The Bible

Exodus Chapter 22

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, there'll be no guilt of bloodshed for him. ³If the sun has risen on him, he is guilty of bloodshed. He must make restitution. If he has nothing, then let him be sold for his theft. ⁴If the stolen property is 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; he who kindled the fire must surely make restitution.

⁷"If a man delivers to his neighbor money or stuff to keep, and it is stolen from the man's house, if the thief is found, he must pay double. ⁸If the thief isn't found, then the owner of the house is to come near to God, 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 will come before God. He whom God condemns is to 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; ¹¹Yahweh's oath that he hasn't put his hand to his neighbor's goods will be between them both. The owner must accept this, and he needn't make restitution. ¹²But if it is stolen from him, he must make restitution to its owner. ¹³If it is torn in pieces, let him bring it for evidence. He needn't make good 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 surely make restitution. ¹⁵If its owner is with it, he needn't make it good. If it is a leased thing, it came for its lease.

¹⁶"If a man entices a virgin who isn't pledged to be married, and lies with her, he must surely pay a dowry for her to be his wife. ¹⁷If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, let him pay money according to the dowry of virgins.

¹⁸"Don't allow a sorceress to live.

¹⁹"Whoever has sex with an animal must surely be put to death.

²⁰"He who sacrifices to any god, except to Yahweh only, must be utterly destroyed.

²¹"Don't wrong a foreigner or oppress him, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.

²²"Don't take advantage of any widow or fatherless child. ²³If you take advantage of them at all, and they cry at all to me, I will surely hear their cry; ²⁴and my wrath will grow hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives will be widows, and your children fatherless.

²⁵"If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, don't be a creditor to him. You mustn't charge him interest. ²⁶If you take your neighbor's garment as collateral, 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? When he cries to me, I will listen, for I am gracious.

²⁸"Don't blaspheme God, nor curse a ruler of your people.

²⁹"Don't delay to offer from your harvest and from the outflow of your presses. Give the firstborn of your sons to me. ³⁰Do likewise with your cattle and with your sheep. It'll be with its mother for seven days, then on the eighth day give it to me.

³¹"Be holy men to me, so don't eat any flesh that is torn by animals in the field. Throw it to the dogs.