 |
The 17th Chapter
Thou shalt offer unto the Lord
thy God no ox or sheep wherein is any deformity, whatsoever evil
favouredness it be: for that is an abomination unto the Lord thy
God.
If there be found among you in any of thy cities which the
Lord thy God giveth thee man or woman that hath wrought wickedness
in the sight of the Lord thy God, that they have gone beyond his
appointment, so that they have gone and served strange gods and
worshipped them, whether it be the son or moon or anything contained
in heaven which I forbade, and it was told thee and thou hast heard
of it: Then thou shalt enquire diligently. And if it be true and the
thing of a surety that such abomination is wrought in Israel, then
thou shalt bring forth that man or that woman which have committed
that wicked thing, unto thy gates and shalt stone them with stones
and they shall die. At the mouth of two or three witnesses shall he
that is worthy of death, die: but at the mouth of one witness he
shall not die. And the hands of the witnesses shall be first upon
him to kill him, and afterward the hands of all the people: so shalt
thou put wickedness away from thee.
If a matter be too hard for thee in judgement between blood
and blood, plea and plea, *plage and plage in matters of strife
within thy cities. Then arise and get thee up unto the place which
the Lord thy God hath chosen, and go unto the priests the Levites,
and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and ask, and they
shall shew thee how to judge. And see that thou do according to that
which they of that place (which the Lord hath chosen) shew thee, and
see that thou observe to do according to all that they inform thee.
According to the law which they teach thee and manner of judgement
which they tell thee, see that thou do and that thou bow not from
that which they show thee, neither to the right hand nor to the
left.
And that man that will do presumptuously, so that he will not
hearken unto the priest that standeth there to minister unto the
Lord thy God or unto the judge, shall die: and so thou shalt put
away evil from Israel. And all the people shall hear and shall fear,
and shall do no more presumptuously.
When thou art come unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth
thee and enjoyest it and dwellest therein: If thou shalt say, I will
set a king over me: like unto all the nations that are about me:
Then thou shalt make him king over thee, whom the Lord thy God shall
choose. One of thy brethren must thou make king over thee, and mayst
not set a stranger over thee which is not of thy brethren. But in
any wise let him not hold too many horses, that he bring not the
people again to Egypt through the multitude of horses, forasmuch as
the Lord hath said unto you: ye shall henceforth go no more again
that way. Also he shall not have too many wives, lest his heart turn
away, neither shall he gather him silver and gold too much.
And when he is sitten upon the seat of his kingdom, he shall
write him out this second law in a book taking a copy of the priests
the Levites. And it shall be with him and he shall read there in all
days of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord his God for to
keep all the words of this law and these ordinances for to do them:
that his heart arise not above his brethren and that he turn not
from the commandment: either to the right hand or to the left: that
both he and his children may prolong their days in his kingdom in
Israel.
*plage: that is to look at the matter from every angle and into
pledges made between peoples.
|
 |
The 18th Chapter
The priests the Levites, all the
tribe of Levi shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel. The
offerings of the Lord and his inheritance they shall eat, but shall
have no inheritance among their brethren: the Lord he is their
inheritance, as he hath said unto them. And this is the duty of the
priests of the people and of them that offer, whether it be ox or
sheep: They must give unto the priest, the shoulder and the two
cheeks and the *mawe, the first fruits of thy corn, wine and oil,
and the first of thy sheep shearing must thou give him. For the Lord
thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes to stand and to
minister in the name of the Lord: both him and his sons for ever. If
a Levite come out of any of thy cities or any place of Israel, where
he is a sojourner, and come with all the lust of his heart unto the
place which the Lord hath chosen: he shall there minister in the
name of the Lord his God as all his brethren the Levites do which
stand there before the Lord. And they shall have like portions to
eat, beside that which cometh to him of the patrimony of his elders.
