Moral and Religious Laws (EXO 22:16-31)

[22:16] “If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged, he must pay the bride price for her and marry her.

[22:17] But if her father refuses to let him marry her, he must pay the father a sum of money equal to the bride price for a virgin.

[22:18] “Put to death any woman who practices magic.

[22:19] “Put to death any man who has sexual relations with an animal.

[22:20] “Condemn to death anyone who offers sacrifices to any god except to me, the Lord.

[22:21] “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner; remember that you were foreigners in Egypt.

[22:22] Do not mistreat any widow or orphan.

[22:23] If you do, I, the Lord, will answer them when they cry out to me for help,

[22:24] and I will become angry and kill you in war. Your wives will become widows, and your children will be fatherless.

[22:25] “If you lend money to any of my people who are poor, do not act like a moneylender and require him to pay interest.

[22:26] If you take someone's cloak as a pledge that he will pay you, you must give it back to him before the sun sets,

[22:27] because it is the only covering he has to keep him warm. What else can he sleep in? When he cries out to me for help, I will answer him because I am merciful.

[22:28] “Do not speak evil of God, and do not curse a leader of your people.

[22:29] “Give me the offerings from your grain, your wine, and your olive oil when they are due. “Give me your first-born sons.

[22:30] Give me the first-born of your cattle and your sheep. Let the first-born male stay with its mother for seven days, and on the eighth day offer it to me.

[22:31] “You are my people, so you must not eat the meat of any animal that has been killed by wild animals; instead, give it to the dogs.