Exodus 22

1 'When a man doth steal an ox or sheep, and hath slaughtered it or sold it, five of the herd he doth repay for the ox, and 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 breaking through, the thief is found, and he hath been smitten, and hath died, there is no blood for him;

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 if the sun hath risen upon him, blood [is] for him, he doth certainly repay; if he have nothing, then he hath been 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 theft is certainly found in his hand alive, whether ox, or ass, or sheep — double he repayeth.

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 depastureth a field or vineyard, and hath sent out his beast, and it hath pastured in the field of another, [of] the best of his field, and the best of his vineyard, he doth repay.

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 fire goeth forth, and hath found thorns, and a stack, or the standing corn, or the field, hath been consumed, he who causeth the burning doth certainly repay.

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 doth give unto his neighbour silver, or vessels to keep, and it hath been stolen out of the man's house; if the thief is found, he repayeth double.

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 is not found, then the master of the house hath been brought near unto God, whether he hath not put forth his hand against the work 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 every matter of transgression, for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, for any lost thing of which it is said that it is his; unto God cometh the matter of them both; he whom God doth condemn, he repayeth 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 doth give unto his neighbour an ass, or ox, or sheep, or any beast to keep, and it hath died, or hath been hurt, or taken captive, none seeing —

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 an oath of Jehovah is between them both, that he hath not put forth his hand against the work of his neighbour, and its owner hath accepted, and he doth not repay;

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 is certainly stolen from him, he doth repay to its owner;

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 is certainly torn, he bringeth it in — a witness; the torn thing he doth not repay.

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 doth ask [anything] from his neighbour, and it hath been hurt or hath died — its owner not being with it — he doth certainly repay;

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 [is] with it, he doth not repay, — if it [is] a hired thing, it hath come for 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 doth entice a virgin who [is] not betrothed, and hath lain with her, he doth certainly endow her to himself for a 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, money he doth weigh out according to the dowry 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 witch thou dost not keep alive.

You must execute any woman who (practices sorcery/is a shaman).

19 'Whoever lieth with a beast is certainly put to death.

You must execute any person who has sex with an animal.

20 'He who is sacrificing to a god, save to Jehovah alone, is devoted.

You [must offer sacrifices] only to Yahweh. You must execute anyone who offers a sacrifice to any [other] god.

21 'And a sojourner thou dost not oppress, nor crush him, for sojourners ye have been 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 'Any widow or orphan ye do not afflict;

You must not mistreat any widow or any orphan.

23 if thou dost really afflict him, surely if he at all cry unto Me, I certainly hear his cry;

If you mistreat them and they cry out to me [for help], I will hear them.

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

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 thou dost lend My poor people with thee money, thou art not to him as a usurer; thou dost not lay on him usury;

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 dost at all take in pledge the garment of thy neighbour, during the going in of the sun thou dost return 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 it alone is his covering, it [is] his garment for his skin; wherein doth he lie down? and it hath come to pass, when he doth cry unto Me, that I have heard, for I [am] gracious.

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 thou dost not revile, and a prince among thy people thou dost 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 thy liquids thou dost not delay; the first-born of thy sons thou dost 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 so thou dost to thine ox, to thy sheep; seven days it is with its dam, on the eighth day thou dost 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 'And ye are holy men to Me, and flesh torn in the field ye do not eat, to a dog ye do 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].”