8 Then Yahweh told Mosheh and Aharon, 9 “When Far’oh tells you to perform a miracle as a sign, then just tell Aharon to take his[fn]staff and throw it down in front of Far’oh so it turns into a snake.” 10 So Mosheh and Aharon went in to Far’oh’s court and did what Yahweh had told them: Aharon threw his staff down in front of Far’oh and his servants and it turned into a snake. 11 Then Far’oh also called for his wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians did the same thing using their magic—12 each of them threw down his staff and they became snakes, except that Aharon’s staff swallowed up their staffs. 13 But Far’oh’s mind was made up and he took no notice of them as Yahweh had said earlier.

14 Then Yahweh told Mosheh, “Far’oh is very stubborn and he’s refused to let the people go. 15 So go to Far’oh. Listen, every morning he goes down to the river, so station yourself to meet him on the bank. Take the staff with you that turned into a snake, 16 and tell him, ‘Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, previously sent me to you to say, “Let my people go so they can serve me in the wilderness.” But listen, until now you haven’t done it 17 so Yahweh says, “Now you will know that I am Yahweh because of this: See, I’m about to use my staff to strike the water in the Nile and it will turn to blood[ref] 18 and the fish in the river will die and the river will stink. Then your people will gag to drink the water from the river.” ’

19 “Tell Aharon to take his staff and stretch out his hand over the waters of Egypt: over their streams, their canals, and their pools, and over every reservoir of their water, and the water will become blood. Then there’ll be blood in the entire country—even in wooden or stone containers of water.”

20 So And Mosheh and Aharon did exactly what Yahweh had commanded: Aharon raised the staff and struck the river, while Far’oh and his servants watched, and the entire river turned to blood. 21 Then the fish in the river died and the river stank, so the Egyptians couldn’t drink water from the river, and the blood was all over Egypt. 22 But the Egyptian sorcerers did the same with their magic, and so Far’oh stayed stubborn and wouldn’t listen to them, just as Yahweh had said earlier. 23 The Far’oh turned around and went back to his house, and he put all of that out of his mind. 24 Meanwhile, all the Egyptians dug holes around the river to get water to drink, because river water was undrinkable.

25 So a week went by since Yahweh had struck the river 8 and he said to Mosheh, “Go to Far’oh and tell him, ‘Yahweh says that you must let my people go so they can serve me.[fn] 2 But if you refuse to let them go, then look, I’m about to pound your entire territory with frogs. 3 The frogs will swarm in the river, then they’ll climb out and go into your house and in your bedroom and onto your bed. They’ll go into your servants’ houses and among your people, and in your cooking bowls and into your ovens. 4 They’ll climb on you and on your people and on all your servants.’ ”

5 Then Yahweh said to Mosheh, “Tell Aharon: Hold your staff out over the canals, the streams, and the pools, and cause the frogs to come up onto the land of Egypt.” 6 So Aharon reached out his hand over the Egyptian water supplies and frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. 7 But the sorcerers did the same with their magic, and they too brought up frogs over the land of Egypt.

8 Then Far’oh called for Mosheh and Aharon, and told them, “Ask Yahweh to take the frogs away from me and from my people. Then I’ll let your people go, and they can sacrifice to Yahweh.”

9 Mosheh answered, “I’ll pray for you and your servants and your people, praying that the frogs will keep away from you and your homes and only be left in the river. And I’ll give you the honour of specifying when it’ll happen.”

10 “Tomorrow morning,” the king replied.

“Just as you say,” Mosheh responded, “so that you’ll know that there’s no one else like our God Yahweh. 11 Tomorrow the frogs will leave you and go away from your houses, and from your servants and your people. They’ll only be left in the river.” 12 Then Mosheh and Aharon left Far’oh and Mosheh called out to Yahweh concerning the retraction of the frogs that he’d sent against the king. 13 So Yahweh did what Mosheh had requested and the frogs died off from the houses and the courtyards, and from the fields. 14 The people collected them into many piles and the whole country stank. 15 But when Far’oh saw that there was relief from the frogs, he firmed his resolve and didn’t listen to Mosheh and Aharon, just as Yahweh had said previously.

