1

If a man marries a woman and then dislikes her because of some notable defect he discovers, he may write a divorce certificate, give it to the woman, and send her out of his house.

2

If afterward she becomes the wife of another man

3

and he also dislikes her and sends her out with a certificate of divorce; or, if this second man who took her to be his wife dies,

4

the first husband who sent her away cannot take her back as wife, since she has been defiled. It is an abomination in the eyes of the Lord for him to take her back. You shall not defile the land, which the Lord will give you for an inheritance.

5

The newly married man shall not go to war or be given other public duties. He shall be exempt from everything throughout the year and may remain in his house, making his wife happy.

6

Mill and grindstone shall not be taken as a pledge. Can life be taken as a pledge?

7

If a man is caught kidnapping an Israelite, that is to say, one of his brothers, to sell him as a slave, the kidnapper must die. So shall you banish evil from the midst of your people.

8

Be careful of contagious leprosy. Obey and practice what the Levite priests tell you to do; fulfill what I commanded them.

9

Remember what the Lord, your God, did to Miriam when the people were on the way out of Egypt.

10

When you lend anything to your neighbor, you shall not go into his house to take anything as a pledge.

11

Wait outside, and he shall come out of the house to give you the pledge.

12

If you have taken the cloak of a poor man as a pledge, you shall not keep it overnight;

13

you shall return it to him when the sun goes down that he may sleep in his cloak. Then the poor shall bless you, and you shall be righteous in the eyes of the Lord, your God.

14

Do not exploit the lowly and the poor daily wage earner, whether he be one of your brothers or a foreigner you find in your land in any of your cities.

15

Pay him daily before the sun goes down because he is poor and depends on his earnings. Then he will not cry to the Lord against you, and you will have no sin.

16

Parents shall not be put to death for the sin of their children, nor the children for the sin of their parents. Everyone must pay for their own sins.

17

Do not violate the right of the foreigner, or of the orphan, or take the clothing of a widow as a pledge.

18

Remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and the Lord, your God, rescued you. This is why I command you to do this.

19

When you harvest the wheat in your fields, if you drop a sheaf, do not return to pick it up, but let it be there for the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow. The Lord will bless you for this in all your work.

20

When you harvest your olives, do not go back to beat the trees again; what is left shall be for the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow.

21

When you gather the grapes in your vineyard, do not return to look for what has been left. This will be the share of the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow.

22

Remember that you were a slave in Egypt. This is why I command you to do this.


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