Read Exodus 22 at Bible Gateway.
This chapter expounds on the beautiful Torah concept of restitution. Webster’s says restitution is “restoring something to its rightful owner” or “making good for injury.” Fair enough, but Hebrew goes deeper and richer.
The word is Strong’s H7999 שלם shalam, “to be whole, sound, or safe.” If it rings any bells, that’s because it’s the same root that gives us shalom, “peace.”
But biblical restitution isn’t just about pay-back. It’s about re-making wholeness.
- If something that belongs has been taken away (property, money, health, honor), shalam adds it back until wholeness is reached.
- If something that doesn’t belong has been added (debt, injury, shame), shalam removes it until wholeness is reached.
Torah’s justice system is shockingly simple on this point: the concept of prison time is foreign. Murder or other capital crimes are resolved by the death penalty. Theft, damage, and negligence are resolved by restitution with interest, after which the offender is free to resume his life. Once shalam has been made, the victim is whole, the offender is whole, and the community is whole again too.
Why This Matters: God isn’t chasing flawless perfection from us, but He is chasing wholeness—shalam—for every person and every relationship touched by sin (that’s all of us). The cross is the ultimate act of shalam: in its shame ours is removed; in its sufficiency, ours is restored.
The Hebrew paragraphs for this chapter:
22:1-4 {s} Restitution when a theft is discovered
22:5 {s} Restitution when an animal feeds in another man’s field
22:6 {s} Restitution when fire destroys a harvest
22:7-9 {s} Restitution when goods are lost from a neighbor’s safe- keeping
22:10-13 {p} Restitution when goods are destroyed from a neighbor’s safe- keeping
22:14-15 {s} Restitution when goods are borrowed
22:16-17 {s} Restitution when a virgin is seduced
22:18-19 {s} Sorceress = death penalty / lying with animals = death penalty
22:20-24 {p} Idolaters and afflicters of strangers, widows, orphans = utterly destroyed
22:25-27 {s} Not coveting interest or collateral from your neighbor
22:28-31 {s} Not coveting what belongs to God
If there are questions, these are good resources:
Shalom, “peace,” Strong’s H7965 Hebrew Root word parable – Christine Miller
Exo 21:28-22:13 Chiastic Structure – Christine Miller
Exo 22:14-24 Chiastic Structure – Christine Miller
Exo 22:14-24 Hebrew Root words – Christine Miller
Leave a Reply