Chapter 13

The third month after the children of Israel were gone out of Egypt: the same day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. For they were departed from Raphidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai and had pitched their tents in the wilderness. And there Israel pitched before the mount. And Moses went up unto God. And the LORD called to him out of the mountain saying: thus say unto the house of Iacob, and tell the children of Israel: Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians and how I took you up upon Eagles' wings, and have brought you unto myself. Now therefore if ye will hear my voice and keep mine appointment: ye shall be mine own above all nations, for all the earth is mine. Ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and an holy people: these are the words which thou shalt say unto the children of Israel. And Moses came and called for the elders of Israel, and laid before them all these words which the LORD had commanded him. And the people answered all together and said: All that the LORD hath said, we will do. And Moses brought the words of the people unto the LORD. And the LORD said unto Moses: Lo, I will come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I talk with thee, and also believe thee for ever. And Moses shewed the words of the people unto the LORD. And the LORD said unto Moses: Go unto the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes: that they may be ready against the third day. For the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai. And set marks round about the people and say: beware that ye go not up into the mount, and that ye twich not the borders of it, for whosoever twicheth the mount, shall surely die. There shall not an hand twich it, but that he shall either be stoned or else shot thorow: whether it be beast or man, it shall not live, when the horn bloweth: then let them come up in to the mountain. And Moses went down from the mount unto the people and sanctified them, and they washed their clothes: And he said unto the people: be ready against the third day, and see that ye come not at your wives. And the third day in the morning there was thunder, and lightning and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the horn waxed exceeding loud, and all the people that was in the host was afraid. And Moses brought the people out of the tents to meet with God, and they stood under the hill. And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke: because the LORD descended down upon it in fire. And the smoke thereof ascended up, as it had been the smoke of a kiln, and all the mount was exceeding fearful. And the voice of the horn blew and waxed louder, and louder. Moses spake, and God answered him and that with a voice. And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, even in the top of the hill, and called Moses up into the top of the hill. And Moses went up. And the LORD said unto Moses: go down and charge the people that they prease not up unto the LORD for to see him, and so many of them perish. And let the priests also which come to the LORD's presence, sanctify them selves: lest the LORD smite them. Then Moses said unto the LORD: the people can not come up in to mount Sinai, for thou chargedest us saying: set marks about the hill and sanctify it. And the LORD said unto him: away, and get thee down: and come up both thou and Aaron with thee. But let not the priests and the people presume for to come up unto the LORD: lest he smite them. And Moses went down unto the people and told them.

Chapter .xx.

And God spake all these words and said: I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt and out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have none other gods in my sight. Thou shalt make thee no graven image, neither any similitude that is in heaven above, either in the earth beneath, or in the water that is beneath the earth. See that thou neither bow thyself unto them neither serve them: for I the LORD thy God, am a jealous God, and visit the sin of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me: and yet shew mercy unto thousands among them that love me and keep my commandments. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. Remember the Sabbath day that thou sanctify it. Six days mayst thou labour and do all that thou hast to do: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God, in it thou shalt do no manner work: neither thou nor thy son, nor thy daughter, neither thy manservant nor thy maidservant, neither thy cattle neither yet the stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the LORD made both heaven and earth and the sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not break wedlock. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt bear no false witness against thy neighbour. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house: neither shalt covet thy neighbour's wife, his manservant, his maid, his ox, his ass or ought that is his. And all the people saw the thunder and the lightning and the noise of the horn, and how the mountain smoked. And when the people saw it, they removed and stood afar off and said unto Moses: talk thou with us and we will hear, but let not God talk with us, lest we die. And Moses said unto the people fear not, for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be among you that ye sin not. And the people stood afar off, and Moses went into the thick cloud where God was. And the LORD said unto Moses: thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel: Ye have seen how that I have talked with you from out of heaven. Ye shall not make therefore with me gods of silver nor gods of gold: in no wise shall ye do it. An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me and thereon offer thy burnt offerings and thy peace offerings, and thy sheep and thine oxen. And in all places where I shall put the remembrance of my name, thither I will come unto thee and bless thee. But and if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, see thou make it not of hewed stone, for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou shalt pollute it. Moreover thou shalt not go up with steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not shewed thereon.

Chapter .xxj.

