Exodus 21-23

New Life Version

Laws about Servants

21 “Now these are the Laws which you are to give them. ² If you buy a Hebrew servant, he will work for six years. In the seventh year he will go free, paying nothing. ³ If he comes alone, he will leave by himself. If he is married, then his wife will leave with him. ⁴ If his owner gives him a wife and she gives birth to his sons or daughters, the wife and her children will belong to her owner, and he will leave by himself. ⁵ But if the servant says, ‘I love my owner, my wife and my children; I do not care to go free,’ ⁶ then his owner will bring him to the judges. And he will bring him to the door or the side of the door. There his owner will make a hole in his ear with a sharp object. And he will serve him all his life.

⁷ “If a man sells his daughter to be a female servant, she is not to go free as the male servants do. ⁸ If she does not please her owner who has taken her for himself, he will take pay for her to be set free. He does not have the right to sell her to a strange people, because he has not been fair to her. ⁹ If he takes her for his son, he will act toward her as with a daughter. ¹⁰ If he marries again, her food, clothing and marriage rights are to stay the same. ¹¹ And if he will not do these three things for her, then she may go free, without paying any money.

Laws about Fighting and Killing

¹² “Whoever hits a man so that he dies will be put to death. ¹³ But if he did not plan to hurt him, but God allowed it to happen, then I will give you a place where he may run to be safe. ¹⁴ But if a man wants to hurt his neighbor and he plans to kill him, then you take him away from My altar and put him to death.

¹⁵ “Whoever hits his father or his mother will be put to death.

¹⁶ “Whoever steals a man and sells him, or keeps him for himself, will be put to death. ¹⁷ Whoever curses his father or his mother will be put to death.

¹⁸ “When men argue and one hits the other with a stone or with his hand, and he does not die but has to stay in bed because of it, ¹⁹ then if he gets up and walks around outside using his walking stick, the one who hit him will not be punished. He will only pay for the loss of his time. And he will take care of him until he is healed.

²⁰ “When a man hits his male or female servant with a stick so that he or she dies, he will be punished. ²¹ But if he or she lives a day or two, he will not be punished, for his servant belongs to him.

²² “If men fight with each other and hit a woman who is going to have a child so that she loses her baby but no other hurt comes to her, he must pay whatever the woman’s husband says he must, as agreed upon by the judges. ²³ But if there is other hurt also, then it is life for life, ²⁴ eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, ²⁵ burn for burn, cut for cut, sore for sore.

²⁶ “If a man hits the eye of his male or female servant and destroys it, he will let the person go free because of the eye. ²⁷ If he knocks out a tooth of his man or woman servant, he will let the person go free because of the tooth.

Laws about Owning Animals

²⁸ “When a bull kills a man or a woman with its horns, the bull will be killed with stones. And its flesh will not be eaten. But the owner of the bull will not be punished. ²⁹ But if a bull has tried to kill with its horns before, and the owner has been told but does not keep him shut up, and the bull kills a man or a woman, the bull will be killed with stones and the owner will be put to death. ³⁰ But if he is allowed to pay for his life, then he will pay whatever is asked of him. ³¹ If the bull kills a son or a daughter, it will be punished by the same law. ³² If the bull kills a male or female servant, the bull’s owner will give the servant’s owner thirty pieces of silver. And the bull will be killed with stones.

³³ “When a man leaves a deep hole open, or digs a deep hole and does not cover it, and a bull or donkey falls into it, ³⁴ the owner of the hole will pay for the loss. He will give money to the animal’s owner. And the dead animal will become his.

³⁵ “If one man’s bull hurts another’s so that it dies, they will sell the live bull and divide the price so they will each have the same. And they will divide the dead bull. ³⁶ Or if it is known that the bull has tried to kill with its horns in the past, but its owner has not kept it shut up, he will pay bull for bull. And the dead animal will become his.

Laws about Paying Back What Is Owed

22 “If a man steals a bull or a sheep and kills it or sells it, he will pay five bulls for the bull and four sheep for the sheep. ² If the robber is caught while breaking in, and is hit so that he dies, the owner of the house is not guilty for his blood. ³ But if the sun has risen on him, there will be guilt for his blood. The robber must pay for the loss. If he has nothing, then he must be sold for stealing. ⁴ If the stolen bull or donkey or sheep is found alive with him, he must pay twice what it is worth. ⁵ If a man lets his cattle eat from a field or grape-field and lets his cattle loose to eat in another man’s field, he will pay for the loss from the best of his own field or grape-field.

⁶ “When a fire starts and spreads to thorn bushes so as to burn up picked grain or standing grain or the field itself, he who started the fire will pay for the loss.

⁷ “If a man gives his neighbor money or things to keep for him, and it is stolen from the man’s house, if the robber is caught he will pay twice as much as the loss. ⁸ If the robber is not caught, then the owner of the house will be brought to the judges. They will see if he stole what belongs to his neighbor. ⁹ For every wrong act, if it is for bull, donkey, sheep, clothing, or any lost thing about which someone says, ‘This is mine,’ the stories of both men will come in front of the judges. Whoever the judges say is guilty will pay his neighbor twice as much as the loss.

¹⁰ “If a man gives his neighbor a donkey, bull, sheep or any animal to keep for him, and it dies or is hurt or is driven away while no one is looking, ¹¹ the two men will make a promise before the Lord that he has not taken what belongs to his neighbor. The owner will take his word for it. And he will not make him pay for the loss. ¹² But if it is stolen from him, he will pay the owner for the loss. ¹³ If the animal is torn to pieces, let him bring it to prove what happened. He will not pay for what has been torn to pieces.

