Exodus 22:5

WEB

"If a man causes a field or vineyard to be eaten, and lets his animal loose, and it grazes in another man's field, [he shall make restitution from his own field according to his produce; and if he shall have grazed over the whole field,] he shall make restitution from the best of his own field, and from the best of his own vineyard.

KJV

If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall put in his beast, and shall feed in another man’s field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution.

Commentary

If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten,.... Which is not his own, by putting cattle into it to feed upon it, as it is explained in the next clause: and shall put in his beast, and shall feed in another man' s field; do damage in one or both those two ways, either by his feet treading down the grass and fruits of the earth, which the Rabbins, as Jarchi says, think, is meant by putting in his beast; or with his beast eating up the same, which is intended by the latter phrase: of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution for what damage is done by his beast in his neighbour's field or vineyard; and this held good of any garden or orchard injured in like manner; and it is a general rule with the Jews, that when any damage is sustained, he that does the damage is obliged to pay with the best the earth produces (l), even though better than was the man's that suffered the loss, that for the future he might be more careful of doing injury to another (m). (l) Misc. Bava Kama, c. 1. sect. 1. (m) Bartenora in Misn. Gittin, c. 5. sect. 1.