16 Then Yahweh said to Mosheh, “Tell Aharon: Stretch out your staff and strike the dust on the ground, and it will turn into lice[fn] all over Egypt.” 17 So Aharon held out his staff and struck the dust with it, and the dust became lice on the people and on the animals. All over Egypt, the dust turned into lice 18 and the sorcerers tried to do the same with their magic but they were unable to. So there were lice on people and animals 19 and the magicians said to Far’oh, “This is God’s finger.” But Far’oh was stubborn and he didn’t listen to them, just as Yahweh had said previously.[ref]

20 Then Yahweh said to Mosheh, “Get up early in the morning and when you see Far’oh coming down to the river, station yourself in front of him and tell him, ‘Yahweh saw that you must let my people go so they can serve me. 21 Certainly if you don’t release my people immediately, then take note: I’m about to send the swarm[fn] at you and your servants and at your people and into your houses. The Egyptians’ houses will be full of the swarm and even the ground that they’re on. 22 But when it happens, I’ll distinguish the Goshen region where my people live so the swarm won’t be there, so that you’ll be able to see that I’m Yahweh and I’m right here in this land. 23 This sign will happen tomorrow and you’ll see how I plan to set my people free from your people.’ ” 24 So Yahweh did what he’d said and a heavy swarm came to Far’oh’s house and the houses of his servants and all the Egyptians—the country was ruined by the arrival of the swarm.

25 Then Far’oh called for Mosheh and to Aharon and told them, “Go and sacrifice to the God of you all, but here in Egypt.”

26 “It wouldn’t be right to do that,” Mosheh replied, “because our sacrifices to Yahweh our God would be offensive to Egyptians. Listen, if we made sacrifices in front of the Egyptians that are repulsive to them, wouldn’t they throw rocks at us to try to kill us? 27 We need to travel into the wilderness for three days, then we’ll sacrifice to our God Yahweh there, just like he’s telling us to.”

28 So Far’oh relented, “I’ll let you all go into the wilderness and sacrifice to Yahweh your God—except you definitely can’t go very far. Now, ask God for me for the plague to stop.”

29 “Listen, I’m about to leave now,” Mosheh responded, “and I’ll pray to Yahweh and he’ll withdraw the swarm from Far’oh tomorrow, and from his servants and his people. But may Far’oh not be dishonest again and fail to let our people go to sacrifice to Yahweh.”

30 Then Mosheh left Far’oh and prayed to Yahweh 31 and Yahweh did what Mosheh asked him and he withdrew the swarm from Far’oh, and from his servants and his people. Not one remained. 32 But Far’oh changed his mind and remained stubborn and he wouldn’t let the Israelis leave.

9 Then Yahweh said to Mosheh, “Go in to Far’oh and tell him: ‘This is what the God of the Hebrews. Yahweh, says: Let my people go so they can serve me. 2 Certainly if you’re unwilling to release them and if you keep holding onto them, 3 then listen. Yahweh is about to inflict a very serious plague on your livestock which are in the fields—on the horses, the donkeys, the camels, the cattle, and on the flock. 4 But Yahweh will distinguish between the livestock of the Israelis and the Egyptians—none of the Israelis’ animals will die.’ ” 5 Then Yahweh said when it would happen, “Yahweh will do this to Egypt tomorrow.”

6 So the next day Yahweh did what he’d said and all of the livestock of the Egyptians died, yet none at all from the livestock of the Israelis died. 7 Far’oh sent people to investigate, and wow, not even one of the livestock of the Israelis had died. But Far’oh was strong-willed and wouldn’t let the people go.

8 Then Yahweh told Mosheh and Aharon, “Take handfuls of ash out of a furnace, then Mosheh should toss it up in the air in front of Far’oh. 9 It will become a powder over all Egypt and then it will turn into boils—bursting blisters—on people and on animals all over Egypt.” 10 So they took some ash from a furnace, and standing in front of Far’oh, Mosheh tossed it up into the air and it turned into boils with bursting blisters on the people and the animals.[ref] 11 Because of the boils, the sorcerers weren’t even able to stand there with Mosheh because the sorcerers suffered with them along with all the Egyptians. 12 But Yahweh caused Far’oh to remain stubborn and he didn’t listen to them, just as Yahweh had told Mosheh previously.

13 Then Yahweh told Mosheh, “Get up early in the morning, and stand in front of Far’oh and say to him, ‘This is what Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go so they can serve me 14 because this time, I’m about to send all my plagues to you and your servants, and your people. You’ll all be deeply distressed by them, in order that you might know that there is no one else like me in all the world. 15 By this time, I could have reached out and struck you and your people with such a plague that you would all have been obliterated from the land. 16 However, I’ve kept you for this reason: to show you my power and in order to proclaim my name all over the world.[ref] 17 You’re still considering yourself to be greater than my people by failing to release them. 18 Now listen: I’m about to cause extremely heavy hail to rain down at this time tomorrow. It’ll be hail like which has never been seen before in Egypt from the day it was founded until now. 19 So send for your livestock and everything you own in the country now, and bring it in under cover because the hail will come down on every person and animal that is found in the countryside and not sheltering under a roof, and they will die.’ ” 20 Some of Far’oh’s servants who believed what Yahweh said, quickly brought their slaves and their livestock back into their houses, 21 but those people who didn’t believe Yahweh just left their slaves and their animals out in the countryside.

