Exodus Chapter 22 Verses 1-4

:1 “If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. 2 If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him. 3 If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him; for he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft. 4 If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double.”   

One of the Ten Commandments was “thou shalt not steal.”  The judgment concerning a thief shows forth both restitution and deterrence.  “If a man steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.”  Not only is the thief to restore what he took, but the penalty is not one for one, but five for one for an ox, and four for one for a sheep.  Thus the penalty goes beyond restoration, but also takes much more from the thief so as to serve a deterrent to the act of theft. 

“If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him.”  This teaches us that the property owner had a right to defend and protect his own property even to the extent of killing the thief who was in the act of his theft.   

“If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him;”  This situation goes beyond the mere act of defending ones property, but in taking vengeance upon the thief, that is beyond the penalty that the Lord had set.  This would be equivalent to murder.   

“For he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.”  This is equivalent to debtor’s prison whereby the thief is sold into bondage because he could not make full restitution of his theft.   

“If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double.”  This is different from when the thief had already sold the animal or had killed the animal.  If the animal is still alive and in the hand of the thief, then the thief is to restore double.   

Verses 5-6 

:5 “If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall put in his beast, and shall feed in another man's field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution. 6 If fire break out, and catch in thorns, so that the stacks of corn, or the standing corn, or the field, be consumed therewith; he that kindled the fire shall surely make restitution.”  The principle being set forth here is equivalent to an eye for an eye.  If your cattle feed in another’s field, then you are to restore the equivalent to the other’s field.  Likewise, if you are responsible for starting a fire and it does damage to another’s property, then you are to make equivalent restoration to the one whose property has been damaged.