Justice and Law in the Bible

12"One who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death,

13but not if it is unintentional, but God allows it to happen: then I will appoint you a place where he shall flee.

14If a man schemes and comes presumptuously on his neighbor to kill him, you shall take him from my altar, that he may die.

15"Anyone who attacks his father or his mother shall be surely put to death.

16"Anyone who kidnaps someone and sells him, or if he is found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.

17"Anyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.

22"If men fight and hurt a pregnant woman so that she gives birth prematurely, and yet no harm follows, he shall be surely fined as much as the woman`s husband demands and the judges allow.

23But if any harm follows, then you must take life for life,

24eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

25burning for burning, wound for wound, and bruise for bruise.

21"You shall not wrong an alien, neither shall you oppress him, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.

22"You shall not take advantage of any widow or fatherless child.

23If you take advantage of them at all, and they cry at all to me, I will surely hear their cry;

24and my wrath will grow hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.

10"For six years you shall sow your land, and shall gather in its increase,

11but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the animal of the field shall eat. In like manner you shall deal with your vineyard and with your olive grove.

1"You shall not spread a false report. Don`t join your hand with the wicked to be a malicious witness.

2You shall not follow a crowd to do evil; neither shall you testify in court to side with a multitude to pervert justice;

3neither shall you favor a poor man in his cause.

6"You shall not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits.

7"Keep far from a false charge, and don`t kill the innocent and righteous: for I will not justify the wicked.

8You shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds those who have sight and perverts the words of the righteous.

9"You shall not oppress an alien, for you know the heart of an alien, seeing you were aliens in the land of Egypt.

12Aren`t you from everlasting, Yahweh my God, my Holy One? We will not die. Yahweh, you have appointed him for judgment. You, Rock, have established him to punish.

13You who have purer eyes than to see evil, and who cannot look on perversity, why do you tolerate those who deal treacherously, and keep silent when the wicked swallows up the man who is more righteous than he,

2Yahweh, how long will I cry, and you will not hear? I cry out to you "Violence!" and will you not save?

3Why do you show me iniquity, and look at perversity? For destruction and violence are before me. There is strife, and contention rises up.

4Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth; for the wicked surround the righteous; therefore justice goes forth perverted.

12Woe to him who builds a town with blood, and establishes a city by iniquity!

4Behold, his soul is puffed up. It is not upright in him, but the righteous will live by his faith.

8Because you have plundered many nations, all the remnant of the peoples will plunder you, because of men`s blood, and for the violence done to the land, to the city and to all who dwell in it.

12You marched through the land in wrath. You threshed the nations in anger.

1"My soul is weary of my life; I will give free course to my complaint. I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

2I will tell God, `Do not condemn me, Show me why you contend with me.

3Is it good to you that you should oppress, That you should despise the work of your hands, And smile on the counsel of the wicked?

4Do you have eyes of flesh? Or do you see as man sees?

5Are your days as the days of mortals, Or your years as man`s years,

6That you inquire after my iniquity, And search after my sin?

7Although you know that I am not wicked, There is no one who can deliver out of your hand.

11Doesn`t the ear try words, Even as the palate tastes its food?

12With aged men is wisdom, In length of days understanding.

13"With God is wisdom and might. He has counsel and understanding.

14Behold, he breaks down, and it can`t be built again; He imprisons a man, and there can be no release.

15Behold, he withholds the waters, and they dry up; Again, he sends them out, and they overturn the earth.

16With him is strength and wisdom; The deceived and the deceiver are his.

17Hear diligently my speech. Let my declaration be in your ears.

18See now, I have set my cause in order. I know that I am righteous.

19Who is he who will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and give up the spirit.

23How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my disobedience and my sin.

24Why hide you your face, And hold me for your enemy?

3Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert righteousness?

4If your children have sinned against him, He has delivered them into the hand of their disobedience;

14How much less shall I answer him, Choose my words to argue with him?

15Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer. I would make supplication to my judge.

16If I had called, and he had answered me, Yet would I not believe that he listened to my voice.

17For he breaks me with a tempest, Multiplies my wounds without cause.

18He will not allow me to take my breath, But fills me with bitterness.

19If it is a matter of strength, behold, he is mighty! If of justice, `Who,` says he, `will summon me?`

20Though I am righteous, my own mouth shall condemn me. Though I am blameless, it shall prove me perverse.

21I am blameless. I don`t regard myself. I despise my life.

22"It is all the same. Therefore I say, He destroys the blameless and the wicked.

23If the scourge kills suddenly, He will mock at the trial of the innocent.

24The earth is given into the hand of the wicked. He covers the faces of the judges of it. If not he, then who is it?

15You shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: you shall not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty; but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor.

