Exo 21-24 | NASB2020 | STEP | “Now these are the ordinances which you are to set before them:

Exodus 21

Ordinances for the People

1 “Now these are the ^aordinances which you are to set before them:

2 “If you buy ^ba Hebrew slave, he shall serve for six years; but on the seventh he shall leave as a free man without a payment to you. 3 If he comes ^{▼▼Lit by himself}alone, he shall leave ^{▼▼Lit by himself}alone; if he is the husband of a wife, then his wife shall leave with him. 4 If his master gives him a wife, and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall belong to her master, and he shall leave ^{▼▼Lit by himself}alone. 5 But ^fif the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not leave as a free man,’ 6 then his master shall bring him to ^{▼▼Or the judges (who acted in God’s name)}God, then he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall pierce his ear with an ^{▼▼I.e., a pointed tool}awl; and he shall serve him permanently.

7 “Now ⁱif a man sells his daughter as a female slave, she is not to ^{▼▼Lit go out}go free ^kas the male slaves ^{▼▼Lit go out}do. 8 If she is ^{▼▼Lit bad}displeasing in the eyes of her master ^{▼▼Another reading is so that he did not designate her}who designated her for himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He does not have authority to sell her to a foreign people, because of his ^{▼▼Lit dealing treacherously}unfairness to her. 9 And if he designates her for his son, he shall deal with her according to the custom of daughters. 10 If he takes to himself another woman, he may not reduce her ^{▼▼Lit flesh}food, her clothing, or ^qher conjugal rights. 11 But if he will not do these three things for her, then she shall go ^{▼▼Lit out}free for nothing, without payment of money.

Personal Injuries

12 “ ^sHe who strikes someone so that he dies shall certainly be put to death. 13 ^tYet ^{▼▼Lit he who}if he did not lie in wait for him, but ^vGod caused him to fall into his hand, then I will appoint you a place to which he may flee. 14 ^wIf, however, someone is enraged against his neighbor, so as to kill him in a cunning way, you are to take him even from My altar, to be put to death.

15 “And one who strikes his father or his mother shall certainly be put to death.

16 “Now ^xone who ^{▼▼Lit steals}kidnaps someone, whether he sells him or he is found in his ^{▼▼Lit hand}possession, shall certainly be put to death.

17 “And ^aaone who curses his father or his mother shall certainly be put to death.

18 “Now if people have a quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone or with a fist, and he does not die but ^{▼▼Lit lies in}is confined to bed, 19 if he gets up and walks around outside on his staff, then he who struck him shall go unpunished; he shall only pay for his ^{▼▼Lit his sitting}loss of time, and ^{▼▼Lit healing, he shall cause to be healed}shall pay for his care until he is completely healed.

20 “And if someone strikes his male or female slave with a rod and the slave dies ^{▼▼Lit under}at his hand, he shall ^{▼▼Lit suffer vengeance}be punished. 21 If, however, the slave ^{▼▼Lit stands}survives a day or two, no vengeance shall be taken; ^ahfor the slave is his ^{▼▼Lit money}property.

22 “Now if people struggle with each other and strike a pregnant woman so that ^{▼▼Or an untimely birth occurs; lit her children come out}she gives birth prematurely, but there is no injury, the guilty person shall certainly be fined as the woman’s husband ^{▼▼Lit lays on him}may demand of him, and he shall ^alpay ^{▼▼Lit by arbitration}as the judges decide. 23 But if there is any further injury, ^anthen you shall appoint as a penalty life for life, 24 ^aoeye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, ^{▼▼Lit welt}bruise for bruise.

26 “And if someone strikes the eye of his male or female slave and destroys it, he shall let ^{▼▼Lit him go...his eye}the slave go free on account of the eye. 27 And if he ^{▼▼Lit causes to fall}knocks out a tooth of his male or female slave, he shall let ^{▼▼Lit him go...his tooth}the slave go free on account of the tooth.

28 “Now if an ox gores a man or a woman ^{▼▼Lit so that he dies}to death, ^authe ox shall certainly be stoned and its flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall go unpunished. 29 If, however, an ox was previously in the habit of goring and its owner has been warned, yet he does not confine it and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned and its owner also shall be put to death. 30 If a ransom is ^{▼▼Lit laid on him}demanded of him, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is ^{▼▼Lit laid on him}demanded of him. 31 Whether it gores a son or ^{▼▼Lit gores a daughter}a daughter, it shall be done to him according to ^{▼▼Lit this judgment}the same rule. 32 If the ox gores a male or female slave, ^{▼▼Lit he}the owner shall give his or her master ^{▼▼About 15 oz. or 425 gm
,} ^bbthirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.

