The Lord God Wants the Israelites to Take Care of the Needy |
Deuteronomy 24:1-22 Deuteronomy the Fifth Book of Moses |
When a man has taken & married a wife & it [happens] that she [becomes displeasing] to him, because he has found some [indecency] in her: then, let him write her a [certificate] of divorce & [put] it in her hand & send her out of his house. When she has departed from his house, she may go & be another man’s wife. |
If the [new] husband hates her & gives her a [certificate] of divorce in her hands & sends her out of his house; or if the [new] husband dies, her [first] husband [who] sent her away, may not take her to be his wife again, after [she’s] been defiled. |
For that is an abomination before the Lord. You shall not cause the land to sin, [that] the Lord your God gives you for an inheritance. When a man has taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war, nor be [in] charge of any business. |
But he shall be free [of these responsibilities] & be at home for 1 year, [so] he shall cheer up his wife [that] he has taken. |
No man shall take the lower or the upper millstone [property marker] as a pledge [collateral for a loan]. For he takes [away] a man’s [livelihood with that] pledge. |
If a man is found [kidnapping fellow Israelites] & [treats them like slaves or] sells them; then that thief shall die & you shall put away evil from among you. |
If [there’s] a plague of Leprosy, [pay attention & carefully] observe & do all the priests, Levites, shall teach you. As I [the Lord] commanded them, you shall observe & do so. Remember what the Lord your God did to Miraiam by the [road,] after you [had] come out of Egypt. |
When you lend anything to your brother, you shall not go into his house to [get] his pledge [collateral]. You shall stand [outside] & the man you [made the loan to] shall bring the pledge [outside] to you. |
If the man [is] poor, you shall not sleep with his pledge [collateral of clothing]. In any case, you shall [give] him the pledge again at [sunset,] so he may sleep in his own [clothing] & bless you. You shall be [considered righteous] before the Lord your God. |
You shall not oppress [take advantage of] a hired servant [who] is poor & needy, whether he is [an Israelite] or a stranger within your gates [of] your land. You shall give him his [wages on the same day he worked before sunset;] |
For he is poor & [depends] on it: lest he cry [out] against you to the Lord & [it's considered] a sin to you. |
The fathers shall not be put to death for the [sins of] the children. Neither shall the children be put to death for the [sins of] the fathers. Every man shall be put to death for his own sin. |
You shall not [divert] the [justice] of the stranger [or] the fatherless. Nor [shall you] take a widow’s [clothing as a] pledge [collateral]. But you shall remember that you [were in bondage] in Egypt & the Lord your God redeemed you [from there]. Therefore, I command you to do this thing. |
When you cut down your harvest in your field & [have] forgotten a sheaf [of grain] in the field, [don’t go back & get it]. It shall be for the stranger, the fatherless & the widow: [so] the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. |
When you [beat] your olive tree [with a stick,] you shall not go through the [branches] again. It shall be for the stranger, the fatherless & for the widow. |
When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, shall not glean [collect the remaining grapes] afterward. It shall be for the stranger, the fatherless & the widow. You shall remember that you [were in bondage] in the land of Egypt. Therefore, I command you to do this thing. |