22 “Raise your arm up toward the sky,” Yahweh told Mosheh, “and hail will strike all over Egypt—on the people and animals and on every plant in the Egyptian countryside.” 23 So Mosheh lifted his staff to the sky, and Yahweh sent thunder and hail, and lightning caused fires on the land, and so Yahweh rained hail down onto Egypt. 24 There was hail, and also fire coming down in the middle of the hail. It was very heavy, such as had never been in all of Egypt since it became a nation.[ref] 25 The hail struck everything in Egypt—everything that was in the countryside, from people to animals. It also struck every plant and broke every tree out in the countryside. 26 Only in the Goshen region where the Israelis were, was there no hail.

27 Then Far’oh sent for Mosheh and Aharon and told them, “I’ve sinned this time. Yahweh is righteous, and me and my people are guilty. 28 Pray to Yahweh to stop it, because the thunder of God and hail are too much. Then I’ll release you all—you won’t have to remain here.”

29 “As I’m leaving the city,” Mosheh replied, “I’ll spread my palms out to Yahweh. The thunder will stop and the hail won’t continue so that you will be able to see that the earth belongs to Yahweh. 30 But as for you and your servants, I know that you still don’t fear Yahweh God.”

31 (Now the flax and the barley were flattened by the hail because the barley was full grown and starting to fill out and the flax was in bloom. 32 But the wheat and the spelt weren’t destroyed because they come later in the season.)

33 So Mosheh left Far’oh, and as he was leaving the city, he spread his palms out to Yahweh and the thunder and hail ceased, and the rain stopped pouring down on the land. 34 But when Far’oh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had stopped, he added to his sins and he firmed his resolve—he and his servants. 35 And so Far’oh remained stubborn and didn’t let the Israelis leave, just as Yahweh had said through Mosheh previously.

10 Then Yahweh told Mosheh, “Go in to Far’oh because I’ve made him and his servants stubborn in order to be able to demonstrate these miracles of mine among them, 2 and so that in the future you’ll be able to tell your descendants that I made Egypt look foolish, and my miracles which I demonstrated among them—and so that you will know that I am Yahweh.”

3 So Mosheh and Aharon went in to Far’oh and told him, “This is what Yahweh, God of the Hebrews says: how long before you’ll submit to me? Let my people go so they can serve me, 4 because if you refuse to release them, then listen, I’ll bring locusts into your territory tomorrow. 5 They’ll cover the ground so that no one will even be able to see it, and they’ll devour whatever remains after the hail. Plus they’ll devour every tree growing in the countryside. 6 They’ll fill your houses and the houses of all your servants and the houses of all the Egyptians. It’ll be nothing like anything which your parents generation ever saw, nor anything seen by the previous generations from the day they came to be on the earth until today.” Then Mosheh turned around and went out from Far’oh with Aharon.

7 Then Far’oh’s servants asked him, “How much longer is this going to cause trouble for us? Let the men go and they’ll worship their God Yahweh. Don’t you understand yet that Egypt is being destroyed?”

8 So Mosheh and Aharon were brought back to Far’oh, and he told them, “Go and worship your God Yahweh. Who are the ones who’ll be going?”

9 “We’ll take our children and our old folks,” Mosheh answered. “We’ll go with our sons and daughters, and with our flocks and herds, because the festival of Yahweh is for all of us.”

10 “You’d need Yahweh with you if I ever let you and your children go together,” Far’oh responded. “You’re clearly plotting an evil trick! 11 Well that won’t happen! The men may go and worship Yahweh since that’s what you’ve been wanting.” Then he drove them out of the room.

12 Then Yahweh told Mosheh, “Extend your hand over Egypt and let the locusts rise up over the land, and let them devour all the plants—everything which the hail had spared.” 13 So Mosheh stretched his staff out over Egypt, and Yahweh sent an east wind over the land all that day and all night. Then morning came, and the east wind had brought the locusts. 14 The locusts covered across all the land of Egypt and came to rest everywhere within the country’s borders. They were extremely numerous—never before were there so many locusts, and it’ll never be repeated again.[ref] 15 The cloud of locusts blocked the sun and prevented people from being able to see very far. They devoured all the plants on the land and all of the fruit on the trees that the hail had left, and no piece of greenery remained on any tree or plant in the entire Egyptian countryside.

16 Far’oh quickly summoned Mosheh and Aharon and said, “I’ve sinned against your God Yahweh and against you. 17 So now just this once, please overlook my sin and pray to your God Yahweh and just let him take this deathly plague away from me.” 18 So Mosheh left Far’oh and went out and prayed to Yahweh, 19 and Yahweh caused a very strong sea wind. The wind carried away the locusts and drove them into the Red Sea—not a single locust remained anywhere in Egyptian territory. 20 But Yahweh caused Far’oh to remain stubborn and he would’t release the Israelis.

21 Then Yahweh told Mosheh, “Raise your hand up toward the sky and let it become dark over all Egypt—darkness that can be felt.” 22 So Mosheh stretched his hand out towards the sky, and a thick darkness was in all Egypt for three days.[ref] 23 No one could see anyone else, and for three days no one was able to go anywhere, yet there was light in the region where the Israelis lived.

24 Then Far’oh summoned Mosheh and told him, “Go serve Yahweh. Your children can go with you all, but your flocks and your herds must remain behind.”

25 “On top of that,” Mosheh responded, “you must also give us the sacrifices and offerings to be burnt when we will sacrifice to Yahweh our God. 26 And even our livestock needs to go with us. Not a hoof will be left behind because we’ll choose from them to serve Yahweh our God. You see, we won’t know what we must sacrifice to Yahweh until we arrive there.”

27 But Yahweh caused Far’oh to strengthen his resolve and he wouldn’t agree to let them go. 28 “Get out of here!” Far’oh shouted. “And watch yourself! You’ll never see me again, because if I ever see you again, I’ll have you executed!”

29 “Yes,” Mosheh responded. “It’s just as you say: I’ll never see you again!”

11 Then Yahweh told Mosheh, “I’ll send one more plague to Far’oh and Egypt. After that he’ll let you all go from here. What’s more, when he does he’ll actually chase you all right out of here. 2 Go and quietly tell the people that both men and women should ask their Egyptian neighbours for items of gold and silver.” 3 Then Yahweh gave the Israelis favour in the eyes of the Egyptians. What’s more, Mosheh was very prestigious in the eyes of Far’oh’s servants and in the eyes of the Egyptian people.

4 Then Mosheh told Far’oh, “This is what Yahweh says: Sometime around the middle of the night I’ll go out around Egypt, 5 and every oldest son in Egypt will die, from the oldest son of Far’oh who sits on his throne, to the oldest son of the slave girl who lives behind the mill, as well as every oldest male offspring of your livestock. 6 Then there’ll be loud wailing right across Egypt which will be nothing anything that’s ever happened before, and nothing like it will ever happen again. 7 But amongst the Israelis, the dogs won’t growl at any person or animals so that you’ll know that Yahweh distinguishes between Egypt and Israel. 8 Then all your servants will come down to me, and they’ll bow to me, pleading, ‘Go, you and all the people who follow you.’ And after that I’ll leave Egypt.” Then Mosheh left Far’oh in a fiery rage.

9 Then Yahweh told Mosheh, “Far’oh refused to listen to you, so that I’m able to multiply my miracles in Egypt.” 10 Mosheh and Aharon had done all those miracles in front of Far’oh but Yahweh had made Far’oh stubborn so he hadn’t let the Israelis leave his country.

12 Then Yahweh told Mosheh and Aharon Egypt,[ref] 2 “This month is to become the beginning of the months for you all—from now on it will be the first month of the new year. 3 Assemble the people and tell them that on the tenth of this month, every man who’s the head of the household must select a lamb or young goat for his family. 4 But if the household’s too small to cook a whole animal, then neighbours can combine and share—budgeting on how much each person eats. 5 You all can choose either a sheep or a goat, but it must be a perfect, one-year-old male—without any defects. 6 You all must take special care of those animals until the fourteenth day of this month, then every Israeli household will slaughter their animal early that evening. 7 Then they must take some of the blood and put it on both doorposts and on the lintel of the houses that they’ll be in when they eat it. 8 They must roast them on the fire and eat the meat that night, along with flat bread and bitter herbs. 9 Don’t eat any of the meat raw and don’t boil it in water—it must be roasted over the fire with its head, legs, and internal organs. 10 Nothing must be left by morning—anything that’s not eaten must be burnt in the fire. 11 And this is how you all must eat it: with your belts fastened on your waists, your sandals on your feet, and your staffs in your hands. You all must eat it in a hurry. It is the Passover to Yahweh.

