The Treatment of Slaves
(Deuteronomy 15.12-18)1 “Give the Israelites the following laws: 2 If you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve you for six years. In the seventh year he is to be set free without having to pay anything. 3 If he was unmarried when he became your slave, he is not to take a wife with him when he leaves; but if he was married when he became your slave, he may take his wife with him. 4 If his master gave him a wife and she bore him sons or daughters, the woman and her children belong to the master, and the man is to leave by himself. 5 But if the slave declares that he loves his master, his wife, and his children and does not want to be set free, 6 then his master shall take him to the place of worship. There he is to make him stand against the door or the doorpost and put a hole through his ear. Then he will be his slave for life.
7 “If a man sells his daughter as a slave, she is not to be set free, as male slaves are. 8 If she is sold to someone who intends to make her his wife, but he doesn't like her, then she is to be sold back to her father; her master cannot sell her to foreigners, because he has treated her unfairly. 9 If a man buys a female slave to give to his son, he is to treat her like a daughter. 10 If a man takes a second wife, he must continue to give his first wife the same amount of food and clothing and the same rights that she had before. 11 If he does not fulfill these duties to her, he must set her free and not receive any payment.
Laws about Violent Acts
12 “Whoever hits someone and kills him is to be put to death. 13 But if it was an accident and he did not mean to kill him, he can escape to a place which I will choose for you, and there he will be safe. 14 But when someone gets angry and deliberately kills someone else, he is to be put to death, even if he has run to my altar for safety.
15 “Whoever hits his father or his mother is to be put to death.
16 “Whoever kidnaps someone, either to sell him or to keep him as a slave, is to be put to death.
17 “Whoever curses his father or his mother is to be put to death.
18-19 “If there is a fight and someone hits someone else with a stone or with his fist, but does not kill him, he is not to be punished. If the one who was hit has to stay in bed, but later is able to get up and walk outside with the help of a cane, the one who hit him is to pay for his lost time and take care of him until he gets well.
20 “If a slave owner takes a stick and beats his slave, whether male or female, and the slave dies on the spot, the owner is to be punished. 21 But if the slave does not die for a day or two, the master is not to be punished. The loss of his property is punishment enough.
22 “If some men are fighting and hurt a pregnant woman so that she loses her child, but she is not injured in any other way, the one who hurt her is to be fined whatever amount the woman's husband demands, subject to the approval of the judges. 23 But if the woman herself is injured, the punishment shall be life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.
26 “If someone hits his male or female slave in the eye and puts it out, he is to free the slave as payment for the eye. 27 If he knocks out a tooth, he is to free the slave as payment for the tooth.
The Responsibility of Owners
28 “If a bull gores someone to death, it is to be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten; but its owner is not to be punished. 29 But if the bull had been in the habit of attacking people and its owner had been warned, but did not keep it penned up—then if it gores someone to death, it is to be stoned, and its owner is to be put to death also. 30 However, if the owner is allowed to pay a fine to save his life, he must pay the full amount required. 31 If the bull kills a boy or a girl, the same rule applies. 32 If the bull kills a male or female slave, its owner shall pay the owner of the slave thirty pieces of silver, and the bull shall be stoned to death.
33 “If someone takes the cover off a pit or if he digs one and does not cover it, and a bull or a donkey falls into it, 34 he must pay for the animal. He is to pay the money to the owner and may keep the dead animal. 35 If someone's bull kills someone else's bull, the two of them shall sell the live bull and divide the money; they shall also divide up the meat from the dead animal. 36 But if it was known that the bull had been in the habit of attacking and its owner did not keep it penned up, he must make good the loss by giving the other man a live bull, but he may keep the dead animal.
Likums par vergiem
(5Moz 15:12–18)1 Šie ir likumi, kurus tu viņiem dosi! 2 Kad tu pērc ebreju vergu, lai viņš vergo sešus gadus, bet septītajā lai viņš par velti iet brīvībā! 3 Ja viņš ir atnācis viens, tad viens lai viņš aiziet, ja tam ir sieva, lai sieva iet viņam līdzi. 4 Ja viņa kungs ir devis tam sievu un tā ir dzemdējusi dēlus vai meitas, tad sieva un viņas bērni pieder kungam, bet viņš lai iet viens. 5 Bet, ja tas vergs uzstāj: “Es mīlu savu kungu, savu sievu un savus bērnus, un neiešu brīvībā!” – 6 tad lai viņa kungs to ved Dieva priekšā, lai ved viņu pie durvīm vai durvju stenderes, lai viņa kungs caurdur tam ausi ar duramo un lai viņš tam kalpo uz mūžu!