Property Rights

33 “Now if someone opens a pit, or ^{▼▼Lit if a man digs}digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, 34 the owner of the pit shall make restitution; he shall ^{▼▼Lit give back}give money to its owner, and the dead animal shall become his.

35 “And if someone’s ox injures another’s ox so that it dies, then they shall sell the live ox and divide its proceeds equally; and they shall also divide the dead ox. 36 Or if it is known that the ox was previously in the habit of goring, yet its owner has not confined it, he must make restitution of ox for ox, and the dead animal shall become his.

Exodus 22

Property Rights

1 “ ^{▼▼Ch 21:37 in Heb}If someone steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it, he shall pay five oxen for the ox and ^bffour sheep for the sheep-- 2 ^{▼▼Ch 22:1 in Heb}If the ^bhthief is ^{▼▼Lit found}caught while ^{▼▼I.e., at night; cf. v 3}breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there will be no guilt for bloodshed on his account. 3 If the sun has risen on him, there will be guilt for bloodshed on his account--A thief shall certainly make restitution; if he owns nothing, then he shall be ^bksold for his theft. 4 If what he stole is actually found alive in his ^{▼▼Lit hand}possession, whether an ox or a donkey or a sheep, ^bmhe shall pay double.

5 “If someone lets a field or vineyard be grazed bare and lets his animal loose so that it grazes in another person’s field, he shall make restitution from the best of his own field and the best of his own vineyard.

6 “If a fire breaks out and spreads to thorn bushes, and stacked grain or the standing grain or the field itself is consumed, the one who started the fire must make restitution.

7 “ ^bnIf someone gives his neighbor money or goods to keep for him and it is stolen from the ^{▼▼Lit man’s}neighbor’s house, if the thief is ^{▼▼Lit found}caught, then the thief shall pay double. 8 If the thief is not ^{▼▼Lit found}caught, then the owner of the house shall ^{▼▼Lit approach to}appear before ^{▼▼Or God
,} ^btthe judges, to determine whether he ^{▼▼Lit stretched his hand}laid his hands on his neighbor’s property. 9 For every ^{▼▼Or matter of wrongdoing}breach of trust, whether it is for ox, for donkey, for sheep, for clothing, or for any lost thing about which one says, ‘This is it,’ the ^{▼▼Lit matter}case of both parties shall come before ^{▼▼Or God
,} ^bythe judges; he whom ^{▼▼Or God}the judges condemn shall pay double to his neighbor.

10 “If someone gives his neighbor a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any animal to keep for him, and it dies or is injured or is driven away while no one is looking, 11 an ^caoath before the Lord shall be ^{▼▼Lit between the two}taken by the two of them ^{▼▼Lit if}that he has not ^{▼▼Lit reached out his hand}laid a hand on his neighbor’s property; and its owner shall accept it, and he shall not be compelled to make restitution. 12 But if it is actually stolen from him, he shall make restitution to its owner. 13 If it is all torn to pieces, have him bring it as evidence; he shall not be compelled to make restitution for what has been torn to pieces.

14 “And if someone ^{▼▼Lit asks}borrows an animal from his neighbor, and it is injured or dies while its owner is not with it, he shall make full restitution. 15 If its owner is with it, the borrower shall not be compelled to make restitution. If it is hired, it ^{▼▼I.e., the fee covers the loss}came by its hire.

Various Laws

16 “ ^cgIf a man seduces a virgin who is not ^{▼▼A betrothed couple was considered legally married, but did not yet live together}betrothed and sleeps with her, he must pay a ^{▼▼I.e., bride-price}dowry for her to be his wife. 17 If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he shall ^{▼▼Lit weigh out silver}pay money equal to the ^ckdowry for virgins.

18 “You shall not allow a ^clsorceress to live.

19 “ ^cmWhoever has sexual intercourse with an animal must be put to death.

20 “ ^cnHe who sacrifices to ^{▼▼Lit the gods}any god, other than to the Lord alone, shall be ^{▼▼Lit put under the ban}utterly destroyed.

