Exodus 21:16
New International Version
“Anyone who kidnaps someone is to be put to death, whether the victim has been sold or is still in the kidnapper’s possession.

New Living Translation
“Kidnappers must be put to death, whether they are caught in possession of their victims or have already sold them as slaves.

English Standard Version
“Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death.

Berean Standard Bible
Whoever kidnaps another man must be put to death, whether he sells him or the man is found in his possession.

King James Bible
And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.

New King James Version
“He who kidnaps a man and sells him, or if he is found in his hand, shall surely be put to death.

New American Standard Bible
“Now one who kidnaps someone, whether he sells him or he is found in his possession, shall certainly be put to death.

NASB 1995
“He who kidnaps a man, whether he sells him or he is found in his possession, shall surely be put to death.

NASB 1977
“And he who kidnaps a man, whether he sells him or he is found in his possession, shall surely be put to death.

Legacy Standard Bible
“He who kidnaps a man, whether he sells him or he is found in his hand, shall surely be put to death.

Amplified Bible
“Whoever kidnaps a man, whether he sells him or is found with him in his possession, must be put to death.

Christian Standard Bible
“Whoever kidnaps a person must be put to death, whether he sells him or the person is found in his possession.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Whoever kidnaps a person must be put to death, whether he sells him or the person is found in his possession.”

American Standard Version
And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.

Contemporary English Version
Death is the punishment for kidnapping. If you sell the person you kidnapped, or if you are caught with that person, the penalty is death.

English Revised Version
And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Whoever kidnaps another person must be put to death, whether he has sold the kidnapped person or still has him.

Good News Translation
"Whoever kidnaps someone, either to sell him or to keep him as a slave, is to be put to death.

International Standard Version
"Whoever kidnaps a person, whether he has sold him or whether the victim is still in his possession, is certainly to be put to death.

Majority Standard Bible
Whoever kidnaps another man must be put to death, whether he sells him or the man is found in his possession.

NET Bible
"Whoever kidnaps someone and sells him, or is caught still holding him, must surely be put to death.

New Heart English Bible
"Anyone who kidnaps someone and sells him, or if he is found in his possession, he shall surely be put to death.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he shall be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.

World English Bible
“Anyone who kidnaps someone and sells him, or if he is found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And he who steals a man, and has sold him, and he has been found in his hand, is certainly put to death.

Young's Literal Translation
'And he who stealeth a man, and hath sold him, and he hath been found in his hand, is certainly put to death.

Smith's Literal Translation
And he stealing a man, and selling him, and being found in his hand, dying, he shall die.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
He that shall steal a man, and sell him, being convicted of guilt, shall be put to death.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Whoever will have stolen a man and sold him, having been convicted of the crime, shall be put to death.

New American Bible
A kidnapper, whether he sells the person or the person is found in his possession, shall be put to death.

New Revised Standard Version
Whoever kidnaps a person, whether that person has been sold or is still held in possession, shall be put to death.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
He who steals a person and sells him, or he is found in his possession, he shall surely be put to death.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
He who will steal a person and will sell him and be found with him surely shall be killed.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Whosoever shall steal one of the children of Israel, and prevail over him and sell him, and he be found with him, let him certainly die.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Personal Injury Laws
15Whoever strikes his father or mother must surely be put to death. 16Whoever kidnaps another man must be put to death, whether he sells him or the man is found in his possession. 17Anyone who curses his father or mother must surely be put to death.…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 24:7
If a man is caught kidnapping one of his Israelite brothers, whether he treats him as a slave or sells him, the kidnapper must die. So you must purge the evil from among you.

1 Timothy 1:10
for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave traders and liars and perjurers, and for anyone else who is averse to sound teaching

Matthew 19:18
“Which ones?” the man asked. Jesus answered, “‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness,

Revelation 18:13
of cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, and frankincense; of wine, olive oil, fine flour, and wheat; of cattle, sheep, horses, and carriages; of bodies and souls of slaves.

Genesis 37:28
So when the Midianite traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.

Leviticus 19:11
You must not steal. You must not lie or deceive one another.

Amos 1:6
This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Gaza, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they exiled a whole population, delivering them up to Edom.

Amos 1:9
This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Tyre, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they delivered up a whole congregation of exiles to Edom and broke a covenant of brotherhood.

1 Corinthians 6:10
nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.

Proverbs 22:22
Do not rob a poor man because he is poor, and do not crush the afflicted at the gate,

Jeremiah 34:8-17
After King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people in Jerusalem to proclaim liberty, the word came to Jeremiah from the LORD / that each man should free his Hebrew slaves, both male and female, and no one should hold his fellow Jew in bondage. / So all the officials and all the people who entered into this covenant agreed that they would free their menservants and maidservants and no longer hold them in bondage. They obeyed and released them, ...

Philemon 1:10-16
I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whose father I became while I was in chains. / Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me. / I am sending back to you him who is my very heart. ...

Genesis 40:15
For I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing for which they should have put me in this dungeon.”

Isaiah 42:22
But this is a people plundered and looted, all trapped in caves or imprisoned in dungeons. They have become plunder with no one to rescue them, and loot with no one to say, “Send them back!”

Ezekiel 27:13
Javan, Tubal, and Meshech were your merchants. They exchanged slaves and bronze utensils for your merchandise.


Treasury of Scripture

And he that steals a man, and sells him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.

stealeth

Genesis 40:15
For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.

Deuteronomy 24:7
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.

1 Timothy 1:10
For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

selleth him

Genesis 37:28
Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.

found in

Exodus 22:4
If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double.

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Caught Death Either Found Gets Hand Order Possession Power Price Selleth Sells Sold Someone Stealeth Steals Surely Whether
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Caught Death Either Found Gets Hand Order Possession Power Price Selleth Sells Sold Someone Stealeth Steals Surely Whether
Exodus 21
1. Laws for men servants
5. For the servant whose ear is bored
7. For women servants
12. For manslaughter
16. For kidnappers
17. For cursers of parents
18. For smiters
22. For a hurt by chance
28. For an ox that gores
33. For him who is an occasion of harm














Whoever kidnaps
The Hebrew word for "kidnaps" is "גּוֹנֵב" (gonev), which is derived from the root "גנב" (ganav), meaning to steal or take by stealth. This term emphasizes the act of taking someone unlawfully and against their will. In the ancient Near Eastern context, kidnapping was a severe crime, disrupting the social order and family structures. The act of kidnapping is not merely a theft of property but a violation of personal freedom and dignity, reflecting the high value placed on human life and liberty in the biblical worldview.

another man
The phrase "another man" underscores the universality of the command. It is not limited to a specific group or class but applies to all individuals, highlighting the inherent value and equality of every human being. This reflects the biblical principle that all people are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), and thus, their freedom and dignity must be respected and protected.

must be put to death
The phrase "must be put to death" indicates the severity of the crime and the corresponding punishment. The Hebrew term "מוֹת יוּמָת" (mot yumat) is a legal formula used in the Torah to prescribe capital punishment. This reflects the gravity with which God views the crime of kidnapping, equating it with murder in terms of its impact on the victim and society. The death penalty serves as a deterrent and a means of upholding justice and righteousness within the community.

whether he sells him
The act of selling a kidnapped person is explicitly condemned, highlighting the abhorrence of treating human beings as mere commodities. This phrase points to the practice of human trafficking, which was prevalent in the ancient world and remains a grave issue today. The Bible's stance here is clear: human life is sacred and cannot be bought or sold. This commandment calls for the protection of the vulnerable and the upholding of human dignity.

or the man is found in his possession
This phrase addresses the situation where the kidnapped person is still in the kidnapper's possession, emphasizing that the crime is punishable regardless of the outcome. The presence of the victim with the kidnapper is sufficient evidence of the crime, underscoring the importance of swift and decisive justice. This reflects the biblical concern for the protection of individuals and the maintenance of social order, ensuring that justice is not delayed or denied.

Verse 16. - He that stealeth a man. Kidnapping, or stealing men to make them slaves, was a very early and very wide-spread crime. Joseph' s brothers must be regarded as having committed it (Genesis 37:28); and there are many traces of it in the remains of antiquity. (See Herod. 4:183; Strab. 7. p. 467; Sueton. Octav. § 32; etc.) Most kidnapping was of foreigners; and this was a practice of which the laws of states took no cognizance, though a certain disrepute may have attached to it. But the kidnapping of a fellow-country-man was generally punished with severity. At Athens it was a capital offence. At Rome it made a man infamous. We may gather from Deuteronomy 24:7, that the Mosaic law was especially levelled against this lena of the crime, though the words of the present passage are general, and forbid the crime altogether. Man-stealing, in the general sense, is now regarded as an offence by the chief civilised states of Europe and America, and is punished by confiscation of the stolen goods, and sometimes by imprisonment of the man-stealers.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Whoever kidnaps
וְגֹנֵ֨ב (wə·ḡō·nêḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 1589: To thieve, to deceive

another man
אִ֧ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

must be put to death,
מ֥וֹת (mō·wṯ)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

whether he sells him
וּמְכָר֛וֹ (ū·mə·ḵā·rōw)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4376: To sell

or the man is found
וְנִמְצָ֥א (wə·nim·ṣā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4672: To come forth to, appear, exist, to attain, find, acquire, to occur, meet, be present

in his possession.
בְיָד֖וֹ (ḇə·yā·ḏōw)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3027: A hand


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OT Law: Exodus 21:16 Anyone who kidnaps someone and sells him (Exo. Ex)
Exodus 21:15
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