These are the laws which thou shalt set before them. If thou buy a servant that is an Hebrew, six years he shall serve, and the seventh he shall go out free paying nothing. If he came alone, he shall go out alone: If he came married, his wife shall go out with him. And if his master have given him a wife and she have borne him sons or daughters: then the wife and her children shall be her master's and he shall go out alone. But and if the servant say I love my master and my wife and my children, I will not go out free. Then let his master bring him unto the Gods and set him to the door or the doorpost, and bore his ear thorow with an nawl, and let him be his servant forever. If a man sell his daughter to be a servant: she shall not go out as the menservants do. If she please not her master, so that he hath given her to no man to wife, then shall he let her go free: to sell her unto a strange nation shall he have no power, because he despised her. If he have promised her unto his son to wife, he shall deal with her as men do with their daughters. If he take him another wife, yet her food, raiment and duty of marriage shall he not minish. If he do not these three unto her, then shall she go out free and pay no money. He that smiteth a man that he die, shall be slain for it. If a man lay not await but God deliver him into his hand, then I will point thee a place whither he shall flee. If a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour and slay him with guile, thou shalt take him from mine altar that he die. And he that smiteth his father or his mother, shall die for it. He that stealeth a man and selleth him (if it be proved upon him) shall be slain for it. And he that curseth his father or mother, shall be put to death for it. If men strive together and one smite another with a stone or with his fist, so that he die not, but lieth in bed: if he rise again and walk without upon his staff, then shall he that smote him go quite: save only he shall bear his charges while he lay in bed and pay for his healing. If a man smite his servant or his maid with a staff that they die under his hand, it shall be avenged. But and if they continue a day or two, it shall not be avenged for they are his money. When men strive and smite a woman with child so that her fruit depart from her and yet no misfortune followeth: then shall he be merced, according as the woman's husband will lay to his charge, and he shall pay as the daysmen appoint him. But and if any misfortune follow, then shall he pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound and stripe for stripe. If a man smite his servant or his maid in the eye and put it out, he shall let them go free for the eye's sake. Also if he smite out his servant's or his maid's tooth, he shall let them go out free for the tooth's sake. If an ox gore a man or a woman that they die, then the ox shall be stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten: and his master shall go quite. If the ox were wont to run at men in time past and it hath been told his master, and he hath not kept him, but that he hath killed a man or a woman: then the ox shall be stoned and his master shall die also. If he be set to a sum of money, then he shall give for the deliverance of his life, according to all that is put unto him. And whether he hath gored a son or a daughter, he shall be served after the same manner. But if it be a servant or a maid that the ox hath gored, then he shall give unto their master the sum of thirty sicles, and the ox shall be stoned. If a man open a well or dig a pit and cover it not, but that an ox or an ass fall therein, the owner of the pit shall make it good and give money unto their master, and the dead beast shall be his. If one man's ox hurt another's that he die: then they shall sell the live ox and divide the money, and the dead ox also they shall divide. But and if it be known that the ox hath used to push in time's past, then because his master hath not kept him, he shall pay ox for ox, and the dead shall be his own.

Chapter .xxij.

If a man steal an ox or sheep and kill it or sell it, he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. If a thief be found breaking up and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him: except the sonne be up when he is found, then there shall be blood shed for him. A thief shall make restitution: If he have not wherewith, he shall be sold for his theft. If the theft be found in his hand alive (whether it be ox, ass or sheep) he shall restore double. If a man do hurt field or vineyard, so that he put in his beast to 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. If fire break out and catch in the thorns, so that the stacks {stoukes} of corn or the stonding corn or field be consumed therewith: he that kindled the fire shall make restitution. If a man deliver his neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of his house: If the thief be found, he shall pay double. If the thief be not found, then the goodman of the house shall be brought unto the gods and swear, whether he have put his hand unto his neighbour's good. And in all manner of trespass, whether it be ox, ass, sheep, raiment or any manner lost thing which another challengeth to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the gods. And whom the gods condemn: the same shall pay double unto his neighbour. If a man deliver unto his neighbour to keep, ass, ox, sheep or whatsoever beast it be and it die or be hurt or driven away and no man see it: then shall an oath of the LORD go between them, whether he have put his hand unto his neighbour's good, and the owner of it shall take the oath, and the other shall not make it good. If it be stolen from him, then he shall make restitution unto the owner: If it be torn with wild beasts, then let him bring record of the tearing: and he shall not make it good. When a man borroweth ought of his neighbour if it be hurt or else die, and if the owner thereof be not by, he shall make it good: If the owner thereof be by, he shall not make it good, namely if it be an hired thing and came for hire. If a man beguile a maid that is not betrothed and lie with her, he shall endote her and take her to his wife: If her father refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins. Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. Whosoever lieth with a beast, shall be slain for it. He that offereth unto any gods save unto the LORD only, let him die without redemption. Vex not a stranger neither oppress him for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. Ye shall trouble no widow nor fatherless child: If ye shall trouble them: they shall cry unto me, and I will surely hear their cry and then will my wrath wax hot and I will kill you with sword, and your wives shall be widows and your children fatherless. If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be as an usurer unto him, neither shalt oppress him with usury. If thou take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge, see that thou deliver it unto him again by that the sonne go down. For that is his coverlet only: even the raiment for his skin wherein he sleepeth: or else he will cry unto me and I will hear him, for I am merciful. Thou shalt not rail upon the gods, neither curse the ruler of thy people. Thy fruits (whether they be dry or moist) see thou keep not back. Thy firstborn son thou shalt give me: likewise shalt thou do of thine oxen and of thy sheep. Seven days it shall be with the dam, and the eighth day thou shalt give it me. Ye shall be holy people unto me, and therefore shall ye eat no flesh that is torn of beasts in the field. But shall cast it to dogs.

