Various Laws

25 This is what you must do whenever ⌞two⌟ people have a disagreement that is brought into court. The judges will hear the case and decide who’s right and who’s wrong. ² If the person who’s in the wrong deserves to be beaten, the judge will order him to lie down. Then the judge will have him beaten with as many lashes as the crime deserves. ³ Forty lashes may be given, but no more. If an Israelite were given more than that, he would be publicly humiliated.

⁴ Never muzzle an ox when it’s threshing ^[a] grain.

⁵ When brothers live together and one of them dies without having a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother must marry her and sleep with her. He must do his duty as her brother-in-law. ⁶ Then the first son she has will carry the dead brother’s name so that his name won’t die out in Israel.

⁷ But if the man doesn’t want to marry his brother’s widow, she must go to the leaders of the city at the city gate. She must say, “My brother-in-law refuses to let his brother’s name continue in Israel. He doesn’t want to do his duty as my brother-in-law.” ⁸ Then the leaders of the city must summon him and talk to him. If he persists in saying that he doesn’t want to marry her, ⁹ his brother’s widow must go up to him in the presence of the leaders. She must take off one of his sandals and spit in his face. She must make this formal statement: “This is what happens to a man who refuses to continue his brother’s family line.” ¹⁰ Then in Israel his family will be called the Family of the Man Without a Sandal.

¹¹ This is what you must do when two men are fighting and the wife of one of them comes to rescue her husband from the man who is beating him. If she tries to stop the fight by grabbing the other man’s genitals, ¹² cut off her hand. Have no pity on her.

¹³ Never carry two sets of weights, a heavier one and a lighter one. ¹⁴ Never have two kinds of measures in your house, a larger one and a smaller one. ¹⁵ Use accurate and honest weights and measures. Then you will live for a long time in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. ¹⁶ Everyone who uses dishonest weights and measures is disgusting to the Lord.

¹⁷ Remember what the Amalekites did to you on your trip from Egypt. ¹⁸ They attacked you when you were tired and exhausted and killed all those who were lagging behind. They weren’t afraid of God. ¹⁹ So when the Lord your God gives you peace from all your enemies around you in the land that he is giving you as your own property, don’t forget to erase every memory of the Amalekites from the earth.

A Reminder to Keep God’s Laws

26 Soon you will enter and take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving you as your property. When you have settled there, ² take some of the first produce harvested from the fields in the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and put it in a basket. Then go to the place where the Lord your God will choose for his name to live. ³ Go to the priest who is serving at that time, and tell him, “I declare today to the Lord your God that I have come to the land that the Lord is giving us, as he swore to our ancestors.” ⁴ Then the priest will take the basket from you and set it down in front of the altar of the Lord your God. ⁵ You will make this formal statement in the presence of the Lord your God: “My ancestors were wandering Arameans. There were only a few of them when they went to Egypt and lived as foreigners. But then they became a great, powerful, and large nation. ⁶ So the Egyptians treated us cruelly, oppressed us, and made us do back-breaking work for them. ⁷ We cried out to the Lord God of our ancestors, and he heard us. He saw our misery, suffering, and oppression. ⁸ Then the Lord used his mighty hand and powerful arm to bring us out of Egypt. He used spectacular and awe-inspiring deeds, miraculous signs, and amazing things. ⁹ He brought us to this place and gave us this land flowing with milk and honey. ¹⁰ So now I’ve brought the first produce harvested from the fields you gave me, Lord.”

You will place the basket in the presence of the Lord your God and bow down in front of him. ¹¹ Then you, the Levites, and the foreigners who live among you can enjoy all the good things which the Lord your God has given you and your family.

¹² Every third year is the year when you will store a tenth of that year’s crops ⌞in your houses⌟. During that year distribute what you have stored to the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows in your cities, and they may eat all they want. ¹³ When you have distributed all that was stored, say to the Lord your God, “Nothing is left of the holy offering stored in my house. I distributed it to the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows as you commanded me. I disobeyed none of your commands, and I didn’t forget to do what you commanded. ¹⁴ I didn’t eat any of this holy offering while I was in mourning. I didn’t distribute any of it while I was unclean.^[b] I didn’t offer any of it to the dead. I have obeyed the Lord my God. I have done everything you commanded me. ¹⁵ Look down from your holy place in heaven. Bless your people Israel and the land flowing with milk and honey that you have given us, as you promised with an oath to our ancestors.”

¹⁶ Today the Lord your God is commanding you to obey these laws and rules. You must faithfully obey them with all your heart and with all your soul. ¹⁷ Today you have declared that the Lord is your God and that you will follow his directions, obey his laws, commands, and rules, and listen to him. ¹⁸ Today the Lord has declared that you are his people, his own special possession, as he told you. But you must be sure to obey his commands. ¹⁹ Then he will place you high above all the other nations he has made. He will give you praise, fame, and honor, and you will be a people holy to the Lord your God, as he promised.