John Gill Commentary Deuteronomy 24:7

"If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and he deal with him as a slave, or sell him; then that thief shall die: so shalt thou put away the evil from the midst of thee." — Deuteronomy 24:7 (ASV)

If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children
of Israel
Whether grown up or little, male or female, an Israelite or a proselyte, or a freed servant; all, as Maimonides ^F6 says, are included in this general word "brethren"; though Aben Ezra observes, that it is added, "of the children of Israel", for explanation, since an Edomite is called a "brother". Now, a man must be "found" committing this fact; that is, it must plainly appear, there must be full proof of it by witnesses, as Jarchi explains this word:

and makes merchandise of him ;
or rather uses him as a servant, and employs him in any service to the least profit and advantage by him, even to the value of a farthing; yes, if he does but lean upon him, and he supports him, though he is an old man that is stolen; this is serving a man's self by him, as Maimonides ^F7 , which is what is forbidden as distinct from selling him, as follows:

or sells him :
to others; and both these, according to the above writer ^F8 , using him for service, and selling him, are necessary to make him guilty of death; not the one without the other; but reading them disjunctively, as we do, gives the better sense of the words:

then that thief shall die ;
by strangling with a napkin, as the Targum of Jonathan; and so Maimonides ^F9 says, his death is by strangling:

and you shall put evil away from among you ;
both him that does evil, as the Targum of Jonathan, and the guilt of it by inflicting due punishment for it; and so deter from such practices, and prevent evil coming upon the body of the people, should such a sin be connived at; see (Exodus 21:16) .

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FOOTNOTES:

• F6: Hichot Genibah, c. 9. sect. 6.
• F7: Ib. sect. 2.
• F8: Ib. sect. 3.
• F9: Hilchot Genibah, c. 9. sect. 1. So R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed, fol. 67. 1. interprets it of service.