22 [a] “If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it or sells it, he shall repay five oxen for an ox, and (A)four sheep for a sheep. [b] If a thief is found (B)breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no bloodguilt for him, but if the sun has risen on him, there shall be bloodguilt for him. He[c] shall surely pay. If he has nothing, then (C)he shall be sold for his theft. If the stolen beast (D)is found alive in his possession, whether it is an ox or a donkey or a sheep, (E)he shall pay double.

“If a man causes a field or vineyard to be grazed over, or lets his beast loose and it feeds in another man's field, he shall make restitution from the best in his own field and in his own vineyard.

“If fire breaks out and catches in thorns so that the stacked grain or the standing grain or the field is consumed, he who started the fire shall make full restitution.

“If a man gives to his neighbor money or goods to keep safe, and it is stolen from the man's house, then, if the thief is found, (F)he shall pay double. If the thief is not found, the owner of the house shall come near to God to show whether or not he has put his hand to his neighbor's property. For every breach of trust, whether it is for an ox, for a donkey, for a sheep, for a cloak, or for any kind of lost thing, of which one says, ‘This is it,’ the case of both parties shall come before God. The one whom God condemns shall pay double to his neighbor.

10 “If a man gives to his neighbor a donkey or an ox or a sheep or any beast to keep safe, and it dies or is injured or is driven away, without anyone seeing it, 11 (G)an oath by the Lord shall be between them both to see whether or not he has put his hand to his neighbor's property. The owner shall accept the oath, and he shall not make restitution. 12 But if (H)it is stolen from him, he shall make restitution to its owner. 13 If it is torn by beasts, let him bring it as evidence. He shall not make restitution for what has been torn.

14 “If a man borrows anything of his neighbor, and it is injured or dies, the owner not being with it, he shall make full restitution. 15 If the owner was with it, he shall not make restitution; if it was hired, it came for its hiring fee.[d]

Laws About Social Justice

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

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

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

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

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

25 (T)“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 (U)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 (V)cries to me, I will hear, for I am (W)compassionate.

28 (X)“You shall not revile God, nor (Y)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. (Z)The firstborn of your sons you shall give to me. 30 (AA)You shall do the same with your oxen and with your sheep: (AB)seven days it shall be with its mother; on the eighth day you shall give it to me.

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

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 22:1 Ch 21:37 in Hebrew
  2. Exodus 22:2 Ch 22:1 in Hebrew
  3. Exodus 22:3 That is, the thief
  4. Exodus 22:15 Or it is reckoned in (Hebrew comes into) its hiring fee
  5. Exodus 22:16 Or a girl of marriageable age; also verse 17
  6. Exodus 22:16 Or engagement present; also verse 17
  7. Exodus 22:20 That is, set apart (devoted) as an offering to the Lord (for destruction)

22 (21:37) If a ganav takes a shor, or a seh, and slaughter it, or sell it; he shall restore five cattle for an ox, and the seh.

(1) If a ganav be caught breaking in, and be struck down so that he die, there shall be no guilt of bloodshed for him.

(2) If the shemesh be risen upon him, there shall be guilt of bloodshed; the ganav should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then the ganav shall be sold to make restitution for his theft.

(3) If the theft be certainly found in his yad chayyim, whether it be ox, or donkey, or seh; he shall pay back double.

(4) If a man shall allow livestock to graze over a sadeh or kerem (vineyard), or he lets it loose and it graze over the sadeh of another, then from the best of his own sadeh, and of the best of his own kerem (vineyard), shall he make restitution.

(5) If eish break out, and spreads in kotzim (thorns), so that the stacks of grain, or the standing grain, or the sadeh, be consumed therewith; he that kindled the eish shall surely make restitution.

(6) If an ish shall give unto his re’a kesef or vessels to be shomer over, and it be stolen out of the bais haish; if the ganav be found, let him pay back double.

(7) If the ganav be not found, then the ba’al habais shall be brought before HaElohim, to see whether he has put his yad on the property of his neighbor.

(8) For all manner of pesha (trespass, liability), whether it be for ox, for donkey, for seh, for clothing, or for any manner of avedah (lost property, missing thing) which another says, This is it, the case of both shall come before HaElohim; and whom Elohim shall condemn, he shall pay back double unto his re’a.

10 (9) If an ish deliver unto his re’a a donkey, or an ox, or a seh, or any behemah, to be shomer over; and it die, or be injured, or carried away, with no eye witness;

11 (10) Then shall a shevuat Hashem be between them both, that he hath not laid his yad on the property of his re’a; and the property’s ba’al shall accept thereof, and he shall not make restitution.

12 (11) And if it be certainly stolen from him, he shall make restitution unto the ba’al thereof.

13 (12) If it be indeed tarof (torn by a wild animal, predator), then let him bring it for ed (witness), and he shall not make restitution for the terefah (torn animal).

14 (13) And if an ish asks to borrow of his re’a, and the animal borrowed be injured, or die, the ba’al thereof being not with it, he shall surely make restitution.

15 (14) But if the ba’al thereof be with it, he shall not make restitution; if it be sakhir (rented, hired), it came for its hire.

16 (15) And if an ish entice a betulah that is not orasah (betrothed, pledged), and lie with her, he shall surely endow her with a marriage contract as his isha.

17 (16) If her av utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay kesef according to the mohar habetulah (marriage contract, dowry of the virgins).

18 (17) Thou shalt not allow a mekhashefah (witch, sorceress) to live.

19 (18) Kol shochev (every one having sexual relations) with a behemah shall surely be put to death.

20 (19) He that sacrificeth unto elohim (the g-ds), other than unto Hashem only, he shall be destroyed.

21 (20) Thou shalt neither mistreat a ger, nor oppress him; for ye were gerim in Eretz Mitzrayim.

22 (21) Ye shall not cause pain to any almanah, or yatom.

23 (22) If thou cause them pain in any way, and they cry at all unto Me, I will surely hear their cry;

24 (23) And My wrath shall be kindled, and I will kill you with the cherev; and your nashim shall be almanot, and your banim shall be yetomim.

25 (24) If thou lend kesef to any of My people that is poor among thee, thou shalt not be to him as a nosheh (a usurer), neither shalt thou lay upon him neshekh (usury, interest).

26 (25) If thou at all take the cloak of thy re’a as security, thou shalt return it unto him by bo hashemesh (sunset);

27 (26) For that is his covering only, it is his cloak for his skin; wherein shall he sleep? And it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto Me, that I will hear; for I am channun (compassionate).

28 (27) Thou shalt not revile Elohim, nor curse the nasi of thy people.

29 (28) Thou shalt not delay to offer thy fullness offering (i.e., bikkurim) or thy kohen’s heave offering (i.e. terumah); the bechor of thy banim shalt thou present unto Me.

30 (29) Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy tzon; shivat yamim it shall be with its em; on the yom hashemi’ni thou shalt give it Me.

31 (30) And ye shall be anshei kodesh unto Me; neither shall ye eat any basar that is terefah (torn of beasts) in the sadeh; ye shall cast it to the kelev (dog).