A Law about Divorce
Moses said to Israel:
1 Suppose a woman was divorced by her first husband because he found something disgraceful about her. He wrote out divorce papers, gave them to her, and sent her away. 2 Later she married another man, 3 who then either divorced her in the same way or died. 4 Since she has slept with her second husband, she cannot marry her first husband again. Their marriage would pollute the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and he would be disgusted.
Newlyweds
Moses said to Israel:
5 If a man and a woman have been married less than one year, he must not be sent off to war or sent away to do forced labor. He must be allowed to stay home for a year and be happy with his wife.
Loans
Moses said to Israel:
6 When you lend money to people, you are allowed to keep something of theirs as a guarantee that they will pay back the loan. But don't take one or both of their millstones, or else they may starve. They need these stones for grinding grain into flour to make bread.
Kidnapping
Moses said to Israel:
7 If you are guilty of kidnapping Israelites and forcing them into slavery, you will be put to death to remove this evil from the community.
Skin Diseases
Moses said to Israel:
8 I have told the priests what to do if any of you have leprosy, so do exactly what they say. 9 And remember what the Lord your God did to Miriam after you left Egypt.
Loans
Moses said to Israel:
10 When you lend money to people, you are allowed to keep something of theirs as a guarantee that the money will be paid back. But you must not go into their house to get it. 11 Wait outside, and they will bring out the item you have agreed on.
12 Suppose someone is so poor that a coat is the only thing that can be offered as a guarantee on a loan. Don't keep the coat overnight. 13 Instead, give it back before sunset, so the owner can keep warm and sleep and ask the Lord to bless you. Then the Lord your God will notice that you have done the right thing.
Poor People's Wages
Moses said:
14 If you hire poor people to work for you, don't hold back their pay, whether they are Israelites or foreigners who live in your town. 15 Pay them their wages at the end of each day, because they live in poverty and need the money to survive. If you don't pay them on time, they will complain about you to the Lord, and he will punish you.
The Death Penalty
Moses said to Israel:
16 Parents must not be put to death for crimes committed by their children, and children must not be put to death for crimes committed by their parents. Don't put anyone to death for someone else's crime.
Don't Mistreat the Powerless
Moses said to Israel:
17 Make sure that orphans and foreigners are treated fairly. And if you lend money to a widow and want to keep something of hers to guarantee that she will pay you back, don't take any of her clothes. 18 You were slaves in Egypt until the Lord your God rescued you. That's why I am giving you these laws.
Leave Some of Your Harvest for the Poor
Moses said to Israel:
19 If you forget to bring in a stack of harvested grain, don't go back in the field to get it. Leave it for the poor, including foreigners, orphans, and widows, and the Lord will make you successful in everything you do.
20 When you harvest your olives, don't try to get them all for yourself, but leave some for the poor. 21 And when you pick your grapes, go over the vines only once, then let the poor have what is left. 22 You lived in poverty as slaves in Egypt until the Lord your God rescued you. That's why I am giving you these laws.
1 When a man taketh a wife, and marrieth her, if so be shee finde no fauour in his eyes, because hee hath espyed some filthinesse in her, then let him write her a bill of diuorcement, and put it in her hand, and send her out of his house. 2 And when she is departed out of his house, and gone her way, and marrie with an other man, 3 And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a letter of diuorcement, and put it in her hand, and send her out of his house, or if the latter man die which tooke her to wife: 4 Then her first husband, which sent her away, may not take her againe to be his wife, after that she is defiled: for that is abomination in the sight of the Lord, and thou shalt not cause the land to sinne, which the Lord thy God doeth giue thee to inherite. 5 When a man taketh a new wife, he shall not goe a warfare, neither shalbe charged with any businesse, but shalbe free at home one yeere, and reioyce with his wife which he hath taken. 6 No man shall take the nether nor the vpper milstone to pledge: for this gage is his liuing. 7 If any man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and maketh marchandise of him, or selleth him, that thiefe shall die: so shalt thou put euil away from among you. 8 Take heede of the plague of leprosie, that thou obserue diligently, and doe according to all that the Priestes of the Leuites shall teach you: take heede ye doe as I commanded them. 9 Remember what the Lord thy God did vnto Miriam by the way after that ye were come out of Egypt. 10 Whe thou shalt aske again of thy neighbour any thing lent, thou shalt not goe into his house to fet his pledge. 11 But thou shalt stand without, and the man that borowed it of thee, shall bring the pledge out of the doores vnto thee. 12 Furthermore if it be a poore body, thou shalt not sleepe with his pledge, 13 But shalt restore him the pledge when the sunne goeth downe, that he may sleepe in his raiment, and blesse thee: and it shalbe righteousnesse vnto thee before the Lord thy God. 14 Thou shalt not oppresse an hyred seruant that is needie and poore, neyther of thy brethren, nor of the stranger that is in thy land within thy gates. 15 Thou shalt giue him his hire for his day, neither shall the sunne goe downe vpon it: for he is poore, and therewith susteineth his life: lest he crye against thee vnto the Lord, and it be sinne vnto thee. 16 The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children put to death for the fathers, but euery man shalbe put to death for his owne sinne. 17 Thou shalt not peruert the right of the stranger, nor of the fatherlesse, nor take a widowes rayment to pledge. 18 But remember that thou wast a seruant in Egypt, and howe the Lord thy God deliuered thee thence. Therefore I commaund thee to doe this thing. 19 When thou cuttest downe thine haruest in thy fielde, and hast forgotten a sheafe in the fielde, thou shalt not goe againe to fet it, but it shalbe for the stranger, for the fatherles, and for the widowe: that the Lord thy God may blesse thee in all the workes of thine hands. 20 When thou beatest thine oliue tree, thou shalt not goe ouer the boughes againe, but it shalbe for the stranger, for the fatherlesse, and for the widowe. 21 When thou gatherest thy vineyard, thou shalt not gather the grapes cleane after thee, but they shalbe for the stranger, for the fatherlesse, and for the widowe. 22 And remember that thou wast a seruant in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee to doe this thing.