Laws/Rules

People wonder why we have so many problems. There are around 600 laws in the Old Testament section of the Bible that have been around for 3,500 years (just a portion have been listed on these pages) besides the 10 Commandants.

We have over 30,000,000 laws in this country; Legal appears to be more important than Morals & Ethics.

Substitute the word motorized vehicle (cars, trucks, motorcycles) for bulls, horses, donkeys and if a little common sense is used, those 600 laws are still as worthwhile now as they were 3,500 years ago. When/if you get to the parts that addresses slavery, instead of just human slavery think about economic slavery also.

From the Book of Exodus

“Anyone who strikes a man and kills him shall surely be put to death. However, if he does not do it intentionally, but God lets it happen, he is to flee to a place I will designate.

But if a man schemes and kills another man deliberately, take him away from my altar and put him to death.

“Anyone who attacks his father or his mother must be put to death.

“Anyone who kidnaps another and either sells him (or her) or still has him (or her) when he is caught must be put to death.

“Do not spread false reports. Do not help a wicked man by being a malicious witness.

“Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd, and do not show favouritism to a poor man in his lawsuit.

“If you come across your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to take it back to him.

If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help him with it.

“Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits.

Have nothing to do with a false charge and do not put an innocent or honest person to death, for I will not acquit the guilty.

“Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous.

“Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan. If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.

“Do not oppress an alien; you yourselves know how it feels to be aliens, because you were aliens in Egypt.

“If a man steals an ox or a sheep (squatters and criminals stealing houses and cars) and slaughters it or sells it, he must pay back five head of cattle for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.

“If a thief is caught breaking in and is struck so that he dies, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed; but if it happens after sunrise, he is guilty of bloodshed. “A thief must certainly make restitution, but if he has nothing, he must be sold to pay for his theft.

“If the stolen animal is found alive in his possession — whether ox or donkey or sheep — he must pay back double.

“If a man grazes his livestock in a field or vineyard and lets them stray and they graze in another man’s field, he must make restitution from the best of his own field or vineyard.

“If a fire breaks out and spreads into thornbushes so that it burns shocks of grain or standing corn or the whole field, the one who started the fire must make restitution.

“If a man gives his neighbour silver or goods for safekeeping and they are stolen from the neighbour’s house, the thief, if he is caught, must pay back double. But if the thief is not found, the owner of the house must appear before the judges to determine whether he has laid his hands on the other man’s property.

In all cases of illegal possession of an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any other lost property about which somebody says, ‘This is mine,’ both parties are to bring their cases before the judges. The one whom the judges declare guilty must pay back double to his neighbour.

“If a man gives a donkey, an ox, a sheep or any other animal to his neighbour for safekeeping and it dies or is injured or is taken away while no-one is looking, the issue between them will be settled by the taking of an oath before the LORD that the neighbour did not lay hands on the other person’s property. The owner is to accept this, and no restitution is required.

But if the animal was stolen from the neighbour, he must make restitution to the owner.

If it was torn to pieces by a wild animal, he shall bring in the remains as evidence and he will not be required to pay for the torn animal.

“If a man borrows an animal from his neighbour and it is injured or dies while the owner is not present, he must make restitution. But if the owner is with the animal, the borrower will not have to pay. If the animal was hired, the money paid for the hire covers the loss.

“If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price, and she shall be his wife.

If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must still pay the bride-price for virgins.

“Do not allow a sorceress to live.

“Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal must be put to death.

“Whoever sacrifices to any god other than the LORD must be destroyed.

“Do not ill-treat an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in Egypt.

“If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not be like a money-lender; charge him no interest.

If you take your neighbour’s cloak as a pledge, return it to him by sunset, because his cloak is the only covering he has for his body. What else will he sleep in? When he cries out to me, I will

hear, for I am compassionate.

“Do not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.

“Do not hold back offerings from your granaries or your vats. “You must give me the firstborn of your sons. Do the same with your cattle and your sheep. Let them stay with their mothers for seven days, but give them to me on the eighth day.

“You are to be my holy people. So do not eat the meat of an animal torn by wild beasts; throw it to the dogs.

“Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.

“If men quarrel and one hits the other with a stone or with his fist and he does not die but is confined to bed, the one who struck the blow will not be held responsible if the other gets up and walks around outside with his staff; however, he must pay the injured man for the loss of his time and see that he is completely healed.

“If a man beats his male or female slave with a rod and the slave dies as a direct result, he must be punished, but he is not to be punished if the slave gets up after a day or two, since the slave is his property.

