T he

C o d es of H am m u rab i
an d M o ses

W ITH C O-PI O US CO M M E N TS I ND E" , ,

A N D BI B LE REFE RE N C E S

By

W W . . D A" I E S , PH D . .

Professor of H e b r w in th e Ohi W sley n Unive si ty

e o e a r

C I NC I N N A T I JE N N I N G S A N D G RA H AM
:

NE W " ORK: E AT O N AN D MAI N S

H"
 C O N T EN T S .

PA G E

TH E C O D ES OE H A M M U R AB I AN D M O S E S ,

T H E P RO L O G UE ,

TH E T E" T OF TH E H AM M U R A B I C O D E W I TH
PA RA L LE LS A N D C OM M E N TS ,

TH E H AM M U RA B I CO D E ,

E PI LO G UE ,
LI S T OF A U TH OR I TI E S C O N S U L TE D ,

GE N E R A L I N D E " ,

I N D E" OF B I B LI CA L PA S SA G E S ,

W E I GH TS AN D M EA SUR E S ,
T he C odes of H ammurabi and Moses .

TH E d i scover y Of the H amm urab i Cod e i s o n e

o f the greatest ach i evem en ts of ar chaeology a nd i s ,

of p aram ou n t in terest n ot on ly to the stud en t of

,

the B i bl e but also to all thos e in ter est ed in an c i en t

,

h i stor y Th i s docu m en t carr i es us back to gray

.

a nti qu i t y ; to what was o n ce r egard ed a s preh i stor i c

t im es ; to a p er i od long ant ed at ing the pr o mulgat io n
of the laws of M oses ; n o m atter wh eth er we accept
th e trad i t i on al or the so call ed c r i t i cal v i ew-
.

The laws of H amm u ra b i w er e ven er abl e w i th age

cen tur i es be fore the T el el Am arn a corr esp o nden ce
- -

ha d i ts o r igin ; for i t i s gen er all y a gr eed th a t the

El-A m a rn a tablets or l etters w er e wr i tten about
1 5 00 B C wh er eas the gr eat rul er H a mm urab i
. .
,

fl ou r i sh e d about 22 5 0 B C Ther e i s too a ver y

. . , ,

gen eral con s en sus of o pini on that the H amm ur ab i

of our Cod e th e s i xth ki ng of the fir st B ab yloni an
,

dyn asty often r ef erred to in the cunei fo rm texts

, ,

i s n o other than the Am raph el m en t i oned in the

fou rt eenth cha pter of Gen es i s as the all y of Chedor
la omer who w i th oth er king s con ducted a mi l i tar y
, , ,

camp a ign a ga in st a n d subdu ed s everal p etty rul ers

, ,

of tri b es or n at i on s o n ei ther s i d e of the Jord an an d

the D ead Sea a n d who contin ued h i s v i ctor i ous
,

m arch at least as far south a s Kadesh -B arn ea H is

, ,
.

l o ng re i gn of fifty-five y ears was cel ebrated for i ts

7
 TH E COD ES H M MURAB I M O SES
'

OF A AN D .

bri ll i an t a ch i evem en ts h igh c i vi l i za t i on an d exten

, ,

s i ve l i ter atu r e N o won d er in deed th a t he st yl ed

.
, ,
“
h im s elf the Sun of B abylon B ut what m ak es
h im of s p ec i a l int erest to the B i bl i cal stud en t i s the
“
fa ct tha t he w a s the m on ar ch who rul ed over Ur
”
of the Chald ees wh en Abr ah a m l eft that an c i en t
c i ty to establ i sh h im self in the l a n d of Canaa n .

H a mm u r a b i th e grea t wor ld-r ul er was a co n tem

, ,

p orary of Ab raha m th e F ather of th e F a i thful

,
.

T h i s fou rteen th ch apt er of Gen es i s d ry as i t m ay ,

s eem to the a v er a ge r ead er of the B i bl e i s a pr e ,

c i on s pi ece of an c i en t h i stor y ; for though chr o ni cl ing

ev en ts of the da y s of A b r ah a m i t n ow a fter a
, ,

s i len c e of n ear l y fiv e thous an d year s fin ds a m ost ,

r em a rk a bl e co n fi rm at i o n f r o m a m ost u n ex p ected

Sou rce ; a n d thus p uts for ever a sto p to the fl ip

pan t d estruct i ve cr i t i ci s m wh i ch o n l y a few year s
, ,

a go d el ighted in r el ega t ing Ab r a h a m a n d h i s imm e

,

d i ate d escen d an ts to the r ea l m of myth or legen d .