7 Ja kāds pārdod savu meitu par verdzeni, lai viņa neaiziet kā vergi! 8 Ja tā netīk savam kungam un tas nav viņu atzinis, lai viņu izpērk. Svešai tautai viņš nedrīkst to pārdot, jo tad viņai nodarītu pāri! 9 Bet, ja savam dēlam viņš to nodomājis, tad lai viņš dod tai visu, ko meitām mēdz dot! 10 Ja viņš ņem sev citu sievu, tad lai viņš tai neatņem iztiku, drānas un klātgulēšanu. 11 Ja šīs trīs lietas viņš tai nav devis, tad viņa var iet par velti, bez sudraba!
Likums par miesas ievainojumiem
12 Kas sitis cilvēku, ka tas beigts, lai mirtin mirst! 13 Bet, kas to bez nolūka darījis – Dievs viņa roku tā nolicis –, es tev norādīšu vietu, kurp tas var bēgt!
14 Bet, ja kāds ar ļaunu nodomājis nokaut savu tuvāko, tad pat no mana altāra viņu paņemiet, lai mirst!
15 Kas sit savu tēvu vai māti, lai mirtin mirst! 16 Kas nolaupījis cilvēku un to pārdevis vai arī to atrod pie viņa, lai mirtin mirst!
17 Kas nolād savu tēvu vai māti, lai mirtin mirst!
18 Kad vīri strīdas un kāds sit savu tuvāko ar akmeni vai dūri un tas nenomirst, tik paliek uz gultas, 19 tad, ja tas ceļas un staigā pa ielu ar spieķi, bez vainas ir tas, kas viņu sitis, tikai lai viņš atlīdzina tam slimības laiku un dziedēšanu.
20 Ja kāds sit savu vergu vai verdzeni ar spieķi, ka tas mirst zem viņa rokas, tas lai tiek sodīt sodīts! 21 Taču, ja vergs nodzīvo dienu vai divas, lai viņu nesoda, jo tas – par viņa naudu.
22 Ja vīri kaujas un sasit grūtu sievu, ka noiet auglis, bet citas vainas nav, tad lai to soda ar naudas sodu, ko uzliek tās sievas vīrs, tas lai tiek samaksāts, kā piespriests. 23 Bet, ja ir kāda vaina, tad tu dod dzīvību pret dzīvību, 24 aci pret aci, zobu pret zobu, roku pret roku, kāju pret kāju, 25 apdegumu pret apdegumu, brūci pret brūci, sitienu pret sitienu!
26 Ja kāds trāpa savam vergam vai savai verdzenei pa aci un izsit to, tad acs dēļ tas lai atlaiž viņu brīvībā!
27 Ja viņš izsit savam vergam vai verdzenei zobu, tad zoba dēļ tas lai atlaiž viņu brīvībā!
28 Ja vērsis sabada vīru vai sievu līdz nāvei, tad to vērsi lai nomētā akmeņiem un tā gaļu lai neēd, bet vērša saimnieks ir bez vainas. 29 Ja vērsis iepriekš ir badījies un tā saimnieks ir bijis brīdināts, bet nav ņēmis to vērā, un tas nogalē vīru vai sievu, tad vērsis lai tiek nomētāts akmeņiem un arī tā saimnieks lai mirst. 30 Ja viņam uzliek izpirkumu, tad lai viņš dod samaksu par dzīvību – visu, kas viņam uzlikts. 31 Ja tas nobada zēnu vai meiteni, lai viņam tiek darīts pēc tādas pašas tiesas! 32 Ja vērsis nobada vergu vai verdzeni, lai viņš dod tā kungam trīsdesmit mērus sudraba, bet vērsi lai nomētā akmeņiem.
33 Ja kāds atstāj vaļā aku vai izrok aku un nepārklāj to un tajā iekrīt vērsis vai ēzelis, 34 tad akas saimnieks lai samaksā – lai atdod tā saimniekam sudrabu, bet beigtais vērsis lai paliek viņam.
35 Ja kāda vērsis sabada kaimiņa vērsi, ka tas ir beigts, tad lai viņi pārdod dzīvo vērsi un sadala sudrabu, arī beigto lai viņi sadala.
36 Vai – ja zināms, ka vērsis ir badījies iepriekš un viņa saimnieks to nav ņēmis vērā, tad lai viņš maksā vērsi pret vērsi, bet beigtais lai tiek viņam. 37 Ja kāds nozog vērsi vai avi un to nokauj vai pārdod, tad lai viņš maksā piecus vēršus par vērsi un četras avis par avi.
