Mishpatim

21:1 “ These are the ordinances that you are to set before them: 21:2 If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free without paying anything. 21:3 If he arrived alone, he is to leave alone; if he arrived with a wife, she is to leave with him. 21:4 If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall go free. 21:5 But if the servant declares, ‘ I love my master and my wife and children; I do not want to go free,’ 21:6 then his master is to bring him before the judges. And he shall take him to the door or doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he shall serve his master for life. 21:7 And if a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as the menservants do. 21:8 If she is displeasing in the eyes of her master who had designated her for himself, he must allow her to be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners, since he has broken faith with her. 21:9 And if he chooses her for his son, he must deal with her as with a daughter. 21:10 If he takes another wife, he must not reduce the food, clothing, or marital rights of his first wife. 21:11 If, however, he does not provide her with these three things, she is free to go without monetary payment. Personal Injury Laws 21:12 Whoever strikes and kills a man must surely be put to death. 21:13 If, however, he did not lie in wait, but God allowed it to happen, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee. 21:14 But if a man schemes and acts willfully against his neighbor to kill him, you must take him away from My altar to be put to death. 21:15 Whoever strikes his father or mother must surely be put to death. 21:16 Whoever kidnaps another man must be put to death, whether he sells him or the man is found in his possession. 21:17 Anyone who curses his father or mother must surely be put to death. 21:18 If men are quarreling and one strikes the other with a stone or a fist, and he does not die but is confined to bed, 21:19 then the one who struck him shall go unpunished, as long as the other can get up and walk around outside with his staff. Nevertheless, he must compensate the man for his lost work and see that he is completely healed.

21:20 If a man strikes his manservant or maidservant with a rod, and the servant dies by his hand, he shall surely be punished. 21:21 However, if the servant gets up after a day or two, the owner shall not be punished, since the servant is his property. 21:22 If men who are fighting strike a pregnant woman and her child is born prematurely, but there is no further injury, he shall surely be fined as the woman ’s husband demands and as the court allows. 21:23 But if a serious injury results, then you must require a life for a life — 21:24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 21:25 burn for burn, wound for wound, and stripe for stripe. 21:26 If a man strikes and blinds the eye of his manservant or maidservant, he must let the servant go free as compensation for the eye. 21:27 And if he knocks out the tooth of his manservant or maidservant, he must let the servant go free as compensation for the tooth. 21:28 If an ox gores a man or woman to death, the ox must surely be stoned, and its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the ox shall not be held responsible. 21:29 But if the ox has a habit of goring, and its owner has been warned yet does not restrain it, and it kills a man or woman, then the ox must be stoned and its owner must also be put to death. 21:30 If payment is demanded of him instead, he may redeem his life by paying the full amount demanded of him. 21:31 If the ox gores a son or a daughter, it shall be done to him according to the same rule. 21:32 If the ox gores a manservant or maidservant, the owner must pay thirty shekels of silver to the master of that servant, and the ox must be stoned. 21:33 If a man opens or digs a pit and fails to cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, 21:34 the owner of the pit shall make restitution; he must pay its owner, and the dead animal will be his. 21:35 If a man ’s ox injures his neighbor ’s ox and it dies, they must sell the live one and divide the proceeds; they also must divide the dead animal. 21:36 But if it was known that the ox had a habit of goring, yet its owner failed to restrain it, he shall pay full compensation, ox for ox, and the dead animal will be his. 22:1 “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. 22:2 If a thief is caught breaking in and is beaten to death, no one shall be guilty of bloodshed. 22:3 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.

22:4 If what was stolen is actually found alive in his possession—whether ox or donkey or sheep— he must pay back double. 22:5 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. 22:6 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. 22:7 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. 22:8 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. 22:9 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. 22:10 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, 22:11 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. 22:12 But if the animal was actually stolen from the neighbor, he must make restitution to the owner. 22:13 If the animal was torn to pieces, he shall bring it as evidence; he need not make restitution for the torn carcass. 22:14 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. 22:15 If the owner was present, no restitution is required. If the animal was rented, the fee covers the loss. Laws of Social Responsibility 22:16 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. 22:17 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. 22:18 You must not allow a sorceress to live. 22:19 Whoever lies with an animal must surely be put to death. 22:20 If anyone sacrifices to any god other than the LORD alone, he must be set apart for destruction. 22:21 You must not exploit or oppress a foreign resident, for you yourselves were foreigners in the land of Egypt. 22:22 You must not mistreat any widow or orphan. 22:23 If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to Me in distress, I will surely hear their cry. 22:24 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. 22:25 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. 22:26 If you take your neighbor’s cloak as collateral, return it to him by sunset,

22:27 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. 22:28 You must not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people. 22:29 You must not hold back offerings from your granaries or vats. You are to give Me the firstborn of your sons. 22:30 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. 22:31 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. 23:1 “ You shall not spread a false report. Do not join the wicked by being a malicious witness. 23:2 You shall not follow the crowd in wrongdoing. When you testify in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd. 23:3 And do not show favoritism to a poor man in his lawsuit. 23:4 If you encounter your enemy’s stray ox or donkey, you must return it to him. 23:5 If you see the donkey of one who hates you fallen under its load, do not leave it there; you must help him with it.

