賠償條例

22 「倘若有人偷了別人的牛羊,然後宰了或賣了,他要用五頭牛抵償一頭牛,四隻羊抵償一隻羊。 倘若有人打死正入屋偷竊的賊,這人不算犯殺人罪。 倘若事情發生在白天,家主就犯了殺人罪。倘若盜賊被擒,他就要賠償家主,若他一無所有,就要把他賣為奴隸作賠償。 倘若他偷的牲畜如牛、羊或驢在他手上還活著,他要償還失主雙倍。

「倘若有人在田野或葡萄園裡牧放牲畜,任由牲畜吃別人田裡的農作物或葡萄,他必須拿自己田裡最好的農作物或葡萄作賠償。 倘若有人在自己的田間焚燒荊棘,不小心燒掉了別人的莊稼、禾捆或整個田園,那生火的人就要賠償一切損失。

「倘若有人把金錢或物件交給鄰居保管,鄰居家遭盜,盜賊被緝拿歸案後要賠償雙倍; 倘若沒捉到盜賊,鄰居就要到審判官那裡證明自己沒有偷拿。 倘若二人之間有什麼糾紛,無論是為了牛、驢、羊、衣服或失物,爭執的雙方要把案件呈報審判官,審判官判誰敗訴,誰就要賠償雙倍。 10 倘若有人把驢、牛、羊或別的牲畜交給鄰居看管,牲畜死傷或被人搶走,並且無人看見, 11 看守的人就要在耶和華面前起誓沒有動鄰居的東西,這樣失主就應當作罷,看守的人不用賠償。 12 但若牲畜是被人偷去的,受託人就要賠償失主。 13 倘若牲畜被野獸咬死,受託人要把殘骸帶來當證據,無需賠償被咬死的牲畜。 14 倘若有人向鄰居借牲畜,牲畜受傷或死掉,而當時物主不在場,借的人就要賠償。 15 倘若物主當時在場,借的人就不用賠償。倘若牲畜是租來的,租的人只需付租金不用賠償。

社會條例

16 「倘若有人誘姦了尚未許配的處女,他就要交出聘禮,娶她為妻; 17 倘若女方家長反對婚事,男方要付出相當於聘禮的金錢給女方家長。

18 「凡行邪術的女人,必須被處死。

19 「與動物性交的人,必須被處死。

20 「祭拜耶和華以外的其他任何神明的人,必須被處死。

21 「不可欺壓在你們中間寄居的人,因為你們在埃及也做過寄居的人。

22 「不可虧待寡婦和孤兒, 23 倘若你們欺凌他們,他們向我呼求,我必聽他們的呼求, 24 向你們發怒,用刀殺掉你們,使你們的妻子變為寡婦,兒女成為孤兒。

25 「倘若有貧苦的同胞向你借錢,你不可像放債的一樣從中取利。 26 倘若他把衣服給你作抵押,你要在日落之前把衣服還給他。 27 因為他只有這件蔽體的衣服,若是沒有,他晚上如何睡覺?他若呼求我,我必定幫助他,因為我是仁慈的。 28 不可褻瀆上帝,也不可咒詛百姓的官長。 29 你們要向我獻上五穀和新酒,不可遲疑耽延。要把你們的長子獻給我。 30 也要獻上頭生的牛羊,牠們生下來後可以留在母親身邊七天,第八天要獻給我。 31 你們要做我聖潔的子民,不要吃田野間被野獸咬死的牲畜,要把牠丟給狗吃。

赔偿的条例

22 “人若偷牛或羊,无论是宰了或卖了,他就要以五牛赔一牛, 四羊赔一羊。 贼挖洞,若被发现而被打死,打的人没有流血的罪。 若太阳已经出来,打的人就有流血的罪。贼总要赔偿,若他一无所有,就要被卖来还他所偷的东西。 若发现他所偷的,无论是牛、驴,或羊,在他手中还活着,他就要加倍赔偿。

