אִֽם־הִמָּצֵא֩ תִמָּצֵ֨א בְיָדֹ֜ו הַגְּנֵבָ֗ה מִשֹּׁ֧ור עַד־חֲמֹ֛ור עַד־שֶׂ֖ה חַיִּ֑ים שְׁנַ֖יִם יְשַׁלֵּֽם׃ ס
If the stolen item is surely found in his possession, whether it is an ox, a donkey, or a sheep, alive, he shall pay double.
Morphology
- אִֽם־הִמָּצֵא֩ (im-himmatse) – Root: מצא (m-tz-ʾ); Form: Conditional particle + verb, Nifal infinitive absolute; Translation: “If is surely found”; Notes: Emphasizes certainty in the discovery of the stolen item.
- תִמָּצֵ֨א (timmatse) – Root: מצא (m-tz-ʾ); Form: Verb, Nifal imperfect, third person feminine singular; Translation: “It is found”; Notes: Refers to the stolen item.
- בְיָדֹ֜ו (beyado) – Root: יד (y-d); Form: Preposition + noun, feminine singular construct with third person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “In his possession”; Notes: Indicates where the stolen item is located.
- הַגְּנֵבָ֗ה (ha-ggenevah) – Root: גנב (g-n-v); Form: Noun, feminine singular absolute with definite article; Translation: “The stolen item”; Notes: Specifies the subject of the discovery.
- מִשֹּׁ֧ור (mi-shor) – Root: שור (sh-w-r); Form: Preposition + noun, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “From an ox”; Notes: Introduces the range of possible stolen animals.
- עַד־חֲמֹ֛ור (ʿad-ḥamor) – Root: חמור (ḥ-m-r); Form: Preposition + noun, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “To a donkey”; Notes: Defines the inclusive range of stolen animals.
- עַד־שֶׂ֖ה (ʿad-seh) – Root: שה (s-ʾ-h); Form: Preposition + noun, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “To a sheep”; Notes: Further specifies the range of stolen livestock.
- חַיִּ֑ים (ḥayyim) – Root: חיה (ḥ-y-h); Form: Adjective, masculine plural absolute; Translation: “Alive”; Notes: Indicates the stolen item is found alive.
- שְׁנַ֖יִם (shenayim) – Root: שנים (sh-n-y-m); Form: Numeral, masculine dual; Translation: “Two”; Notes: Refers to the amount of restitution.
- יְשַׁלֵּֽם (yeshallem) – Root: שלם (sh-l-m); Form: Verb, Piel imperfect, third person masculine singular; Translation: “He shall pay”; Notes: Obligation to compensate for the theft.