Exodus 22
1 “Anyone who steals an ox or a sheep and kills or sells it, he must pay back five oxen for one ox and four sheep for one sheep.
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.
2 If a thief is discovered breaking into someone's house and is beaten to death, no one shall be guilty of murder.
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.
3 But if it happens during daylight, then someone is guilty of murder. A thief must pay everything back that's stolen. If he doesn't have anything, then he must be sold to pay for what was stolen.
But if it is after dawn, he will be responsible.
4 If what was stolen is a live animal he still has, whether it's an ox, donkey, or sheep, he must pay back double.
If he still has what he had taken, whatever it is, ox or ass or sheep, he is to give twice its value.
5 If livestock are grazing in a field or vineyard and their owner lets them stray so that they graze in someone else's field, the owner must pay compensation from the best of their own fields or vineyards.
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.
6 If a fire is started and it spreads to thorn bushes and then burns stacked or standing grain, or even the whole field, the person who started the fire must pay full compensation.
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.
7 If someone gives his neighbor money or possessions to be kept safe and they are stolen from the neighbor's house, if the thief is caught they must pay back double.
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.
8 If the thief isn't caught the owner of the house must appear before the judges to find out whether he took his neighbor's property.
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.
9 If there's an argument over the ownership of an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or anything that was lost that someone says, ‘This is mine,’ both parties are to bring their case before the judges. The one whom the judges find in the wrong must pay the other back double.
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.
10 If someone asks a neighbor to look after a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any other animal, but it dies or is injured or is stolen without anybody noticing,
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:
11 then an oath must be taken before the Lord to decide if the neighbor has taken the owner's property. The owner must accept the oath and not demand compensation.
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.
12 However, if the animal really was stolen from the neighbor, he must compensate the owner.
But if it is taken from him by a thief, he is to make up for the loss of it to its owner.
13 If it was killed and torn to pieces by a wild animal, the neighbor shall present the carcass as evidence and does not need to pay compensation.
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.
14 If someone borrows a neighbor's animal and it's injured or dies while its owner is not present, they must pay compensation in full.
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.
15 If the owner was present, no compensation is to be paid. If the animal was hired, only the hire charge needs to be paid.
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.
16 If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the full bride-price for her to become his wife.
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.
17 If her father adamantly refuses to give her to him, the man still must pay the same amount as the bride-price for a virgin.
If her father will not give her to him on any account, he will have to give the regular payment for virgins.
18 You must not allow a woman who practices witchcraft to live.
Any woman using unnatural powers or secret arts is to be put to death.
19 Anyone who has sex with an animal must be executed.
Any man who has sex connection with a beast is to be put to death.
20 Anyone who sacrifices to any other god than the Lord must be set apart and executed.
Complete destruction will come on any man who makes offerings to any other god but the Lord.
21 You must not exploit or mistreat a foreigner. Remember that you yourselves were once foreigners in Egypt.
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.
22 You must not take advantage of any widow or orphan.
Do no wrong to a widow, or to a child whose father is dead.
23 If you mistreat them, and they call out to me for help, I will definitely respond to their cry.
If you are cruel to them in any way, and their cry comes up to me, I will certainly give ear;
24 I will become angry, and I will kill you with the sword. Your wives will become widows and your children will be fatherless.
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.
25 If you lend money to any of my people because they're poor, you must not behave as a moneylender to them. You must not charge them any interest.
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.
26 If you require your neighbor's cloak as security for a loan, you must return it to him by sunset,
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:
27 because it's the only clothing he has for his body. What would he sleep in otherwise? If he calls out to me for help, I will listen, for I am considerate.
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.
28 You must not despise God or curse your people's leader.
You may not say evil of the judges, or put a curse on the ruler of your people.
29 You must not hold onto the required offerings of your produce, olive oil, and wine. You must give me the firstborn of your sons.
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.
30 You must also give me the firstborn of your cattle, sheep, and goats. They can stay with their mothers for their first seven days, but give them to me on the eighth day.
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.
31 You are to be holy people to me. You must not eat any animal carcass that you find in the countryside that has been killed by wild animals. Throw it to the dogs to eat.”
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.
