Fairness And Mercy

1 When there is strife between men, let them come unto the law, and let the judges justify the righteous and condemn the trespasser.

1 (A)If there is a dispute between men and they go to (a)court, and (b)the judges decide their case, (B)and they justify the righteous and condemn the wicked,

1 If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.

1 “If there is a dispute between men, they are to go to court, and the judges will hear their case. They will clear the innocent and condemn the guilty.

1 "When there is a conflict between individuals, let them come to court to judge the case, decide who is innocent, and condemn the guilty person.

2 And if the trespasser be worthy of stripes, then let the judge cause to take him down and to beat him before his face according to his trespass, unto a certain number.

2 then it shall be if the wicked man (c)(C)deserves to be beaten, the judge shall then make him lie down and be beaten in his presence with the number of stripes according to his (d)guilt.

2 And it shall be, if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten before his face, according to his fault, by a certain number.

2 If the guilty party deserves to be flogged, the judge will make him lie down and be flogged in his presence with the number of lashes appropriate for his crime.

2 If the guilty person deserves a beating, the judge will make him lie down and be beaten in his presence with the number of lashes fit for his crime.

3 Forty stripes he shall give him and not pass: lest if he should exceed and beat him above that with many stripes, thy brother should appear ungodly before thine eyes.

3 (D)He may beat him forty times but no more, so that he does not beat him with many more stripes than these and your brother is not (E)degraded in your eyes.

3 Forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed: lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee.

3 He may be flogged with 40 lashes, but no more. Otherwise, if he is flogged with more lashes than these, your brother will be degraded in your sight.

3 But he must not be beaten more than 40 lashes, because if he receives more than 40 lashes, your brother will be humiliated in your eyes.

4 Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn.

4 (F)You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing.

4 Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.

4 “Do not muzzle an ox while it treads out grain.(A)

4 "Don't muzzle an ox while it is threshing grain."

Preserving The Family Line

5 When brethren dwell together and one of them die and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not be given out unto a stranger: but her brother-in-law shall go in unto her and take her to wife and marry her.

5 “When brothers live together and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the deceased shall not be married outside the family to a strange man. (G)Her husband’s brother shall go in to her and take her to himself as wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her.

5 If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her.

5 “When brothers live on the same property(a) and one of them dies without a son, the wife of the dead man may not marry a stranger outside the family. Her brother-in-law is to take her as his wife, have sexual relations with her, and perform the duty of a brother-in-law for her.

5 "When two brothers are living together and one of them dies without leaving a son, his widow must not be married outside the family to a foreigner. Instead, the brother-in-law must go to her, take her as his wife, and by doing so perform the duty of a brother-in-law.

6 And the eldest son which she beareth, shall stand up in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out in Israel.

6 It shall be that the firstborn whom she bears shall (e)assume the name of his dead brother, so that (H)his name will not be blotted out from Israel.

6 And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel.

6 The first son she bears will carry on the name of the dead brother, so his name will not be blotted out from Israel.(B)

6 The firstborn whom she will bear will continue the name of the dead brother, so his name will not be erased from Israel.

7 But and if the man will not take his sister-in-law, then let her go to the gate unto the elders and say, 'My brother-in-law refuseth to stir up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not marry me.'

7 (I)But if the man does not desire to take his brother’s wife, then his brother’s wife shall go up to the gate to the elders and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to establish a name for his brother in Israel; he is not willing to perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.’

7 And if the man like not to take his brother's wife, then let his brother's wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband's brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband's brother.

7 But if the man doesn’t want to marry his sister-in-law, she must go to the elders at the city gate(C) and say, ‘My brother-in-law refuses to preserve his brother’s name in Israel. He isn’t willing to perform the duty of a brother-in-law for me.’

7 But if the man does not want to marry his brother's widow, then she must go to the elders at the city gate and declare, "My husband's brother refuses to perform the duty of a brother-in-law in order to preserve the name of his brother in Israel. He is not willing to perform the duty of a brother-in-law.'

8 Then let the elders of his city call unto him and commune with him. If he stand and say, 'I will not take her,'

8 Then the elders of his city shall summon him and speak to him. And if he persists and says, ‘I do not desire to take her,’

8 Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her;

8 The elders of his city will summon him and speak with him. If he persists and says, ‘I don’t want to marry her,’

8 Then the elders of the city are to summon him and speak with him. If he insists on saying, "I don't want to marry her,'

9 then let his sister-in-law go unto him in the presence of the elders and loose his shoe off his foot and spit in his face and answer and say, 'So shall it be done unto that man that will not build his brother's house.'

9 (J)then his brother’s wife shall come to him in the sight of the elders, and pull his sandal off his foot and (K)spit in his face; and she shall (f)declare, ‘Thus it is done to the man who does not build up his brother’s house.’

