Exodus 22

1 Yahweh also said, “If someone steals a bull or a sheep, and then slaughters it [to sell it or to sacrifice it] or sells its [meat to someone else], he must pay five bulls for the bull [that he stole], and [he must pay] four sheep for the sheep [that he stole].

If a man steale an oxe or a sheepe, and kill it or sell it, he shall restore fiue oxen for the oxe, and foure sheepe for the sheepe.

2 If a thief is caught while he is breaking into someone else’s house [at night], if [the one who catches him] kills the thief, he is not guilty of murdering him.

If a thiefe bee founde breaking vp, and be smitten that he dye, no blood shall be shed for him.

3 But if that happens during the daytime, [the one who killed the thief] is guilty of murdering him. The thief must pay for what he stole. If he has no [animals with which to pay for the one that he stole], he must be sold to [become someone’s else’s slave and the money must be used] to pay for what he stole.

But if it be in the day light, blood shall be shed for him: for he should make full restitution: if he had not wherewith, then shoulde he bee solde for his theft.

4 If the thief still has the animal when he is caught, whether it is a bull or a donkey or a sheep, and it is still alive, the thief must give back [the stolen animal as well as giving] two [additional] animals for each one that he stole.

If the theft bee founde with him, aliue, (whether it be oxe, asse, or sheepe) he shall restore the double.

5 If someone allows his animals to (graze/eat the grass) in his field or in his vineyard, and if they stray away and eat the crops in another person’s field, the owner of the animals must pay [the owner of those crops] by giving him the best crops from his own field or vineyard.

If a man doe hurt fielde, or vineyarde, and put in his beast to feed in an other mans fielde, he shall recompence of the best of his owne fielde, and of the best of his owne vineyard.

6 Suppose someone starts a fire in his own field, and the fire spreads through the grass and starts burning in someone else’s field, and the fire burns grain that is growing or grain that is already [cut and] stacked. Then the person who started the fire must pay completely for the damage.

If fire breake out, and catche in ye thornes, and the stackes of corne, or the standing corne, or the fielde be consumed, he that kindled the fire shall make full restitution.

7 Suppose someone gives to another person some money or other valuable goods and asks him to guard them [in his house for a while]. If those things are stolen from that person’s house, if the thief is caught, he must pay back twice [as much as he stole].

If a man deliuer his neighbour money or stuffe to keepe, and it be stollen out of his house, if the thiefe be found, he shall pay the double.

8 But if the thief is not caught, the owner of the house [from which the things were stolen] must stand before the judges, so that the judges can determine whether [the owner of the house] was the one who took the other man’s goods [and sold them to someone else].

If the thiefe be not founde, then the master of the house shalbe brought vnto the Iudges to sweare, whether he hath put his hande vnto his neighbours good, or no.

9 If two people argue about which one of them owns a bull or a donkey or a sheep or some clothing, or something else that has been lost, the two people who each claim/say that the item belongs to them must stand before the judges. The one whom the judges declare is lying must pay back [to the real owner] twice as many bulls or donkeys or sheep or pieces of clothing.

In all maner of trespasse, whether it bee for oxen, for asse, for sheepe, for raiment, or for any maner of lost thing, which an other chalengeth to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the iudges, and whom the Iudges condemne, he shall pay the double vnto his neighbour.

10 Suppose someone gives his donkey or bull or sheep or some other animal to someone else and asks him to take care of it [for a while], and the animal dies or is injured or is stolen while no one is watching.

If a man deliuer vnto his neighbour to keepe asse, or oxe, or sheepe, or any beast, and it die, or be hurt, or taken away by enemies, and no man see it,

11 Then the person [who was taking care of the animal] must (swear/solemnly declare), knowing that God is listening, that he did not steal the animal. If he did not steal it the owner of the animal must accept/believe that the other person is telling the truth, and the other person will not have to pay anything back to the owner.

An othe of the Lord shalbe betweene the twaine, that hee hath not put his hande vnto his neighbours good, and the owner of it shall take the othe, and he shall not make it good:

12 But if the animal was stolen [while he was supposed to be taking care of it], the man who promised to take care of it must pay back the owner for the animal.

But if it be stollen from him, he shall make restitution vnto the owner thereof.