16You shall not go up and down as a talebearer among your people: neither shall you stand against the blood of your neighbor: I am Yahweh.

35You shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in measures of length, of weight, or of quantity.

36Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall you have: I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.

15If anyone commits a trespass, and sin unwittingly, in the holy things of Yahweh; then he shall bring his trespass-offering to Yahweh, a ram without blemish out of the flock, according to your estimation in silver by shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass-offering:

16and he shall make restitution for that which he has done amiss in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it to the priest; and the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass-offering, and he shall be forgiven.

17If anyone sins, and does any of the things which Yahweh has commanded not to be done; though he didn`t know it, yet he is guilty, and shall bear his iniquity.

18He shall bring a ram without blemish out of the flock, according to your estimation, for a trespass-offering, to the priest; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning the thing in which he erred unwittingly and didn`t know it, and he shall be forgiven.

19It is a trespass-offering: he is certainly guilty before Yahweh.

2If anyone sins, and commit a trespass against Yahweh, and deal falsely with his neighbor in a matter of deposit, or of bargain, or of robbery, or have oppressed his neighbor,

3or have found that which was lost, and deal falsely therein, and swear to a lie; in any of all these things that a man does, sinning therein;

4then it shall be, if he has sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took by robbery, or the thing which he has gotten by oppression, or the deposit which was committed to him, or the lost thing which he found,

5or any thing about which he has sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in full, and shall add the fifth part more thereto: to him to whom it appertains shall he give it, in the day of his being found guilty.

32While the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day.

33Those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation.

34They put him in custody, because it had not been declared what should be done to him.

35Yahweh said to Moses, The man shall surely be put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside of the camp.

36All the congregation brought him outside of the camp, and stoned him to death with stones; as Yahweh commanded Moses.

1Then drew near the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph; and these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah.

2They stood before Moses, and before Eleazar the priest, and before the princes and all the congregation, at the door of the tent of meeting, saying,

3Our father died in the wilderness, and he was not among the company of those who gathered themselves together against Yahweh in the company of Korah: but he died in his own sin; and he had no sons.

4Why should the name of our father be taken away from among his family, because he had no son? Give to us a possession among the brothers of our father.

5Moses brought their cause before Yahweh.

6Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

7The daughters of Zelophehad speak right: you shall surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father`s brothers; and you shall cause the inheritance of their father to pass to them.

8You shall speak to the children of Israel, saying, If a man die, and have no son, then you shall cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter.

9If he have no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers.

10If he have no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father`s brothers.

11If his father have no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his kinsman who is next to him of his family, and he shall possess it: and it shall be to the children of Israel a statute [and] ordinance, as Yahweh commanded Moses.

1Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which Yahweh has commanded.

2When a man vows a vow to Yahweh, or swears an oath to bind his soul with a bond, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.

3Also when a woman vows a vow to Yahweh, and binds herself by a bond, being in her father`s house, in her youth,

4and her father hears her vow, and her bond with which she has bound her soul, and her father holds his peace at her; then all her vows shall stand, and every bond with which she has bound her soul shall stand.

5But if her father disallow her in the day that he hears, none of her vows, or of her bonds with which she has bound her soul, shall stand: and Yahweh will forgive her, because her father disallowed her.

6If she be [married] to a husband, while her vows are on her, or the rash utterance of her lips, with which she has bound her soul,

7and her husband hear it, and hold his peace at her in the day that he hears it; then her vows shall stand, and her bonds with which she has bound her soul shall stand.

8But if her husband disallow her in the day that he hears it, then he shall make void her vow which is on her, and the rash utterance of her lips, with which she has bound her soul: and Yahweh will forgive her.

9But the vow of a widow, or of her who is divorced, [even] everything with which she has bound her soul, shall stand against her.

10If she vowed in her husband`s house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath,

11and her husband heard it, and held his peace at her, and didn`t disallow her; then all her vows shall stand, and every bond with which she bound her soul shall stand.

12But if her husband made them null and void in the day that he heard them, then whatever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband has made them void; and Yahweh will forgive her.

13Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void.

14But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day, then he establishes all her vows, or all her bonds, which are on her: he has established them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them.

15But if he shall make them null and void after that he has heard them, then he shall bear her iniquity.

16These are the statutes, which Yahweh commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, between a father and his daughter, being in her youth, in her father`s house.

16But if he struck him with an instrument of iron, so that he died, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.

17If he struck him with a stone in the hand, whereby a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.

18Or if he struck him with a weapon of wood in the hand, whereby a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.

19The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death: when he meets him, he shall put him to death.

20If he thrust him of hatred, or hurled at him, lying in wait, so that he died,

21or in enmity struck him with his hand, so that he died; he who struck him shall surely be put to death; he is a murderer: the avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death, when he meets him.