23:6 You shall not deny justice to the poor in their lawsuits. 23:7 Stay far away from a false accusation. Do not kill the innocent or the just, for I will not acquit the guilty. 23:8 Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous. 23:9 Do not oppress a foreign resident, since you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners; for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. Sabbath Laws (Leviticus 25:1–7; Deuteronomy 15:1–6) 23:10 For six years you are to sow your land and gather its produce, 23:11 but in the seventh year you must let it rest and lie fallow, so that the poor among your people may eat from the field and the wild animals may consume what they leave. Do the same with your vineyard and olive grove. 23:12 For six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you must cease, so that your ox and your donkey may rest and the son of your maidservant may be refreshed, as well as the foreign resident. 23:13 Pay close attention to everything I have said to you. You must not invoke the names of other gods; they must not be heard on your lips. The Three Feasts of Pilgrimage (Leviticus 23:1–3) 23:14 Three times a year you are to celebrate a feast to Me. 23:15 You are to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread as I commanded you: At the appointed time in the month of Abib you are to eat unleavened bread for seven days, because that was the month you came out of Egypt. No one may appear before Me empty-handed. 23:16 You are also to keep the Feast of Harvest with the firstfruits of the produce from what you sow in the field. And keep the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather your produce from the field. 23:17 Three times a year all your males are to appear before the Lord GOD. 23:18 You must not offer the blood of My sacrifices with anything leavened, nor may the fat of My feast remain until morning. 23:19 Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the LORD your God. You must not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk. God’s Angel to Lead (Deuteronomy 7:12–26)

23:20 Behold, I am sending an angel before you to protect you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared. 23:21 Pay attention to him and listen to his voice; do not defy him, for he will not forgive rebellion, since My Name is in him. 23:22 But if you will listen carefully to his voice and do everything I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and a foe to your foes. 23:23 For My angel will go before you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites, and I will annihilate them. 23:24 You must not bow down to their gods or serve them or follow their practices. Instead, you are to demolish them and smash their sacred stones to pieces. 23:25 So you shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take away sickness from among you.

23:26 No woman in your land will miscarry or be barren; I will fulfill the number of your days. 23:27 I will send My terror ahead of you and throw into confusion every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn and run. 23:28 I will send the hornet before you to drive the Hivites and Canaanites and Hittites out of your way. 23:29 I will not drive them out before you in a single year; otherwise the land would become desolate and wild animals would multiply against you. 23:30 Little by little I will drive them out ahead of you, until you become fruitful and possess the land. 23:31 And I will establish your borders from the Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines, and from the desert to the Euphrates. For I will deliver the inhabitants into your hand, and you will drive them out before you. 23:32 You shall make no covenant with them or with their gods. 23:33 They must not remain in your land, lest they cause you to sin against Me. For if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.” 24:1 Then the LORD said to Moses, “ Come up to the LORD — you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of Israel ’s elders — and you are to worship at a distance. 24:2 Moses alone shall approach the LORD, but the others must not come near. And the people may not go up with him.” 24:3 When Moses came and told the people all the words and ordinances of the LORD, they all responded with one voice: “ All the words that the LORD has spoken, we will do.” 24:4 And Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. Early the next morning he got up and built an altar at the base of the mountain, along with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. 24:5 Then he sent out some young men of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as peace offerings to the LORD. 24:6 Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he sprinkled on the altar. 24:7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people, who replied, “ All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.” 24:8 So Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, “ This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.” 24:9 Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, 24:10 and they saw the God of Israel. Under His feet was a work like a pavement made of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself. 24:11 But God did not lay His hand on the nobles of Israel; they saw Him, and they ate and drank. Moses on the Mountain 24:12 Then the LORD said to Moses, “ Come up to Me on the mountain and stay here, so that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction.” 24:13 So Moses set out with Joshua his attendant and went up on the mountain of God. 24:14 And he said to the elders, “ Wait here for us until we return to you. Aaron and Hur are here with you. Whoever has a dispute can go to them.” 24:15 When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it, 24:16 and the glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered it, and on the seventh day the LORD called to Moses from within the cloud. 24:17 And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the mountaintop in the eyes of the Israelites. 24:18 Moses entered the cloud as he went up on the mountain, and he remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights.