Contemplative Bible Reading

Leviticus 6:1-7 (New Living Translation)

Then the Lord said to Moses, ² “Suppose one of you sins against your associate and is unfaithful to the Lord. Suppose you cheat in a deal involving a security deposit, or you steal or commit fraud, ³ or you find lost property and lie about it, or you lie while swearing to tell the truth, or you commit any other such sin. ⁴ If you have sinned in any of these ways, you are guilty. You must give back whatever you stole, or the money you took by extortion, or the security deposit, or the lost property you found, ⁵ or anything obtained by swearing falsely. You must make restitution by paying the full price plus an additional 20 percent to the person you have harmed. On the same day you must present a guilt offering. ⁶ As a guilt offering to the Lord, you must bring to the priest your own ram with no defects, or you may buy one of equal value. ⁷ Through this process, the priest will purify you before the Lord, making you right with him, and you will be forgiven for any of these sins you have committed.”

This was the old law. In case of harm to property, the formula for punishment was simple. Note the sentence in verse 5:

You must make restitution by paying the full price plus an additional 20 percent to the person you have harmed.

The offending person repaid the value of loss and added 20%. There were no jails and all that. Payment was made and people moved on with their lives. Perhaps we could learn from these old laws.