Exodus 22
22
Laws About Keeping Property Safe
1“Suppose someone steals an ox or a sheep. And suppose that person kills it or sells it. Then the thief must pay back five oxen for the ox. Or the thief must pay back four sheep for the sheep.
2“Suppose you catch a thief breaking into your house at night. And suppose you hit the thief and the thief dies. Then you are not guilty of murder. 3But suppose it happens after the sun has come up. Then you are guilty of murder.
“Anyone who steals must pay for whatever they steal. But suppose the thief does not have anything. Then the thief must be sold to pay for what was stolen. 4What if the stolen ox, donkey or sheep is found alive with the thief? Then the thief must pay back twice as much.
5“Suppose someone lets their livestock eat grass in someone else’s field or vineyard. Then they must pay that person back from the best crops of their own field or vineyard.
6“Suppose a fire breaks out and spreads into bushes. Suppose it burns cut and stacked grain or grain that is still growing. Or suppose it burns the whole field. Then the one who started the fire must pay for the loss.
7“Suppose someone gives a neighbor silver or other things to keep safe. And suppose they are stolen from the neighbor’s house. The thief, if caught, must pay back twice as much as was stolen. 8But suppose the thief is not found. Then the neighbor must go to the judges. They will decide whether the neighbor has stolen the other person’s property. 9Suppose you have an ox, donkey, sheep or clothing that does not belong to you. Or you have other property lost by someone else. And suppose someone says, ‘That belongs to me.’ Then both people must bring their case to the judges. The one the judges decide is guilty must pay back twice as much to the other person.
10“Suppose someone asks their neighbor to take care of a donkey, ox, sheep or any other animal. And suppose the animal dies or gets hurt. Or suppose it is stolen while no one is looking. 11Then the problem will be settled by promising the Lord to tell the truth. Suppose the neighbor says, ‘I didn’t steal your property.’ Then the owner must accept what the neighbor says. No payment is required. 12But suppose the animal really was stolen. Then the neighbor must pay the owner back. 13Or suppose it was torn to pieces by a wild animal. Then the neighbor must bring in what is left as proof. No payment is required.
14“Suppose someone borrows an animal from their neighbor. And it gets hurt or dies while the owner is not there. Then the borrower must pay for it. 15But suppose the owner is with the animal. Then the borrower will not have to pay. If the borrower hired the animal, the money paid to hire it covers the loss.
Laws About Social Problems
16“Suppose a man meets a virgin who is not engaged. And he talks her into having sex with him. Then he must pay her father the price for a bride. And he must marry her. 17But suppose her father absolutely refuses to give her to him. Then he must still pay the price for getting married to a virgin.
18“Do not let a woman who does evil magic stay alive. Put her to death.
19“Anyone who has sex with an animal must be put to death.
20“Anyone who sacrifices to any god other than the Lord must be destroyed.
21“Do not treat outsiders badly. Do not give them a hard time. Remember, you were outsiders in Egypt.
22“Do not take advantage of widows. Do not take advantage of children whose fathers have died. 23If you do, they might cry out to me. I will certainly hear them. 24And I will get angry. I will kill you with a sword. Your wives will become widows. Your children’s fathers will die.
25“Suppose you lend money to one of my people among you who is in need. Then do not treat it like a business deal. Do not charge any interest at all. 26Suppose your neighbor owes you money and gives you a coat as a promise to pay it back. Then return it by sunset. 27That coat is the only thing your neighbor owns to wear or sleep in. When they cry out to me, I will listen, because I am loving and kind.
28“Do not speak evil things against God. Do not curse the ruler of your people.
29“Do not keep for yourself your grain offerings or wine offerings.
“You must give me the oldest of your sons. 30Do the same with your cattle and sheep. Let them stay with their mothers for seven days. But give them to me on the eighth day.
31“I want you to be my holy people. So do not eat the meat of any animal that has been torn by wild animals. Throw it to the dogs.