Chapter .xxiij.

Thou shalt not accept a vain tale, neither shalt put thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil: neither answer in a matter of plea that thou wouldest to follow many turn aside from the truth, neither shalt thou paint a poor man's cause. When thou meetest thine enemy's ox or ass going astray, thou shalt bring them to him again. If thou see thine enemy's ass sink under his burthen, thou shalt not pass by and let him alone: but shalt help him to lift him up again. Thou shalt not hinder the right of the poor that are among you in their suit. Keep thee far from a false matter, and the Innocent and righteous see thou slay not, for I will not justify the wicked. Thou shalt take no gifts, for gifts blind the seeing and pervert the words of the righteous. Thou shalt not oppress a stranger, for I know the heart of stranger, because ye were strangers in Egypt. Six years thou shalt sow thy land and gather in the fruits thereof: and the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still, that the poor of thy people may eat, and what they leave, the beasts of the field shall eat: In like manner thou shalt do with thy vineyard and thine olive trees. Six days thou shalt do thy work and the seventh day thou shalt keep holy day, that thine ox and thine ass may rest and the son of thy maid and the stranger may be refreshed. And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect. And make no rehearsal of the names of strange gods, neither let any man hear them out of your mouths. Three feasts thou shalt hold unto me in a year. Thou shalt keep the feast of sweet bread, that thou eat unleavened bread seven days long as I commanded thee in the time appointed of the month of Abib, for in that month thou camest out of Egypt: and see that no man appear before me empty. And the feast of Harvest, when thou reapest the first fruits of thy labours which thou hast sown in the field. And the feast of ingathering, in the end of the year: when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field. Three times in a year shall all thy men children appear before the Lord Iehouah. Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread: neither shall the fat of my feast remain until the morning. The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the LORD thy God thou shalt also not seethe a kid in his mother's milk. Behold, I send mine angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him and hear his voice and anger him not: for he will not spare your misdeeds, yea and my name is in him. But and if thou shalt hearken unto his voice and keep all that I shall tell thee, then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies and an adversary unto thine adversaries. When mine angel goeth before thee and hath brought thee in unto the Amorites, Hethites, Pherezites, Cananites, Hevites and Iebusites, and I shall have destroyed them, see thou worship not their gods neither serve them, neither do after the works of them, but overthrow them and break down the places of them. And see that ye serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread and thy water, and I will take all sicknesses away from among you. Moreover there shall be no woman childless or unfruitful in thy land, and the number of thy days I will fulfill. I will send my fear before thee and will kill all the people whither thou shalt go. And I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee, and I will send hornets before thee, and they shall drive out the Hevites, the Cananites and the Hethites before thee. I will not cast them out in one year, lest the land grow to a wilderness: and the beasts of the field multiply upon thee. But a little and a little I will drive them out before thee, until thou be increased that thou mayst inherit the land. And I will make thy coasts from the red sea unto the sea of the Philistines and from the desert unto the river. I will deliver the inhabiters of the land into thine hand, and thou shalt drive them out before thee. And thou shalt make none appointment with them nor with their gods. Neither shall they dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be thy decay.

Chapter .xxiiij.

And he said unto Moses: come unto the LORD: both thou and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel, and worship afar off. And Moses went himself alone unto the LORD, but they came not nye, neither came the people up with him. And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the laws. And all the people answered with one voice and said: all the words which the LORD hath said, will we do. Then Moses wrote all the words of the LORD and rose up early and made an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars according to the number of the twelve tribes of Israel, and sent young men of the children of Israel to sacrifice burnt offerings and to offer peace offerings of oxen unto the LORD. And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and the other half he sprinkled on the altar. And he took the book of the appointment and read it in the audience of the people. And they said: All that the LORD hath said, we will do and hear. And Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people and said: behold, this is the blood of the appointment which the LORD hath made with you upon all these words. Then went Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu and the seventy elders of Israel up, and saw the God of Israel, and under his feet as it were a brick work of Saphir and as it were the fashion of heaven when is clear, and upon the nobles of the children of Israel he set not his hand. And when they had seen God they ate and drank. And the LORD said unto Moses: come up to me in to the hill and be there, and I will give thee tables of stone and a law and commandments, which I have written to teach them. Then Moses rose up and his minister Iosua, and Moses went up into the hill of God, and said unto the elders: tarry ye here until we come again unto you: And behold here is Aaron and Hur with you. If any man have any matters to do, let him come to them. When Moses was come up into the mount, a cloud covered the hill, and the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the cloud. And the fashion of the glory of the LORD was like consuming fire on the top of the hill in the sight of the children of Israel. And Moses went into the mountain. And Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.

Chapter .xxv.