22Exodus 22

Property Laws / The said:

1If you steal an ox and slaughter or sell it, you must replace it with five oxen; if you steal a sheep and slaughter it or sell it, you must replace it with four sheep.Select Exodus 22:1

4But if you cannot afford to replace the animals, you must be sold as a slave to pay for what you have stolen. If you steal an ox, donkey, or sheep, and are caught with it still alive, you must pay the owner double. If you happen to kill a burglar who breaks into your home after dark, you are not guilty. But if you kill someone who breaks in during the day, you are guilty of murder.Select Exodus 22:4

5If you allow any of your animals to stray from your property and graze in someone else's field or vineyard, you must repay the damage from the best part of your own harvest of grapes and grain.Select Exodus 22:5

6If you carelessly let a fire spread from your property to someone else's, you must pay the owner for any crops or fields destroyed by the fire.Select Exodus 22:6

7Suppose a neighbor asks you to keep some silver or other valuables, and they are stolen from your house. If the thief is caught, the thief must repay double.Select Exodus 22:7

8But if the thief isn't caught, some judges will decide if you are the guilty one.Select Exodus 22:8

9Suppose two people claim to own the same ox or donkey or sheep or piece of clothing. Then the judges must decide the case, and the guilty person will pay the owner double.Select Exodus 22:9

10Suppose a neighbor who is going to be away asks you to keep a donkey or an ox or a sheep or some other animal, and it dies or gets injured or is stolen while no one is looking.Select Exodus 22:10

11If you swear with me as your witness that you did not harm the animal, you do not have to replace it. Your word is enough.Select Exodus 22:11

12But if the animal was stolen while in your care, you must replace it.Select Exodus 22:12

13If the animal was attacked and killed by a wild animal, and you can show the remains of the dead animal to its owner, you do not have to replace it.Select Exodus 22:13

14Suppose you borrow an animal from a neighbor, and it gets injured or dies while the neighbor isn't around. Then you must replace it.Select Exodus 22:14

15But if something happens to the animal while the owner is present, you do not have to replace it. If you had leased the animal, the money you paid the owner will cover any harm done to it.Select Exodus 22:15

Laws for Everyday Life / The said:

16Suppose a young woman has never had sex and isn't engaged. If a man talks her into having sex, he must pay the bride price and marry her.Select Exodus 22:16

17But if her father refuses to let her marry the man, the bride price must still be paid.Select Exodus 22:17

18Death is the punishment for witchcraft.Select Exodus 22:18

19Death is the punishment for having sex with an animal.Select Exodus 22:19

20Death is the punishment for offering sacrifices to any god except me.Select Exodus 22:20

21Do not mistreat or abuse foreigners who live among you. Remember, you were foreigners in Egypt.Select Exodus 22:21

22Do not mistreat widows or orphans.Select Exodus 22:22

23If you do, they will beg for my help, and I will come to their rescue.Select Exodus 22:23

24In fact, I will get so angry that I will kill your men and make widows of their wives and orphans of their children.Select Exodus 22:24

25Don't charge interest when you lend money to any of my people who are in need.Select Exodus 22:25

26Before sunset you must return any coat taken as security for a loan,Select Exodus 22:26

27because that is the only cover the poor have when they sleep at night. I am a merciful God, and when they call out to me, I will come to help them.Select Exodus 22:27

28Don't speak evil of me or of the ruler of your people.Select Exodus 22:28

29Don't fail to give me the offerings of grain and wine that belong to me. Dedicate to me your first-born sonsSelect Exodus 22:29

30and the first-born of your cattle and sheep. Let the animals stay with their mothers for seven days, then on the eighth day give them to me, your God.Select Exodus 22:30

31You are my chosen people, so don't eat the meat of any of your livestock that was killed by a wild animal. Instead, feed the meat to dogs.Select Exodus 22:31