21 “ ^cqYou shall not oppress a stranger nor torment him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. 22 ^crYou shall not oppress any widow or orphan. 23 If you oppress him at all, and ^csif he does cry out to Me, ^ctI will assuredly hear his cry; 24 and My anger will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword, ^cuand your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.

25 “ ^cvIf you lend money to My people, to the poor ^{▼▼Lit with}among you, you are not to ^{▼▼Lit be}act as a creditor to him; you shall not ^{▼▼Lit lay upon}charge him ^czinterest. 26 If you ever seize your neighbor’s cloak ^daas a pledge, you are to return it to him before the sun sets, 27 for that is his only covering; it is his cloak for his ^{▼▼Lit skin}body. What else is he to sleep in? And it will come about that ^dcwhen he cries out to Me, I will listen to him, for ^ddI am gracious.

28 “You shall not ^{▼▼Or revile
,} ^dfcurse God, ^dgnor curse a ruler of your people.

29 “ ^dhYou shall not hold back the offering from your entire harvest and your ^{▼▼Lit juice}wine. ^djThe firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me. 30 ^dkYou shall do the same with your oxen and with your sheep. It shall be with its mother for seven days; ^dlon the eighth day you shall give it to Me.

31 “ ^dmYou shall be holy people to Me, therefore ^dnyou shall not eat any flesh torn to pieces in the field; you shall throw it to the dogs.

Exodus 23

Various Laws

1 “ ^doYou shall not give a false report; do not join your hand with a wicked person to be a ^dpmalicious witness. 2 You shall not follow ^{▼▼Lit many}the crowd in doing evil, nor shall you ^{▼▼Or answer}testify in a dispute so as to join together with ^{▼▼Lit many}a crowd in order to ^dtpervert justice; 3 ^dunor shall you ^{▼▼Lit honor}show favor to a poor person in his dispute.

4 “ ^dwIf you encounter your enemy’s ox or his donkey wandering away, you must return it to him. 5 ^dxIf you see the donkey of one who hates you lying helpless under its load, you shall not leave it helpless for ^{▼▼Lit him}its owner; you must arrange the load with him.

6 “ ^dzYou shall not pervert the justice due to your needy brother in his dispute. 7 ^eaKeep far from a false charge, and ^ebdo not kill the innocent or the righteous, for ^ecI will not acquit the guilty.

8 “ ^edYou shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and ^{▼▼Or distorts the words}subverts the cause of the just.

9 “ ^efYou shall not oppress a stranger, since you yourselves know the ^{▼▼Lit soul}feelings of a stranger, for you also were strangers in the land of Egypt.

The Sabbath and the Land

10 “Now ^ehyou shall sow your land for six years and gather in its yield, 11 but in the seventh year you shall let it ^{▼▼Lit drop}rest and lie uncultivated, so that the needy of your people may eat; and whatever they leave the animal of the field may eat. You are to do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.

12 “ ^ejFor six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you shall cease from labor so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female slave, as well as the stranger residing with you, may refresh themselves. 13 Now ^ekconcerning everything which I have said to you, be careful; and ^eldo not mention the name of other gods, nor let them be heard ^{▼▼Lit on}from your mouth.

Three National Feasts

14 “ ^enThree times a year you shall celebrate a feast to Me. 15 You shall keep ^eothe Feast of Unleavened Bread; for seven days you are to eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the appointed time in the ^epmonth of Abib, for in ^{▼▼Lit it}that month you came out of Egypt. And ^{▼▼Lit they shall not
,} ^esno one is to appear before Me empty-handed. 16 Also you shall keep ^etthe Feast of the Harvest of the first fruits of your labors from what you sow in the field; also the Feast of the Ingathering at the end of the year ^euwhen you gather in the fruit of your labors from the field. 17 ^evThree times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord ^{▼▼Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord}God.

18 “ ^exYou shall not offer the blood of My sacrifice with leavened bread; ^eynor is the fat of My ^{▼▼Or festival}feast to remain overnight until morning.

19 “You shall bring ^fathe choice first fruits of your soil into the house of the Lord your God.

“ ^fbYou are not to boil a young goat in the milk of its mother.

