Regulations Regarding Murder, Manslaughter, and Various Injuries

12 “ ‘⌊Whoever strikes someone⌋e and he dies will surely be put to death. 13 But if he did not lie in wait ⌊and it was an accident⌋,f I will appoint for you a place to which he may flee. 14 But if a man schemes against his neighbor to kill him by treachery,g you will take him from my altar to die. 15 And ⌊whoever strikes⌋h his father or his mother will surely be put to death.

16 “ ‘And ⌊whoever kidnaps someone⌋i and sells him, or he is found in his possession,j he will surely be put to death.

17 “ ‘And one who curses his father or his mother will surely be put to death.

18 “ ‘And if men quarrel and a man strikes his neighbor with a stone or with a fist and he does not die, but ⌊he is confined to bed⌋,k 19 if he stands and walks about in the outside on his staff, the striker will be unpunished; he will only pay for his inactivityl ⌊toward his full recovery⌋.”m 20 And if a man strikes his male slave or his female slave with the rod and he dies under his hand, he will surely be avenged. 21 Yet if he survives a day or two days, he will not be avenged, because he is his money.n

22 “ ‘And if men fight and they injure a pregnant woman, and her children go out and there is not serious injury, he will surely be fined as the woman’s husband demands concerning him ⌊and as the judges determine⌋.o 23 And if there is serious injury, you will give life in place of life, 24 eye in place of eye, tooth in place of tooth, hand in place of hand, foot in place of foot, 25 burn in place of burn, wound in place of wound, bruise in place of bruise.

26 “ ‘And if a man strikes the eye of his male slave or the eye of his female slave and destroys it, he shall release him as free in place of his eye. 27 And if he causes the tooth of his male slave or the tooth of his female slave to fall out, he will release him as free in place of his tooth.

28 “ ‘And if an ox gores a man or a woman and he dies, the ox will surely be stoned, and its meat will not be eaten, and the owner of the ox is innocent. 29 But if it was a goring ox ⌊before⌋p and its owner was warned and did not restrain it and it kills a man or a woman, the ox will be stoned, and the owner also will be put to death. 30 If a ransom is set on him, he will pay the redemption money for his life according to all that is set on him. 31 If it gores a son or it gores a daughter, according to this regulation it shall be done to him. 32 If the ox gores a male slave or a female slave, he will give thirty shekels of silver to his master, and the ox will be stoned.

33 “ ‘If a man opens a pit or if a man digs a pit and he does not cover it and an ox or a donkey falls into it, 34 the owner of the pit will pay restitution; he will pay silver to its owner, but the dead animal will be for him.q 35 And if a man’s ox injures the ox of his neighbor and it dies, they will sell the living ox and divide the ⌊money⌋,r and they will also divide the dead one. 36 Or if it was known that it was a goring ox ⌊before⌋s and its owner did not restrain it, he will surely make restitution, an ox in place of the ox, and the dead one will be for him.

Regulations Regarding Theft, Borrowing, and Accidental Damage or Loss

22 a “ ‘If a man steals an ox or small livestock and slaughters it or sells it, he will make restitution with five cattle in place of the ox and with four sheep or goats in place of the small livestock. 2 “ ‘If a thief is found in the act of breaking in and he is struck and he dies, there is not bloodguilt for him. 3 (If the sun has risen over him, there is bloodguilt for him. He will make full restitution. If ⌊he does not have enough⌋,b he will be sold for his theft. 4 If indeed the stolen item is found ⌊in his possession⌋c alive, from ox to donkey to small livestock, he will make double restitution.

5 “ ‘If a man grazes his livestock in a field or a vineyard and he releases his livestock and it grazes in the field of another, he will make restitution from the best of his field and the best of his vineyard.

6 “ ‘If a fire is started and finds thorn bushes and a stack of sheaves or the standing grain or the field is consumed, the one who started the fire will surely make restitution.

7 “ ‘If a man gives to his neighbor money or objects to watch over and it is stolen from the house of the man, if the thief is found, he will make double restitution. 8 If the thief is not found, the owner of the house will be brought ⌊to the sanctuary⌋d to learn whether or not he reached out his hand to his neighbor’s possession. 9 Concerning every account of transgression—concerning an ox, concerning a donkey, concerning small livestock, concerning clothing, concerning all lost property—where someone says, “This belongs to me,” the matter of the two of them will come to God;e whomever God declares guilty will make double restitution to his neighbor.

10 “ ‘If a man gives to his neighbor a donkey or an ox or small livestock or any beast to watch over and it dies or is injured or is captured when there is no one who sees, 11 the oath of Yahweh will be between the two of them concerning whether or not he has reached out his hand to his neighbor’s possession, and its owner will accept this, and he will not make restitution. 12 But if indeed it was stolen from him, he will make restitution to its owner. 13 If indeed it was torn to pieces, he will bring it as evidence—the mangled carcass; he will not make restitution.

14 “ ‘If a man borrows from his neighbor and it is injured or dies while its owner is not with it, he will make restitution. 15 If its owner was with it, he will not make restitution; if it was hired, it came with its hiring fee.