Study Desk

Various Laws

The Lord said to Moses,

"Speak to the entire assembly of Israel^(a) and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God,^(b) am holy.^(c)

"‘Each of you must respect your mother and father,^(d) and you must observe my Sabbaths.^(e) I am the Lord your God.^(f)

"‘Do not turn to idols or make metal gods for yourselves.^(g) I am the Lord your God.^(h)

"‘When you sacrifice a fellowship offering to the Lord , sacrifice it in such a way that it will be accepted on your behalf.

It shall be eaten on the day you sacrifice it or on the next day; anything left over until the third day must be burned up.⁽ⁱ⁾

If any of it is eaten on the third day, it is impure and will not be accepted.^(j)

Whoever eats it will be held responsible^(k) because they have desecrated what is holy^(l) to the Lord ; they must be cut off from their people.^(m)

"‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges⁽ⁿ⁾ of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.^(o)

Do not go over your vineyard a second time^(p) or pick up the grapes that have fallen.^(q) Leave them for the poor and the foreigner.^(r) I am the Lord your God.

"‘Do not steal.^(s) "‘Do not lie.^(t) "‘Do not deceive one another.^(u)

"‘Do not swear falsely^(v) by my name^(w) and so profane^(x) the name of your God. I am the Lord .

"‘Do not defraud or rob^(y) your neighbor.^(z) "‘Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker^(aa) overnight.^(ab)

"‘Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind,^(ac) but fear your God.^(ad) I am the Lord .

"‘Do not pervert justice;^(ae) do not show partiality^(af) to the poor or favoritism to the great,^(ag) but judge your neighbor fairly.^(ah)

"‘Do not go about spreading slander^(ai) among your people. "‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor's life.^(aj) I am the Lord .

"‘Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart.^(ak) Rebuke your neighbor frankly^(al) so you will not share in their guilt.

"‘Do not seek revenge^(am) or bear a grudge^(an) against anyone among your people,^(ao) but love your neighbor^(ap) as yourself.^(aq) I am the Lord .

"‘Keep my decrees.^(ar) "‘Do not mate different kinds of animals. "‘Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed.^(as) "‘Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material.^(at)

"‘If a man sleeps with a female slave who is promised to another man^(au) but who has not been ransomed or given her freedom, there must be due punishment.^[a] Yet they are not to be put to death, because she had not been freed.

The man, however, must bring a ram to the entrance to the tent of meeting for a guilt offering to the Lord .^(av)

With the ram of the guilt offering the priest is to make atonement for him before the Lord for the sin he has committed, and his sin will be forgiven.^(aw)

"‘When you enter the land and plant any kind of fruit tree, regard its fruit as forbidden.^[b] For three years you are to consider it forbidden^[c]; it must not be eaten.

In the fourth year all its fruit will be holy,^(ax) an offering of praise to the Lord .

But in the fifth year you may eat its fruit. In this way your harvest will be increased. I am the Lord your God.

"‘Do not eat any meat with the blood still in it.^(ay) "‘Do not practice divination^(az) or seek omens.^(ba)

"‘Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.^(bb)

"‘Do not cut^(bc) your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord .

"‘Do not degrade your daughter by making her a prostitute,^(bd) or the land will turn to prostitution and be filled with wickedness.^(be)

"‘Observe my Sabbaths^(bf) and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am the Lord .^(bg)

"‘Do not turn to mediums^(bh) or seek out spiritists,^(bi) for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.

"‘Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect^(bj) for the elderly^(bk) and revere your God.^(bl) I am the Lord .^(bm)

"‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them.

The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born.^(bn) Love them as yourself,^(bo) for you were foreigners^(bp) in Egypt.^(bq) I am the Lord your God.

"‘Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity.^(br)

Use honest scales^(bs) and honest weights, an honest ephah^[d](bt) and an honest hin.^[e](bu) I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt.^(bv)

"‘Keep all my decrees^(bw) and all my laws^(bx) and follow them. I am the Lord .'"