Exodus 22

1 When a man steals an ox or sheep, and has slaughtered it or sold it, he repays [with] five of the herd for the ox, and four of the flock for the sheep.

“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.

2 If in the breaking through, the thief is found, and he has been struck and has died, there is no blood for him;

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

3 if the sun has risen on him, blood [is] for him, he certainly repays; if he has nothing, then he has been sold for his theft;

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.

4 if the theft is certainly found alive in his hand, whether ox, or donkey, or sheep—he repays double.

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

5 When a man depastures a field or vineyard, and has sent out his beast, and it has pastured in the field of another, he repays [with] the best of his field, and the best of his vineyard.

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.

6 When fire goes forth and has found thorns, and a stack, or the standing grain, or the field has been consumed, he who causes the burning certainly repays.

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.

7 When a man gives silver or vessels to his neighbor to keep, and it has been stolen out of the man’s house; if the thief is found, he repays double.

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.

8 If the thief is not found, then the master of the house has been brought near to God [to see] whether he has not put forth his hand against the work of his neighbor.

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.

9 For every matter of transgression, for ox, for donkey, for sheep, for raiment, for any lost thing of which it is said that it is his, the matter of them both comes to God; he whom God condemns repays double to his neighbor.

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.

10 When a man gives to his neighbor a donkey, or ox, or sheep, or any beast to keep, and it has died, or has been hurt, or taken captive, [with] none seeing—

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,

11 an oath of YHWH is between them both, that he has not put forth his hand against the work of his neighbor, and its owner has accepted, and he does not repay;

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.

12 but if it is certainly stolen from him, he repays to its owner;

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

13 if it is certainly torn, he brings it in [as] a witness; he does not repay the torn thing.

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

14 And when a man asks for [anything] from his neighbor, and it has been hurt or has died—its owner not being with it—he certainly repays;

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.

15 if its owner [is] with it, he does not repay—if it [is] a hired thing, it has come for its hire.

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

16 And when a man entices a virgin who [is] not betrothed, and has lain with her, he certainly endows her to himself for a wife;

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.

17 if her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he weighs out money according to the dowry of virgins.

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.

18 You do not keep a witch alive.

You must not allow a sorceress to live.

19 Whoever lies with a beast is certainly put to death.

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

20 He who is sacrificing to a god, except to YHWH alone, is devoted.

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

21 And you do not oppress a sojourner, nor crush him, for you have been sojourners in the land of Egypt.

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

22 You do not afflict any widow or orphan;

You must not mistreat any widow or orphan.

23 if you really afflict him, surely if he cries to Me at all, I certainly hear his cry;

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

24 and My anger has burned, and I have slain you by the sword, and your wives have been widows, and your sons orphans.

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.

25 If you lend money [to] My poor people [who are] with you, you are not as a usurer to him; you do not lay usury on him;

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.

26 if you take the garment of your neighbor in pledge at all, you return it to him during the going in of the sun:

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

27 for it is his only covering, it [is] his garment for his skin; wherein does he lie down? And it has come to pass, when he cries to Me, that I have heard, for I [am] gracious.

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.

28 You do not revile God, and you do not curse a prince among your people.

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

29 You do not delay your fullness and your liquids; you give the firstborn of your sons to Me;

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

30 so you do to your ox [and] to your sheep; it is with its mother [for] seven days, on the eighth day you give it to Me.

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.

31 And you are holy men to Me, and you do not eat flesh torn in the field, you cast it to a dog.

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.