Exodus 22
1 When a man stealeth an ox or a sheep, and slayeth it, or selleth it, with five of the herd, shall he make good—for the ox, or with four of the flock, for the sheep.
Yahweh also said, “If someone steals a bull or a sheep, and then slaughters it [to sell it or to sacrifice it] or sells its [meat to someone else], he must pay five bulls for the bull [that he stole], and [he must pay] four sheep for the sheep [that he stole].
2 If, in the place of breaking in, the thief be found and he is smitten so that he dieth, there is due for him no shedding of blood:
If a thief is caught while he is breaking into someone else’s house [at night], if [the one who catches him] kills the thief, he is not guilty of murdering him.
3 should the sun have arisen upon him, there would be shedding of blood due for him, —he is surely to make restitution, if he hath nothing, then is he to be sold, for his theft.
But if that happens during the daytime, [the one who killed the thief] is guilty of murdering him. The thief must pay for what he stole. If he has no [animals with which to pay for the one that he stole], he must be sold to [become someone’s else’s slave and the money must be used] to pay for what he stole.
4 If the thing stolen is found in his hand—whether ox or ass or sheep, alive, with two, shall he make restitution.
If the thief still has the animal when he is caught, whether it is a bull or a donkey or a sheep, and it is still alive, the thief must give back [the stolen animal as well as giving] two [additional] animals for each one that he stole.
5 When a man causeth a field or a vineyard to be depastured, or hath sent in his own cattle and stripped the field of another, he shall, surely make restitution, out of his own field, according to the yield thereof; or if, all the field, he depasture, with the best of his own field, or with the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution.
If someone allows his animals to (graze/eat the grass) in his field or in his vineyard, and if they stray away and eat the crops in another person’s field, the owner of the animals must pay [the owner of those crops] by giving him the best crops from his own field or vineyard.
6 When a fire breaketh out and hath come upon thorns and so there is consumed a stack of sheaves, or the standing corn, or the field, he that kindled the fire, shall surely make restitution.
Suppose someone starts a fire in his own field, and the fire spreads through the grass and starts burning in someone else’s field, and the fire burns grain that is growing or grain that is already [cut and] stacked. Then the person who started the fire must pay completely for the damage.
7 When a man giveth unto his neighbour silver or jewelry, to keep, and it is stolen out of the house of the man:
Suppose someone gives to another person some money or other valuable goods and asks him to guard them [in his house for a while]. If those things are stolen from that person’s house, if the thief is caught, he must pay back twice [as much as he stole].
8 if the thief be found, he shall give in restitution double, if the thief be not found, then shall the owner of the house be brought near unto God to swear that he hath not laid his hand on the property of his neighbour.
But if the thief is not caught, the owner of the house [from which the things were stolen] must stand before the judges, so that the judges can determine whether [the owner of the house] was the one who took the other man’s goods [and sold them to someone else].
9 For any affair of trespass—for an ox, for an ass, for a sheep, for a mantle for anything lost as to which one could say—This is it, unto God, shall come the affair of them both, —he whom God shall condemn, shall make restitution of double to his neighbour.
If two people argue about which one of them owns a bull or a donkey or a sheep or some clothing, or something else that has been lost, the two people who each claim/say that the item belongs to them must stand before the judges. The one whom the judges declare is lying must pay back [to the real owner] twice as many bulls or donkeys or sheep or pieces of clothing.
10 When a man delivereth unto his neighbour, an ass, or an ox or a sheep, or any beast, to keep, —and it dieth or is fractured, or is driven away, no one beholding,
Suppose someone gives his donkey or bull or sheep or some other animal to someone else and asks him to take care of it [for a while], and the animal dies or is injured or is stolen while no one is watching.
11 the oath of Yahweh, shall come between them both, That he hath not laid his hand on the property of his neighbour, —then shall the owner thereof accept it and he shall not make restitution.
Then the person [who was taking care of the animal] must (swear/solemnly declare), knowing that God is listening, that he did not steal the animal. If he did not steal it the owner of the animal must accept/believe that the other person is telling the truth, and the other person will not have to pay anything back to the owner.
12 But, if it be verily stolen, from him, he shall make restitution to the owner thereof.
But if the animal was stolen [while he was supposed to be taking care of it], the man who promised to take care of it must pay back the owner for the animal.
13 If it be, verily torn in pieces, he shall bring it in as a witness—for that which was torn, he shall not make restitution.
