ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Tusite 16 Ma’asi 2021 

he shall repay / restore

te ne ‘ange ha pulu ‘e nima ko e fetongi

'Ekisoto 22 (Exodus 22)

(v. 1) If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it or sells it, he shall repay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.

(v. 1) KAPAU ‘e kaiha‘asi ‘e ha taha ha pulu pe ha sipi, ‘o ne tāmate‘i ia, pe fakatau; te ne ‘ange ha pulu ‘e nima ko e fetongi ‘o e pulu ko ia, pea ko e sipi ‘e fā ke fetongi ‘a e sipi.

*Commentary:  David Guzik Study Notes on Exodus*

He shall restore: The Mosaic Law did not send a person to jail because of theft. Instead, the thief was required to restore what he stole, plus an additional penalty.

In this passage, the penalty could be anywhere from 500% (he shall restore five oxen for an ox) to 200% (he shall restore double). “The reason for the fivefold penalty in the case of stealing an ox is probably because one man stole the means of another man’s livelihood. The principle would extend to taking any of the man’s plowing or cultivating implements.” (Kaiser)

This can be regarded as a positive approach to the punishment of criminals, putting them to productive restitution and compensating the victims of their theft. These principles are often ignored in the modern administration of justice.

They are also, as a principle, ignored in many Christian lives. “This chapter is full of restitution, of which there is far too little in ordinary Christian life. We try to make amends for injury done to another by an extraordinary amount of civility; but we are reluctant in so many words to frankly confess that we have done wrong, and make proper reparation for the act or speech.” (Meyer)

*Tohi Vete:  Lesoni Ako Tohitapu ‘a Tevita Kuisaki*

Ko e lao ‘a Mosese na’e ‘ikai ke tuku pilisone ha taha na’e kaiha’a.  Kā ko e tokotaha kaiha’a´, na’e tu’utu’uni ke ne totongi fakafoki ‘a e me’a na’a ne kaiha’asi´, pea tanaki ki ai mo e mo’ua.

Ko e mo’ua na’e tānaki ko e peseti ‘e 500 mo e 200.  Ko e ‘uhinga na’e liunga nima ai ‘a e tautea ‘o e kaiha’asi ‘o ha pulu,  mahalo koe’uhi ko e mamafa ‘a e mole ko ‘eni ki he ma’u’anga mo’ui ‘a e famili.  Na’e tatau pe ‘a e mo’ua ko ‘eni pea mo ha mo’ua ‘o e palau pea ngaahi naunau ngoue.

‘Oku malava pe ke tau pehe ko e founga ‘eni ‘e tokoni ai ‘a e kau faihala ‘i he taimi ‘oku tautea’i ai kinautolu, ‘aki ‘enau ngaue ke totongi fakafoki ‘a e koloa na’a nau kaiha’asia.  Ko e taha eni ia ‘i ha me’a ‘oku matavalea ai ‘a e fakamaau’anga ‘o onopooni.

Ko e taha foki ‘eni ‘o ha lao ‘oku siokehe mei ai ‘a e kau kalisitiane.  Ko e vahe ko ‘eni ‘oku fonu ‘i he ngaahi fakamatala ki he ngaahi totongi mo’ua, pea ‘oku si’isi’i ‘aupito ‘a ‘ene hā ‘i he mo’ui ‘a e kalisitiane.  ‘Oku lahi ‘etau feinga ke fakalelei’i ‘a e ngaahi maumau ‘i he vā ‘o e kaungā fononga, ‘o fou ‘i ha ngaahi founga ta’e’aonga; ‘oku ‘ikai ketau loto ke tau vete na’a tau faihala, pea ke tau fai ha ngaue ke fetongi ‘aki ‘a e maumau kuo hoko ‘i he lea mo e ngaue lelei.