Th i s school of cr i t i cs w ere won t to in s i st th at a

col l e ct i o n of l aws a s p er fe ct a s thos e fou n d in the
Pen tate u ch could n ot ha ve been pr oduced as ea rl y
‘

in the wor ld s h i stor y a s the mi ddle of the s econ d

’

mi ll enni u m b efore Ch r i st th e t im e a ss ign e d b y co n

,

s erva ti v e B i bl e schol a r s to M os es an d th e Exodus .

H er e i s a cod e a ntedat ing the l a ws of M os e s b y

n ea r l y one thous an d yea rs T hou gh pr oceed ing
.

f rom a p ol yt h ei sti c p eo p le a n d a p ur el y secula r docu

m en t i t shows a h igh degr ee of c i v i l i z a t i on T h i s
, .

f act has impress ed B ible scholar s a nd so too ha s , , ,

the won d er ful corresp on d en c e b etw een the M os a i c

8
 TH E COD ES OF H A M MUR AB I AN D M O SES .

a n d H ammurabi c cod es in m a ny of thei r la ws .

T h es e s imi lar i t ies p rove to the m or e l i bera l cri t i cs

tha t the H ebrews borr ow ed th ei r r el igi ous i d eas an d
laws whol esa le f r om the B abyloni an s Th i s they .

m a in ta in in spi t e of the gr eat su per i o r i t y of H ebrew

in st i tut i on s ov er those of the B aby loni an s Ther e .

i s how ever n ot a sc in t i ll a of p r oof that the Penta

, ,

t euch ow es a nyth ing to B a by lon M any of the laws

.

i n both cod es ar e the co mmo n p ro p erty of m ankin d ,

a n d are such as would have na tura ll y suggested

th em s elve s to an y c i v i l i z ed p eo pl e T hen a gain i t i s
.
,

ex c e ed i ng l y p rob a bl e tha t a w a y dow n the a ge s b e fore

the Semit i c t r i b e s ha d s ep ar a ted an d l e ft th e i r c en t ral

hom e in A ra b ia th ey had an advan ce s ystem of laws
, ,

wh i ch the s evera l tr i bes c arr i ed w i th th em wh i ther

so ever th ey emigrated .

I t ha s b een known for a sco re or m o r e year s

that H a mm urab i wa s a gr eat rul er tha t he had ,

e xt en d e d h i s co n qu ests fa r a n d w i de ; th a t the

c i vi l i zat i on in h i s age p resuppos ed the ex i sten ce of

j ust such a code of laws a s the one r ecen tl y d i s
covered D e l itzsch a nd other Assyr i ologi sts ha d
.

po inte d out the grea tn ess of th i s r uler an d the ad ,

v a n ce d st a ge of cultu r e p r e va i l ing in h i s empi r e The .

“
p ubl i cat i on b y L W King of Letter s a nd I nscrip
, . .
,

t i on s of H a mm ur abi in th ree volu m es ( Lon don

, ,

1 89 8 sh ed a fl ood of l ight u pon the g lori ous

reign of th i s mighty king who tow er s u p as one of
,

the few gr eat rul er s of th e wo r ld H e bu i lt a large

.

n um ber of palaces an d t emp l es to v a i ous gods ré

stored an d rem od el ed m any m o re H e pr o m oted
n .
,

9
 TH E CODES OF H A M MUR AB I AN D M O SES .

comm erc e an d a gr i cultu r e over h i s v a st empi re an d ,

d i stingu i sh ed h im self in va r i ous w ay s I n deed these . ,

letter s a n d bus in ess docu ments b ea r eloqu en t t est i

m ony to the j ust i ce of h i s reign a n d gen era l p r os
p er i ty of h i s sub j e cts W e h
. a v e in th em in c i d en tal

re feren c e s to courts of j ust i c e a r egula r stan d ing

,

arm y , a Sta t e r e l igi on a n d a v er y exten s i ve a n d

,

per fect s ystem of comm erce A ll thes e p re su ppose.

a stabl e g overnm en t a nd the ex i st en ce of a code

,

pr ec i sel y l ik e the on e u n d er d i scuss i on .

