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Deuteronomy 25

The limit on flogging: forty lashes, not one more. Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading. Levirate marriage. Dishonest weights and measures are detestable. Remember what Amalek did.

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Laws on punishment and fairness

When people have a dispute, they are to take it to court and the judges will decide the case, acquitting the innocent and condemning the guilty. If the guilty person deserves to be beaten, the judge shall make them lie down and have them flogged in his presence with the number of lashes the crime deserves, but the judge must not impose more than forty lashes. If the guilty party is flogged more than that, your fellow Israelite will be degraded in your eyes. Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain. If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband's brother shall take her and marry her and fulfil the duty of a brother-in-law to her. The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel. However, if a man does not want to marry his brother's wife, she shall go to the elders at the town gate and say, My husband's brother refuses to carry on his brother's name in Israel. He will not fulfil the duty of a brother-in-law to me. Then the elders of his town shall summon him and talk to him. If he persists in saying, I do not want to marry her, his brother's widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, take off one of his sandals, spit in his face and say, This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother's family line. That man's line shall be known in Israel as the Family of the Unsandalled. If two men are fighting and the wife of one of them comes to rescue her husband from his assailant, and she reaches out and seizes him by his private parts, you shall cut off her hand. Show her no pity. Do not have two differing weights in your bag — one heavy, one light. Do not have two differing measures in your house — one large, one small. You must have accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. For the Lord your God detests anyone who does these things, anyone who deals dishonestly. Remember what the Amalekites did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt. When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey and attacked all who were lagging behind; they had no fear of God. When the Lord your God gives you rest from all the enemies around you in the land he is giving you to possess as an inheritance, you shall blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget.

1

When people have a dispute, they are to take it to court and the judges will decide the case, acquitting the innocent and condemning the guilty.

King James Version, 1611

If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.

2

If the guilty person deserves to be beaten, the judge shall make them lie down and have them flogged in his presence with the number of lashes the crime deserves,

King James Version, 1611

And it shall be, if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten before his face, according to his fault, by a certain number.

3

but the judge must not impose more than forty lashes. If the guilty party is flogged more than that, your fellow Israelite will be degraded in your eyes.

King James Version, 1611

Forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed: lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee.

4

Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.

King James Version, 1611

Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.

5

If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband's brother shall take her and marry her and fulfil the duty of a brother-in-law to her.

King James Version, 1611

If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband’s brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband’s brother unto her.

6

The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.

King James Version, 1611

And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel.

7

However, if a man does not want to marry his brother's wife, she shall go to the elders at the town gate and say, My husband's brother refuses to carry on his brother's name in Israel. He will not fulfil the duty of a brother-in-law to me.

King James Version, 1611

And if the man like not to take his brother’s wife, then let his brother’s wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband’s brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband’s brother.

8

Then the elders of his town shall summon him and talk to him. If he persists in saying, I do not want to marry her,

King James Version, 1611

Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her;

9

his brother's widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, take off one of his sandals, spit in his face and say, This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother's family line.

King James Version, 1611

Then shall his brother’s wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother’s house.

10

That man's line shall be known in Israel as the Family of the Unsandalled.

King James Version, 1611

And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed.

11

If two men are fighting and the wife of one of them comes to rescue her husband from his assailant, and she reaches out and seizes him by his private parts,

King James Version, 1611

When men strive together one with another, and the wife of the one draweth near for to deliver her husband out of the hand of him that smiteth him, and putteth forth her hand, and taketh him by the secrets:

12

you shall cut off her hand. Show her no pity.

King James Version, 1611

Then thou shalt cut off her hand, thine eye shall not pity her.

13

Do not have two differing weights in your bag — one heavy, one light.

King James Version, 1611

Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small.

14

Do not have two differing measures in your house — one large, one small.

King James Version, 1611

Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small.

15

You must have accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

King James Version, 1611

But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

16

For the Lord your God detests anyone who does these things, anyone who deals dishonestly.

King James Version, 1611

For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the LORD thy God.

17

Remember what the Amalekites did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt.

King James Version, 1611

Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt;

18

When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey and attacked all who were lagging behind; they had no fear of God.

King James Version, 1611

How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.

19

When the Lord your God gives you rest from all the enemies around you in the land he is giving you to possess as an inheritance, you shall blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget.

King James Version, 1611

Therefore it shall be, when the LORD thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it.