Exodus

If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.

1Suppose a man steals an ox or a sheep. Then he kills it or sells it. He must pay back five oxen for the one ox. He must pay back four sheep for the one sheep.

2If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him.

2Suppose a thief breaks into a house at night. If someone hits him and he dies, that person is not guilty.

Note"Breaking up" in the old English means breaking into a house. The next verse shows that verse 2 is about a break-in at night, when nobody can see who is there.

3If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him; for he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.

3But if this happens after the sun is up, the person who killed him is guilty. A thief must pay back everything he took. If he owns nothing, he is sold as a servant to pay for what he stole.

4If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double.

4Suppose the stolen animal is found alive with him. It may be an ox, a donkey, or a sheep. Then he must pay back two for every one.

5If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall put in his beast, and shall feed in another man’s field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution.

5Suppose a man lets his animals wander into someone else's field or vineyard. The animals eat the plants there. Then he must pay back from the best of his own field and vineyard.

6If fire break out, and catch in thorns, so that the stacks of corn, or the standing corn, or the field, be consumed therewith; he that kindled the fire shall surely make restitution.

6Suppose a fire starts and burns through thorn bushes. It burns up piles of grain, or grain still growing, or the whole field. The person who started the fire must pay for what was lost.

NoteIn 1611, "corn" meant grain of any kind, like wheat or barley. It did not mean the corn on a cob that we eat today.

7If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man’s house; if the thief be found, let him pay double.

7Suppose a man gives money or things to his neighbor to keep safe. Then they are stolen from the neighbor's house. If the thief is caught, the thief must pay back two for every one.

8If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the judges, to see whether he have put his hand unto his neighbour’s goods.

8If the thief is not caught, the neighbor must go to the judges. The judges will find out if he took his neighbor's things himself.

9For all manner of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing, which another challengeth to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; and whom the judges shall condemn, he shall pay double unto his neighbour.

9This is the rule for every argument about who owns something. It may be an ox, a donkey, a sheep, clothing, or anything lost that two people both claim. Both people must bring the case to the judges. The one the judges say is guilty must pay back two for every one.

10If a man deliver unto his neighbour an ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or any beast, to keep; and it die, or be hurt, or driven away, no man seeing it:

10Suppose a man gives a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any animal to his neighbor to care for. Then the animal dies, gets hurt, or is taken away, and nobody saw it happen.

11Then shall an oath of the LORD be between them both, that he hath not put his hand unto his neighbour’s goods; and the owner of it shall accept thereof, and he shall not make it good.

11Then the neighbor must make a promise before the LORD. He promises he did not take his neighbor's animal. The owner must accept that promise. The neighbor does not have to pay anything.

12And if it be stolen from him, he shall make restitution unto the owner thereof.

12But if the animal really was stolen from him, he must pay the owner for it.

13If it be torn in pieces, then let him bring it for witness, and he shall not make good that which was torn.

13If a wild animal tore it apart, he must bring the body to show what happened. Then he does not have to pay for it.

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

14Suppose a man borrows an animal from his neighbor. If it gets hurt or dies while the owner is away, the borrower must pay for it.

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

15But if the owner was there with it, the borrower does not pay. And if the animal was rented, the rental fee covers the loss.

16And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife.

16Suppose a man talks a young woman into sleeping with him, and she is not promised to anyone. Then he must pay the marriage gift for her and make her his wife.

17If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.

17If her father says no and will not give her to him, the man must still pay the usual marriage gift for a young woman.

18Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.

18You must not let a witch live.

NoteIn the old English, "suffer" meant allow. "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live" means "do not allow a witch to live."

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

19Anyone who has sex with an animal must be put to death.

20He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed.

20Anyone who kills an offering as a gift to another god must be destroyed. Offerings belong to the LORD alone.

21Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

21Do not treat a foreigner badly. Do not be unkind to him. Remember, you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.

22Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.

22Do not hurt a widow, a woman whose husband has died. Do not hurt a child whose father has died.

23If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry;

23If you hurt them at all, they will cry out to me. And I will surely hear them cry.

24And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.

24Then I will be very angry. I will kill you with the sword. Your wives will lose their husbands, and your children will lose their fathers.

25If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.

25Suppose you lend money to one of my people who is poor. Do not act like a hard money lender. Do not make him pay extra money back.

26If thou at all take thy neighbour’s raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down:

26Suppose you take your neighbor's coat to hold until he pays you back. You must give it back to him before the sun goes down.

27For that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious.

27That coat is the only thing he has to cover himself. What else would he sleep in? If he cries out to me, I will hear him. I am kind.

28Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.

28Do not speak evil words about God. Do not curse the leader of your people.

29Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.

29Do not wait to bring me the first of your ripe crops. Do not wait to bring the first juice from your grapes and olives. Give me the firstborn of your sons.

Note"Liquors" here does not mean alcohol. It means the juice pressed out of grapes and olives, which was part of the first harvest.

30Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with his dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it me.

30Do the same with your oxen and your sheep. Let a newborn animal stay with its mother for seven days. On the eighth day, give it to me.

31And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs.

31You are to be my holy people, set apart for me. Do not eat meat from an animal that wild animals killed in the field. Throw that meat to the dogs.