12 Then during that night, I will move throughout Egypt and I will kill all the oldest males—both people and animals. I will execute judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am Yahweh. 13 That blood on the doorposts and lintel will be your sign on the houses which you are all in. I will see the blood and will pass over above you all, and the plague won’t affect you all with destruction as I strike against Egypt. 14 Then this day will become a memorial for you all, and you’ll celebrate it as a festival to Yahweh for future generations—a statute that you’ll all celebrate forever.[ref]

15 For seven days you all must only eat flat bread made without yeast. Yes, on the first day you all must remove any yeast from your houses, because anyone who eats bread with yeast during those seven days, that person must be permanently driven out of Israel. 16 On the first day, you all must gather for a sacred assembly, and similarly on the seventh day. No work can be done on those days other than meal preparation. 17 You all must regularly observe the Flat Bread Celebration, because on this very day I will have brought your divisions out from Egypt. You all must observe this day throughout future generations—a statute that you’ll all celebrate forever. 18 Starting on 14th of the first month in the evening, you all must eat only flat bread until the 21st day of the month in the evening. 19 For seven days you all must have no yeast in your homes, because anyone who eats bread with yeast in it, that person must be driven out from the Israeli people whether they’re a foreigner or a native. 20 You all mustn’t eat anything made with yeast. Wherever you live, you all must only eat flat bread.

21 Then Mosheh summoned the Israeli elders and told them, “Go ahead and select a lamb or young goat for each family and slaughter it. 22 Then you all must take a bunch of leafy hyssop stalks, and dip it in the basin with the blood from the sacrifice and paint the blood onto the lintel and both doorposts. After that, absolutely no one should go out the door of your houses until morning. 23 Then Yahweh will pass throughout Egypt to strike the Egyptians and when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, he’ll ‘pass over’ that doorway and won’t permit ‘the destroyer’ to enter into your houses to strike.[ref] 24 All of you and your descendants must maintain this as a law and celebrate it forever, 25 so when you all enter into the land that Yahweh will give to you just as he promised, then you must observe this ceremony. 26 Then when it occurs, your children will ask, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ 27 you all must tell them, ‘It’s the sacrifice of ‘pass-over’ to Yahweh, who passed over the houses of the Israelis in Egypt when he struck the Egyptians and rescued our families.’ ”

And the people bowed their heads and prostrated themselves, 28 and the Israelis went and did just as Yahweh had commanded through Mosheh and Aharon.

29 Then, in the middle of the night, Yahweh struck all the oldest males in Egypt, from the oldest son of Far’oh who sat on his throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner in the dungeon and all oldest male offspring of the animals.[ref] 30 During the night, all the Egyptians got up, including Far’oh and all his servants. There was tremendous wailing throughout Egypt because it was a very rare house where there wasn’t someone dead. 31 Far’oh called for Mosheh and Aharon in the night and told them, “Pack up and get out from among my people—you two and all the other Israelis. Go and serve Yahweh as you’ve said. 32 Also take your flocks and your herds as you’ve said, and go. And bless me as well.

20 Then God gave these instructions to the Israelis: 2 I’m your God Yahweh, who rescued you[fn] from where you were enslaved in Egypt.

3 You mustn’t own any other gods in my sight. 4 You mustn’t make a carved figure for yourself, nor carve a copy of anything in the sky above or in the earth below, or that’s in the water under the earth.[ref] 5 Don’t bow down to idols and don’t serve them, because I, your God Yahweh, am a jealous God. I remember the sins of the fathers and punish the children of even the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,[ref] 6 but I faithfully fulfil my promises to thousands of generations of those who love me and who obey my instructions.

7 You mustn’t wrongly promote the name of Yahweh your God, because I will not leave anyone unpunished who does that.[ref]

8 Keep Saturday different from all the other days—[ref] 9 there’s six days every week for working.[ref] 10 The seventh day is a rest day for Yahweh your God: you mustn’t do any work—not you, or your children, or your male or female servants, or your cattle, or the foreigners live among you—11 because Yahweh made the heavens and earth, the sea, and everything that’s in them in six days. Then he rested on the seventh day, so that’s why he blessed the rest day and made it sacred.[ref]

12 Honour your father and your mother, so that you’ll have a long life on the land that your God Yahweh is about to give you.[ref]

13 You mustn’t murder.[ref]

14 You mustn’t commit adultery.[ref]

15 You mustn’t steal.[ref]

16 You mustn’t lie in court.[ref]

17 You mustn’t covet your neighbour’s house or spouse, or their male or female servants, or their animals, or anything else they own.[ref]

18 All of the people could hear and see the thunder and the lightning, the sound of the horn, and the mountain smoking. They trembled when they saw it, and they remained standing at a distance.[ref] 19 They begged Mosheh, “You be the one to speak to us, and we’ll listen, but don’t let God speak directly to us, in case we die.”