13 If [he says that] the animal was killed by wild animals, he must bring back the remains of the animal that was killed and show it to the animal’s owner. If he does that, he will not have to pay anything for the animal.

If it be torne in pieces, he shall bring recorde, and shall not make that good, which is deuoured.

14 If someone borrows an animal, and if that animal is hurt or dies when its owner is not there, the one who borrowed it must pay the owner for the animal.

And if a man borow ought of his neighbour, and it be hurt, or els die, the owner thereof not being by, he shall surely make it good.

15 But if that happens when the owner of the animal is there, the one who borrowed it will not have to pay back anything. If the man who borrowed it only rented it, the money that he paid to rent it will be enough to pay for the animal [dying or being injured].”

If the owner thereof bee by, hee shall not make it good: for if it be an hired thing, it came for his hire.

16 “If a man persuades a girl/woman to have sex with him, a girl/woman who (is a virgin/has never had sex with any man) and who is not engaged to be married, he must pay the bride price for her and marry her.

And if a man entise a maide that is not betrothed, and lie with her, hee shall endowe her, and take her to his wife.

17 But if her father refuses to allow her to marry him, he must pay to the woman’s father the amount of money that is equal to the amount of bride price money that men pay for virgins.

If her father refuse to giue her to him, hee shall pay money, according to ye dowry of virgins.

18 You must execute any woman who (practices sorcery/is a shaman).

Thou shalt not suffer a witch to liue.

19 You must execute any person who has sex with an animal.

Whosoeuer lieth with a beast, shall dye the death.

20 You [must offer sacrifices] only to Yahweh. You must execute anyone who offers a sacrifice to any [other] god.

Hee that offereth vnto any gods, saue vnto the Lord onely, shalbe slaine.

21 You must not mistreat a foreigner [who comes to live among you]. Do not forget that you were previously foreigners in Egypt.

Moreouer, thou shalt not do iniurie to a stranger, neither oppresse him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

22 You must not mistreat any widow or any orphan.

Ye shall not trouble any widowe, nor fatherlesse childe.

23 If you mistreat them and they cry out to me [for help], I will hear them.

If thou vexe or trouble such, and so he call and cry vnto me, I will surely heare his cry.

24 And I will be angry with you, and I will cause you to be killed in a war [MTY]. Your wives will become widows, and your children will no longer have fathers.

Then shall my wrath be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wiues shall be widowes, and your children fatherlesse.

25 If you lend money to any of my people who are poor, do not act like a moneylender and require him to pay interest on the money.

If thou lende money to my people, that is, to the poore with thee, thou shalt not bee as an vsurer vnto him: yee shall not oppresse him with vsurie.

26 If he gives you his cloak to guarantee [that he will pay the money back], you must give the cloak back to him before the sun goes down,

If thou take thy neighbours rayment to pledge, thou shalt restore it vnto him before the sunne go downe:

27 because he needs it to keep him warm [during the night]. (That is the only covering that poor people have when they sleep at night./What else will he cover himself with during the night?) [RHQ] [If you do not act mercifully toward him by returning his cloak], when he cries out to me asking for my help, I will help him, because I [always act] mercifully.

For that is his couering only, and this is his garment for his skin: wherin shall he sleepe? therefore when he crieth vnto mee, I will heare him: for I am mercifull.

28 Do not (revile/speak evil about) me, and do not (curse/ask me to do harmful things to) any ruler of your people.

Thou shalt not raile vpon the Iudges, neither speake euil of the ruler of thy people.

29 (Do not withhold from/Give) me the best parts of the grain that you harvest and of the olive oil and the wine that you produce.

Thine abundance and thy licour shalt thou not keepe backe. The first borne of thy sonnes shalt thou giue me.

30 You must dedicate your firstborn sons to me. Similarly, your firstborn [male] cattle and sheep belong to me. After those animals are born, allow them to stay with their mothers for seven days. On the eighth day, offer them to me [as a sacrifice].

Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen and with thy sheepe: seuen dayes it shall bee with his damme, and the eight day thou shalt giue it me.

31 You are people who are (completely dedicated to/set apart for) me. [And I detest] the meat of any animal that has been killed by wild animals. Therefore you should not eat such meat. Instead, throw it where the dogs [can eat it].”

Ye shall be an holy people vnto me, neither shall ye eate any flesh that is torne of beastes in the fielde: ye shall cast it to the dogge.