Exodus 22

¹If any man steal an ox or a sheep, and kill or sell it: he shall restore five oxen for one ox, and four sheep for one sheep.

²If the thief be found breaking up the house or undermining it, and taking a wound die; the striker shall not be guilty of blood.

³But if he do this when the sun is risen, he hath committed manslaughter, and himself shall die. If he have not wherewith to make restitution for the theft, himself shall be sold.

⁴If that which he stole be found with him alive, either ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double.

⁵If any man hurt a field or a vineyard, and let go his beast to feed upon that which is other men's; the best of whatsoever he hath in his own field, or in his vineyard, he shall restore, according to the estimation of the damage.

⁶If fire breaking forth light upon the thorns, and catch stacks of corn, or corn standing in the fields, he shall render the damage that kindled the fire.

⁷If a man commit money, or a vessel unto his friend to keep, & they be stolen away from him that received them; if the thief be found, he shall restore double:

⁸If the thief be not known, the master of the house shall be brought to the gods, and shall swear that he did not extend his hand upon his neighbour's good,

⁹to do any fraud, as well in ox as in ass, and sheep and raiment, and whatsoever may bring damage: the cause of both parties shall come to the gods: and if they give judgment, he shall restore double to his neighbour.

¹⁰If a man commit ass, ox, sheep, or any beast, to his neighbour's custody, and it die, or be hurt, or be taken of enemies, and no man saw;

¹¹there shall be an oath between them, that he did not put forth his hand to his neighbour's good: and the owner shall admit the oath, and he shall not be compelled to make restitution.

¹²But if it were taken away by stealth, he shall restore the damage to the owner.

¹³If it were eaten of a beast, let him bring unto him that which was slain, and he shall not make restitution.

¹⁴He that asketh of his neighbour to borrow any of these things, and it be hurt or dead, the owner being not present, he shall be compelled to make restitution.

¹⁵But if the owner be present, he shall not make restitution, especially if it were hired and came for the hire of the same.

¹⁶If a man seduce a virgin being not yet despoused, and lie with her; he shall endow her, and have her to wife.

¹⁷If the virgin's father will not give her, he shall give money according to the manner of the dowry, which virgins are wont to receive.

¹⁸Enchanters thou shalt not suffer to live.

¹⁹He that lieth with a brute beast, dying let him die.

²⁰He that sacrificeth to gods, shall be put to death, but to the Lord only.

²¹Thou shalt not molest a stranger, nor afflict him: for yourselves also were strangers in the Land of Ægypt.

²²A widow and an orphan you shall not hurt.

²³If you hurt them, they will cry out to me, and I will hear their cry:

²⁴and my fury shall take indignation, and I will strike you with the sword, and your wives shall be widows, and your children orphans.

²⁵If thou lend money to my people being poor, that dwelleth with thee, thou shalt not urge them as an exactor, nor oppress them with usuries.

²⁶If thou take of thy neighbour a garment in pledge, thou shalt give it him again before sun set.

²⁷For that same is the only thing wherewith he is covered, the clothing of his body, neither hath he other to sleep in: if he cry to me, I will hear him, because I am merciful.

²⁸Thou shalt not detract from the gods, and the prince of thy people thou shalt not curse.

²⁹Thy tithes and thy first fruits thou shalt not slack to pay, the first-born of thy sons thou shalt give me.

³⁰Of thy oxen also & sheep thou shalt do in like manner: seven days let it be with the dam, the eighth day thou shalt render it to me.

³¹Holy men you shall be to me: the flesh that beasts have tasted of before, you shall not eat, but shall cast it to the dogs.