20 “Don’t be afraid,” Mosheh responded, “because God has come to test you so that the fear of him will remain with you so that you all won’t disobey him.” 21 So the people stood at a good distance while Mosheh approached toward the thick darkness where God was.

22 Then Yahweh told Mosheh, “This is what you need to tell the Israelis: ‘You yourselves have seen that I, Yahweh, have talked with you from heaven. 23 You all mustn’t make gods out of silver or gold for yourselves to have alongside me. 24 You need to make an altar for me out of dirt, and then you can sacrifice your burnt offerings and peace offerings, and your sheep and cattle, on it. I’ll inform you about every place where I want to be worshippped and I’ll come to you and will bless you there. 25 If you do make me an altar with stones, you mustn’t use cut stones to build it because moving your tools over it will defile it.[ref] 26 And don’t use steps to get up to the altar because you might expose your private parts under your robes.

21 These are the rules that you must present to them:

Hebrew slaves

2 If you buy a Hebrew slave, he should serve for six years, then in the seventh year he must be set free without having to pay you anything.[ref] 3 If he came by himself, he can go free by himself. If he’s married with a wife, then his wife must be set free with him. 4 If his master gave him a wife and she bore him sons or daughters, then the wife and her children are her master’s, and only the husband must be set free. 5 But if he plainly says, “I love my master, my wife, and my children so I voluntarily choose not to be set free,” 6 then his master must take him to the place of worship. He must bring him to a door or to a doorpost, and his master must bore a hole his ear with an awl. Then he must serve him for life.

7 And if a man sells his daughter as a female slave, she won’t be sent away after six years like the male slaves. 8 If the man who bought her wanted her to become his slave-wife, but later he isn’t pleased with her behaviour, he must allow her to be bought back by her relatives. He has no authority to sell her on to outsiders, because that would break the understanding of proper treatment of her. 9 Or if he selected her to become his son’s slave-wife, then he must treat her like a daughter would expect to be treated. 10 If he go on to take another slave-wife, he mustn’t reduce the first one’s food or clothing, or her marital rights, 11 but if he doesn’t provide these three things to her, then she can go free without having to pay anything.

12 Whoever strikes someone and that person dies, must definitely be put to death.[ref] 13 But if it wasn’t premeditated—if God had let it happen as an accident—then I’ll assign a place where the one who hit them can flee to.[ref] 14 However, if someone had schemed to trap and kill their neighbour, then even if the killer clings to my altar, you must take them for execution.

15 Anyone who strikes their father or mother must certainly be put to death.

16 Anyone who abducts another person—either to sell or to keep as a slave—that person must certainly be put to death.[ref]

17 Anyone who curses their father or mother must certainly be put to death.[ref]

18 If two people fight and one hits their neighbour with a stone or with their fist, and the injured one doesn’t die but is bedridden, 19 if that person eventually rises and can walk about outside using a staff, then the person who struck them is free, other than reimbursing the costs of their lost work and their medical expenses.

20 If a master hits their male or female slave with a staff and the slave dies, then the death must certainly be avenged. 21 However, if the slave is able to stand within a couple of days, then the owner won’t be punished because the slave is their property.

22 If two people fight together and strike a pregnant woman and cause her to deliver the baby, if there’s no serious injury, then he must certainly be fined whatever the husband of the woman demands and the judges allow. 23 But if there’s serious injury, then you must give a life for a life, 24 an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot,[ref] 25 a burn for a burn, a wound for a wound, and a bruise for a bruise.

26 If a master hits their male or female slave’s eye and damages it, they must let the slave go free in compensation for the eye. 27 Or if the master knocks out a tooth of a male or female slave, they must let the slave go free in compensation for the tooth.

28 If a bull gores a man or a woman and they die, the bull must certainly be killed by throwing rocks at it. The owner of the animal is to be considered innocent, but its meat mustn’t be eaten. 29 But if the bull had a habit of goring in the past and its owner was warned but didn’t keep it fenced in, and it kills a man or a woman, then the bull must be killed by throwing rocks at it and its owner must also be put to death. 30 If a ransom payment is demanded instead, the owner may buy back their life by paying the full amount demanded. 31 Those rules also apply if the bull gores a person’s son or daughter. 32 If the bull gores a male or female slave, its owner must give thirty silver shekels to the slave owner and the bull must be killed by throwing rocks at it.