When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God
giveth thee, see that thou learn not to do after the abominations of
these nations. Let there not be found among you that maketh his son
or his daughter go through fire, or that useth *withcraft, or a
chooser out of days or that regardeth the *flyeng of souls, or a
sorcerer, or a charmer, or that counseleth with spirits, or a *propheciar
or that asketh the advise of the dead. For all that do such things
are abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the
Lord thy God doth cast them out before thee, be pure therefore with
the Lord thy God. For these nations which thou shalt conquer,
hearken unto choosers out of days and prophecyars. But the Lord thy
God permitteth not that to thee.
The Lord thy God will stir up a Prophet among you: even of
thy brethren like unto me: and unto him ye shall hearken according
to all that thou desiredest of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day
when the people were gathered saying: Let me hear the voice of my
Lord God no more, nor see this great fire any more, that I die not.
And the Lord said unto me: they have well spoken, I will raise them
up a prophet from among their brethren like unto thee and will put
my words into his mouth and he shall speak unto them all that I
shall command him. And whosoever will not hearken unto the words
which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
But the prophet which shall presume to speak ought in my name
which I commanded him not to speak, and he that speaketh in the name
of strange Gods, the same prophet shall die. And if thou say in
thine heart, how shall I know that which the Lord hath not spoken?
When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow
not nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not
spoken. But the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: be not
afeared therefore of him.
*mawe: The mouth, stomach,
jaws, or gullet of a voracious animal, especially a carnivore. The
opening into something insatiable. *withcraft: with craft
/witchcraft *propheciar: prophesiers, false prophets of nations,
diviners. *If flyeng (flaying)of souls: to remove the covering, as
we are covered by the blood of Christ only, these would say that his
blood is not sufficient, that we must also have the covering of mens
doctrine and vain imaginations. Also see Christ removes the covering
from the earth. Isaiah 30, Ezek 28, If flying; the movement of
souls. between heaven and earth or earth and heaven. RN
|
 |
The 19th Chapter
When the Lord thy God hath
destroyed the nations whose land the Lord thy God giveth thee, and
thou hast conquered them and dwellest in their cities and in their
houses: thou shalt appoint three cities in the land which the Lord
thy God giveth thee to possess it: thou shalt prepare the way and
divide the coasts of thy land which the Lord thy God giveth thee to
possess it: thou shalt prepare the way and divide the coasts of thy
land which the Lord thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts
that whosoever committeth murder may flee there. And this is the
cause of the slayer that shall flee there and be saved: If he smite
his neighbor ignorantly and hated him not in time past: As when a
man goeth unto the wood with his neighbor to hew wood, and as his
hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe, the head slippeth from the
helve and smiteth his neighbor that he die: the same shall flee unto
one of the same cities and be saved. Lest the executer of blood
follow after the slayer while his heart is hot and overtake him,
because the way is long, and slay him, and yet there is no cause
worthy of death in him, inasmuch as he hated not his neighbor in
time past. Wherefore I command thee saying: see that thou appoint
out three cities.
And if the Lord thy God enlarge thy coasts as he hath sworn
unto thy fathers and give thee all the land which he said he would
give unto thy fathers (so that thou keep all these commandments to
do them, which I command thee this day, that thou love the Lord thy
God and walk in his ways ever) then thou shalt add three cities more
unto those three, that innocent blood be not shed in thy land which
the Lord thy God giveth thee to inherit, and so blood come upon
thee. But and if there be any man that hateth his neighbor and
layeth await for him and riseth against him and smiteth him that he
die, and fleeth unto any of these cities. Then let the elders of his
city send and fetch him thence and deliver him into the hands of the
justice of blood, and he shall die. Let thine eye have no pity on
him, and so thou shalt put away innocent blood from Israel, and
happy art thou. Thou shalt not remove thy neighbors mark which they
of old time have set in thine inheritance that thou inheritest in
the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee to enjoy it.
One witness shall not rise against a man in any manner
trespass or sin, whatsoever sin a man sinneth: But at the mouth of
two witnesses or of three witnesses shall all matters be tried.
