Protection of Property

"A fine must be paid by anyone who steals an ox or sheep and then kills or sell it. For oxen the fine is five oxen for each one stolen. For sheep the fine is four sheep for each one stolen.

"If a thief is caught in the act of breaking into a house and is killed in the process, the person who killed the thief is not guilty. But if it happens in daylight, the one who killed the thief is guilty of murder.

"A thief who is caught must pay in full for everything that was stolen. If payment is not made, the thief must be sold as a slave to pay the debt. If someone steals an ox or a donkey or a sheep and it is recovered alive, then the thief must pay double the value.

"If an animal is grazing in a field or vineyard, and the owner lets it stray into someone else's field to graze, then the animal's owner must pay damages in the form of high-quality grain or grapes.

"If a fire gets out of control and goes into another person's field, destroying the sheaves or the standing grain, then the one who started the fire must pay for the lost crops.

"Suppose someone entrusts money or goods to a neighbor, and they are stolen from the neighbor's house. If the thief is found, the fine is double the value of what was stolen. But if the thief is not found, God will determine whether or not it was the neighbor who stole the property.

"Suppose there is a dispute between two people as to who owns a particular ox, donkey, sheep, article of clothing, or anything else. Both parties must come before God for a decision, and the person whom God declares guilty must pay double to the other.

Now suppose someone asks a neighbor to care for a donkey, ox, sheep, or any other animal, but it dies or is injured or gets away, and there is no eye-witness to report just what happened. The neighbor must then take an oath of innocence in the presence of the LORD. The owner must accept the neighbor's word, and no payment will be required. But if the animal or property was stolen, payment must be made to the owner. If it was attacked by a wild animal, the carcass must be shown as evidence, and no payment will be required.

If someone borrows an animal from a neighbor and it is injured or killed, and if the owner was not there at the time, the person who borrowed it must pay for it. But if the owner is there, no payment is required. And no payment is required if the animal was rented because this loss was covered by the rental fee.

A Plague against Livestock!

"Go back to Pharaoh, "the LORD commanded Moses. "Tell him, 'This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so they can worship me. If you continue to oppress them and refuse to let them go, the LORD will send a deadly plague to destroy your horses, donkeys, camels, cattle, and sheep. But the LORD will again make a distinction between the property of the Israelites and that of the Egyptians. Not a single one of Israel's livestock will die!"

The LORD announced that he would send the plague the very next day, and he did it, just as he had said. The next morning all the livestock of the Egyptians began to die, but the Israelites didn't lose a single animal from their flocks and herds. Pharaoh sent officials to see whether it was true that none of the Israelites' animals were dead. But even after he found it to be true, his heart remained stubborn. He still refused to let the people go.