Keluaran 22:8

22:8 If the thief is not caught, ¹  then the owner of the house will be brought before the judges ²  to see ³  whether he has laid ⁴  his hand on his neighbor’s goods.

Ulangan 25:1

25:1 If controversy arises between people, ⁵  they should go to court for judgment. When the judges ⁶  hear the case, they shall exonerate ⁷  the innocent but condemn ⁸  the guilty.

[22:8]  ¹ tn Heb “found.”

[22:8]  ² tn Here again the word used is “the gods,” meaning the judges who made the assessments and decisions. In addition to other works, see J. R. Vannoy, “The Use of the Word ha’elohim in Exodus 21:6 and 22:7,8,” The Law and the Prophets, 225-41.

[22:8]  ³ tn The phrase “to see” has been supplied.

[22:8]  ⁴ tn The line says “if he has not stretched out his hand.” This could be the oath formula, but the construction here would be unusual, or it could be taken as “whether” (see W. C. Kaiser, Jr., “Exodus,” EBC 2:438). U. Cassuto (Exodus, 286) does not think the wording can possibly fit an oath; nevertheless, an oath would be involved before God (as he takes it instead of “judges”) – if the man swore, his word would be accepted, but if he would not swear, he would be guilty.

[25:1]  ⁵ tn Heb “men.”

[25:1]  ⁶ tn Heb “they”; the referent (the judges) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[25:1]  ⁷ tn Heb “declare to be just”; KJV, NASB “justify the righteous”; NAB, NIV “acquitting the innocent.”

[25:1]  ⁸ tn Heb “declare to be evil”; NIV “condemning the guilty (+ party NAB).”