W e may in c i d enta ll y compa re th ese ref eren ce s

to H amm ur ab i an d h i s l aws to s imi lar on es
in the po et ic a l and h i stor i ca l book s of th e Old Testa
m en t to the l egi slat ion of M oses D o n ot these .

r e f er en c e s favor the co n clus i o n th a t the cod e e x i st ed

b efore the l etter s and con tracts r eferr ing to i t ? I f

so wh y should so m e B i bl i ca l cr i t i cs ask us to b el i eve
,

th at the h i stor i ca l pr oph et i cal an d d evot i on al l i ter

, ,

a tu r e of the H eb rews p re ce d ed the s o call e d law s -

of M oses ?
The Cod e of H a mm ura b i thou gh w r i tt en in ,

B abyloni an scr ip t a n d l a ngu a ge st r a nge as i t m a y ,

seem was d i scovered n ot in B aby loni a or Ass yr i a

, ,

but in Susa P er s i a Susa the Shusha n of the B i bl e

, .
, ,

was for a long t im e a r oya l r es i d en c e I ts loca t i on .

ma de i t a cen tra l b attl efie ld of the n ati on s ; th i s

a ccou n ts for the fact th a t i t w a s ca p tu r e d a n d t e

c aptu r ed r epeatedl y .

Ela m a nd B abylonia had frequent wars The .

Ela mi t es con quere d B abyloni a m or e than on ce I t .

was p robabl y dur ing one of th es e invas i on s that the

I "
 TH E COD ES OF H A M MUR AB I AN D M O SES .

H mm urabi stel e wa s tran sferred i n t ri ump h to the

O O

Ela mi te capi ta l an d p laced in on e of i ts gr eat tem

,

p l es a s a tr oph y of war M oder n as w ell a s an ci en t

.

h i stor y furni sh m any p arallels . W hen Napol eon

ca ptured B er l in m any troph i es w ere carr i ed to Par i s .

W hen howe ver s i xty-fou r yea r s la ter the trium

, , ,

phan t Germ a n s en te red the French ca pi ta l th ese pre ,

c i on s O b j ects wer e at on ce r estor ed Others tak e a .

d ifferen t v i ew of the m atter and su ggest that H am ,

m urabi had s ever a l copi e s of h i s cod e m ad e so that ,

on e could b e s et u p in all the imp orta n t cen ters of

h i s va st real m I f th i s suppos i ti on be true then i t

.
,

i s qui te p oss i ble tha t a n exact copy of H ammurabi s ’

la ws was fou n d in the ci t y of Ur the hom e of Abra ,

h am . B e th a t a s it may i t i s m ore tha n p r obabl e

,

th at A braha m wa s well acqu ain t ed w i th the co de

a n d a ll i ts en act m ents T h i s v i ew i s favored b y the
.

f act that m ut i l at ed p ort i on s of the cod e have been

foun d e lsewh er e ; e g in the l i brary O f Assurbani
. .
,

pal who r eign ed

, yea r s after the t im e of H am
murabi Aga in s m a ll du p l i ca te fra gm en ts of th e
.
,

e pi lo gu e h a v e b een actu a ll y d i scov ered in Susa i ts elf .

The d i scove ry O f the H a mm ur ab i Cod e at Susa

was a m att er of surpr i se to all con cern ed I t was .

m ad e by th a t veteran archaeologi st M de M or gan , . ,

so well an d favorabl y kn own for h i s m any br i ll i an t

ach i evem en ts am ong the ru in s of Egyp t Th i s .

l earn ed Fren ch m an had b een sen t to P er s i a to carry

on excavat i on s am ong the ru in s of the old Elamite
ca pi tal and n oth ing could have b een farth er from
,

hi s thou ghts than the d i scov er y O f a s ystem of laws

I I
 TH E COD ES OF H A M MUR AB I AN D M O SES .

wh i ch were in vo gu e in the days of the gr eat H a m

“
murabi What h as b een a ppr opr i atel y ca ll ed th e
.

