1 “If anyone steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it, he must pay back five oxen for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.
Adverts
2 “If the thief who is caught breaking in is injured and dies, whoever injured him will not be guilty of murder,
3 but if this happens after sunrise, he will be guilty of murder. “A thief will have to return what he stole, but if he has nothing, he will be sold to pay for the theft.
4 If whatever was stolen is found alive in his possession, be it an ox, a donkey, or a sheep, he must restore it twice as much.
5 “If anyone takes his flock to graze in a field or in a vineyard and turns it loose so that it grazes in another man's field, he will make restitution from the best of his field or vineyard.
Adverts
6 “If a fire spreads and reaches the thorn bushes, and burns the harvested bundles or the planted wheat or even the entire crop, the one who started the fire will make up for the loss.
7 “If someone gives silver or goods to his neighbor for safekeeping and they are stolen from his house, the thief, if found, must pay them back twice as much.
8 But if the thief is not found, the owner of the house will have to appear before the judges to determine whether he did not use the other's property.
9 Whenever someone takes possession of an ox, donkey, sheep, clothing or any other lost property, but someone says: 'This belongs to me', the two parties involved will take the case to the judges. Whoever the judges find guilty will pay back twice as much to his neighbor.
10 “If anyone gives his neighbor his donkey, or ox, or sheep, or any other animal to be kept, and the animal dies, is injured, or is carried away without anyone seeing it,
11 the issue between them will be resolved by taking an oath before the Lord that one will not take possession of the other's property. The owner will have to accept this and no refund will be required.
12 But if the animal has been stolen from your neighbor, he or she will have to make restitution to the owner.
13 If he has been torn to pieces by a wild animal, he will bring what remains of him as proof; and you will not have to make a refund.
14 “If someone borrows an animal from their neighbor, and it is injured or dies in the absence of the owner, they will have to make restitution.
15 But if the owner is present, the borrower will not have to pay it back. If the animal was rented, the rental price will cover the loss.
16 “If a man seduces a virgin who is not yet committed to marriage and sleeps with her, he will have to pay the price of her dowry, and she will be his wife.
17 But if the father refuses to hand her over, the man will still have to pay the equivalent of the virgins' dowry.
18 “Don’t let the witch live.
19 “Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal will have to be executed.
20 “Whoever offers a sacrifice to any other god, and not only to the Lord, will be destroyed.
21 “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt.
22 “Do not harm widows or orphans;
23 for if they do, and they cry out to me, I will surely answer their cry.
24 In great anger I will kill you with the sword; their wives will be widows and their children orphans.
25 “If you make a loan to one of my people, to someone in need who lives among you, do not charge him interest; do not lend for profit.
26 If you take your neighbor's cloak as collateral, return it by sunset,
27 because the mantle is the only covering he has for his body. What else would you sleep on? When he calls upon me, I will hear him, for I am merciful.
28 “Do not blaspheme God or curse an authority among his people.
29 “Do not withhold your harvest offerings. “Consecrate your first son to me
30 and the first offspring of cows, sheep and goats. For seven days the calf will stay with its mother, but on the eighth day, hand it over to me.
31 “You will be my holy people. Do not eat the flesh of any animal torn to pieces by wild beasts in the field; throw her to the dogs. “
