Deuteronomy 24:7 Meaning: Does Kidnapping Alone Deserve Death?
If a man is found stealing any of his brothers of the children of Israel, and he deals with him as a slave, or sells him, then that thief shall die. So you shall remove the evil from among you.
If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and maketh merchandise of him, or selleth him; then that thief shall die; and thou shalt put evil away from among you.
If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and he deal with him as a slave, or sell him; then that thief shall die: so shalt thou put away the evil from the midst of thee.
`When a man is found stealing a person, of his brethren, of the sons of Israel, and hath tyrannized over him, and sold him, then hath that thief died, and thou hast put away the evil thing out of thy midst.
If a man be found who hath stolen one of his brethren of the children of Israel, and who hath treated him as a slave and sold him, that thief shall die; and thou shalt put evil away from thy midst.
Meaning in one sentence
Deuteronomy 24:7 commanded the death penalty for anyone who kidnapped an Israelite and sold him or enslaved him, showing the high value God places on
Context
This verse sits inside a collection of laws for daily life in ancient Israel. Moses gives rules about marriage, loans, and pledges, and then turns to the crime of kidnapping a fellow Israelite. The command repeats and sharpens an earlier law from Exodus 21:16. It insists that stealing a person is not like stealing property, it strikes at the image of God in another human being. The whole community is told to purge this evil, because such a crime tears apart the fabric of a people called to live as brothers.
Key Words
Three Hebrew words carry the weight here. When the law speaks of stealing a "person," the word is nefesh, the living soul, the whole self. This is not a thing you can fence like a goat. The verb for "deals with him as a slave" is hit'ammer, a rare word that means to treat someone harshly, to tyrannize over them. It paints a picture of raw domination, not just a transaction. And the thief is called gannav, the same word used for someone who steals an ox or a coat. But here the object is a person made in God's likeness. The law makes clear: you cannot treat a brother as merchandise.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christian readers differ on whether the death penalty required both enslaving and selling the victim, or just the kidnapping itself. Some, following Jewish tradition (like Maimonides), read the verse as demanding both, that the thief must have used the person as a slave and then sold him to be put to death. Others, including Calvin, see the theft of a person itself as so grave that the penalty stands regardless. Both camps agree that the law treats the crime with extreme seriousness because it attacks the very identity of God's family.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers assume this verse is about stealing property, like a wallet or a cow. In fact, it is specifically about kidnapping a person. The Hebrew word nefesh (soul, person) makes the object clear. This is not theft of things but the stealing of a human life, which the law treats as a capital crime.
Living This Out
This law asks a simple question this week: do you treat any person as a means to your own end? Maybe it is a coworker you use to get ahead, or a friend you keep around for what they can give you. The verse calls us to see every person as a soul, not a tool. In a world where people are trafficked and exploited for profit, followers of Christ are invited to stand for the dignity God gave every human being. That starts with how you speak about the person you are tempted to use today.
Main takeaway: Stealing a human life is not a property crime because every person is a soul made in God's image and worthy of protection.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
God says it is very wrong to take someone away from their family. He made each person special, and we should help keep people safe.
For ages 9, 12
This law shows how much God cares about people. Kidnapping and selling someone is a terrible crime because every human being is made in God's image. Today, some people are still trapped in slavery. God wants us to value and protect every person, not treat anyone like something to be bought or sold.
Questions People Ask
What does 'stealing any of his brothers' mean in Deuteronomy 24:7?
It means kidnapping a fellow Israelite. The Hebrew verb for 'stealing' here (ganav) is used for taking a person, not property. The word 'brothers' refers to members of the covenant community, emphasizing the crime of enslaving someone from your own people.
Does the death penalty in Deuteronomy 24:7 only apply if the kidnapper sells the victim?
Christian and Jewish readers have different views. Some interpret the verse as requiring both enslaving and selling for the death penalty, while others see the enslavement itself as enough. The verse says 'deals with him as a slave, or sells him,' which has been read disjunctively or conjunctively by various traditions.
How does Deuteronomy 24:7 relate to Exodus 21:16?
Exodus 21:16 says anyone who kidnaps a man and sells him is to be put to death. Deuteronomy 24:7 expands that to include treating him as a slave, not just selling. It also adds the phrase 'from among his brothers' and the command to 'remove the evil,' reinforcing the community's responsibility.
Does this verse imply that slavery is acceptable?
No. This verse condemns the forced enslavement of a free Israelite. It does not address all forms of servitude in the ancient world, but it sets a high standard for protecting people from being stolen and reduced to property. Later biblical teaching points to the full freedom found in Christ.
Why is the punishment so severe for kidnapping?
The death penalty reflects the seriousness of stealing a human life, which bears God's image. Calvin called it 'almost to destroy him,' because losing freedom in that world was like losing life itself. The severity protects the community and honors the value God placed on each person.
For pastors & researchers
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