Fairness and Mercy
1“If there is a dispute between men, they are to go to court, and the judges will hear their case. They will clear the innocent and condemn the guilty.
2If the guilty party deserves to be flogged, the judge will make him lie down and be flogged in his presence with the number of lashes appropriate for his crime.
3He may be flogged with forty lashes, but no more. Otherwise, if he is flogged with more lashes than these, your brother will be degraded in your sight.
Preserving the Family Line
5“When brothers live on the same property25:5 Lit live together and one of them dies without a son, the wife of the dead man may not marry a stranger outside the family. Her brother-in-law is to take her as his wife, have sexual relations with her, and perform the duty of a brother-in-law for her.
6The first son she bears will carry on the name of the dead brother, so his name will not be blotted out from Israel.25:5–6 Gn 38:8; Mt 22:24; Mk 12:19; Lk 20:28
7But if the man doesn’t want to marry his sister-in-law, she is to go to the elders at the city gate25:7 Dt 17:8; 21:19; 22:15 and say, ‘My brother-in-law refuses to preserve his brother’s name in Israel. He isn’t willing to perform the duty of a brother-in-law for me.’
8The elders of his city will summon him and speak with him. If he persists and says, ‘I don’t want to marry her,’
9then his sister-in-law will go up to him in the sight of the elders, remove his sandal from his foot, and spit in his face. Then she will declare, ‘This is what is done to a man who will not build up his brother’s house.’
11“If two men are fighting with each other, and the wife of one steps in to rescue her husband from the one striking him, and she puts out her hand and grabs his genitals,
12you are to cut off her hand. Do not show pity.
Honest Weights and Measures
14Do not have differing dry measures in your house, a larger and a smaller.
15You must have a full and honest weight, a full and honest dry measure, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
16For everyone who does such things and acts unfairly is detestable to the Lord your God.25:16 Lv 19:35–36
Revenge on the Amalekites
18They met you along the way and attacked all your stragglers from behind when you were tired and weary. They did not fear God.
Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard
Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.