33 If someone uncovers a pit for storage, or digs a new one and leaves it uncovered, and a cow or a donkey falls into it, 34 the owner of the pit must pay compensation. The pit owner must pay in cash, but the dead animal will then belong to them. 35 If one person’s bull attacks someone else’s bull and it dies, then they should sell the live animal and divide the money as well as dividing up the dead animal. 36 But if it was known that the bull had a habit of goring in the past and its owner hadn’t kept it fenced in, then that owner must certainly give a live bull for the dead one, but the dead animal will become theirs.

22 If someone steals a cow or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it, he must compensate five cattle for the cow or four sheep for the sheep.

2 (If a thief is discovered at night while breaking in, and is struck and dies, no one should be charged for murder. 3 But if it’s daylight already, then that person is guilty of murder.)

A thief who’s caught must make restitution, but if they’re unable to pay, then the thief must be sold to cover it. 4 If a thief is found in the possession of a stolen animal, be it a cow or a donkey or a sheep, then they must pay back another matching animal as well.[fn]

5 If a person releases their livestock to graze their own field or vineyard, and it ends up grazing in the someone else’s field, the owner of the animal must compensate from the best of their field and from the best of their vineyard.

6 If a fire breaks out and spreads in the bush, and grain that’s already stacked or is still in the field gets burnt up, the person who started the fire must certainly pay compensation.

7 If anyone gives their neighbour money or goods for safekeeping, and if it is stolen from the neighbour’s house, if the thief is found, they must pay double in compensation. 8 If the thief can’t be found, then the owner of the house must be brought to the judges for God’s decision as to whether or not they have improperly handled their neighbour’s property.

9 Concerning every other squabble about any cattle or a donkey or sheep, or about clothing or any lost property that’s under dispute, both parties must go to the judges for God’s decision—anyone who God declares to be guilty must pay his neighbour double as compensation.

10 If anyone gives their neighbour a donkey or a cow or a sheep or any animal to look after, and it dies or is injured or disappears without anyone seeing, 11 both of them must declare in front of Yahweh as to whether or not they improperly handled their neighbour’s property. The owner must accept the sworn statement and no compensation is required, 12 but if it was truly stolen from the neighbour, they must pay compensation to the owner. 13 If it was truly killed by a some other animal, the neighbour must bring the remains as evidence, and no compensation is required.

14 If anyone borrows an animal from their neighbour and it gets injured or dies without the owner being with it, the person who borrowed it must pay compensation, 15 but if its owner was there with it, no compensation is required—if it was for hire, then that was included in its hiring fee.

16 If a man entices a young woman who’s not engaged, and sleeps with her, he must certainly pay the bride price to her father for her to become his wife.[ref] 17 If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, the man must still pay the normal bride price in cash.

18 You must execute any woman who practices sorcery.[ref]

19 Anyone who has sex with an animal must be executed.[ref]

20 You must execute anyone who offers a sacrifice to any god other than Yahweh.[ref]

21 You mustn’t disadvantage or oppress any foreigner staying in your country, because you were foreigners staying in the land of Egypt.[ref] 22 You mustn’t mistreat any widow or any fatherless child, 23 because if you do and they ask me to help them, I’ll help them 24 and get angry. I’ll cause you all to die in battle, and your wives will become widows and your children will become fatherless.

25 If you loan money to any my people who’re poor, you mustn’t act like an impartial creditor to them—you mustn’t charge them interest.[ref] 26 If you actually take the your neighbour’s cloak as a security, you must return it to them by sunset,[ref] 27 because it’s their only covering. What else could they cover themselves with when they try to sleep? If they cry out to me, I’ll act on it, because I’m compassionate.

28 You mustn’t insult God, and don’t curse your leaders.[ref]

29 You mustn’t fail to give me the best parts of the grain that you harvest, or the best olive oil or wine that you produce.

You must give your firstborn sons to me, 30 plus you must do the same with your cattle and your sheep and goats. The young must stay seven days with their mothers, then you must give them to me on the eighth day.

31 You must be different from others because you’re dedicated to me. So you mustn’t eat the meat of animals that are mauled in the countryside—throw it to the dogs instead.[ref]

23 You mustn’t present a false statement. Don’t conspire with a wicked person to give false evidence.[ref] 2 Don’t just follow the crowd into doing what’s wrong, and don’t just say what others say in court if it’s untrue, 3 and don’t automatically favour the poor in court either.[ref]

4 If you come across your enemy’s cow or donkey going astray, you must certainly take it back to them.[ref] 5 If you see that the donkey of someone who hates you has fallen to the ground under its load, you mustn’t just walk way—you must certainly help them with it.

