“Now one who kidnaps someone, whether he sells him or he is found in his possession, shall certainly be put to death.
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.
- BSB Whoever kidnaps another man must be put to death, whether he sells him or the man is found in his possession.
- NKJV “He who kidnaps a man and sells him, or if he is found in his hand, shall surely 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 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 found stealing any of his brothers of the children of Israel, and he deals with him as a slave, or sells him; then that thief shall die. So you shall remove the evil from among you.
- 1 Tim 1:10for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave-traders, for liars, for perjurers, and for any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine;
- Exod 22:4If the stolen property is found in his hand alive, whether it is ox, donkey, or sheep, he shall pay double.
- Gen 37:28Midianites who were merchants passed by, and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. They brought Joseph into Egypt.
- Gen 40:15For indeed, I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.”
- Rev 18:12merchandise of gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, fine linen, purple, silk, scarlet, all expensive wood, every vessel of ivory, every vessel made of most precious wood, and of brass, and 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.