22:7 “If a man gives his neighbor money or articles 4 for safekeeping, 5 and it is stolen from the man’s house, if the thief is caught, 6 he must repay double.
1 tn The construction uses a Niphal infinitive absolute and a Niphal imperfect: if it should indeed be found. Gesenius says that in such conditional clauses the infinitive absolute has less emphasis, but instead emphasizes the condition on which some consequence depends (see GKC 342-43 §113.o).
2 tn Heb “in his hand.”
3 sn He must pay back one for what he took, and then one for the penalty – his loss as he was inflicting a loss on someone else.
4 tn The word usually means “vessels” but can have the sense of household goods and articles. It could be anything from jewels and ornaments to weapons or pottery.
5 tn Heb “to keep.” Here “safekeeping,” that is, to keep something secure on behalf of a third party, is intended.
6 tn Heb “found.”