Exodus 22:7 - Meaning and Application

These laws concern trusts, in Exodus 22:7-13. If a person hands over goods to another, perhaps to a carrier to transport, a warehouse keeper to store, or cattle to a farmer to feed for pay, and a special trust is placed in that person, then the law gives guidance if the goods are stolen, lost, destroyed, or damaged. If it is clear that the trustee was not at fault, the owner must bear the loss. But if the trustee was false to that trust, he must make restitution.

If the case could not be settled by any other proof, the trustee had to swear before the judges that he was innocent, and they would decide the matter according to what appeared true. This teaches us to be very careful with anything entrusted to us. We should guard another person’s property as carefully as if it were our own. Betraying a trust is unjust, shameful, and something all honest people condemn.

It also shows how much truth and fairness are lacking in the world. There is often reason to suspect a person’s honesty when he stands to gain by being dishonest. Yet an oath is meant to settle a dispute, as Hebrews 6:16 says. It is called an oath of the Lord (Exodus 22:11) because the appeal is made to God, not only as a witness of truth, but as the one who will punish falsehood and wrong.

Even people who have wronged their neighbor may still fear to profane such an oath, by calling the God of truth to witness a lie. Perjury, or swearing falsely, is a sin that natural conscience often shrinks from. The use of oaths is very old, and it plainly shows that people have always believed in God, his rule over the world, and a coming judgment.

This also teaches that civil rulers are appointed by God. One purpose of magistrates is to help people discover what is right when rights are disputed, and to recover what has been denied. For that reason, people should greatly respect the decisions of judges.

There is also no reason for a person to suffer for what he could not prevent. Masters should remember this when dealing with servants, and not blame them for a mischance as if it were a fault.

These laws also concern loans, in Exodus 22:14-15. If a man lent his team of animals to a neighbor, and the owner was with them, or if he received payment for the loan, then the owner had to bear any loss that came to the cattle. But if he kindly lent them for free, and trusted the borrower enough to let them go out of his sight, then the borrower had to make good any harm that happened.

From this we should learn not to abuse anything that is lent to us. That is not only unfair, it is mean and dishonest, since it repays kindness with harm. We should rather be willing to bear loss ourselves than let anyone suffer because of their kindness to us. “Oh, master, for it was borrowed” (2 Kings 6:5).