Thematic Bible: Laws concerning trespass of, and violence to


Thematic Bible



When you go into your neighbour's field, you may take the heads of grain with your hand; but you may not put your blade to his grain.

If an ox comes to be the cause of death to a man or a woman, the ox is to be stoned, and its flesh may not be used for food; but the owner will not be judged responsible. But if the ox has frequently done such damage in the past, and the owner has had word of it and has not kept it under control, so that it has been the cause of the death of a man or woman, not only is the ox to be stoned, but its owner is to be put to death. If a price is put on his life, let him make payment of whatever price is fixed. read more.
If the death of a son or of a daughter has been caused, the punishment is to be in agreement with this rule. If the death of a man-servant or of a woman-servant is caused by the ox, the owner is to give their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox is to be stoned. If a man makes a hole in the earth without covering it up, and an ox or an ass dropping into it comes to its death; The owner of the hole is responsible; he will have to make payment to their owner, but the dead beast will be his. And if one man's ox does damage to another man's ox, causing its death, then the living ox is to be exchanged for money, and division made of the price of it, and of the price of the dead one. But if it is common knowledge that the ox has frequently done such damage in the past, and its owner has not kept it under control, he will have to give ox for ox; and the dead beast will be his.

In any question about an ox or an ass or a sheep or clothing, or about the loss of any property which anyone says is his, let the two sides put their cause before God; and he who is judged to be in the wrong is to make payment to his neighbour of twice the value.


Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain