Protection of Property

22 ^[a]“Whoever steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it must pay back^(A) five head of cattle for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.

⁴ If the stolen animal is found alive in their possession^(A)—whether ox or donkey or sheep—they must pay back double.^(B)

⁷ “If anyone gives a neighbor silver or goods for safekeeping^(A) and they are stolen from the neighbor’s house, the thief, if caught, must pay back double.^{(B) 8} But if the thief is not found, the owner of the house must appear before the judges,^(C) and they must^[a] determine whether the owner of the house has laid hands on the other person’s property. ⁹ In all cases of illegal possession of an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any other lost property about which somebody says, ‘This is mine,’ both parties are to bring their cases before the judges.^[b](D) The one whom the judges declare^[c] guilty must pay back double to the other.