“If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands and the court allows. But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.

“If a man hits a manservant or maidservant in the eye and destroys it, he must let the servant go free to compensate for the eye. And if he knocks out the tooth of a manservant or maidservant, he must let the servant go free to compensate for the tooth.

“If a bull gores a man or a woman to death, the bull must be stoned to death, and its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the bull will not be held responsible. If, however, the bull has had the habit of goring and the owner has been warned but has not kept it penned up and it kills a man or woman, the bull must be stoned and the owner also must be put to death.

However, if payment is demanded of him, he may redeem his life by paying whatever is demanded. This law also applies if the bull gores a son or a daughter.

If the bull gores a male or female slave, the owner must pay thirty shekels of silver to the master of the slave, and the bull must be stoned.

“If a man uncovers a pit or digs one and fails to cover it and an ox or a donkey falls into it, the owner of the pit must pay for the loss; he must pay its owner, and the dead animal will be his.

“If a man’s bull injures the bull of another and it dies, they are to sell the live one and divide both the money and the dead animal equally.

However, if it was known that the bull had the habit of goring, yet the owner did not keep it penned up, the owner must pay, animal for animal, and the dead animal will be his.

From the Book of Leviticus

“‘If a person sins because he does not speak up when he hears a public charge to testify regarding something he has seen or learned about, he will be held responsible.

“‘Do not steal. “‘Do not lie. “‘Do not deceive one another.

“‘Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.

“‘Do not defraud your neighbour or rob him. “‘Do not hold back the wages of a hired man overnight.

“‘Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling-block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the LORD.

“‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favouritism to the great, but judge your neighbour fairly.

“‘Do not go about spreading slander among your people. “‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbour’s life. I am the LORD.

“‘Do not hate your brother in your heart. Rebuke your neighbour frankly so that you will not share in his guilt.

“‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbour as yourself. I am the LORD.

“‘Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity.

“‘Keep my decrees.

“‘Do not mate different kinds of animals.

“‘Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed.

“‘Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material.

“‘Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.

“‘Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the LORD.

“‘When an alien lives with you in your land, do not ill-treat him.

The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.

“If anyone sins and is unfaithful to the LORD by deceiving his neighbour about something entrusted to him or left in his care or stolen, or if he cheats him, or if he finds lost property and lies about it, or if he swears falsely, or if he commits any such sin that people may do — when he thus sins and becomes guilty, he must return what he has stolen or taken by extortion, or what was entrusted to him, or the lost property he found, or whatever it was he swore falsely about. He must make restitution in full, add a fifth of the value to it and give it all to the owner on the day he presents his guilt offering.

3,500 years later and it still needs to be repeated; amazing

“‘No-one is to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the LORD.

“‘Do not dishonour your father by having sexual relations with your mother. She is your mother; do not have relations with her.

“‘Do not have sexual relations with your father’s wife; that would dishonour your father.

“‘Do not have sexual relations with your sister, either your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether she was born in the same home or elsewhere.

“‘Do not have sexual relations with your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter; that would dishonour you.

“‘Do not have sexual relations with the daughter of your father’s wife, born to your father; she is your sister.

“‘Do not have sexual relations with your father’s sister; she is your father’s close relative.

“‘Do not have sexual relations with your mother’s sister, because she is your mother’s close relative.

“‘Do not dishonour your father’s brother by approaching his wife to have sexual relations; she is your aunt.

“‘Do not have sexual relations with your daughter-in-law. She is your son’s wife; do not have relations with her.

“‘Do not have sexual relations with your brother’s wife; that would dishonour your brother.

“‘Do not have sexual relations with both a woman and her daughter. Do not have sexual relations with either her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter; they are her close relatives. That is wickedness.

“‘Do not take your wife’s sister as a rival wife and have sexual relations with her while your wife is living.

“‘Do not approach a woman to have sexual relations during the uncleanness of her monthly period.

“‘Do not have sexual relations with your neighbour’s wife and defile yourself with her.

“‘Do not give any of your children to be sacrificed [Or to be passed through the fire] to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.

“‘Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.

“‘Do not have sexual relations with an animal and defile yourself with it. A woman must not present herself to an animal to have sexual relations with it; that is a perversion.

“‘Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you became defiled.

Even the land was defiled; so I punished it for its sin, and the land vomited out its inhabitants.

The 10 Commandments

1 “You shall have no other gods before me.

2 “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

3 “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

4 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

5 “Honour your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.

6 “You shall not murder.

7 “You shall not commit adultery.

8 “You shall not steal.

9 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

10 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."