KJV ORIGINAL
If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the judges, to see whether he have put his hand unto his neighbour’s goods.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
If the thief cannot be found, then the owner of the house must appear before the judges to determine whether he has stolen his neighbor's property.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
This verse establishes that when property goes missing and no thief is caught, the person who was supposed to be guarding it must face legal examination to prove their innocence.
📚 Historical Context
This law comes from the civil regulations God gave Israel after they left Egypt, addressing situations where someone entrusted their property to a neighbor for safekeeping. In ancient times, formal storage systems didn't exist, so neighbors regularly watched each other's belongings during travel or emergencies.
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