¹⁴ “If a man asks to use anything that belongs to his neighbor, and it gets hurt or dies while its owner is not with it, the man who was using it will pay for the loss. ¹⁵ If its owner is with it, the man who was using it will not pay for the loss. If he paid money to use it, then the loss is paid for.

Laws about Right Living

¹⁶ “If a man tempts a woman who has never had a man and is not promised in marriage, and lies with her, he must pay a wedding gift for her to be his wife. ¹⁷ If her father will not give her to him, he will pay the wedding gift that is to be paid for women who have never had a man.

¹⁸ “Do not allow a woman to live who does witchcraft. ¹⁹ Whoever does sex sins with an animal will be put to death.

²⁰ “He who gives a gift in worship to any god other than the Lord alone will be destroyed. ²¹ Do not do wrong to a stranger or make it hard for him. For you were strangers in the land of Egypt. ²² Do not bring trouble to any woman whose husband has died or any child whose parents have died. ²³ If you bring them trouble, and they cry out to Me, for sure I will hear their cry. ²⁴ My anger will burn and I will kill you with the sword. Then your wives will lose their husbands. And your children will lose their fathers.

²⁵ “If you let any of the poor among My people use your money, do not act toward him like one who is owed money. And do not make him pay you for the use of it. ²⁶ If you ever take your neighbor’s coat to keep while he owes you money, return it to him before the sun goes down. ²⁷ For that is his only covering. It is his clothing for his body. What else will he sleep in? When he cries out to Me, I will hear him. For I have loving-pity.

²⁸ “Do not curse God, or a ruler of your people. ²⁹ Do not wait before giving Me a gift from your gathered grain and the fruit of your fields. You will give to Me the first-born of your sons. ³⁰ You will do the same with your cattle and your sheep. The first-born will be with its mother seven days. On the eighth day you will give it to Me. ³¹ You will be holy men to Me. So you will not eat any flesh torn to pieces in the field. You will throw it to the dogs.

Different Laws

23 “Do not tell a lie about someone else. Do not join with the sinful to say something that will hurt someone. ² Do not follow many people in doing wrong. When telling what you know in a trial, do not agree with many people by saying what is not true. ³ And do not show favor to a poor man when he has a problem.

⁴ “If you meet a bull or donkey that belongs to a man who hates you, be sure to return the animal to him. ⁵ If you see the donkey of one who hates you falling under its load, do not leave the problem to him. Help him to free the animal. ⁶ Do not keep from doing what is right and fair in trying to help a poor brother when he has a problem. ⁷ Do not lie against someone. And do not kill those who are right and good or those who are not guilty. For I will not free the guilty. ⁸ Do not take pay in secret for wrong-doing. For such pay blinds the one who sees well and destroys the words of a good man. ⁹ Do not make it hard for a stranger because you know how a stranger feels. You were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Seventh Year and Seventh Day

¹⁰ “You will plant seeds in your land for six years, and gather the grain. ¹¹ But in the seventh year you will let the land rest without planting. So your people who are in need may eat. Whatever they leave, the animals may eat. You are to do the same with your grape-fields and olive trees. ¹² You will work six days and rest on the seventh day. So your bull and your donkey may rest. And the son of your female servant, and the stranger, may get their strength again. ¹³ Be careful to do all I have said to you. Never speak the name of other gods. Do not let them be heard from your mouth.

Three Great Suppers

¹⁴ “Three times a year you will have a special supper to honor Me. ¹⁵ You will have the special supper of bread without yeast. For seven days you are to eat bread without yeast at the time I tell you in the month of Abib. For you came out of Egypt during this month. And no one will come before Me with nothing in his hands. ¹⁶ You will have the special supper of the gathering time of the first-fruits of your work, of all you plant in the field. And you will have the special supper of gathering at the end of the year when you gather in the fruit of your work from the field. ¹⁷ Three times a year all your males will come before the Lord God.

¹⁸ “Do not give the blood of My gift of worship with bread made with yeast. And the fat of My special supper is not to be kept all night until morning. ¹⁹ Bring the best first-fruits of your land to the house of the Lord your God. Do not boil the meat of a young goat in its mother’s milk.

The Angel and the Promises

²⁰ “See, I am sending an angel before you to keep you safe on the way. He will bring you to the place I have made ready. ²¹ Listen to him and obey his voice. Do not turn against him, for he will not forgive your sins, because My name is in him. ²² But if you obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will hate those who hate you and fight against those who fight against you. ²³ For My angel will go before you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites. And I will destroy them. ²⁴ Do not worship their gods, or serve them, or act like them. But you are to destroy them and break their pillars of worship to pieces. ²⁵ Serve the Lord your God and He will give you bread and water. And I will take sickness from among you. ²⁶ Women in your land will not lose their babies before they are born, and will be able to give birth. I will give you a full life. ²⁷ I will send My fear before you. The people you meet will be afraid. And I will make all those who hate you run away from you. ²⁸ I will send hornets before you. They will drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites and the Hittites before you come. ²⁹ I will not move them out of your way in one year. So the land will not become a waste, and the animals of the field become too many for you. ³⁰ I will drive them out a few at a time, until you become many and take the land for your own. ³¹ I will give you the land from the Red Sea to the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert to the Euphrates River. For I will give you power over the people of the land. And you will drive them away from you. ³² Make no agreement with them or their gods. ³³ They are not to live in your land, or they will make you sin against Me. If you worship their gods, for sure it will be a trap to you.”