But if the owner thereof be with it, he shall not make it good: if it be an hired thing, it came for his hire.
But if the owner was there with the animal when it was injured or died, the borrower doesn't have to pay for it. If it was a rented animal, the loss is already covered by the rental fee that was paid.
This verse explains that if someone borrows an animal and the owner is present when something bad happens to it, or if the animal was rented, the borrower isn't responsible for replacing it.
📚 Historical Context
In the ancient times when the Israelites were wandering in the desert after escaping slavery in Egypt, God gave Moses a set of laws known as the Covenant Code to establish order and justice in their community. This verse specifically deals with rules for borrowed or hired animals, stating that if the owner was present during an incident, no repayment is required, and if the animal was hired, the agreed payment covers any loss. These laws were practical guidelines for a nomadic people to handle property disputes fairly and maintain social harmony.
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