< Exodus 22 >
1 If a man takes without right another man's ox or his sheep, and puts it to death or gets a price for it, he is to give five oxen for an ox, or four sheep for a sheep, in payment: the thief will have to make payment for what he has taken; if he has no money, he himself will have to be exchanged for money, so that payment may be made.
If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.
2 If a thief is taken in the act of forcing his way into a house, and his death is caused by a blow, the owner of the house is not responsible for his blood.
If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him.
3 But if it is after dawn, he will be responsible.
If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him; for he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.
4 If he still has what he had taken, whatever it is, ox or ass or sheep, he is to give twice its value.
If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double.
5 If a man makes a fire in a field or a vine-garden, and lets the fire do damage to another man's field, he is to give of the best produce of his field or his vine-garden to make up for it.
If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall put in his beast, and shall feed in another man's field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution.
6 If there is a fire and the flames get to the thorns at the edge of the field, causing destruction of the cut grain or of the living grain, or of the field, he who made the fire will have to make up for the damage.
If fire break out, and catch in thorns, so that the stacks of corn, or the standing corn, or the field, be consumed therewith; he that kindled the fire shall surely make restitution.
7 If a man puts money or goods in the care of his neighbour to keep for him, and it is taken from the man's house, if they get the thief, he will have to make payment of twice the value.
If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man's house; if the thief be found, let him pay double.
8 If they do not get the thief, let the master of the house come before the judges and take an oath that he has not put his hand on his neighbour's goods.
If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the judges, to see whether he have put his hand unto his neighbour's goods.
9 In any question about an ox or an ass or a sheep or clothing, or about the loss of any property which anyone says is his, let the two sides put their cause before God; and he who is judged to be in the wrong is to make payment to his neighbour of twice the value.
For all manner of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing which another challenges to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; and whom the judges shall condemn, he shall pay double unto his neighbour.
10 If a man puts an ass or an ox or a sheep or any beast into the keeping of his neighbour, and it comes to death or is damaged or is taken away, without any person seeing it:
If a man deliver unto his neighbour an ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or any beast, to keep; and it die, or be hurt, or driven away, no man seeing it:
11 If he takes his oath before the Lord that he has not put his hand to his neighbour's goods, the owner is to take his word for it and he will not have to make payment for it.
Then shall an oath of the LORD be between them both, that he has not put his hand unto his neighbour's goods; and the owner of it shall accept thereof, and he shall not make it good.
12 But if it is taken from him by a thief, he is to make up for the loss of it to its owner.
And if it be stolen from him, he shall make restitution unto the owner thereof.
13 But if it has been damaged by a beast, and he is able to make this clear, he will not have to make payment for what was damaged.
If it be torn in pieces, then let him bring it for witness, and he shall not make good that which was torn.
14 If a man gets from his neighbour the use of one of his beasts, and it is damaged or put to death when the owner is not with it, he will certainly have to make payment for the loss.
And if a man borrow ought of his neighbour, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof being not with it, he shall surely make it good.
15 If the owner is with it, he will not have to make payment: if he gave money for the use of it, the loss is covered by the payment.
But if the owner thereof be with it, he shall not make it good: if it be an hired thing, it came for his hire.
16 If a man takes a virgin, who has not given her word to another man, and has connection with her, he will have to give a bride-price for her to be his wife.
And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely secure her to be his wife.
17 If her father will not give her to him on any account, he will have to give the regular payment for virgins.
If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.
18 Any woman using unnatural powers or secret arts is to be put to death.
You shall not suffer a witch to live.
19 Any man who has sex connection with a beast is to be put to death.
Whosoever lies with a beast shall surely be put to death.
20 Complete destruction will come on any man who makes offerings to any other god but the Lord.
He that sacrifices unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed.
21 Do no wrong to a man from a strange country, and do not be hard on him; for you yourselves were living in a strange country, in the land of Egypt.
You shall neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for all of you were strangers in the land of Egypt.
22 Do no wrong to a widow, or to a child whose father is dead.
All of you shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.
23 If you are cruel to them in any way, and their cry comes up to me, I will certainly give ear;
If you afflict them in any way, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry;
24 And in the heat of my wrath I will put you to death with the sword, so that your wives will be widows and your children without fathers.
And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.
25 If you let any of the poor among my people have the use of your money, do not be a hard creditor to him, and do not take interest.
If you lend money to any of my people that is poor by you, you shall not be to him as an usurer, neither shall you lay upon him interest.
26 If ever you take your neighbour's clothing in exchange for the use of your money, let him have it back before the sun goes down:
If you at all take your neighbour's raiment to pledge, you shall deliver it unto him by that the sun goes down:
27 For it is the only thing he has for covering his skin; what is he to go to sleep in? and when his cry comes up to me, I will give ear, for my mercy is great.
For that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he cries unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious.
28 You may not say evil of the judges, or put a curse on the ruler of your people.
You shall not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of your people.
29 Do not keep back your offerings from the wealth of your grain and your vines. The first of your sons you are to give to me.
You shall not delay to offer the first of your ripe fruits, and of your liquors: the firstborn of your sons shall you give unto me.
30 In the same way with your oxen and your sheep: for seven days let the young one be with its mother; on the eighth day give it to me.
Likewise shall you do with your oxen, and with your sheep: seven days it shall be with his dam; on the eighth day you shall give it me.
31 You are to be holy men to me: the flesh of no animal whose death has been caused by the beasts of the field may be used for your food; it is to be given to the dogs.
And all of you shall be holy men unto me: neither shall all of you eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; all of you shall cast it to the dogs.