If an unrighteous witness rise up against a man to accuse him
of trespass: then let both the men which strive together stand
before the Lord, before the priests and the judges which shall be in
those days, and let the judges enquire a good. And if the witness be
found false and that he hath given false witness against his brother
then shall ye do unto him as he had thought to do unto his brother,
and so thou shalt put evil away from thee. And other shall hear and
fear and shall henceforth commit no more any such wickedness among
you. And let thine eye have no compassion, but life for life, eye
for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, and foot for foot.
|
 |
The 20th Chapter
When thou goest out to battle
against thine enemies, and seest horses and chariots and people more
than thou, be not afeared of them, for the Lord thy God is with thee
which brought thee out of the land of Egypt. And when ye are come
nigh unto battle, let the priest come forth and speak unto the
people and say unto them: Hear Israel, ye are come unto battle
against your enemies, let not your hearts faint, neither fear nor be
amazed nor a dread of them. For the Lord thy God goeth with you to
fight for you against your enemies and to save you.
And let the officers speak unto the people saying: If any man
have built a new house and have not dedicate it, let him go and
return to his house lest he die in the battle, and another dedicate
it. And if any man have planted a vineyard and have not made it
common, let him go and return again unto his house, lest he die in
the battle and another make it common. And if any man be betrothed
unto a wife and have not taken her, let him go and return again unto
his house, lest he die in the battle and another take her.
And let the officers speak further unto the people and say. If
any man fear and be fainthearted, let him go and return unto his
house, lest his brothers heart be made faint as well as his. And
when the officers have made an end of speaking unto the people, let
them make captains of war over them.
When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, offer
them peace. And if they answer thee again peaceably, and open unto
thee, then let all the people that is found therein be tributaries
unto thee and serve thee. But and if they will make no peace with
thee, then make war against the city and besiege it. And when the
Lord thy God hath delivered it into thine hands, smite all the males
thereof with the edge of the sword, save the women and the children
and the cattle and all that is in the city and all the spoil thereof
take unto thyself and eat the spoil of thine enemies which the Lord
thy God giveth thee. Thus thou shalt do unto all the cities which
are a great way off from thee and not of the cities of these
nations.
But in the cities of these nations which the Lord thy God
giveth thee to inherit, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth.
But shalt destroy them without redemption, both the Hethites, the
Amorites, the Cananites, the Pherezites, the Hevites and the
Jebusites, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee, that they teach
you not to do after all their abominations which they do unto their
gods, and so should sin against the Lord your God.
When thou hast besieged a city long time in making war against
it to take it, destroy not the trees thereof, that thou wouldest
thrust an axe unto them. For thou mayst eat of them, and therefore
destroy them not. For the trees of the fields are no men that they
might come against thee to besiege thee. Neverthelater those trees
which thou knowest that men eat not of them, thou mayst destroy and
cut them down and make bulwarks against the city that maketh war
with thee, until it be overthrown.
|
 |
The 21st Chapter
If one be found slain in the
land which the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it, and lieth in
the fields, and not known who hath slain him: Then let thine elders
and thy judges come forth and meet unto the cities that are round
about the slain. And let the elders of that city which is next unto
the slain man, take an heifer that is not labored with nor hath
drawn in the yoke, and let them bring her unto a valley where is
neither earing nor sowing, and strike off her head there in the
valley.
Then let the priests the sons of Levi come forth, for the Lord
thy God hath chosen them to minister and to bless in the name of the
Lord and therefore at their mouth shall all strife and plague be
tried. And all the elders of the city that is next to the slain man
shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the
plain, and shall answer and say: our hands have not shed this blood
neither have our eyes seen it. Be merciful Lord unto thy people
Israel which thou hast delivered and put not innocent blood unto thy
people Israel: and the blood shall be forgiven them. And so shalt
thou put innocent blood from thee, when thou shalt have done that
which is right in the sight of the Lord.
When thou goest to war against thine enemies and the Lord thy
God hath delivered them into thine hands and thou hast take them
captive, and seest among the captives a beautiful woman and hast a
fantasy unto her that thou wouldest have her to thy wife. Then bring
her home to thine house and let her shave her head and pare her
nails and put her raiment that she was taken in from her, and let
her remain in thine house and beweep her father and her mother a
month long and after that go in unto her and marry her and let her
be thy wife. And if thou have no favour unto her, then let her go
whither she lusteth: for thou mayst not sell her for money nor make
*chevesaunce of her, because thou hast humbled her. If a man have
two wives, one loved and another hated, and they have borne him
children, both the loved and also the hated. If the firstborn be the
son of the hated: then when he dealeth his goods among his children,
he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of
the hated which is indeed the firstborn: But he shall know the son
of the hated for his firstborn, that he give him double of all that
he hath. For he is the first of his strength, and to him belongeth
the right of the firstbornship.
