Dictionary entry

Fourfold

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

for-fold:

Occurs but twice in English Versions:2Sa 12:6, "He shall restore the lamb fourfold"; andLu 19:8the King James Version, "If I have wrongfully exacted ought.... I restore fourfold." From this statement of Zaccheus we are to understand that fourfold the amount of that which was stolen was the restoration the law required of a thief. This was the extreme penalty the law imposed. In some cases double the amount was to be restored (Ex 22:4,7); in others, a fifth of its value was added to the thing restored (Le 6:5); still again, an amount equal to that taken was to be restored (1Sa 12:3).