1When people have a dispute, they are to take it to court and the judges will decide the case, acquitting the innocent and condemning the guilty. 2If the guilty person deserves to be beaten, the judge shall make them lie down and have them flogged in his presence with the number of lashes the crime deserves, 3but the judge must not impose more than forty lashes. If the guilty party is flogged more than that, your fellow Israelite will be degraded in your eyes.
4Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.
5If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother shall take her and marry her and fulfil the duty of a brother-in-law to her. 6The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.
7However, if a man does not want to marry his brother’s wife, she shall go to the elders at the town gate and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to carry on his brother’s name in Israel. He will not fulfil the duty of a brother-in-law to me.’ 8Then the elders of his town shall summon him and talk to him. If he persists in saying, ‘I do not want to marry her,’ 9his brother’s widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, take off one of his sandals, spit in his face and say, ‘This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother’s family line.’ 10That man’s line shall be known in Israel as The Family of the Unsandalled.
11If two men are fighting and the wife of one of them comes to rescue her husband from his assailant, and she reaches out and seizes him by his private parts, 12you shall cut off her hand. Show her no pity.
13Do not have two differing weights in your bag – one heavy, one light. 14Do not have two differing measures in your house – one large, one small. 15You must have accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. 16For the Lord your God detests anyone who does these things, anyone who deals dishonestly.
17Remember what the Amalekites did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt. 18When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey and attacked all who were lagging behind; they had no fear of God. 19When the Lord your God gives you rest from all the enemies around you in the land he is giving you to possess as an inheritance, you shall blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!
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むち打ちの刑について
1-3人々の中に争いがあり、どちらかが裁判でむち打ちの刑と決まったら、裁判官は自分の前に罪人を伏させ、罪の程度に応じて、適当な回数だけ打ちなさい。ただし最高は四十回で、それ以上は絶対に打ってはいけません。あまりにきびしい刑を科して、同胞が不当に扱われないためです。
脱穀する牛への配慮
4脱穀をしている牛に口かせをはめてはいけません。
家名を残すための規定
5息子がないまま死んだ人の妻は、夫に兄弟がいる場合はほかの者と再婚はできません。必ず夫の兄弟と結婚するのです。 6そして、二人の間にできた長男に前の夫の名を継がせ、その家が絶えないようにしなさい。 7兄弟が結婚したがらず、義務を果たさないときは、町の長老に、『夫の兄弟は夫の名を残そうとせず、私と結婚してくれません』と訴え出なさい。 8長老はその男を呼んで話し合います。それでも頑として承知しないなら、 9長老の見ている前でその男に近寄り、くつを脱がせ、顔につばを吐いて言ってやりなさい。『兄弟の家を立てないような男は、こうされるのよ。』 10彼の家は後々、『くつを脱がされた者の家』と呼ばれます。
夫のけんかに際して
11二人の男がけんかをし、一方の男の妻が自分の夫を助けようとして相手の男の急所をつかんだときは、 12その女の手を切り落としなさい。
正確なはかり
13-15取り引きには正確なはかりを使い、正直に量りなさい。そうすれば、主が与えてくださる地でいつまでも幸せに暮らせます。 16目盛りをごまかす者は主に嫌われます。
アマレク人への報復
17エジプトからの道中でのアマレク人の仕打ちを、決して忘れないようにしなさい。 18神を恐れず、ひきょうにも彼らは、疲れ果てて列のうしろに離れてしまった者たちに襲いかかったのです。 19あなたの神、主が約束の地で敵を破り、あなたがたが安心して住めるようになったら、アマレク人をすべて打ち滅ぼし、その名を完全に葬り去りなさい。どんなことがあっても必ずそうしなさい。
