Chapter 22
1 "(If a thief is caught in the act of
housebreaking and beaten to death, there is no bloodguilt involved. 2 But if after sunrise he is thus beaten, there is
bloodguilt.) He must make full restitution. If he has nothing, he shall be sold
to pay for his theft. 3 If what he stole is
found alive in his possession, be it an ox, an ass or a sheep, he shall restore
two animals for each one stolen. 4 "When a
man is burning over a field or a vineyard, if he lets the fire spread so that
it burns in another's field, he must make restitution with the best produce of
his own field or vineyard.
5 If the fire spreads further, and catches on to thorn
bushes, so that shocked grain or standing grain or the field itself is burned
up, the one who started the fire must make full restitution.
6 "When a man gives money or an article to
another for safekeeping and it is stolen from the latter's house, the thief, if
caught, must make twofold restitution. 7 If the
thief is not caught, the owner of the house shall be brought to God, to swear
that he himself did not lay hands on his neighbor's property.
8 In every question of dishonest appropriation,
whether it be about an ox, or an ass, or a sheep, or a garment, or anything
else that has disappeared, where another claims that the thing is his, both
parties shall present their case before God; the one whom God convicts must
make twofold restitution to the other.
9 "When a man gives an ass, or an ox, or a sheep,
or any other animal to another for safekeeping, if it dies, or is maimed or
snatched away, without anyone witnessing the fact, 10
the custodian shall swear by the LORD that he did not lay hands on his
neighbor's property; the owner must accept the oath, and no restitution is to
be made. 11 But if the custodian is really
guilty of theft, he must make restitution to the owner. 12 If it has been killed by a wild beast, let him bring it as
evidence, and he need not make restitution for the mangled animal.
13 "When a man borrows an animal from his
neighbor, if it is maimed or dies while the owner is not present, the man must
make restitution. 14 But if the owner is
present, he need not make restitution. If it was hired, this was covered by the
price of its hire.
15 "When a man seduces a virgin who is not
betrothed, and lies with her, he shall pay her marriage price and marry her. 16 If her father refuses to give her to him, he must
still pay him the customary marriage price for virgins.
17 "You shall not let a sorceress live.
18 "Anyone who lies with an animal shall be put
to death.
19 "Whoever sacrifices to any god, except to the
LORD alone, shall be doomed.
20 "You shall not molest or oppress an alien, for
you were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt. 21
You shall not wrong any widow or orphan. 22 If
ever you wrong them and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry. 23 My wrath will flare up, and I will kill you with
the sword; then your own wives will be widows, and your children orphans.
24 "If you lend money to one of your poor neighbors
among my people, you shall not act like an extortioner toward him by demanding
interest from him.
25 If you take your neighbor's cloak as a pledge, you
shall return it to him before sunset; 26 for
this cloak of his is the only covering he has for his body. What else has he to
sleep in? If he cries out to me, I will hear him; for I am compassionate.
27 "You shall not revile God, nor curse a prince
of your people.
28 "You shall not delay the offering of your
harvest and your press. You shall give me the first-born of your sons. 29 You must do the same with your oxen and your sheep;
for seven days the firstling may stay with its mother, but on the eighth day
you must give it to me.
30 "You shall be men sacred to me. Flesh torn to
pieces in the field you shall not eat; throw it to the dogs.
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