”
oldest cod e of laws in the wo r ld w as d i scov ered
on three fr a gm ents of a rude ston e block in the latter
part of D ecem ber 1 90 1 an d in the ea rly p ar t of
, ,

Ja n ua r y 1 9 02 , T h e t ext o n th e. st e l e w a s t ra n

scr i bed t ran sl a ted in to Fr en ch a n d ed i t ed b y Fa ther

, ,

Scheil the l ea rn ed Fr en ch Ro ma n C a th ol i c Assyr i

,

ologi st a n d ar ch aeolo gi st Th i s a ppear e d in M e

“
.

m oir es d e l a D eléga ti on P er s e, Tex te Ela mi tes

’

en
”
Semi ti qu es " ol I " : Pa r i s 1 9 02
. .
, .

The astou n d ing in for m a t i o n th a t a lo ng cod e of

laws d a ting ba ck to a t im e n early on e thousan d
,

v ea r s b efo re the a ge of M oses ha d been d i scovered ,

p roduced grea t exc i tem en t a m ong B i ble studen ts the

wor ld over T h eologia n s h i stor i an s an d a r ch ae
.
, ,

ologi sts of a ll schools comm en c ed to st ud y th i s an

c i en t docum en t w i th great in terest an d thor ou ghn ess .

N u m b er l ess a rt i cl e s l ear n ed an d u n l ear n e d ap

, ,

p eared in our n ewsp ap er s a n d m a g a z in e s ; b r ochures

an d book lets c a m e out in s evera l m od er n la ngu a ges .

Th e stel e or ston e o n wh i ch th e s e l a ws w er e
, ,

wr i tten or rath er cut i s a rud e pi e ce of bla ck d i or i te

, , ,

sl ightl y r oun d ed at the top n ea r l y eight f eet h igh , ,

a n d r a th er m o r e tha n s ev en f e et in w i dth B oth .

s i d es of the m on u m ent a r e covered w i th th e i n scr ip

t i on H a mm u r a b i i s r ep res ented a s sta n d ing be for e
.

Sha m ash the Sun god of Sipp a r th e a n c i en t s ea t

,
-
,

of the H amm u ra b i d yn asty The god i s sea ted u p on .

h i s th r on e an d i s in the very a ct of d el i ver ing th i s

,

cod e to the king who hu m bl y a nd r ever en tl y stan d s

,

12
 TH E COD ES OF H M MURAB I M O SES
‘

A AN D .

before h im Sha m ash i s clad in loos e flowing robes

.
-
,

a n d so i s H amm urab i h i s represen tat i ve o n earth

, .

B oth god a n d king w ea r lo ng beards T he for mer .

holds so m eth ing in h i s han d wh i ch m any have re ,

garded as a scep t er wh i le oth er s call i t a sty lus

, ,

s ymbol i c of w i sdom .

D i rectl y u n d er th i s pi ctor i al r ep r esentat i on o n ,

the obv er se follow s i xt een column s of cun e i for m

,

wr i t ing m aking
, l in es I t i s m uch to be re .

gr etted that fiv e col umn s o n th i s s i d e have been

e ra s ed so that n o on e ca n in dulg e in a happy gu ess
,

at the m ea ning N oth ing but the d i scovery of an

.

other copy can rep la ce thes e lost l in es W h y an d .

when the erasure was m ade ca n be a m atter of con

j ectur e on ly The rever s e ha s twenty eight column s
.
-
,

wh i ch m ak e a l i ttl e m ore than l in es T he code .

as w e n ow have i t con tain s 247 d i st in ct laws The .

n umber i s so met im es gi ven as 2 82 but fro m th i s lat ,

t er n um be r w e m ust d educt 3 5 the su pp os ed n u m ber ,

of l a ws e rase d T h e la ws a re n um be re d 1 —6 6 to the
.

e ras ed porti o n , t h e n 1 00 —28 2 to th e e nd Of these .

2 4 7 laws b y fa r the gr ea ter n u m b er h a ve been cor

,

r ectly d ec ip h ered a n d the co rr ect m eaning has been

, ,

w i thout doubt asc erta ined

, .

The first tr an slat i on into a m oder n l angua ge was

m ad e by Scheil T h i s w as in to Fren ch Like alm ost
. .

e ver yth ing ren d ere d in to th i s l angua ge fidel i ty to ,

the or igin al i s sacr i ficed to e l egan ce of d i ct i on The .

