Exodus 22

1 “If a man steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters or sells it, he must repay five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep.

“If anyone will have stolen an ox or a sheep, and if he kills it or sells it, then he will restore five oxen for one ox, and four sheep for one sheep.

2 If a thief is caught breaking in and is beaten to death, no one shall be guilty of bloodshed.

If a thief will have been discovered breaking into a house, or digging under it, and he has received a mortal wound, he who struck him down will not be guilty of blood.

3 But if it happens after sunrise, there is guilt for his bloodshed. A thief must make full restitution; if he has nothing, he himself shall be sold for his theft.

But if he did this when the sun was risen, he has perpetrated a homicide, and he shall die. If he does not have the means to make restitution for the theft, he shall be sold.

4 If what was stolen is actually found alive in his possession—whether ox or donkey or sheep—he must pay back double.

If whatever he stole should be found with him, a living thing, either an ox, or a donkey, or a sheep, he shall repay double.

5 If a man grazes his livestock in a field or vineyard and allows them to stray so that they graze in someone else’s field, he must make restitution from the best of his own field or vineyard.

If there is any damage to a field or a vineyard, when he has released his cattle to pasture on the land of a stranger, he shall repay the best of what he has in his own field, or in his own vineyard, according to the estimation of the damage.

6 If a fire breaks out and spreads to thornbushes so that it consumes stacked or standing grain, or the whole field, the one who started the fire must make full restitution.

If a fire will have been discovered departing from brush, and taking hold in stacks of grain, or in crops standing in the fields, whoever ignited the fire shall repay the damages.

7 If a man gives his neighbor money or goods for safekeeping and they are stolen from the neighbor’s house, the thief, if caught, must pay back double.

If anyone will have entrusted money, or a container, to his friend to keep, and if these have been stolen from the one who received them: if the thief is found, he shall repay double.

8 If the thief is not found, the owner of the house must appear before the judges to determine whether he has taken his neighbor’s property.

If the thief is unknown, the lord of the house will be brought before the heavens to swear that he did not lay his hand on the goods of his neighbor,

9 In all cases of illegal possession of an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any lost item that someone claims, ‘This is mine,’ both parties shall bring their cases before the judges. The one whom the judges find guilty must pay back double to his neighbor.

so as to perpetrate any fraud, such as with an ox, or a donkey, or a sheep, or clothing, nor to do anything that would be able to cause damage. The case of both shall be brought before the heavens. And if they give judgment against him, he shall repay double to his neighbor.

10 If a man gives a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any other animal to be cared for by his neighbor, but it dies or is injured or stolen while no one is watching,

If anyone will have entrusted a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any animal to the keeping of his neighbor, and it will have died, or become disabled, or have been captured by enemies, and no one saw it,

11 an oath before the LORD shall be made between the parties to determine whether or not the man has taken his neighbor’s property. The owner must accept the oath and require no restitution.

then there shall be an oath between them, that he did not lay his hand on the goods of his neighbor. And the owner shall accept the oath, and he will not be compelled to make restitution.

12 But if the animal was actually stolen from the neighbor, he must make restitution to the owner.

But if it will have been taken away by theft, he shall repay the damages to the owner.

13 If the animal was torn to pieces, he shall bring it as evidence; he need not make restitution for the torn carcass.

If it has been eaten by a wild beast, let him carry what was killed to him, and then he shall not make restitution.

14 If a man borrows an animal from his neighbor and it is injured or dies while its owner is not present, he must make full restitution.

If anyone borrows from his neighbor any of these things, and it has died or been disabled when the owner was not present, he shall be compelled to make restitution.

15 If the owner was present, no restitution is required. If the animal was rented, the fee covers the loss.

But if the owner was present, he shall not make restitution, especially if it had been brought for hired work.

16 If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged in marriage and sleeps with her, he must pay the full dowry for her to be his wife.

If a man has led astray a virgin not yet betrothed, and he has slept with her, he shall pay her dowry and have her as a wife.

17 If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, the man still must pay an amount comparable to the bridal price of a virgin.

If the father of the virgin is not willing to give her, he shall pay money according to manner of a dowry, which virgins are accustomed to receive.

18 You must not allow a sorceress to live.

You shall not permit practitioners of the black arts to live.

19 Whoever lies with an animal must surely be put to death.

Whoever has sexual intercourse with an animal shall be put to death.

20 If anyone sacrifices to any god other than the LORD alone, he must be set apart for destruction.

Whoever immolates to gods, other than to the Lord, shall be killed.

21 You must not exploit or oppress a foreign resident, for you yourselves were foreigners in the land of Egypt.

You shall not harass the newcomer, nor shall you afflict him. For you yourselves were once newcomers in the land of Egypt.

22 You must not mistreat any widow or orphan.

You shall not harm a widow or an orphan.

23 If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to Me in distress, I will surely hear their cry.

If you hurt them, they will cry out to me, and I will hear their cry.

24 My anger will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword; then your wives will become widows and your children will be fatherless.

And my fury will be enraged, and I will strike you down with the sword. And your wives will become widows, and your sons will become orphans.

25 If you lend money to one of My people among you who is poor, you must not act as a creditor to him; you are not to charge him interest.

If you lend money to the poor of my people who live among you, you shall not coerce them like a collector, nor oppress them with usury.

26 If you take your neighbor’s cloak as collateral, return it to him by sunset,

If you take a garment from your neighbor as a pledge, you shall return it to him again before the setting of the sun.

27 because his cloak is the only covering he has for his body. What else will he sleep in? And if he cries out to Me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.

For it is all that he has to cover himself, to clothe his body; nor does he have anything else in which to sleep. If he cries out to me, I will hear him, because I am compassionate.

28 You must not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.

You shall not disparage the heavens, and you shall not speak evil of the leader of your people.

29 You must not hold back offerings from your granaries or vats. You are to give Me the firstborn of your sons.

You shall not delay in paying your tithes and your first-fruits. You shall give the firstborn of your sons to me.

30 You shall do likewise with your cattle and your sheep. Let them stay with their mothers for seven days, but on the eighth day you are to give them to Me.

You shall do likewise with those of the oxen and the sheep. For seven days, let it be with its mother; on the eighth day you shall repay it to me.

31 You are to be My holy people. You must not eat the meat of a mauled animal found in the field; you are to throw it to the dogs.

You shall be holy men for me. The flesh, from which beasts will have tasted, you shall not eat, but you will throw it to the dogs.”