6 You mustn’t deny justice to the poor in their lawsuits.[ref] 7 Stay far way from deceptive words. You mustn’t kill innocent or honest people because I won’t allow wicked people to be declared innocent. 8 You mustn’t accept bribes, because bribes stop people from being unbiased and they undermine the words of honest people.

9 You mustn’t oppress foreigners since you yourselves know how that feels because you all were foreigners in Egypt.[ref]

10 You should plant your land and gather its produce for six years,[ref] 11 but in the seventh year you must let the harvest drop and just leave it there and allow the poor people to eat it. Then the animals in the countryside can eat the reminder. You must also do that to your vineyards and your olive orchards.

12 Six days You should work for six days, then on the seventh day you must rest so that your cow and your donkey can rest, and the children of your slaves and the foreigner staying in your land can be refreshed.[ref]

13 Take careful notice of everything that I’ve told you all. You all mustn’t invoke other gods—in fact don’t even mention their names.

14 You must celebrate me three times every year. 15 1/ You must observe the Flat Bread Celebration. You must eat unleavened bread for seven days as I commanded you, in late March or early April because that’s when you came out from Egypt. You mustn’t come without an offering.[ref]

16 2/ You must observe the Spring Harvest Celebration, bringing the first portion of your harvests from what you planted.

3/ You must observe the Finished Harvest Celebration at the end of the year, after you’ve finished harvesting everything you planted. 17 So all your males must gather in front of the master Yahweh three times each year.

18 You mustn’t sacrifice the blood of my sacrifices together with bread that’s been risen, and all the fat must be burnt during the night so that none remains in the morning.

19 You must bring the best of the firstfruits of your harvests to the house of Yahweh your God.

You mustn’t boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.[ref]

20 Listen, I’m about to send a messenger in front of you to guard you on the way, and to take you to the place that I have prepared. 21 Stay behind him and listen to what he says. Don’t annoy him because he won’t put up with disobedience because he represents my authority. 22 But if you take careful notice of his words and do everything that I say, then I’ll be an enemy to your enemies and I’ll be against those who’re against you. 23 My messenger will go ahead of you and take you to face the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, and then I’ll annihilate them. 24 You mustn’t serve or bow down to their gods, and you mustn’t do what those people do, because you must completely overthrow them and completely smash their sacred stone pillars. 25 You all must worship your God Yahweh, and he’ll bless your food and your water. I’ll keep sickness away from you 26 and there won’t be any miscarriages or women in your land that can’t conceive. I’ll ensure that you live your full number of days.

27 I’ll go ahead of you and will terrify and confuse all of the people groups whose lands you’ll enter, and I’ll cause them to flee from you in battle. 28 I’ll send hornets ahead of you and they’ll drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites before you get there. 29 I won’t drive them out more than a year ahead of you in case the area becomes desolate and the wild animals proliferate too much in the countryside. 30 I’ll drive them out little by little ahead of you until your numbers increase and you take over the land. 31 Then I’ll help you establish your borders from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean, and from the wilderness to the Euphrates river, because I’ll help you defeat the existing inhabitants of the land and so you’ll drive them right out. 32 You mustn’t make any agreement with those people or with their gods. 33 They mustn’t live in your land, in case they cause you to sin against me. Their gods would certainly become a trap for you, and then you’d end up worshipping them.

17 Then all the Israelis moved on from Siyn in the wilderness, travelling following Yahweh’s instructions. They camped at Refidim but there was no water for the people to drink.[ref] 2 So the people argued with Mosheh again, saying, “Give us water to drink!”

“Why are you all quarreling with me?” Mosheh answered. “Why are you all testing Yahweh?”

3 But the people were very thirsty there and they murmured against Mosheh, so he demanded, “Is this why you brought us out of Egypt? To kill me and my sons and my cattle with thirst?” ???

4 Mosheh cried out to Yahweh, asking, “What should I do for these people? It won’t take much more and they’ll stone me.”

5 “Walk on ahead of the people,” Yahweh told Mosheh, “and take some of the Israeli elders with you, and your staff—the one which you struck the river with. Take it in your hand and go. 6 Watch me. I will stand in front of you there on the rock at Horeb (Mt. Sinai). Then you will strike the rock and water will come out of it, and the people will drink.” So Mosheh did that while the Israeli elders watched.

7 Mosheh named that place both ‘Massah’ (which means ‘testing’) and ‘Meribah’ (which means ‘complaining’), because of the conflict among the Israelis and because of how they tested of Yahweh by saying, ‘Is Yahweh among us or not?’

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