Paragraph 22:28 Saying 4
This saying consists of a single sentence. It is a command to not take/steal the property of a neighbor by changing the original boundary marker.
It is almost the same as the law found in the first part of Deuteronomy 19:14. If you use cross-references, you may want to add a footnote such as:
See Deuteronomy 19:14.
22:28
Do not move an ancient boundary stone: In Hebrew, this command is literally “Do not move a boundary of long ago.” The verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as move can also mean “remove,” as in the New Revised Standard Version. However, in this context, it probably means “displace” or “shift” to one side.
The boundary between two pieces of property was usually marked by a stone or pile of stones. If a person moved this boundary marker and no one discovered what he had done, he could increase the size of his own property. Some other ways to translate this command are:
Don’t move an old stone that marks a border (New Century Version)
-or-
Never move an old property line (Good News Translation)
If the purpose for moving the boundary marker is not clear, it may be helpful to make it explicit. For example:
Don’t cheat your neighbor by moving the ancient boundary markers (New Living Translation (2004))
which your fathers have placed: This phrase further describes the “ancient boundary stone.” It specifies that this boundary marker was originally established by the owner’s ancestors. The word fathers here often refers generally to a person’s ancestors. Some other ways to translate this phrase are:
that your ancestors established (Good News Translation)
-or-
set up by previous generations (New Living Translation (2004))
your: Both the author and the “son” were Israelites. They had the same ancestors. In some languages, it may be more natural to use an inclusive pronoun here. For example:
our(incl.) ancestors/forefathers
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