“人若在田间或葡萄园里牧放牲畜,任凭牲畜上别人田里去吃[a],他就要拿自己田间和葡萄园里上好的赔偿。

“若火冒出,延烧到荆棘,以致将堆积的禾捆,直立的庄稼,或田地,都烧尽了,那点火的必要赔偿。

“人若将银钱或物件托邻舍保管,东西从这人的家中被偷去,若找到了贼,贼要加倍赔偿; 若找不到贼,这家的主人就要到审判官[b]那里,声明[c]自己没有伸手拿邻舍的物件。

“关于任何侵害的案件,无论是为牛、驴、羊、衣服,或任何失物,有一人说:‘这是我的’,双方就要将案件带到审判官面前,审判官定谁有罪,谁就要加倍赔偿给他的邻舍。

10 “人将驴、牛、羊,或别的牲畜托邻舍看管,若牲畜死亡,受了伤,或被抢走,无人看见, 11 双方要在耶和华前起誓,受托人要表明自己没有伸手拿邻舍的东西,原主要接受誓言,受托人不必赔偿。 12 牲畜若从受托人那里被偷去,他就要赔偿原主; 13 若被野兽撕碎,受托人要带回来作证据,被撕碎的就不必赔偿。

14 “人若向邻舍借牲畜[d],所借的或伤或死,原主没有在场,借的人总要赔偿。 15 若原主在场,借的人不必赔偿;若是租用的,只要付租金[e]。”

道德和宗教的条例

16 “人若引诱没有订婚的处女,与她同寝,他就必须交出聘礼,娶她为妻。 17 若女子的父亲坚决不将女子给他,他就要按着处女的聘礼交出钱来。

18 “行邪术的女人,不可让她存活。

19 “凡与兽交合的,必被处死。

20 “向别神献祭,不单单献给耶和华的,那人必要灭绝。

21 “不可亏待寄居的,也不可欺压他,因为你们在埃及地也作过寄居的。 22 不可苛待寡妇和孤儿; 23 若你确实苛待他,他向我苦苦哀求,我一定会听他的呼求, 24 并要发烈怒,用刀杀你们,使你们的妻子成为寡妇,儿女成为孤儿。

25 “我的子民中有困苦人在你那里,你若借钱给他,不可如放债的向他取利息。 26 你果真拿了邻舍的外衣作抵押,也要在日落前还给他; 27 因为他只有这一件用来作被子,是他蔽体的衣服。他还可以拿什么睡觉呢?当他哀求我,我就应允,因为我是有恩惠的。

28 “不可毁谤 神;也不可诅咒你百姓的领袖。

29 “不可迟延献你的庄稼、酒和油[f]

“要将你头生的儿子归给我。 30 你的牛羊也要照样做:七天当跟着它母亲,第八天你要把它归给我。

31 “你们要分别为圣归给我。因此,田间被野兽撕裂的肉,你们不可吃,要把它丢给狗。”

Footnotes

  1. 22.5 “去吃”:七十士译本是“去吃,他要拿自己田里的作物来赔偿;倘若牲畜把整片作物吃光了”。
  2. 22.8 “审判官”或译“ 神”;9节同。
  3. 22.8 “声明”或译“宣誓作证”。
  4. 22.14 原文没有“牲畜”。
  5. 22.15 “只要付租金”:原文是“它来是为了租金”。
  6. 22.29 “你的庄稼、酒和油”:原文直译“你的丰收和你的汁液”。

Rules about things that belong to people

22 Perhaps someone may take another person's cow or sheep for himself. He may kill it or he may sell it. As punishment, he must pay the owner five cows for each cow that he has taken. He must pay four sheep for each sheep that he has taken.

Perhaps someone may catch a robber as he goes into another person's house. The owner of the house might knock down the robber so that he dies. If this happens at night, the owner of the house is not guilty of murder. But if the owner of the house kills the robber after sunrise, he is guilty of murder.

Anyone who takes something that belongs to someone else must pay back the owner. If he cannot pay for everything that he has taken, he must become a slave. The owner will receive the money that someone has paid for the slave.