Conquest of the Land

20 “Behold, I am going to send ^fcan angel before you to guard you along the way and ^fdto bring you into the place which I have prepared. 21 Be attentive to him and obey his voice; ^fedo not be rebellious toward him, for he will not pardon your rebellion, since ^ffMy name is in him. 22 But if you truly obey his voice and do all that I say, then ^fgI will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries. 23 ^fhFor 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 completely destroy them. 24 ^fiYou shall not worship their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their deeds; ^fjbut you shall utterly overthrow them and break their ^fkmemorial stones in pieces. 25 ^flAnd you shall serve the Lord your God, ^{▼▼Or that He may bless}and He will bless your bread and your water; and ^fnI will remove sickness from your midst. 26 There will be no one miscarrying or ^founable to have children in your land; ^fpI will fulfill the number of your days. 27 I will ^fqsend My terror ahead of you, and ^frthrow into confusion all the people among whom you come, and I will ^fsmake all your enemies turn their backs to you. 28 And I will send ^fthornets ahead of you so that they will ^fudrive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites from you. 29 ^fvI will not drive them out from you in a single year, so that the land will not become desolate and the animals of the field become too numerous for you. 30 I will drive them out from you ^fwlittle by little, until you become fruitful and take possession of the land. 31 ^fxI will set your boundary from the ^{▼▼Lit Sea of Reeds}Red Sea to the sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the Euphrates River; ^fzfor I will hand over the inhabitants of the land to you, and you will ^gadrive them out from you. 32 ^gbYou shall ^{▼▼Lit cut}make no covenant with them ^gdor with their gods. 33 ^geThey shall not live in your land, otherwise they will make you sin against Me; for if you serve their gods, ^gfit is certain to be a snare to you.”

Exodus 24

People Affirm Their Covenant with God

1 Then He said to Moses, “ ^ggCome up to the Lord, you and Aaron, ^ghNadab and Abihu, and ^giseventy of the elders of Israel, and you shall worship at a distance. 2 Moses alone, however, shall approach the Lord, but they shall not approach, nor shall the people come up with him.”

3 Then Moses came and reported to the people all the words of the Lord and all the ^{▼▼Or judgments}ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice and said, “ ^gkAll the words which the Lord has spoken we will do!” 4 And ^glMoses wrote down all the words of the Lord. Then he got up early in the morning, and built an ^gmaltar ^{▼▼Lit beneath}at the foot of the mountain with twelve memorial stones for the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 And he sent young men of the sons of Israel, ^goand they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed bulls as peace offerings to the Lord. 6 ^gpMoses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and the other half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. 7 Then he took ^gqthe Book of the Covenant and read it ^{▼▼Lit in the ears of the people;}as the people listened; and they said, “ ^gsAll that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!” 8 So ^gtMoses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, “Behold ^guthe blood of the covenant, which the Lord has ^{▼▼Lit cut}made with you ^{▼▼Lit on all}in accordance with all these words.”

9 Then Moses went up ^{▼▼Lit and}with Aaron, ^gyNadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, 10 and ^gzthey saw the God of Israel; and under His feet ^{▼▼Lit like a pavement
,} ^hbthere appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, ^{▼▼Lit and as}as clear as the sky itself. 11 Yet He did not reach out with His hand against the nobles of the sons of Israel; and ^hdthey saw God, and they ate and drank.

12 Now the Lord said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and ^{▼▼Lit be}stay there, and ^hfI will give you the stone tablets ^{▼▼Lit and}with the Law and the ^{▼▼Lit commandment}commandments which I have written for their instruction.” 13 So Moses got up ^{▼▼Lit and}along with ^hjJoshua his ^{▼▼Or minister}servant, and Moses went up to ^hlthe mountain of God. 14 But to the elders he said, “ ^hmWait here for us until we return to you. And behold, ^hnAaron and Hur are with you; whoever ^{▼▼Lit is a master of matters}has a legal matter, have him approach them.” 15 Then Moses went up to the mountain, and ^hpthe cloud covered the mountain. 16 ^hqThe glory of the Lord ^{▼▼Lit dwelt}settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; and on the seventh day He ^hscalled to Moses from the midst of the cloud. 17 ^htAnd to the eyes of the sons of Israel, the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a ^huconsuming fire on the mountain top. 18 Then Moses entered the midst of the cloud ^{▼▼Lit and}as he went up to the mountain; and Moses was on the mountain for ^hwforty days and forty nights.