If [he says that] the animal was killed by wild animals, he must bring back the remains of the animal that was killed and show it to the animal’s owner. If he does that, he will not have to pay anything for the animal.
14 And when a man asketh aught of his neighbour, and it is fractured or dieth, its owner, not being with it, he shall, surely make restitution.
If someone borrows an animal, and if that animal is hurt or dies when its owner is not there, the one who borrowed it must pay the owner for the animal.
15 If, its owner, was with it, he shall not make restitution, —if it is, hired, it cometh into its hire.
But if that happens when the owner of the animal is there, the one who borrowed it will not have to pay back anything. If the man who borrowed it only rented it, the money that he paid to rent it will be enough to pay for the animal [dying or being injured].”
16 And, when a man enticeth a virgin who is not betrothed, and lieth with her, he shall, surely pay a purchase-price, that she may be his wife.
“If a man persuades a girl/woman to have sex with him, a girl/woman who (is a virgin/has never had sex with any man) and who is not engaged to be married, he must pay the bride price for her and marry her.
17 If her father utterly refuse, to give her to him, silver, shall he weigh out, according to the purchase-price of virgins.
But if her father refuses to allow her to marry him, he must pay to the woman’s father the amount of money that is equal to the amount of bride price money that men pay for virgins.
18 A sorceress, shalt thou not suffer to live.
You must execute any woman who (practices sorcery/is a shaman).
19 Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death.
You must execute any person who has sex with an animal.
20 He that sacrificeth to the gods shall be devoted to destruction, —except [he sacrificeth] to Yahweh alone.
You [must offer sacrifices] only to Yahweh. You must execute anyone who offers a sacrifice to any [other] god.
21 And, a sojourner, shalt thou not tread down neither shalt thou drive him away, —for sojourners, ye became in the land of Egypt.
You must not mistreat a foreigner [who comes to live among you]. Do not forget that you were previously foreigners in Egypt.
22 Neither widow nor fatherless, shalt thou humiliate:
You must not mistreat any widow or any orphan.
23 if thou, do humiliate, him, when he in anywise crieth out unto me, I will, surely hear, his outcry:
If you mistreat them and they cry out to me [for help], I will hear them.
24 so shall kindle mine anger, and I will slay you with the sword, —and your wives, shall become widows, and your, sons fatherless.
And I will be angry with you, and I will cause you to be killed in a war [MTY]. Your wives will become widows, and your children will no longer have fathers.
25 If, silver, thou wilt lend unto my people—unto the humbled one by thee, thou shalt not be to him like one that lendeth on interest, —thou shalt not lay upon him interest.
If you lend money to any of my people who are poor, do not act like a moneylender and require him to pay interest on the money.
26 If thou, do take in pledge, the mantle of thy neighbour, by the going in of the sun, shalt thou restore it to him;
If he gives you his cloak to guarantee [that he will pay the money back], you must give the cloak back to him before the sun goes down,
27 for that is his only covering, that, is his mantle, for his skin, —wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass when he maketh outcry unto me, then will I hear because, gracious, I am.
because he needs it to keep him warm [during the night]. (That is the only covering that poor people have when they sleep at night./What else will he cover himself with during the night?) [RHQ] [If you do not act mercifully toward him by returning his cloak], when he cries out to me asking for my help, I will help him, because I [always act] mercifully.
28 God, shalt thou not revile, —and a prince among thy people, shalt thou not curse.
Do not (revile/speak evil about) me, and do not (curse/ask me to do harmful things to) any ruler of your people.
29 Thy fulness and thine outflow, shalt thou not delay, —the firstborn of thy sons, shalt thou give to me.
(Do not withhold from/Give) me the best parts of the grain that you harvest and of the olive oil and the wine that you produce.
30 Thus, shalt thou do with thine ox with thy sheep, —seven days, shall it be with its dam, on the eighth day, shalt thou give it to me.
You must dedicate your firstborn sons to me. Similarly, your firstborn [male] cattle and sheep belong to me. After those animals are born, allow them to stay with their mothers for seven days. On the eighth day, offer them to me [as a sacrifice].
31 Holy men, therefore shall ye truly become to me, —and flesh in the field torn to pieces, shall ye not eat, to the dogs, shall ye cast it.
You are people who are (completely dedicated to/set apart for) me. [And I detest] the meat of any animal that has been killed by wild animals. Therefore you should not eat such meat. Instead, throw it where the dogs [can eat it].”
