Exodus 22

1If 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.footnote a

2If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him.

3If the sun be risen upon 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.

4If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double.

5If 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.

6If 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.

7If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man’s house; if the thief be found, let him pay double.

8If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the judges, to see whether he have put his hand unto his neighbour’s goods.

9For all manner of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing, which another challengeth to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; and whom the judges shall condemn, he shall pay double unto his neighbour.

10If a man deliver unto his neighbour 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:

11Then shall an oath of the LORD be between them both, that he hath not put his hand unto his neighbour’s goods; and the owner of it shall accept thereof, and he shall not make it good.

12And if it be stolen from him, he shall make restitution unto the owner thereof.

13If it be torn in pieces, then let him bring it for witness, and he shall not make good that which was torn.

14And if a man borrow ought of his neighbour, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof being not with it, he shall surely make it good.

15But if the owner thereof be with it, he shall not make it good: if it be an hired thing, it came for his hire.

16And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife.

17If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.footnote b

18Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.

19Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death.

20He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed.

21Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

22Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.

23If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry;

24And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.

25If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.

26If thou at all take thy neighbour’s raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down:

27For that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious.

28Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.footnote c

29Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.footnote dfootnote e

30Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with his dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it me.

31And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs.

Property Laws

1“If a man steals an oxfootnote a or a sheep and slaughters or sells it, he must repay five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep.

2If a thief is caught breaking in and is beaten to death, no one shall be guilty of bloodshed. 3But if it happens after sunrise, there is guilt for his bloodshed.
A thief must make full restitution; if he has nothing, he himself shall be sold for his theft. 4If what was stolen is actually found alive in his possession—whether ox or donkey or sheep—he must pay back double.

5If a man grazes his livestock in a field or vineyard and allows them to stray so that they graze in someone else’s field, he must make restitution from the best of his own field or vineyard.

6If a fire breaks out and spreads to thornbushes so that it consumes stacked or standing grain, or the whole field, the one who started the fire must make full restitution.

7If a man gives his neighbor money or goods for safekeeping and they are stolen from the neighbor’s house, the thief, if caught, must pay back double. 8If the thief is not found, the owner of the house must appear before the judgesfootnote b to determine whether he has taken his neighbor’s property.

9In all cases of illegal possession of an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any lost item that someone claims, ‘This is mine,’ both parties shall bring their cases before the judges. The one whom the judges find guiltyfootnote c must pay back double to his neighbor.

10If a man gives a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any other animal to be cared for by his neighbor, but it dies or is injured or stolen while no one is watching, 11an oath before the LORD shall be made between the parties to determine whether or not the man has taken his neighbor’s property. The owner must accept the oath and require no restitution.

12But if the animal was actually stolen from the neighbor, he must make restitution to the owner.

13If the animal was torn to pieces, he shall bring it as evidence; he need not make restitution for the torn carcass.

14If a man borrows an animal from his neighbor and it is injured or dies while its owner is not present, he must make full restitution. 15If the owner was present, no restitution is required. If the animal was rented, the fee covers the loss.

Laws of Social Responsibility

16If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged in marriage and sleeps with her, he must pay the full dowry for her to be his wife. 17If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, the man still must pay an amount comparable to the bridal price of a virgin.

18You must not allow a sorceress to live.

19Whoever lies with an animal must surely be put to death.

20If anyone sacrifices to any god other than the LORD alone, he must be set apart for destruction.footnote d

21You must not exploit or oppress a foreign resident, for you yourselves were foreigners in the land of Egypt.

22You must not mistreat any widow or orphan. 23If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to Me in distress, I will surely hear their cry. 24My anger will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword; then your wives will become widows and your children will be fatherless.

25If you lend money to one of My people among you who is poor, you must not act as a creditor to him; you are not to charge him interest.

26If you take your neighbor’s cloak as collateral, return it to him by sunset, 27because his cloak is the only covering he has for his body. What else will he sleep in? And if he cries out to Me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.

28You must not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.footnote e

29You must not hold back offerings from your granaries or vats. You are to give Me the firstborn of your sons. 30You shall do likewise with your cattle and your sheep. Let them stay with their mothers for seven days, but on the eighth day you are to give them to Me.

31You are to be My holy people. You must not eat the meat of a mauled animal found in the field; you are to throw it to the dogs.