The Meaning of Exodus 21:16 Explained

Exodus 21:16

KJV: And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.

YLT: 'And he who stealeth a man, and hath sold him, and he hath been found in his hand, is certainly put to death.

Darby: And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall certainly be put to death.

ASV: And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he that stealeth  a man,  and selleth  him, or if he be found  in his hand,  he shall surely  be put to death. 

What does Exodus 21:16 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Exodus 21

1  Laws for men servants
5  For the servant whose ear is bored
7  For women servants
12  For manslaughter
16  For kidnappers
17  For cursers of parents
18  For smiters
22  For a hurt by chance
28  For an ox that gores
33  For him who is an occasion of harm

What do the individual words in Exodus 21:16 mean?

And He who kidnaps a man and sells him or if he is found in his hand surely shall be put to death -
וְגֹנֵ֨ב אִ֧ישׁ וּמְכָר֛וֹ וְנִמְצָ֥א בְיָד֖וֹ מ֥וֹת יוּמָֽת ס

וְגֹנֵ֨ב  And  He  who  kidnaps 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: גָּנַב  
Sense: to steal, steal away, carry away.
אִ֧ישׁ  a  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
וּמְכָר֛וֹ  and  sells  him 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: מָכַר  
Sense: to sell.
וְנִמְצָ֥א  or  if  he  is  found 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
בְיָד֖וֹ  in  his  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
מ֥וֹת  surely 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
יוּמָֽת  shall  be  put  to  death 
Parse: Verb, Hofal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation