Compensation under the law of Moses
For personal injuries
Exodus 21:26–27 See also Exodus 21:32
If a man strikes and blinds the eye of his manservant or maidservant, he must let the servant go free as compensation for the eye. And if he knocks out the tooth of his manservant or maidservant, he must let the servant go free as compensation for the tooth.
For the loss of an animal
Exodus 21:33–34 See also Exodus 21:35–36
If a man opens or digs a pit and fails to cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, the owner of the pit shall make restitution; he must pay its owner, and the dead animal will be his.
For theft
Exodus 22:1, Exodus 22:3–4 See also Exodus 22:7–9
“If a man steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters or sells it, he must repay five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep.
But if it happens after sunrise, there is guilt for his bloodshed. A thief must make full restitution; if he has nothing, he himself shall be sold for his theft. If what was stolen is actually found alive in his possession— whether ox or donkey or sheep— he must pay back double.
For damage to property
For breach of trust
Exodus 22:10–15; Leviticus 6:1–7; Numbers 5:5–7 Compensation was only paid when someone was at fault. Similar laws apparently existed in patriarchal times: see Genesis 31:39.
Compensation later in the OT
The law applied by David
Sevenfold compensation for theft
Proverbs 6:30–31 presumably “sevenfold” here means “manifold”; he will pay in full
Adultery beyond compensation
Compensation a mark of repentance
Compensation in the NT
For losses inflicted
Luke 19:8 In his zeal, after being converted, Zacchaeus goes beyond the requirements of the law. See also Philemon 1:18–19
But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, half of my possessions I give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will repay it fourfold.”
For losses sustained for the gospel
Matthew 19:29 parallel Luke 18:29–30 God is far more generous under grace than he required wrongdoers to be under law.
And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for the sake of My name will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.