Whoever steals a man, literally “And the stealer of a man,” is the third participial law. The word for steals is the same word used in 20.15. Since this refers to stealing a person, most translations have “whoever kidnaps a man.” Using inclusive language Good News Translation now has “Whoever kidnaps someone,” meaning that this also applies if women are kidnaped. The Hebrew term, however, does not necessarily suggest the idea of kidnaping for a ransom, so another possible way of saying this is “Whoever forcibly takes someone away from his [or, her] home.”

Whether … or is literally “and … or,” but the meaning is, as Good News Translation puts it, “either … or” since two different possibilities are mentioned. The word for sells may refer to people, land, or things. It is used in verse 7. Is found in possession of him is literally “he is found in his hand.” Good News Translation has “to keep him as a slave,” but this may be too narrow an interpretation, since the kidnapper may be caught before he has a chance to sell his victim. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh is better: “whether he has sold him or is still holding him.” Contemporary English Version has “If you sell the person you kidnapped, or if you are caught with that person.” Shall be put to death is the emphatic form explained at verse 12.

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .