Exodus 22

Laws on Restitution, Social Responsibility, and Justice

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1 If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. ¶
2 If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him.
3 If the sun be risen on him, there shall be blood shed for him; for he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.
4 If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double. ¶
5 If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall put in his beast, and shall feed in another man’s field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution. ¶
6 If fire break out, and catch in thorns, so that the stacks of corn, or the standing corn, or the field, be consumed therewith; he that kindled the fire shall surely make restitution. ¶
7 If a man shall deliver to his neighbor money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man’s house; if the thief be found, let him pay double.
8 If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought to the judges, to see whether he have put his hand to his neighbor’s goods.
9 For all manner of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing which another challenges to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; and whom the judges shall condemn, he shall pay double to his neighbor.
10 If a man deliver to his neighbor an ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or any beast, to keep; and it die, or be hurt, or driven away, no man seeing it:
11 Then shall an oath of the LORD be between them both, that he has not put his hand to his neighbor’s goods; and the owner of it shall accept thereof, and he shall not make it good.
12 And if it be stolen from him, he shall make restitution to the owner thereof.
13 If it be torn in pieces, then let him bring it for witness, and he shall not make good that which was torn. ¶
14 And if a man borrow something of his neighbor, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof being not with it, he shall surely make it good.
15 But if the owner thereof be with it, he shall not make it good: if it be an hired thing, it came for his hire. ¶
16 And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife.
17 If her father utterly refuse to give her to him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins. ¶
18 You shall not suffer a witch to live. ¶
19 Whoever lies with a beast shall surely be put to death. ¶
20 He that sacrifices to any god, save to the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed. ¶
21 You shall neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. ¶
22 You shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.
23 If you afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all to me, I will surely hear their cry;
24 And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless. ¶
25 If you lend money to any of my people that is poor by you, you shall not be to him as an usurer, neither shall you lay on him usury.
26 If you at all take your neighbor’s raiment to pledge, you shall deliver it to him by that the sun goes down:
27 For that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he cries to me, that I will hear; for I am gracious. ¶
28 You shall not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of your people. ¶
29 You shall not delay to offer the first of your ripe fruits, and of your liquors: the firstborn of your sons shall you give to me.
30 Likewise shall you do with your oxen, and with your sheep: seven days it shall be with his dam; on the eighth day you shall give it me. ¶
31 And you shall be holy men to me: neither shall you eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; you shall cast it to the dogs.
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