If any man have a son that is stubborn, and disobedient, that
he will not hearken unto the voice of his father and voice of his
mother, and they have taught him nurture, but he would not hearken
unto them: Then let his father and his mother take him and bring him
out unto the elders of that city and unto the gate of that same
place, and say unto the elders of the city. This our son is stubborn
and disobedient and will not hearken unto our voice, he is a rioter
and a drunkard. Then let all the men of that city stone him with
stones unto death. And so thou shalt put evil away from thee, and
all Israel shall hear and fear. If a man have committed a trespass
worthy of death and is put to death for it and hanged on tree: let
not his body remain all night upon the tree, but bury him the same
day. For the curse of God is on him that is hanged. Defile not thy
land therefore, which the Lord thy God giveth thee to inherit.
*chevisance: may be from chivied, seek means to secure gradually,
harass, vex with pettiness.
|
 |
The 22nd Chapter
If thou see thy brothers ox or
sheep go astray, thou shalt not withdraw thyself from them: But
shalt bring them home again unto thy brother. If thy brother be not
nigh unto thee or if thou know him not, then bring them unto thine
own house and let them be with thee, until thy brother ask after
them, and then deliver him them again. In like manner shalt thou do
with his ass, with his raiment and with all lost things of thy
brother which he hath lost and thou hast found, and thou mayst not
withdraw thyself.
If thou see that thy brothers ass or ox is fallen down by the
way, thou shalt not withdraw thyself from them: but shalt help him
to heave them up again.
The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto the man,
neither shall a man put on womans raiment. For all that do so, are
abomination unto the Lord thy God.
If thou chance upon a birds nest by the way, in whatsoever
tree it be or on the ground, whether they be young or eggs, and the
dam sitting upon the young or upon the eggs: thou shalt not take the
mother with the young. But shalt in any wise let the dam go and take
the young, that thou mayst prosper and prolong thy days.
When thou buildest a new house, thou shalt make a battlement
unto the roof, that thou lade not blood upon thine house, if any man
fall thereof.
Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with diverse seed: lest thou
hallow the seed which thou hast sown with the fruit of thy vineyard.
Thou shalt not plough with an ox and an ass together. Thou
shalt not wear a garment made of wool and flax together.
Thou shalt put ribbons upon the four quarters of thy vesture
wherewith thou coverest thyself.
If a man take a wife and when he hath layen with her hate her
and lay shameful things unto her charge and bring up an evil name
upon her and say: I took this wife, and when I came to her, I found
her not a maid: Then let the father of the damsel and the mother
bring forth the tokens of the damsels virginity, unto the elders of
the city, even unto the gate. And let the damsels father say unto
the elders, I gave my daughter unto this man to wife and he hateth
her: and lo, he layeth shameful things unto her charge saying, I
found not thy daughter a maid. And yet these are the tokens of my
daughters virginity. And let them spread the vesture before the
elders of the city. Then let the elders of that city take that man
and chastise him and *mearce him in an hundred sickles of silver and
give them unto the father of the damsel, because he hath brought up
an evil name upon a maid in Israel. And she shall be his wife, and
he may not put her away all his days. But and if the thing be of a
surety that the damsel be not found a virgin, let them bring her
unto the door of her fathers house, and let the men of that city
stone her with stones to death, because she hath wrought folly in
Israel, to play the whore in her fathers house. And so thou shalt
put evil away from thee.
If a man be found lying with a woman, that hath a wedded
husband, then let them die either other of them: both the man that
lie with the wife and also the wife: so shalt thou put away evil
from Israel.