You may find an animal that someone has taken for himself. If the animal is still alive, the person who took it must pay back to the owner twice its value. He must do this, whether it was a cow, a donkey, or a sheep.

A man's animals might go into someone else's field or vineyard to eat what is growing there. Then the owner of those animals must pay back the value of what they have eaten. He must give his best grain and his best grapes to pay back the other man.

Someone might light a fire in his field to burn thorn bushes. But the fire might grow and it might burn the crops in another farmer's field. It may destroy the crops that are growing there or the grain that is ready for harvest. It might even destroy the whole field. Then the person who lit the fire must pay the farmer for the crops that the fire has destroyed.

Perhaps you may give some of your money or your valuable things to your neighbour. You may ask your neighbour to keep them safe for you. But a robber might take those things from your neighbour's house. If you catch the robber, he must pay back twice the value of the things that he took. But if you do not find the robber, you must take your neighbour to stand in front of the judges.[a] They must decide if your neighbour has taken your things for himself.

Perhaps two people both say that something belongs to them. They may argue about a cow, a donkey, a sheep, some clothes or anything else that they have lost. Then both of them must go to stand in front of the judges. The judges will decide which of them is guilty. The guilty person must pay back twice the value of the thing to the other person.

10 Perhaps you may ask your neighbour to keep one of your animals safe for you. It may be a donkey, a cow, a sheep or any other animal that belongs to you. Then the animal may die, or something may hurt it. Or perhaps a robber takes it for himself. If nobody has seen what really happened, you must do this: 11 Your neighbour must make a serious promise to the Lord. He must promise that he did not take your animal for himself, or hurt it. Then you must accept what he has said. Do not ask your neighbour to pay you any money. 12 But if a robber did take the animal from your neighbour, then your neighbour must pay you for it. 13 But perhaps a wild animal attacked it. Then your neighbour must show the pieces of your animal that are left. Then he will not have to pay you for the loss of your animal.

14 Your neighbour might lend one of his animals to you to do some work. Something bad might happen to the animal while its owner is not with it. It might die, or something might hurt it. Then you must pay your neighbour for the loss of the animal. 15 But if the owner is with his animal when something bad happens to it, you do not have to pay anything. And if you already paid your neighbour some money to use his animal, that will be enough to pay him for the loss.

Rules about life

16 Perhaps a man may meet a young girl who has not had sex with any man before. He might deceive her to have sex with her. If she has not yet promised to marry another man, he must marry her. He must give the right gifts to her parents. 17 Her father might refuse to give her to the man to be his wife. But the man must still give the right gifts for a girl who is not married.[b]

18 You must punish with death any woman who is a magician.

19 You must punish with death anyone who has sex with an animal.

20 You must completely destroy anyone who offers a sacrifice to a false god. You must only offer sacrifices to the Lord.

21 Never be cruel to a foreign person or give them trouble. Remember that you yourselves lived in Egypt as foreigners.

22 Never give trouble to any widow or to any children who have no family. 23 If you are cruel to them, I will hear them when they call out to me for help. 24 I will be very angry with you. I will kill you in war. Your wives will become widows. Your children will no longer have any family.

25 You may lend money to any of my people who need help. But do not ask them to pay back more money than you have lent to them. That is what traders in money do. 26 You may take someone's coat as a guarantee that he will pay you back. But you must always return his coat to him before sunset. 27 He needs his coat to keep him warm at night. It is the only warm thing that he has to sleep in. If you keep his coat, I will hear him when he calls out to me for help. And I will help him, because I am very kind to people.

28 Never insult God. Never curse anyone who is a leader of your people.

29 Do not refuse to offer your grain, your wine or your olive oil to me.

You must give your firstborn sons to me.

30 Do the same thing with your cows and your sheep. Let them stay with their mothers for seven days. But on the eighth day, you must give them to me.

31 You must live as my special people. So do not eat any meat from your animals that wild animals have killed. Instead, you must give it as food to the dogs.

