Exodus 22:16-31

English Standard Version

Laws About Social Justice

^16 (A)“If a man seduces a virgin^[a] who is not betrothed and lies with her, he shall give the bride-price^[b] for her and make her his wife. ¹⁷ If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, ^(B)he shall pay money equal to the ^(C)bride-price for virgins.

^18 (D)“You shall not permit a sorceress to live.

^19 (E)“Whoever lies with an animal shall be put to death.

^20 (F)“Whoever sacrifices to any god, other than the Lord alone, shall be devoted to destruction.^[c]

^21 (G)“You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. ^22 (H)You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. ²³ If you do mistreat them, and they ^(I)cry out to me, I will surely ^(J)hear their cry, ²⁴ and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and ^(K)your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.

^25 (L)“If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him. ^26 (M)If ever you take your neighbor's cloak in pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down, ²⁷ for that is his only covering, and it is his cloak for his body; in what else shall he sleep? And if he ^(N)cries to me, I will hear, for I am ^(O)compassionate.

^28 (P)“You shall not revile God, nor ^(Q)curse a ruler of your people.

²⁹ “You shall not delay to offer from the fullness of your harvest and from the outflow of your presses. ^(R)The firstborn of your sons you shall give to me. ^30 (S)You shall do the same with your oxen and with your sheep: ^(T)seven days it shall be with its mother; on the eighth day you shall give it to me.

^31 (U)“You shall be consecrated to me. Therefore ^(V)you shall not eat any flesh that is torn by beasts in the field; ^(W)you shall throw it to the dogs.