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Exodus 22: NIrV
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Exodus 22
22
Laws About Restitution
1#2Sa 12:6; Lk 19:8If a man steals an ox or a sheep and kills it or sells it, then he shall repay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.
2#Mt 24:43; Nu 35:27If a thief is caught breaking in and is struck so that he dies, then there will be no blood guilt for him. 3#Ex 21:2If the sun has risen on him, then there is blood guilt for him.
He must make full restitution. If he has nothing, then he will be sold for his theft. 4#Ex 21:16; 22:1If the stolen item is in fact found alive in his possession, whether it be an ox, or donkey, or sheep, then he shall repay double.
5If a man causes a field or vineyard to be eaten and puts out his beast so that it feeds in another man’s field, he must make restitution of the best of his own field and of the best of his own vineyard.
6#Ex 22:9If fire breaks out and catches in thorn bushes, so that stacked grain or the standing grain or the field are consumed, then he who started the fire must surely make restitution.
7If a man gives his neighbor money or items to be kept for him, and it is stolen from the man’s house, if the thief is caught, he must repay double. 8#Ex 21:6; 22:28If the thief is not caught, then the owner of the house will be brought before the judges to determine if he has laid his hand on his neighbor’s goods. 9#Dt 25:1; Ex 22:4For any kind of trespass, whether it be for an ox, for a donkey, for a sheep, for clothing, or for any type of lost thing, where another says it is his, the case of both parties shall come before the judges. And whoever the judges find guilty will pay double to his neighbor.
10If a man gives his neighbor a donkey, or an ox, or a sheep, or any beast to keep for him, and it dies, or is injured, or is driven away while no one sees it, 11#Heb 6:16then there will be an oath before the Lord between both of them that he has not laid his hand upon his neighbor’s property. And its owner must accept this, and he will not have to make restitution. 12#Ge 31:39However, if it was stolen from him, he shall make restitution to its owner. 13If it is torn in pieces, then let him bring it as evidence, and he will not have to repay for that which was torn.
14If a man borrows anything from his neighbor, and it is hurt or dies when the owner was not with it, then he shall surely make restitution. 15But if the owner was with it, he shall not make restitution. If it was a hired thing, it came with his hire.
Moral and Ceremonial Laws
16#Dt 22:28–29If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged and has relations with her, he must surely endow her to be his wife. 17#Ge 34:12; 1Sa 18:25If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must pay money according to the dowry of virgins.
18#Lev 20:27; 1Sa 28:3You must not allow a sorceress to live.
19#Lev 18:23; Dt 27:21Whoever has relations with a beast must surely be put to death.
20#Dt 17:2–5; Nu 25:7–8He who sacrifices to any god other than the Lord alone shall be utterly destroyed.
21#Dt 10:19; Ex 23:9; Lev 19:33You must neither wrong a foreigner nor oppress him, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.
22#Dt 24:17; 27:19You shall not afflict any widow or orphan. 23#Ps 18:6; Lk 18:7If you afflict them in any way and they cry at all to Me, I will surely hear their cry. 24#Ps 109:9; 69:24And My anger will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives will become widows, and your children fatherless.
25#Ps 15:5; Lev 25:35–37; Dt 23:19–20If you lend money to any of My people who is poor among you, do not be a creditor to him, and do not charge him interest. 26#Dt 24:6; Pr 20:16If you take your neighbor’s garment as a pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down, 27#Ex 34:6; 2Ch 30:9for that is his only covering; it is his garment for his body. In what else will he sleep? And when he cries out to Me, I will hear, for I am gracious.
28#Ecc 10:20; Ac 23:5You shall not curse God or curse the ruler of your people.
29#Ex 13:2; 23:16You must not delay to offer the first of your harvest and of your vats.
You must give to Me the firstborn of your sons. 30#Lev 22:27; Dt 15:19Likewise you must do the same with your oxen and with your sheep. Seven days it shall remain with its mother, but on the eighth day you must give it to Me.
31#Eze 4:14; Lev 19:2You will be holy men to Me; therefore you must not eat any flesh that is torn by beasts in the field. You must throw it to the dogs.
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