Deuteronomy 24 7

Deuteronomy 24:7 kjv

If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and maketh merchandise of him, or selleth him; then that thief shall die; and thou shalt put evil away from among you.

Deuteronomy 24:7 nkjv

"If a man is found kidnapping any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and mistreats him or sells him, then that kidnapper shall die; and you shall put away the evil from among you.

Deuteronomy 24:7 niv

If someone is caught kidnapping a fellow Israelite and treating or selling them as a slave, the kidnapper must die. You must purge the evil from among you.

Deuteronomy 24:7 esv

"If a man is found stealing one of his brothers of the people of Israel, and if he treats him as a slave or sells him, then that thief shall die. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.

Deuteronomy 24:7 nlt

"If anyone kidnaps a fellow Israelite and treats him as a slave or sells him, the kidnapper must die. In this way, you will purge the evil from among you.

Deuteronomy 24 verses

Deuteronomy 24 7 Meaning

Deuteronomy 24:7 establishes capital punishment for the heinous crime of kidnapping and enslaving a fellow Israelite. This law safeguards human liberty and dignity within the covenant community, explicitly prohibiting one from stealing a "soul" – a person – reducing them to an object for sale or forced servitude. The severe penalty underscores the sacred value of each individual within God's people and commands the immediate purging of such profound evil from their midst to maintain the nation's holiness.

Deuteronomy 24 7 Context

Deuteronomy 24:7 is situated within a collection of diverse laws in Deuteronomy that detail various aspects of social and civil life, reinforcing Israel's covenant relationship with Yahweh and their unique identity as His holy people. This chapter addresses a range of domestic, ethical, and legal matters, from divorce to safeguarding the rights of the poor and vulnerable. This specific verse, therefore, highlights the foundational principle of valuing human life and liberty within Israel, contrasting sharply with the common ancient Near Eastern practices where human beings, especially non-citizens, could be easily traded or enslaved. It appears among statutes that uphold justice, fairness, and the protection of individuals, particularly the vulnerable, against exploitation within the covenant community.

Deuteronomy 24 7 Word analysis

• "If a man is found": (Hebrew: Ki yimmatseh ish כִּי־יִמָּצֵא אִישׁ) - Implies discovery of a crime already committed, highlighting the seriousness once the act is confirmed. The term "found" suggests the importance of direct evidence or clear identification.
• "stealing": (Hebrew: gonev גֹּנֵב) - Derived from the root ganav, meaning "to steal" or "to kidnap." Unlike other forms of theft (of property), this verb here is applied to a person (nefesh). This specifically indicates human abduction, a surreptitious taking of a person.
• "one of his brothers": (Hebrew: nefesh me'achav נֶפֶשׁ מֵאֶחָיו) - Nefesh translates as "soul" or "person," emphasizing the theft of a human life and identity, not just a chattel. "One of his brothers" underscores the communal bond within Israel; this crime is an egregious betrayal of a fellow covenant member.
• "the people of Israel": (Hebrew: mibenei Yisra'el מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל) - Specifies the victim's identity as a member of the covenant community, emphasizing that this law applies particularly to fellow Israelites. The act of stealing a brother from God's own redeemed people is particularly heinous.
• "and selling him as a slave": (Hebrew: umakharo le'eved וּמְכָרוֹ לְעֶבֶד) - To sell him "into servitude." This identifies the common objective of man-stealing in ancient times: reducing a person to a commodity for financial gain.
• "or if he holds him": (Hebrew: o himtsa' biyado אוֹ הִמְצָא בְיָדוֹ) - Literally "or if he is found in his hand." This broadens the definition of the crime, encompassing not only selling but also merely keeping or detaining a kidnapped person in slavery. The act of deprivation of liberty is sufficient for culpability.
• "then that thief shall die": (Hebrew: mot yumat hagganav hahu מוֹת יוּמַת הַגַּנָּב הַהוּא) - An emphatic construct "surely die," denoting capital punishment. The penalty aligns with the "life for life" principle, where a life of liberty taken results in the loss of the perpetrator's own life.
• "So you shall purge the evil from among you": (Hebrew: uv'arta hara' mikirbecha וּבִעַרְתָּ הָרָע מִקִּרְבֶּךָ) - A recurring Deuteronomic imperative indicating the necessity of eliminating grave sins from the community to maintain its moral purity and divine favor. The act of man-stealing is seen as a moral pollutant requiring radical removal.

Deuteronomy 24 7 Bonus section

This statute holds significant theological weight by affirming the principle of individual personhood and liberty against systems of chattel slavery common in the ancient world. Unlike many Near Eastern law codes (e.g., Code of Hammurabi), which sometimes merely prescribed fines for similar offenses, Mosaic Law demanded capital punishment, thereby valuing human life and liberty above economic gain. The law specifically distinguishes between lawful forms of limited servitude (like debt servitude, which had defined terms and protections) and the heinous, violent act of kidnapping and permanent enslavement. The term "man-stealing" directly parallels the crime of theft of property, but here the "stolen" item is a human "soul," elevating it to an offense against a person's life, implying a form of "social murder." This reflects God's heart for justice and His identification with the oppressed, a theme that reverberates throughout biblical history and prophetic literature.

Deuteronomy 24 7 Commentary

Deuteronomy 24:7 reveals a fundamental ethical principle at the heart of Israel's legal code: the inherent value and sanctity of human liberty within the covenant community. This law directly confronts and stands in stark opposition to common practices in surrounding cultures where individuals, especially non-nationals or prisoners of war, were often treated as property. For an Israelite to kidnap and sell a fellow Israelite into slavery was an abhorrent crime, carrying the penalty of death. The severity of the punishment reflects the magnitude of the offense: it was an assault not merely on an individual's freedom but on their very identity as a "soul" and as one of God's redeemed people.

The explicit instruction to "purge the evil from among you" underscores that such an act defiled the entire nation, which had itself been miraculously freed from the bondage of Egypt. Israel's history as redeemed slaves created a profound moral imperative to never impose such tyranny upon another Israelite. This law ensured that basic human rights—especially the right to freedom—were protected within the community of faith, preventing a dehumanizing economic exploitation that treated people as mere commodities. It reflects God's justice and His deep regard for His people, anticipating New Testament themes of spiritual freedom and the inherent dignity of all made in His image.