [then] let him bring it [for] witness, [and] he shall not make good that which was torn.
World English Bible
If it is torn in pieces, let him bring it for evidence. He shall not make good that which was torn.
New King James Version
If it is torn to pieces by a beast, then he shall bring it as evidence, and he shall not make good what was torn.
New Living Translation
If it was torn to pieces by a wild animal, the remains of the carcass must be shown as evidence, and no compensation will be required.
New Life Bible
If the animal is torn to pieces, let him bring it to prove what happened. He will not pay for what has been torn to pieces.
New Revised Standard
If it was mangled by beasts, let it be brought as evidence; restitution shall not be made for the mangled remains.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
If it be, verily torn in pieces, he shall bring it in as a witness - for that which was torn, he shall not make restitution.
Douay-Rheims Bible
If it were eaten by a beast, let him bring to him that which was slain, and he shall not make restitution.
Revised Standard Version
If it is torn by beasts, let him bring it as evidence; he shall not make restitution for what has been torn.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"If it is all torn to pieces, let him bring it as evidence; he shall not make restitution for what has been torn to pieces.

Contextual Overview

7When a man gives silver or vessels to his neighbor to keep, and it has been stolen out of the man's house; if the thief is found, he repays double. 8If the thief is not found, then the master of the house has been brought near to God [to see] whether he has not put forth his hand against the work of his neighbor. 9For every matter of transgression, for ox, for donkey, for sheep, for raiment, for any lost thing of which it is said that it is his, the matter of them both comes to God; he whom God condemns repays double to his neighbor. 10When a man gives to his neighbor a donkey, or ox, or sheep, or any beast to keep, and it has died, or has been hurt, or taken captive, [with] none seeing— 11an oath of YHWH is between them both, that he has not put forth his hand against the work of his neighbor, and its owner has accepted, and he does not repay; 12but if it is certainly stolen from him, he repays to its owner; 13if it is certainly torn, he brings it in [as] a witness; he does not repay the torn thing.14And when a man asks for [anything] from his neighbor, and it has been hurt or has died—its owner not being with it—he certainly repays; 15if its owner [is] with it, he does not repay—if it [is] a hired thing, it has come for its hire.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

torn in pieces: Ezekiel 4:14, Amos 3:12, Micah 5:8, Nahum 2:12

let him bring it for witness: Or, rather, "Let him bring" aid hatteraiphah, an evidence of the thing torn, such as the horns, hoofs, etc.

Reciprocal: Zechariah 13:2 - I will cut

Cross-References

Genesis 22:6
And Abraham takes the wood of the burnt-offering, and places on his son Isaac, and he takes in his hand the fire, and the knife; and they go on both of them together.
Genesis 22:7
And Isaac speaks to his father Abraham and says, "My father," and he says, "Here I [am], my son." And he says, "Behold, the fire and the wood, and where the lamb for a burnt-offering?"
Genesis 22:8
And Abraham says, "God provides for Himself the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son"; and they go on both of them together.
Genesis 22:9
And they come to the place of which God has spoken to him, and there Abraham builds the altar, and arranges the wood, and binds his son Isaac, and places him on the altar above the wood;
Genesis 22:10
and Abraham puts forth his hand, and takes the knife—to slaughter his son.
Genesis 22:19
And Abraham turns back to his young men, and they rise and go together to Beer-Sheba; and Abraham dwells in Beer-Sheba.
Genesis 22:20
And it comes to pass after these things that it is declared to Abraham, saying, "Behold, Milcah has borne, even she, sons to your brother Nahor:
Isaiah 30:21
And your ear hears a word behind you, saying, "This [is] the way, go in it," || When you turn to the right, || And when you turn to the left.
1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has taken you—except that of man; and God is faithful, who will not permit you to be tempted above what you are able, but He will make, with the temptation, also the outlet, for your being able to bear [it].

Gill's Notes on the Bible

If it be torn in pieces,.... By some wild beast, at least as pretended:

[then] let him bring it for witness; part of that which is torn, that it may be witness for him that it was torn, as in Amos 3:12 as Aben Ezra observes; and so the Jerusalem Targurn,

"let him bring of the members of it a witness,''

which would make it a clear case that it had been so used; but it is possible that the whole carcass might be carried off, and nothing remain to be brought as a proof of it; wherefore the Targum of Jonathan is,

"let him bring witnesses;''

and so some versions render it z; and to this agrees Jarchi, whose note is,

"let him bring witnesses of its being torn by violence, and he is free,''

such who saw it done; but it is before supposed, that such cattle may be hurt, broken, or maimed, no man seeing it, Exodus 22:10 and therefore in such a case no witnesses could be brought, wherefore the first sense seems best:

[and] he shall not make good that which was torn; or shall not pay for it, pay the price of it, as much as it is worth. Here Jarchi distinguishes,

"there is that which is torn, for which a man pays, and there is that which is torn, for which he does not pay; that which is torn by a cat, or a fox, or a marten (a kind of weasel), he pays for, but that which is torn by a wolf, a lion, or a bear, he does not pay for:''

the reason of which is, because it is thought the keeper might have preserved and delivered from the former, and therefore was culpable, when it was not in his power to save from the latter; and the Misnic doctors observe, that one wolf is not violence, but two are; so that what is torn by one, the keeper is bound to pay for, but not what is torn by more. But two dogs are not violence, unless they come from two different quarters, and then they are: a single thief is violence, and so is a lion, a bear, a leopard, a basilisk, and a serpent, and this only when they come willingly, and of themselves; but if they (the cattle) are brought to places where there are troops of wild beasts, and thieves, it is no violence a, and in such a case the keepers are liable to pay; and so unless he makes use of staves, and calls in other shepherds to his assistance, as Maimonides b observes, when it is in his power to do it; and so at least might make an attempt to save or rescue the cattle.

z יבאהו עד "adducet eum testem", Pagninus, Montanus; "adducat ille testem", Munster, Fagius. a Misn. Bava Metzia, c. 7. sect. 9. b Hilchot Shecirat, c. 3. sect. 6.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

This law appears to relate chiefly to herdsmen employed by the owners of cattle. When an animal was stolen Exodus 22:12, it was presumed either that the herdsman might have prevented it, or that he could find the thief and bring him to justice (see Exodus 22:4). When an animal was killed by a wild beast, the keeper had to produce the mangled carcass, not only in proof of the fact, but to show that he had, by his vigilance and courage, deprived the wild beast of its prey.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Exodus 22:13. If it be torn in pieces - let him bring it for witness — Rather, Let him bring עד הטרפה ed hatterephah, a testimony or evidence of the torn thing, such as the horns, hoofs, &c. This is still a law in some countries among graziers: if a horse, cow, sheep, or goat, intrusted to them, be lost, and the keeper asserts it was devoured by dogs, &c., the law obliges him to produce the horns and hoofs, because on these the owner's mark is generally found. If these can be produced, the keeper is acquitted by the law. The ear is often the place marked, but this is not absolutely required, because a ravenous beast may eat the ear as well as any other part, but he cannot eat the horns or the hoofs. It seems however that in after times two of the legs and the ear were required as evidences to acquit the shepherd of all guilt. See Amos 3:12.


 
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