People have a right to defend their property against unlawful seizure. In the case of a thief who is caught in the act of stealing and injured as he is resisted, no guilt is to be assigned to the property owner, even if the thief dies. If this is the case, moreover, no further obligation of guilt is laid upon the thief or his survivors.

However, if the thief is caught without injury, even though not in the act of stealing, then he is guilty and must pay according to the relevant guidelines of restorative justice. This assumes that a fair and just procedure of claims and trial has been accomplished. If found guilty as charged by the rulers of the city, the thief must restore the value of whatever he has taken, and then some. If he cannot, then he was to be sold into slavery – perhaps to the one from whom he had stolen.

Restoration of stolen goods made it possible for a community to return good order. It also served to deter prospective thieves, since they knew they would be liable for repayment, or could be sold into slavery.

T. M. Moore

The Law of God is the soil which, fertilized by the rest of God’s Word and watered by His Spirit, brings forth the fruit of Christian life. If you’d like to understand this process better, and how to make best use of the Law in your walk with and work for the Lord, order the book, The Ground for Christian Ethics, from our online store.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.