8th Commandment: Do Not Steal

Reflection Questions

• What are some of the reasons God forbids stealing?

• Why does Exodus 22:1-4 command a thief to compensate a victim more than the value of what was stolen?

• What underlying beliefs about our neighbor and about God can lead us to steal?

• How can contentment with what God has given us combat the desire to steal?

• What wisdom do we find in Exodus 21:10-15 and Deuteronomy 22:1-4 about relating to our neighbor’s possessions?

• If the negative prohibition is “Do not steal,” what is the inverted positive invitation of the 8th Commandment?

Chapter 1: Consequences for Stealing in Ancient Israel

The 8th Commandment in Hebrew is two words, lo’ tignov, or “Do not steal” (Exod. 20:15). (The root word for tignov is ganav.)

We steal from others because we wish to gain the benefit of something that belongs to our neighbor. According to ancient Israel’s laws, the consequence for stealing was paying back more than the value of what was stolen (Exod. 22:1-4). Doing so intended to repair the ruptured relationship that also occurred in the theft. These ancient laws also focus on sheep and oxen, because this was how they generated income and value. So to steal someone’s livestock was to steal their ability to generate value in the community. However, stealing a person (gonev ’ish in Hebrew) is a crime punishable by death (Exod. 21:16).

Chapter 2: The Belief Beneath Stealing

Beneath ancient Israel’s commands about theft and possessions is the reality that everything Israel has is a gift from God (see Moses’ words in Deuteronomy 6:10-12). So the act of stealing from our neighbor stems from an unconscious belief that God should have given us that possession, instead of our neighbor. At an even deeper level, ancient Israel offered sheep and oxen as sacrifices at the tabernacle. So stealing their sheep or oxen also prevented them from showing gratitude to God.

Chapter 3: Stewarding Our Neighbor’s Stuff

We can become entangled with judgment about our neighbor’s stuff, or even resentment toward God for what he has given to our neighbor. But wisdom guides us toward gratitude for what God has given us and to trust that our neighbor is on their own journey with God related to their possessions.

If our neighbor’s stuff is their gift from God, our first responsibility is to not take it. But on a deeper level, we are invited to be good stewards of our neighbor’s stuff, as if it was our own. Exodus 21:10-15 illustrates this principle: If a neighbor gives his animal to another for safekeeping, the neighbor watching the animal must protect it carefully and not be negligent. Deuteronomy 22:1-4 goes even further: If an Israelite finds any lost thing belonging to their neighbor, they must keep it safely at their house until the neighbor comes looking for it. In applying this wisdom, we help our neighbors be good stewards of what God has given them.

Chapter 4: Concluding Thoughts

The eighth command is about more than just respecting property rights. It’s about recognizing that everything we have is a gift from God, and we can trust God to provide for our needs. Out of that mindset, we can treat other people’s stuff with the same care we would have with our own belongings. This frees us from envy or judgment when a neighbor has a lot of possessions; we can trust that they are on their own journey with God related to their stuff.

If we applied Jesus’ method of teaching on commands six and seven in Matthew 5:21-30 to the 8th Commandment, we might say: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not steal.’ But I say to you, look after your neighbor’s stuff as you would your own and give thanks to God for his generosity.”