Sentenced to a whipping
1Let’s say two people get into an argument that ends up in court. The judges decide in favor of the right person and against the person who did something wrong. 2If the judges sentence the guilty person to a beating with a whip, they should make the person lie down for the punishment. 3Judges may order the person whipped with 40 lashes, but no more. If you whip people more than that, you strip them of all their dignity. So, don’t do it.Let oxen eat
4Don’t put a muzzle over the mouth of an ox when it’s walking over grain stalks to shake loose the kernels. Let it eat while it works.A brother-in-law’s duty
5Let’s say two brothers are living together as part of an extended family and one of them dies, leaving a widow without a son. Don’t let the widow marry outside the extended family. The surviving brother should marry her and help her get pregnant. [1] 6The woman’s first son from this marriage will take the family name of the dead brother. That way, people in Israel won’t forget him.7But if the brother refuses to marry his brother’s widow, the woman should go to the city gate where city leaders meet. She should tell them, “My late husband’s brother refuses to perform his duty. He won’t help carry on his brother’s name.” 8City leaders should call the man for a meeting and talk with him. But if the man insists, “I don’t want this woman,” 9they should invite the widow to confront him. In front of all the city leaders, the widow should walk up to her brother-in-law. She should pull a sandal off one of his feet, spit in his face, and repeat these words: “This is what you do to a man who won’t keep his own brother’s name alive.” 10From then on, people in Israel should call this brother-in-law’s family, the Barefoots. [2]
