Exodus 22 - Introduction

1 Of theft.

5 Of dammage.

7 Of trespasses.

14 Of borrowing.

16 Of fornication.

18 Of witchcraft.

19 Of bestialitie.

20 Of idolatrie.

21 Of strangers, widowes, and fatherlesse.

25 Of vsurie.

26 Of pledges.

28 Of reuerence to Magistrates.

29 Of the first fruits.

[Diuers lawes, and ordinances.]

1 If a man shal steale an oxe, or a [Note: Or, goate.] sheepe, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore fiue oxen for an oxe, and [Note: 2 Samuel 12:6.] foure sheepe for a sheepe.

2 If a thiefe bee found breaking vp, and be smitten that he die, there shal no blood be shed for him.

3 If the Sunne be risen vpon him, there shall be blood shed for him: for hee should make full restitution: if he haue nothing, then he shall bee sold for his theft.

4 If the theft be certainely found in his hand aliue, whether it bee oxe or asse, or sheepe, he shall restore double.

5 If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall put in his beast, and shall feede in another mans field: of the best of his owne field, and of the best of his owne vineyard shall he make restitution.

6 If fire breake out, and catch in thornes, so that the stackes of corne, or the standing corne, or the field be consumed therewith; hee that kindled the fire, shall surely make restitution.

7 If a man shal deliuer vnto his neighbour money or stuffe to keepe, and it be stollen out of the mans house; if the thiefe be found, let him pay double.

8 If the thiefe be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought vnto the Iudges, to see whether he haue put his hande vnto his neighbours goods.

9 For all maner of trespasse, whether it be for oxe, for asse, for sheepe, for raiment, or for any maner of lost thing, which another challengeth to be his: the cause of both parties shall come before the Iudges, and whome the Iudges shall condemne, he shall pay double vnto his neighbour.

10 If a man deliuer vnto his neighbour an asse, or an oxe, or a sheepe, or any beast to keepe, and it die, or be hurt, or driuen away, no man seeing it,

11 Then shall an othe of the Lord be betweene them both, that hee hath not put his hand vnto his neighbours goods: and the owner of it shall accept thereof, and he shall not make it good.

12 And [Note: Genesis 31:39.] if it be stollen from him, he shall make restitution vnto the owner thereof.

[Diuers lawes, and ordinances.]

13 If it be torne in pieces, then let him bring it for witnesse, and hee shall not make good that which was torne.

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

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

16 And [Note: Deuteronomy 22:28.] if a man entice a maide that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife.

17 If her father vtterly refuse to giue her vnto him, he shall [Note: Hel. Weigh.] pay money according to the dowrie of virgins.

18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to liue.

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

20 [Note: Deuteronomy 13:13-15; Genesis 2:24.] Hee that sacrificeth vnto any god saue vnto the Lord onely, hee shall be vtterly destroyed.

21 [Note: Leviticus 19:33.] Thou shalt neither vexe a stranger, nor oppresse him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

22 [Note: Zechariah 7:10.] Yee shall not afflict any widow, or fatherlesse child.

23 If thou afflict them in any wise, and they crie at all vnto mee, I will surely heare their crie.

24 And my wrath shall waxe hote, and I will kill you with the sword: and your wiues shall be widowes, and your children fatherlesse.

25 [Note: Leviticus 25:37; Deuteronomy 23:19; Psalms 15:5.] If thou lend money to any of my people that is poore by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an vsurer, neither shalt thou lay vpon him vsurie.

26 If thou at all take thy neighbors raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliuer it vnto him by that the sun goeth downe.

27 For that is his couering onely, it is his raiment for his skinne: wherein shal he sleepe? And it shal come to passe, when he crieth vnto mee, that I will heare: for I am gracious.

28 [Note: Acts 23:5.] Thou shalt not reuile the [Note: Or, Iudges] Gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.

29 Thou shalt not delay to offer the [Note: Hebrew: thy fulnesse.] first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy [Note: Hebrew: Teare.] liquors: [Note: Exodus 13:2; Exodus 13:12; Exodus 34:19.] the first borne of thy sonnes shalt thou giue vnto me.

30 Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheepe: seuen dayes it shall be with his damme, on the eight day thou shalt giue it me.

31 And ye shall be holy men vnto me: [Note: Leviticus 22:8; Ezekiel 44:31.] neither shall ye eate any flesh that

[Diuers lawes, and ordinances.]

is torne of beasts in the field: yee shall cast it to the dogs.