Whoever kidnaps another man must be put to death, whether he sells him or the man is found in his possession.
Parallel translations
- WEB “Anyone who kidnaps someone and sells him, or if he is found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.
- KJV And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.
- ESV “Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death.
- NKJV “He who kidnaps a man and sells him, or if he is found in his hand, shall surely be put to death.
- NASB “Now one who kidnaps someone, whether he sells him or he is found in his possession, shall certainly be put to death.
- NLT “Kidnappers must be put to death, whether they are caught in possession of their victims or have already sold them as slaves.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Kidnapping a person to sell or hold him is a capital crime. Human beings bear God's image and may not be treated as property to be traded.
Overview
This law (later cited in 1 Timothy 1:10) forbids man-stealing and the slave trade that flows from it, valuing human life made in God's image above any profit. It stands among Israel's case laws applying the eighth and sixth commandments. The gospel deepens this: Christ comes to set captives free (Luke 4:18), redeeming those held in bondage.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Deut 24:7If 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 Tim 1:10for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave traders and liars and perjurers, and for anyone else who is averse to sound teaching
- Exod 22:4If what was stolen is actually found alive in his possession—whether ox or donkey or sheep—he must pay back double.
- Gen 37:28So 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.
- Gen 40:15For 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.”
- Rev 18:12cargo of gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls; of fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; of all kinds of citron wood and every article of ivory, precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble;
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Passover lamb whose blood turns away death, the exodus through the sea, the manna, the rock, and the tabernacle where God dwells with his people all foreshadow Jesus — our Passover, our redemption, the bread from heaven, and God-with-us in the flesh.
How Exodus 21:16 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.