9 Then shall his brother's wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother's house.

9 then his sister-in-law will go up to him in the sight of the elders, remove his sandal from his foot, and spit in his face. Then she will declare, ‘This is what is done to a man who will not build up his brother’s house.’

9 then she is to approach her brother-in-law in the presence of the elders, remove his sandal, spit in his face, and say in response, "May this be done to the man who does not preserve the lineage of his brother.'

10 And his name shall be called in Israel, the unshoed house.

10 In Israel his name shall be called, ‘The house of him whose sandal is removed.’

10 And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed.

10 And his family name in Israel will be called ‘The house of the man whose sandal was removed.’(D)

10 Then his family name in Israel will be known as "the family of the one whose sandal was removed.'"

Other Laws

11 If, when men strive together, one with another, the wife of the one run to, for to rid her husband out of the hands of him that smiteth him and put forth her hand and take him by the privates:

11 “If two men, a man and his (g)countryman, are struggling together, and the wife of one comes near to deliver her husband from the hand of the one who is striking him, and puts out her hand and seizes his genitals,

11 When men strive together one with another, and the wife of the one draweth near for to deliver her husband out of the hand of him that smiteth him, and putteth forth her hand, and taketh him by the secrets:

11 “If two men are fighting with each other, and the wife of one steps in to rescue her husband from the one striking him, and she puts out her hand and grabs his genitals,

11 "If two men are fighting together, and the wife of one comes to rescue her husband from the grasp of his assailant, and she reaches out and seizes his genitals,

12 cut off her hand, and let not thine eye pity her.

12 then you shall cut off her (h)hand; (i)(L)you shall not show pity.

12 Then thou shalt cut off her hand, thine eye shall not pity her.

12 you are to cut off her hand. You must not show pity.

12 you are to cut off her hand. Don't show any pity."

Honest Weights And Measures

13 Thou shalt not have in thy bag two manner weights, a great and a small:

13 (M)You shall not have in your bag (j)differing weights, a large and a small.

13 Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small.

13 “You must not have two different weights(b) in your bag, one heavy and one light.(E)

13 "Don't have different weights in your bag one heavy and one light.

14 neither shalt thou have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small.

14 You shall not have in your house (k)differing measures, a large and a small.

14 Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small.

14 You must not have two differing dry measures in your house, a larger and a smaller.

14 Don't have different measuring devices in your house one large and one small.

15 But thou shalt have a perfect and a just measure: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

15 You shall have a full and just weight; you shall have a full and just (l)measure, (N)that your days may be prolonged in the (m)land which the Lord your God gives you.

15 But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

15 You must have a full and honest weight, a full and honest dry measure, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

15 You must have honest weights and measuring devices, so you may live long in the land that the LORD your God is about to give you,

16 For all that do such things and all that do unright, are abomination unto the LORD thy God.

16 For (O)everyone who does these things, everyone who acts unjustly is an abomination to the Lord your God.

16 For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the LORD thy God.

16 For everyone who does such things and acts unfairly is detestable to the Lord your God.(F)

16 for anyone who does these things anyone who deals dishonestly is detestable to the LORD your God."

Revenge On The Amalekites

17 Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way after thou camest out of Egypt:

17 (P)Remember what Amalek did to you along the way when you came out from Egypt,

17 Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt;

17 “Remember what the Amalekites did to you on the journey after you left Egypt.(G)

17 "Remember what the Amalekites did to you along the road while you were coming out of Egypt,

18 he met thee by the way and smote the hindmost of you, all that were over laboured and dragged behind, when thou wast fainted and weary, and he feared not God.

18 how he met you along the way and attacked among you all the stragglers at your rear when you were faint and weary; and he (Q)did not (n)fear God.

18 How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.

18 They met you along the way and attacked all your stragglers from behind when you were tired and weary. They did not fear God.

18 how when you were very tired and weary, they lay in wait for you on the road and eliminated everyone who was lagging behind. They had no fear of God.

19 Therefore when the LORD thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee to inherit and possess: see that thou put out the name of Amalek from under heaven, and forget not.

19 Therefore it shall come about when the Lord your God has given you (R)rest from all your surrounding enemies, in the land which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance to (o)possess, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven; you must not forget.

19 Therefore it shall be, when the LORD thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it.

19 When the Lord your God gives you rest(H) from all the enemies around you in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance,(I) blot out the memory of Amalek under heaven. Do not forget.(J)

19 Therefore, when the LORD your God has given you rest from all your enemies who surround you in the land that he is about to give you to possess as an inheritance, you must completely erase the memory of the Amalekites from under heaven. Don't forget!"

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

King James Version Public Domain

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org