The Second Book of Moses: Exodus

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- Chapter 22 -

“If anyone will have stolen an ox or a sheep, and if he kills it or sells it, then he will restore five oxen for one ox, and four sheep for one sheep.

If a thief will have been discovered breaking into a house, or digging under it, and he has received a mortal wound, he who struck him down will not be guilty of blood.

But if he did this when the sun was risen, he has perpetrated a homicide, and he shall die. If he does not have the means to make restitution for the theft, he shall be sold.

If whatever he stole should be found with him, a living thing, either an ox, or a donkey, or a sheep, he shall repay double.

If there is any damage to a field or a vineyard, when he has released his cattle to pasture on the land of a stranger, he shall repay the best of what he has in his own field, or in his own vineyard, according to the estimation of the damage.

If a fire will have been discovered departing from brush, and taking hold in stacks of grain, or in crops standing in the fields, whoever ignited the fire shall repay the damages.

If anyone will have entrusted money, or a container, to his friend to keep, and if these have been stolen from the one who received them: if the thief is found, he shall repay double.

If the thief is unknown, the lord of the house will be brought before the heavens to swear that he did not lay his hand on the goods of his neighbor,

so as to perpetrate any fraud, such as with an ox, or a donkey, or a sheep, or clothing, nor to do anything that would be able to cause damage. The case of both shall be brought before the heavens. And if they give judgment against him, he shall repay double to his neighbor.

If anyone will have entrusted a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any animal to the keeping of his neighbor, and it will have died, or become disabled, or have been captured by enemies, and no one saw it,

then there shall be an oath between them, that he did not lay his hand on the goods of his neighbor. And the owner shall accept the oath, and he will not be compelled to make restitution.

But if it will have been taken away by theft, he shall repay the damages to the owner.

If it has been eaten by a wild beast, let him carry what was killed to him, and then he shall not make restitution.

If anyone borrows from his neighbor any of these things, and it has died or been disabled when the owner was not present, he shall be compelled to make restitution.

But if the owner was present, he shall not make restitution, especially if it had been brought for hired work.

Laws of Social Responsibility

If a man has led astray a virgin not yet betrothed, and he has slept with her, he shall pay her dowry and have her as a wife.

If the father of the virgin is not willing to give her, he shall pay money according to manner of a dowry, which virgins are accustomed to receive.

You shall not permit practitioners of the black arts to live.(a)

Whoever has sexual intercourse with an animal shall be put to death.

Whoever immolates to gods, other than to the Lord, shall be killed.

You shall not harass the newcomer, nor shall you afflict him. For you yourselves were once newcomers in the land of Egypt.

You shall not harm a widow or an orphan.

If you hurt them, they will cry out to me, and I will hear their cry.

And my fury will be enraged, and I will strike you down with the sword. And your wives will become widows, and your sons will become orphans.

If you lend money to the poor of my people who live among you, you shall not coerce them like a collector, nor oppress them with usury.

If you take a garment from your neighbor as a pledge, you shall return it to him again before the setting of the sun.

For it is all that he has to cover himself, to clothe his body; nor does he have anything else in which to sleep. If he cries out to me, I will hear him, because I am compassionate.

You shall not disparage the heavens, and you shall not speak evil of the leader of your people.

You shall not delay in paying your tithes and your first-fruits. You shall give the firstborn of your sons to me.

You shall do likewise with those of the oxen and the sheep. For seven days, let it be with its mother; on the eighth day you shall repay it to me.

You shall be holy men for me. The flesh, from which beasts will have tasted, you shall not eat, but you will throw it to the dogs.”

Footnotes

(a)22:18 Literally, the word ‘maleficos’ means ‘evil fig trees.’ It is generally used to refer to those who engage in religious or pagan or occult practices for the purpose of doing evil.(Conte)

“If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it or sells it, he shall pay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.

If the thief is found breaking in, and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no guilt of bloodshed for him.

If the sun has risen on him, he is guilty of bloodshed. He shall make restitution. If he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.

If the stolen property is found in his hand alive, whether it is ox, donkey, or sheep, he shall pay double.

“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 shall make restitution from the best of his own field, and from the best of his own vineyard.

“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 shall surely make restitution.

“If a man delivers to his neighbor money or stuff to keep, and it is stolen out of the man’s house, if the thief is found, he shall pay double.

If the thief isn’t found, then the master of the house shall come near to God, to find out whether or not he has put his hand on his neighbor’s goods.

For 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 shall come before God. He whom God condemns shall pay double to his neighbor.

“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;

the oath of the LORD shall be between them both, he has not put his hand on his neighbor’s goods; and its owner shall accept it, and he shall not make restitution.

But if it is stolen from him, the one who stole shall make restitution to its owner.

If it is torn in pieces, let him bring it for evidence. He shall not make good that which was torn.

“If a man borrows anything of his neighbor’s, and it is injured, or dies, its owner not being with it, he shall surely make restitution.

If its owner is with it, he shall not make it good. If it is a leased thing, it came for its lease.

Laws of Social Responsibility

“If a man entices a virgin who isn’t pledged to be married, and lies with her, he shall surely pay a dowry for her to be his wife.

If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.

“You shall not allow a sorceress to live.

“Whoever has sex with an animal shall surely be put to death.

“He who sacrifices to any god, except to the LORD only, shall be utterly destroyed.

“You shall not wrong an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.

“You shall not take advantage of any widow or fatherless child.

If you take advantage of them at all, and they cry at all to me, I will surely hear their cry;

and my wrath will grow hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.

“If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be to him as a creditor. You shall not charge him interest.

If you take your neighbor’s garment as collateral, you shall restore it to him before the sun goes down,

for 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.

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

“You shall not delay to offer from your harvest and from the outflow of your presses. “You shall give the firstborn of your sons to me.

You shall do likewise with your cattle and with your sheep. It shall be with its mother seven days, then on the eighth day you shall give it to me.

“You shall be holy men to me, therefore you shall not eat any meat that is torn by animals in the field. You shall cast it to the dogs.