Property Laws 1 UST If someone steals a bull or a sheep and then kills it or sells it, he must give the owner five bulls or cows for the bull that he stole, and he must give the owner four sheep or goats for the sheep that he stole. BSB BSB: “If a man steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters or sells it, he must repay five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep.
2 UST If someone finds a thief breaking into his house{ at night} and hits him and the thief dies, he is not guilty of murder. BSB BSB: If a thief is caught breaking in and is beaten to death, no one shall be guilty of bloodshed.
3 UST But if that happens during the daytime, the one who killed the thief is guilty of murdering him. A thief must pay for what he stole. If he has nothing with which to pay for what he stole, the judges must sell him to become a slave, and the money from his sale will pay for what he stole. BSB BSB: But 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.
4 UST In a case where you catch a thief and he still has the stolen goods, if it is a bull or a donkey or a sheep, and it is still alive, the thief must pay back the stolen animal as well as another one of the same kind. BSB BSB: If what was stolen is actually found alive in his possession—whether ox or donkey or sheep—he must pay back double.
5 UST If someone puts his animals in his field or in his vineyard to eat, and he allows the to animals stray away and eat the plants in another person’ s field, the owner of the animals must pay the owner of that field by giving him the best from his own field or vineyard. BSB BSB: If 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.
6 UST If someone starts a fire, and it spreads through the grass and starts burning in someone else’ s field, and the fire burns grain that is growing or grain that is already cut and stacked, then the person who started the fire must pay for the grain that the fire destroyed. BSB BSB: If 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.
7 UST Suppose that someone gives another person some money or other items and asks him to keep it in his house for a while. And suppose that a thief steals it from that person’ s house. If you catch the thief, the thief must pay back twice as much as he stole. BSB BSB: If 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.
8 UST But if no one catches the thief, you must bring the owner of the house to God so he{ can swear} that he did not take his neighbor’ s property. BSB BSB: If the thief is not found, the owner of the house must appear before the judges to determine whether he has taken his neighbor’s property.
9 UST Whenever someone claims his neighbor wronged him and says,‘This is actually mine,’ about a bull, a donkey, a sheep, clothing, or something else he lost, they must both come and stand before God. The one whom God says is wrong must pay back the owner twice as much as he took. BSB BSB: In 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 guilty must pay back double to his neighbor.
10 UST Suppose someone gives his donkey or bull or sheep or some other animal to someone else and asks him to take care of it for a while. However, the animal dies, or something injures it or takes it away while no one is watching. BSB BSB: If 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,
11 UST Then the person who was taking care of the animal must swear, knowing that Yahweh is listening, that he did not steal the item. The owner of the animal must accept that the other person is telling the truth, and the other person will not have to pay anything back to the owner. BSB BSB: an 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.
12 UST But if someone stole the animal while he was supposed to be taking care of it, the man who promised to take care of it must pay back the owner for the animal. BSB BSB: But if the animal was actually stolen from the neighbor, he must make restitution to the owner.
13 UST If wild animals mauled the animal, he must bring back its remains to prove that what he says is true. If he does that, he will not have to pay anything for the mauled animal. BSB BSB: If the animal was torn to pieces, he shall bring it as evidence; he need not make restitution for the torn carcass.
14 UST If someone borrows an animal from his neighbor, and if something hurts or kills that animal when its owner is not there, the one who borrowed it must pay the owner for the animal. BSB BSB: If 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.
15 UST But if that happens when the owner of the animal is there, the one who borrowed it will not have to pay back anything. If someone rented it, the money that he paid to rent it will be enough to pay for the animal dying or for an injury. BSB BSB: If the owner was present, no restitution is required. If the animal was rented, the fee covers the loss.
Laws of Social Responsibility 16 UST If a man tricks a virgin girl whose{ father} has not yet promised her to be anyone’ s bride into having sexual intercourse with him, he must pay the bride price for her and marry her. BSB BSB: If 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.
17 UST But if her father does not allow her to marry him, he must still pay the girl’ s father as much money as men pay to marry a virgin. BSB BSB: If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, the man still must pay an amount comparable to the bridal price of a virgin.
18 UST You must kill any woman who practices sorcery. BSB BSB: You must not allow a sorceress to live.
19 UST You must kill any person who has sexual intercourse with an animal. BSB BSB: Whoever lies with an animal must surely be put to death.
20 UST You must kill anyone who offers a sacrifice to any god other than Yahweh. BSB BSB: If anyone sacrifices to any god other than the LORD alone, he must be set apart for destruction.
21 UST You must not abuse or subjugate foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt. BSB BSB: You must not exploit or oppress a foreign resident, for you yourselves were foreigners in the land of Egypt.
22 UST You must not mistreat any widow or any orphan. BSB BSB: You must not mistreat any widow or orphan.
23 UST If you mistreat them and they ask me to help them, I will help them. BSB BSB: If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to Me in distress, I will surely hear their cry.
24 UST Because I will be angry with you, I will cause you to die in war. Your wives will become widows, and your children will become orphans. BSB BSB: My anger will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword; then your wives will become widows and your children will be fatherless.
25 UST If you lend money to any of my people who are poor, do not act like a moneylender by requiring him to pay interest on the money. BSB BSB: If 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.
27 UST because his cloak is the only thing he has to cover his body when he sleeps. When he complains about you to me, I will help him because I am merciful. BSB BSB: because 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.
28 UST Do not insult God, and do not call on God to do harmful things to any ruler of your people. BSB BSB: You must not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.
29 UST Do not withhold from me the best parts of the grain that you harvest or of the olive oil or the wine that you produce. You will give your firstborn sons to me. BSB BSB: You must not hold back offerings from your granaries or vats. You are to give Me the firstborn of your sons.
30 UST Similarly, your firstborn male cattle and sheep belong to me. After those animals are born, allow them to stay with their mothers for seven days. On the eighth day you will give them to me. BSB BSB: You 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.
31 UST You are my set apart people, so do not eat any meat from any animal that a wild animal killed. Instead, throw it where the dogs can eat it. BSB BSB: You 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.