If a maid be handfasted unto an husband, and then a man find
her in the town and lay with her, then ye shall bring them both out
unto the gates of that same city and shall stone them with stones to
death: The damsel because she cried not being in the city: And the
man, because he hath humbled his neighbors wife, and thou shalt put
away evil from thee.
But if a man find a betrothed damsel in the field and force
her and lie with her: Then the man that lay with her shall die
alone, and unto the damsel thou shalt do no harm: because there is
in the damsel no cause of death. For as when a man riseth against
his neighbor and slayeth him, even so is this matter. For he found
her in the fields and the betrothed damsel cried: but there was no
man to succour her. If a man find a maid that is not betrothed and
take her and lie with her and be found: Then the man that lay with
her shall give unto the damsels father fifty sickles of silver. And
she shall be his wife, because he hath humbled her, and he may not
put her away all his days.
No man shall take his fathers wife, nor unhele his fathers
covering.
*mearce: may be mercy him; make him pay; that is to show a finish to
the matter.
|
|
 |
The 23rd Chapter
None that is gelded or hath his
privy members cut off, shall come into the congregation of the Lord.
And he that is born of a common woman shall not come in the
congregation of the Lord, no in the tenth generation he shall not
enter into the congregation of the Lord. The Ammonites and the
Moabites shall not come into the congregation of the Lord, no not in
the tenth generation, no they shall never come in to the
congregation of the Lord, because they met you not with bread and
water in the way when ye came out of Egypt, and because they hired
against thee Balaam the son of Beor the interpreter of Mesopotamia,
to curse thee. Nevertheless the Lord thy God would not hearken unto
Balam, but turned the curse to a blessing unto thee, because the
Lord thy God loved thee. Thou shalt never therefore seek that which
is prosperous or good for them all thy days for ever. Thou shalt not
abhor an Edomite, for he is thy brother: neither shalt thou abhor an
Egyptian, because thou wast a stranger in his land. The children
that are begotten of them shall come into the congregation of the
Lord in the third generation.
When thou goest out with the host against thine enemies, keep
thee from all wickedness for the Lord is among you. If there be any
man that is unclean by the reason of uncleanness that chanceth him
by night, let him go out of the host and not come in again until he
have washed himself with water before the evening: and then when the
*son is down, let him come into the host again. Thou shalt have a
place without the host whither thou shalt resort to and thou shalt
have a sharp point at the end of thy weapon: and when thou wilt ease
thyself, dig therewith and turn and cover that which is departed
from thee. For the Lord thy God walketh in thine host, to rid thee
and to set thine enemies before thee. Let thine host be pure, that
he see no unclean thing among you and turn from you.
Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which is
escaped from his master unto thee. Let him dwell with thee, even
among you in what place he himself liketh best, in one of thy cities
where it is good for him, and vex him not. There shall be no whore
of the daughters of Israel, nor whorekeeper of the sons of Israel.
Thou shalt neither bring the hire of an whore nor the price of a dog
into the house of the Lord thy God, in no manner of vow: for even
both of them are abomination unto the Lord thy God.
Thou shalt be no usurer unto thy brother, neither in money nor
in food, nor in any manner thing that is lent upon usury. Unto a
stranger thou mayst lend upon usury, but not unto thy brother, that
the Lord thy God may bless thee in all that thou settest thine hand
to in the land whither thou goest to conquer it.
When thou hast vowed a vow unto the Lord thy God, see thou be
not slack to pay it. For he will surely require it of thee, and it
shall be sin unto thee. If thou shalt leave vowing, it shall be no
sin unto thee: but that which is once gone out of thy lips, thou
must keep and do, according as thou hast vowed unto the Lord thy God
a freewill offering which thou hast spoken with thy mouth.
When thou comest into thy neighbors vineyard, thou mayst eat
grapes thy bellyful at thine own pleasure: but thou shalt put none
in thy bag.
When thou goest into thy neighbors corn, thou mayst pluck the
ears with thine hand, but thou mayst not move a sickle unto thy
neighbors corn.
*son: this is exactly as it appears;
|
Chapters 1-4
|
5-10 |
11-16 |
17-23 |
24-28 |
29-34 |
Next Book
|