Footnotes

  1. 22:8 ‘to stand in front of the judges’ or ‘to stand in front of God’. Also in other verses that follow.
  2. 22:17 If a man wanted to marry a girl, he gave gifts or money to her parents. They would agree together the right amount.

Protection of Property

22 [a]“Whoever steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it must pay back(A) five head of cattle for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.

“If a thief is caught breaking in(B) at night and is struck a fatal blow, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed;(C) but if it happens after sunrise, the defender is guilty of bloodshed.

“Anyone who steals must certainly make restitution,(D) but if they have nothing, they must be sold(E) to pay for their theft. If the stolen animal is found alive in their possession(F)—whether ox or donkey or sheep—they must pay back double.(G)

“If anyone grazes their livestock in a field or vineyard and lets them stray and they graze in someone else’s field, the offender must make restitution(H) from the best of their own field or vineyard.

“If a fire breaks out and spreads into thornbushes so that it burns shocks(I) of grain or standing grain or the whole field, the one who started the fire must make restitution.(J)

“If anyone gives a neighbor silver or goods for safekeeping(K) and they are stolen from the neighbor’s house, the thief, if caught, must pay back double.(L) But if the thief is not found, the owner of the house must appear before the judges,(M) and they must[b] determine whether the owner of the house has laid hands on the other person’s property. In all cases of illegal possession of an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any other lost property about which somebody says, ‘This is mine,’ both parties are to bring their cases before the judges.[c](N) The one whom the judges declare[d] guilty must pay back double to the other.

10 “If anyone gives a donkey, an ox, a sheep or any other animal to their neighbor for safekeeping(O) and it dies or is injured or is taken away while no one is looking, 11 the issue between them will be settled by the taking of an oath(P) before the Lord that the neighbor did not lay hands on the other person’s property. The owner is to accept this, and no restitution is required. 12 But if the animal was stolen from the neighbor, restitution(Q) must be made to the owner. 13 If it was torn to pieces by a wild animal, the neighbor shall bring in the remains as evidence and shall not be required to pay for the torn animal.(R)

14 “If anyone borrows an animal from their neighbor and it is injured or dies while the owner is not present, they must make restitution.(S) 15 But if the owner is with the animal, the borrower will not have to pay. If the animal was hired, the money paid for the hire covers the loss.(T)

Social Responsibility

16 “If a man seduces a virgin(U) who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price,(V) and she shall be his wife. 17 If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must still pay the bride-price for virgins.

18 “Do not allow a sorceress(W) to live.

19 “Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal(X) is to be put to death.

20 “Whoever sacrifices to any god(Y) other than the Lord must be destroyed.[e](Z)

21 “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner,(AA) for you were foreigners(AB) in Egypt.

22 “Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless.(AC) 23 If you do and they cry out(AD) to me, I will certainly hear their cry.(AE) 24 My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.(AF)

25 “If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not treat it like a business deal; charge no interest.(AG) 26 If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge,(AH) return it by sunset, 27 because that cloak is the only covering your neighbor has. What else can they sleep in?(AI) When they cry out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.(AJ)

28 “Do not blaspheme God[f](AK) or curse(AL) the ruler of your people.(AM)

29 “Do not hold back offerings(AN) from your granaries or your vats.[g]

“You must give me the firstborn of your sons.(AO) 30 Do the same with your cattle and your sheep.(AP) Let them stay with their mothers for seven days, but give them to me on the eighth day.(AQ)

31 “You are to be my holy people.(AR) So do not eat the meat of an animal torn by wild beasts;(AS) throw it to the dogs.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 22:1 In Hebrew texts 22:1 is numbered 21:37, and 22:2-31 is numbered 22:1-30.
  2. Exodus 22:8 Or before God, and he will
  3. Exodus 22:9 Or before God
  4. Exodus 22:9 Or whom God declares
  5. Exodus 22:20 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.
  6. Exodus 22:28 Or Do not revile the judges
  7. Exodus 22:29 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.