Chapter 22

Property Rights

1 “1If a man steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it, he shall pay five oxen for the ox and afour sheep for the sheep.

2 “1If the athief is 2caught while breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there will be no bloodguiltiness on his account.

3 “But if the sun has risen on him, there will be bloodguiltiness on his account. He shall surely make restitution; if he owns nothing, then he shall be asold for his theft.

4 “If what he stole is actually found alive in his 1possession, whether an ox or a donkey or a sheep, ahe shall pay double.

5 “If a man lets a field or vineyard be grazed bare and lets his animal loose so that it grazes in another man’s field, he shall make restitution from the best of his own field and the best of his own vineyard.

6 “If a fire breaks out and spreads to thorn bushes, so that stacked grain or the standing grain or the field itself is consumed, he who started the fire shall surely make restitution.

7 “aIf a man gives his neighbor money or goods to keep for him and it is stolen from the man’s house, if the thief is 1caught, he shall pay double.

8 “If the thief is not 1caught, then the owner of the house shall 2appear before 3athe judges, to determine whether he 4laid his hands on his neighbor’s property.

9 “For every 1breach of trust, whether it is for ox, for donkey, for sheep, for clothing, or for any lost thing about which one says, ‘This is it,’ the 2case of both parties shall come before 3athe judges; he whom 3the judges condemn shall pay double to his neighbor.

10 “If a man gives his neighbor a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any animal to keep for him, and it dies or is hurt or is driven away while no one is looking,

11 an aoath before the Lord shall be made by the two of them 1that he has not 2laid hands on his neighbor’s property; and its owner shall accept it, and he shall not make restitution.

12 “But if it is actually stolen from him, he shall make restitution to its owner.

13 “If it is all torn to pieces, let him bring it as evidence; he shall not make restitution for what has been torn to pieces.

14 “If a man 1borrows anything from his neighbor, and it is injured or dies while its owner is not with it, he shall make full restitution.

15 “If its owner is with it, he shall not make restitution; if it is hired, it came for its hire.

Sundry Laws

16 “aIf a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged, and lies with her, he must pay a dowry for her to be his wife.

17 “If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he shall 1pay money equal to the adowry for virgins.

18 “You shall not allow a asorceress to live.

19 “aWhoever lies with an animal shall surely be put to death.

20 “aHe who sacrifices to 1any god, other than to the Lord alone, shall be 2utterly destroyed.

21 “aYou shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

22 “aYou shall not afflict any widow or orphan.

23 “If you afflict him at all, and aif he does cry out to Me, bI will surely hear his cry;

24 and My anger will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword, aand your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.

25 “aIf you lend money to My people, to the poor 1among you, you are not to 2act as a creditor to him; you shall not 3charge him binterest.

26 “If you ever take your neighbor’s cloak aas a pledge, you are to return it to him before the sun sets,

27 for that is his only covering; it is his cloak for his 1body. What else shall he sleep in? And it shall come about that awhen he cries out to Me, I will hear him, for bI am gracious.

28 “You shall not 1acurse God, bnor curse a ruler of your people.

29 “aYou shall not delay the offering from 1your harvest and your vintage. bThe firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me.

30 “aYou shall do the same with your oxen and with your sheep. It shall be with its mother seven days; bon the eighth day you shall give it to Me.

31 “aYou shall be holy men to Me, therefore byou shall not eat any flesh torn to pieces in the field; you shall throw it to the dogs.