“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. If the thief is not found, the owner of the house shall come near to God to show whether or not he has put his hand to his neighbor’s property. For every breach of trust, whether it is for an ox, for a donkey, for a sheep, for a cloak, or for any kind of lost thing, of which one says, ‘This is it,’ the case of both parties shall come before God. The one whom God condemns shall pay double to his neighbor.
“If a man gives to his neighbor a donkey or an ox or a sheep or any beast to keep safe, and it dies or is injured or is driven away, without anyone seeing it, an oath by the LORD shall be between them both to see whether or not he has put his hand to his neighbor’s property. The owner shall accept the oath, and he shall not make restitution. But if it is stolen from him, he shall make restitution to its owner. If it is torn by beasts, let him bring it as evidence. He shall not make restitution for what has been torn.
“If a man borrows anything of his neighbor, and it is injured or dies, the owner not being with it, he shall make full restitution. If the owner was with it, he shall not make restitution; if it was hired, it came for its hiring fee.
Comment: These days people seem to be into litigation in a big way – expensive lawyers are paid, what seem to me to be exorbitant prices, and justice seems to sometimes depend on who has appointed the magistrate or judge! The phrase “both parties shall come before God” obviously meant more to those who were listening to Moses than it does to me. Did they come before the High Priest? Was God held in such high regard (truly feared) that standing (although God was present but unseen) in God’s presence people could be expected to be totally honest? On the whole the set of rules above make good common sense and are fair to both sides of a case.
Prayer: Please so work in Your people, O Father, that the watching world will not see us as dishonest in our dealings or hypocritical, in our actions.
As I read it! 