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Tuesday, July 8th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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The NET Bible®

Exodus 22:13

If it is torn in pieces, then he will bring it for evidence, and he will not have to pay for what was torn.

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.
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

7 "If a man gives his neighbor money or articles for safekeeping, and it is stolen from the man's house, if the thief is caught, he must repay double. 8 If the thief is not caught, then the owner of the house will be brought before the judges to see whether he has laid his hand on his neighbor's goods. 9 In all cases of illegal possessions, whether for an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any kind of lost item, about which someone says ‘This belongs to me,' the matter of the two of them will come before the judges, and the one whom the judges declare guilty must repay double to his neighbor. 10 If a man gives his neighbor a donkey or an ox or a sheep or any beast to keep, and it dies or is hurt or is carried away without anyone seeing it, 11 then there will be an oath to the Lord 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. 12 But if it was stolen from him, he will pay its owner. 13 If it is torn in pieces, then he will bring it for evidence, and he will not have to pay for what was torn. 14 "If a man borrows an animal from his neighbor, and it is hurt or dies when its owner was not with it, the man who borrowed it will surely pay. 15 If its owner was with it, he will not have to pay; if it was hired, what was paid for the hire covers it.

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
Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and put it on his son Isaac. Then he took the fire and the knife in his hand, and the two of them walked on together.
Genesis 22:7
Isaac said to his father Abraham, "My father?" "What is it, my son?" he replied. "Here is the fire and the wood," Isaac said, "but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"
Genesis 22:8
"God will provide for himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son," Abraham replied. The two of them continued on together.
Genesis 22:9
When they came to the place God had told him about, Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood on it. Next he tied up his son Isaac and placed him on the altar on top of the wood.
Genesis 22:10
Then Abraham reached out his hand, took the knife, and prepared to slaughter his son.
Genesis 22:19
Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set out together for Beer Sheba where Abraham stayed.
Genesis 22:20
After these things Abraham was told, "Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor—
Isaiah 30:21
You will hear a word spoken behind you, saying, "This is the correct way, walk in it," whether you are heading to the right or the left.
1 Corinthians 10:13
No trial has overtaken you that is not faced by others. And God is faithful: He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear, but with the trial will also provide a way out so that you may be able to endure 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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