22But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or hurled on him anything without lying in wait,

23or with any stone, whereby a man may die, not seeing him, and cast it on him, so that he died, and he was not his enemy, neither sought his harm;

24then the congregation shall judge between the striker and the avenger of blood according to these ordinances;

25and the congregation shall deliver the manslayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge, where he was fled: and he shall dwell therein until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.

26But if the manslayer shall at any time go beyond the border of his city of refuge, where he flees,

27and the avenger of blood find him outside of the border of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood kill the manslayer; he shall not be guilty of blood,

28because he should have remained in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the manslayer shall return into the land of his possession.

29These things shall be for a statute [and] ordinance to you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

9Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

10Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, When you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan,

11then you shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person unwittingly may flee there.

12The cities shall be to you for refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer not die, until he stands before the congregation for judgment.

13The cities which you shall give shall be for you six cities of refuge.

14You shall give three cities beyond the Jordan, and three cities shall you give in the land of Canaan; they shall be cities of refuge.

15For the children of Israel, and for the stranger and for the sojourner among them, shall these six cities be for refuge; that everyone who kills any person unwittingly may flee there.

5Moses commanded the children of Israel according to the word of Yahweh, saying, The tribe of the sons of Joseph speaks right.

6This is the thing which Yahweh does command concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, saying, Let them be married to whom they think best; only into the family of the tribe of their father shall they be married.

7So shall no inheritance of the children of Israel remove from tribe to tribe; for the children of Israel shall cleave everyone to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.

8Every daughter, who possesses an inheritance in any tribe of the children of Israel, shall be wife to one of the family of the tribe of her father, that the children of Israel may possess every man the inheritance of his fathers.

9So shall no inheritance remove from one tribe to another tribe; for the tribes of the children of Israel shall cleave everyone to his own inheritance.

5Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

6Speak to the children of Israel, When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit, so as to trespass against Yahweh, and that soul shall be guilty;

7then he shall confess his sin which he has done: and he shall make restitution for his guilt in full, and add to it the fifth part of it, and give it to him in respect of whom he has been guilty.

8But if the man have no kinsman to whom restitution may be made for the guilt, the restitution for guilt which is made to Yahweh shall be the priest`s; besides the ram of the atonement, whereby atonement shall be made for him.

9Every heave-offering of all the holy things of the children of Israel, which they present to the priest, shall be his.

10Every man`s holy things shall be his: whatever any man gives the priest, it shall be his.

12Arise, Yahweh! God, lift up your hand! Don`t forget the helpless.

13Why does the wicked condemn God, And say in his heart, "God won`t call me into account?"

14But you do see trouble and grief; You consider it to take it into your hand. You help the victim and the fatherless.

15Break the arm of the wicked. As for the evil man, seek out his wickedness until you find none.

16Yahweh is King forever and ever! The nations will perish out of his land.

17Yahweh, you have heard the desire of the humble. You will prepare their heart. You will cause your ear to hear,

18To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, That man who is of the earth may terrify no more. Psalm 11 For the Chief Musician. By David.

6Arise, Yahweh, in your anger. Lift up yourself against the rage of my adversaries. Awake for me. You have commanded judgment.

7Let the congregation of the peoples surround you. Rule over them on high.

8Yahweh administers judgment to the peoples. Judge me, Yahweh, according to my righteousness, And to my integrity that is in me.

9Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, But establish the righteous; Their minds and hearts are searched by the righteous God.

10My shield is with God, Who saves the upright in heart.

11God is a righteous judge, Yes, a God who has indignation every day.

1God, give the king your justice; Your righteousness to the royal son.

2He will judge your people with righteousness, And your poor with justice.

3The mountains shall bring prosperity to the people; The hills bring the fruit of righteousness.

4He will judge the poor of the people. He will save the children of the needy, And will break the oppressor in pieces.

1God presides in the great assembly. He judges among the gods.

2"How long will you judge unjustly, And show partiality to the wicked?" Selah.

3"Defend the weak, the poor, and the fatherless. Maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.

4Rescue the weak and needy. Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked."

14Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. Lovingkindness and truth go before your face.

7But Yahweh reigns forever. He has prepared his throne for judgment.

8He will judge the world in righteousness. He will administer judgment to the peoples in uprightness.

9Yahweh will also be a high tower for the oppressed; A high tower in times of trouble.

10Those who know your name will put their trust in you, For you, Yahweh, have not forsaken those who seek you.

10Say among the nations, "Yahweh reigns." The world is also established. It can`t be moved. He will judge the peoples with equity.

11Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice. Let the sea roar, and the fullness of it!

12Let the field exult, and all that is therein. Then shall all the trees of the wood sing for joy

13Before Yahweh; for he comes, For he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, The peoples with his truth. Psalm 97