The Meaning of Exodus 22:8 Explained

Exodus 22:8

KJV: If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the judges, to see whether he have put his hand unto his neighbour's goods.

YLT: 'If the thief is not found, then the master of the house hath been brought near unto God, whether he hath not put forth his hand against the work of his neighbour;

Darby: if the thief be not found, the master of the house shall be brought before the judges, to see if he has not put his hand unto his neighbour's goods.

ASV: If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall come near unto God, to see whether he have not put his hand unto his neighbor's goods.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

If the thief  be not  found,  then the master  of the house  shall be brought  unto the judges,  [to see] whether he have put  his hand  unto his neighbour's  goods. 

What does Exodus 22:8 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Exodus 22

1  Of Theft
5  Of damage
7  Of trespasses
14  Of borrowing
16  Of fornication
18  Of witchcraft
19  Of bestiality
20  Of idolatry
21  Of strangers, widows, and fatherless
25  Of usury
26  Of pledges
28  Of reverence to magistrates
29  Of the first fruits
31  Of torn flesh

What do the individual words in Exodus 22:8 mean?

If not is found the thief then shall be brought the master of the house to the judges - [to see] whether he has put his hand into goods of his neighbor
אִם־ לֹ֤א יִמָּצֵא֙ הַגַּנָּ֔ב וְנִקְרַ֥ב בַּֽעַל־ הַבַּ֖יִת אֶל־ הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים אִם־ לֹ֥א שָׁלַ֛ח יָד֖וֹ בִּמְלֶ֥אכֶת רֵעֵֽהוּ

יִמָּצֵא֙  is  found 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
הַגַּנָּ֔ב  the  thief 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: גַּנָּב  
Sense: thief.
וְנִקְרַ֥ב  then  shall  be  brought 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרַב  
Sense: to come near, approach, enter into, draw near.
בַּֽעַל־  the  master 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בָּעַל 
Sense: owner, husband, lord.
הַבַּ֖יִת  of  the  house 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים  the  judges 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
אִם־  - 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: אִם  
Sense: if.
לֹ֥א  [to  see]  whether 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
שָׁלַ֛ח  he  has  put 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
יָד֖וֹ  his  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
בִּמְלֶ֥אכֶת  into  goods 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: מְלָאכָה  
Sense: occupation, work, business.
רֵעֵֽהוּ  of  his  neighbor 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: רֵעַ  
Sense: friend, companion, fellow, another person.