Exodus 22:4

22:4 If the stolen item should in fact be found ¹  alive in his possession, ²  whether it be an ox or a donkey or a sheep, he must pay back double. ³ 

Psalms 17:3

17:3 You have scrutinized my inner motives; ⁴ 

you have examined me during the night. ⁵ 

You have carefully evaluated me, but you find no sin.

I am determined I will say nothing sinful. ⁶ 

[22:4]  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).

[22:4]  ² tn Heb “in his hand.”

[22:4]  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.

[17:3]  ⁴ tn Heb “you tested my heart.”

[17:3]  ⁵ tn Heb “you visited [at] night.”

[17:3]  ⁶ tc Heb “you tested me, you do not find, I plan, my mouth will not cross over.” The Hebrew verbal form זַמֹּתִי (zammotiy) is a Qal perfect, first person singular from the root זָמַם (zamam, “plan, plan evil”). Some emend the form to a suffixed form of the noun, זִמָּתִי (zimmatiy, “my plan/evil plan”), and take it as the object of the preceding verb “find.” However, the suffix seems odd, since the psalmist is denying that he has any wrong thoughts. If one takes the form with what precedes, it might make better sense to read זִמּוֹת (zimmot, “evil plans”). However, this emendation leaves an unclear connection with the next line. The present translation maintains the verbal form found in the MT and understands it in a neutral sense, “I have decided” (see Jer 4:28). The words “my mouth will not cross over” (i.e., “transgress, sin”) can then be taken as a noun clause functioning as the object of the verb.