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 steals an ox or a sheep and kills it or sells it, then he must pay five oxen for one ox, and four sheep for one sheep.

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 thief is found breaking in, and if he is struck so that he dies, in that case no guilt for murder will attach to anyone on his account.

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 the sun has risen before he breaks in, guilt for murder will attach to the person who kills him. A thief must make restitution. If he has nothing, then he must be sold 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 stolen animal is found alive in his possession, whether it is an ox, a donkey, or a sheep, he must pay back 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 grazes his livestock in a field or vineyard and lets his animal loose, and it grazes in another man's field, he must make restitution from the best of his own field and from the best of his own 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 a fire breaks out and spreads in thorns so that stacked grain, or standing grain, or a field is consumed, the one who started the fire must surely make 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 gives money or goods to his neighbor for safe keeping, and if it is stolen out of the man's house, if the thief is found, that thief must pay 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].

But if the thief is not found, then the owner of the house must come before the judges to see whether he has put his own hand on his neighbor's property.

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.

For every dispute about something, whether it is an ox, a donkey, a sheep, clothing, or any other missing thing about which one says, “This belongs to me,” the claim of both parties must come before the judges. The man whom the judges find guilty must pay double to his neighbor.

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 gives his neighbor a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any animal to keep, and if it dies or is hurt or is carried away without anyone seeing 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 oath to Yahweh must be taken by them both, as to whether or not one person has put his hand on his neighbor's property. The owner must accept this, and the other will make no restitution.

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 was stolen from him, the other must make restitution to the owner for it.

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 an animal was torn in pieces, let the other man bring the animal as evidence. He will not have to pay for what was torn.

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.

If a man borrows any animal from his neighbor and the animal is injured or dies without the owner being with it, the other man must surely make restitution.

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].”

But if the owner was with it, the other man will not have to pay; if the animal was hired, it will be paid for by its hiring fee.

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.

If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged, and if he sleeps with her, he must surely make her his wife by paying the bride wealth required for this.

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 completely refuses to give her to him, he must pay money equal to the bride wealth of virgins.

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

You must not allow a sorceress to live.

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

Whoever sleeps with a beast must surely be put to death.

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

Whoever sacrifices to any god except to Yahweh must be completely destroyed.

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

You must not wrong a foreigner or oppress him, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.

22 You must not mistreat any widow or any orphan.

You must not mistreat any widow or fatherless child.

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

If you afflict them at all, and if they call out to me, I will surely hear their call.

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.

My anger will burn, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows, and your children will become fatherless.

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 you lend money to any of my people among you who are poor, you must not be like a moneylender to him or charge him interest.

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 you take your neighbor's garment in pledge, you must return it to him before the sun goes down,

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 only covering; it is his garment for his body. What else can he sleep in? When he calls out to me, I will hear him, for I am compassionate.

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

You must not blaspheme me, God, nor curse a ruler of your 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.

You must not hold back offerings from your harvest or your winepresses. You must give to me the firstborn of your sons.

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].

You must also do the same with your oxen and your sheep. For seven days they may remain with their mothers, but on the eighth day you must give them to 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].”

You will be people that are set apart for me. So you must not eat any meat that was torn by animals in the field. Instead, you must throw it to the dogs.