Laws About Property

1“If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it or sells it, he must pay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. 2If the thief is found breaking in, and is struck so that he dies, no one is guilty of bloodshed for him. 3If the sun has risen on him, he is guilty of bloodshed. He must make restitution-restitution. If he has nothing, then he must be sold for his theft. 4If the stolen property is found-found in his hand alive, whether it is ox, donkey, or sheep, he must pay double.

5“If a man causes a field or vineyard to be eaten by letting his animal loose, and it grazes in another man’s field, he must make restitution from the best of his own field and from the best of his own vineyard.

6“If fire breaks out, and catches in thorns so that the shocks of grain, or the standing grain, or the field are consumed; the one who kindled the fire must make restitution-restitution.

7“If someone gives their neighbor money or goods to store, and it is stolen out of the person’s house, the thief, if found, must pay double. 8If the thief isn’t found, then the owner of the house must come before the judges to find out whether or not he has put his hand on his neighbor’s goods. 9For every matter of trespass, whether it is for ox, for donkey, for sheep, for clothing, or for any kind of lost thing, about which one says, ‘This is mine,’ the cause of both parties must come before the judges. The one whom the judge condemns must pay double to his neighbor.

10“If a man delivers to his neighbor a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any animal to keep, and it dies or is injured, or driven away, no man seeing it; 11the oath of YHWH must be between them both, he has not put his hand on his neighbor’s goods; and its owner must accept it, and he does not have to make restitution. 12But if it is stolen from him, the one who stole must make restitution to its owner. 13If it is torn in pieces, let him bring it for evidence. He does not have to make restitution for what was torn.

14“If a man borrows anything of his neighbor’s, and it is injured, or dies, its owner not being with it, he must make restitution-restitution. 15If its owner is with it, he does not have to make restitution. If it is a leased thing, it came for its lease.

Laws of Social Responsibility

16“If a man seduces a virgin who isn’t pledged to be married, and lies with her, he must pay-pay a dowry for her to be his wife. 17If her father refuses-refuses to give her to him, he must still pay money according to the dowry of virgins.

18“You must not allow a sorceress to live.

19“Whoever lies with an animal must be executed-executed.

20“Whoever sacrifices to any god, except to YHWH alone, must be utterly destroyed.

Laws Protecting the Vulnerable

21“You must not wrong or oppress a foreigner, for y’all were foreigners in the land of Egypt.

22“Y’all must not take advantage of any widow or orphan. 23If you take advantage-advantage of them, and they cry-cry to me, I will hear-hear their cry, 24and my anger will burn, and I will kill y’all with the sword, and y’all’s wives will become widows, and y’all’s children orphans.

25If you lend money to any of my people among you who is poor, you must not be like a creditor to them. Y’all are not to charge interest. 26If you take-take your neighbor’s garment as collateral, you must restore it to him before the sun goes down, 27for that is his only covering, it is his garment for his skin. What would he sleep in? It will happen, when he cries to me, that I will hear, for I am gracious.

28“You must not blaspheme God, nor curse a ruler of your people.

29“You must not delay to offer from your harvest and from the outflow of your presses.

“You must give the firstborn of your sons to me. 30You are to do likewise with your cattle and with your sheep. It may be with its mother for seven days, then on the eighth day you are to give it to me.

31Y’all are to be holy people to me. So y’all must not eat any meat that is torn by animals in the field. Y’all must throw it to the dogs.