The Church Fathers on this verse

Exodus 22:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

If a fire breaking out light upon thorns, and catch stacks of corn, or corn standing in the fields, he that kindled the fire shall make good the loss.

Douay-Rheims

כִּֽי־יִתֵּן֩ אִ֨ישׁ אֶל־רֵעֵ֜הוּ כֶּ֤סֶף אֽוֹ־כֵלִים֙ לִשְׁמֹ֔ר וְגֻנַּ֖ב מִבֵּ֣ית הָאִ֑ישׁ אִם־יִמָּצֵ֥א הַגַּנָּ֖ב יְשַׁלֵּ֥ם שְׁנָֽיִם׃

Hebrew (Masoretic text)

The Church Fathers on this verse

One Church Father comments on this verse

Wlastow G.K.

19th centuryCommentator

In various cultures across Asia, among Australian settlers, the ranchers of North America's frontier, and even on the plains of Russia, there exists a tradition of igniting dry grasses in the fields during early spring or late autumn to enrich the land with ash and make tilling easier. These fires can spread over extensive areas and pose significant dangers, particularly when they involve dry, thorny vegetation like thorns and hawthorns that grow near agricultural land. This practice highlights the education of the people of Israel, who were taught to respect their neighbors' possessions and were guided away from a semi-wild mindset that disregards the broader implications of their actions in pursuit of their goals.

Cross references

Passages read together with this verse.