“
follow ing cr i t i c i s m of h i s wor k i s qu i te j ust : The
ren der ing of the emin en t French s avan t wh i le d i s ,

tingui shed b y that cl ear n ea t ph r as ing wh i ch i s so

, ,

I 3
 TH E COD ES OF H A M MURAB I AN D M O SES .

char ming a f eatu re of a ll h i s [ Sch ei l s ] work i s ’

,
”
often rath er a p ar aphra s e than a tran slat i on Th e .

n ext o r igina l tra n sla t i on thou gh n a tu ra ll y a ,

l i ttle d epen d en t u p on that of Schei l s i s f r o m the ’

,

p e n of D r H u g o Win c k
. l er ; th i s a s th e n a m e in d i ,
“
c ates was in to Germ an an d a ppeared fir st in D er
, ,
” “
a l te Ori en t 4 Jahrga ng H eft 4 Sev er a l e d i t i o n s
, , .

have al read y a ppeared a s well as a n u m b er of tran s ,

l ati on s W e d es i r e to acknowl ed ge our s p ec i a l obl i

.

gati on s to th i s br ochu re T h i s was follow e d b y .

a tran sla t i on in to Engl i sh b y M r C H W . . . .

John s M A Ed inbur gh 1 903

, . .
, M r John s , . .
,
“
in the pr ef ace to h i s tr an sla t i on s ay s : Dr , .

H . W inckler s ren der ing of the code ca m e into

’

my han ds after th i s work was s en t to the pub

l i sh ers a n d I h a v e n ot thou ght i t n ecessar y to w i th
,

”
d ra w any of my ren d er ings D r Fran ce sco M ar i . .

ha s gi v en a n I tal i a n v er s i o n a n d P r of esso r R F , . .

H arp er of th e Uni v er s i t y of Ch i ca g o has p r oduced

, ,
“
a n e l eg a n t volu m e e n t i tl ed : The Code of H a mmu
,

r a b i K ing of B a b y lo ni a a bout 2 2 5 0 B
, C : Auto , . .

gra p h Text Tr an sl i ter at i on T ran slat i on Glossary

, , , ,

I nd e x of Sub j ects Li sts of P r o p er N a m e s Sign s

, , ,

N u merals Correct i o n s an d Er a su r e s w i th M ap
, , ,

Fro n t i s pi ec e a n d Photog rap h of T ext T h i s we .

,

ar e in fo r m ed i s to be follow ed in the n ea r futur e

,

b y an oth er l ar ge volum e b y Pr ofessor H ar per a n d

h i s broth er Pres i d en t W R H a r p er wh i ch i s i n
,
. .
,

ten ded as an exha ust i ve comm en tar y o n the code .

The above i s a short a n d co r rect d e scr ip t i o n of

the extern al appearan ce of the docu m en t the t ime ,

14
 TH E C ODES OF H A M MURAB I AN D M OSES .

a nd p lace of i ts d i scovery ; l et us n ow proceed to

the ex a min at i o n of i ts con t en ts .

The t ex t of the m o n u m ent may be d i v i de d int o

th ree parts 1 The Prolo gu e ; 2 The Code i tself ;
. . .

a nd 3 The Epi lo gu e
. .

The P r olo gue a n d Epi lo gu e con ta in m uch as we ,

sha ll s ee wh i ch soun ds v ery l ik e bragga doc i o T h i s

,
.

may s eem obn ox i ous to an A m er i can ear of our day

'

but i t was in p er f ect k eeping w ith the langua ge of

a n O r i en t a l rul er of the th i rd mi ll en ni u m b efore our

era . The Prolog u e i s qu i te l ength y— seven hun dr e d

l ines W e ca n do n o b etter tha n to r eproduce i t in
.

full so that every r ea d er m ay have the opportuni ty

,

of stud ying i t for h im self .

I t i s n eedl ess to sa y tha t in the p rep ar at i on of

th i s l i ttl e wor k w e ha ve m ade abun d an t use of all
the H amm u ra b i l it eratu re wh i ch ha s co m e to our
han ds as Well as of som e su gges ti on s ga ined fr om
,

the l ectu r e s of Prof es sor Fr i ed r i ch D el i tzsch at the

Uni ver s i t y of B erl in in the su mmer of 1 902 We
,
.

have a lw ays d es i red to gi ve due cr ed i t .

Ohi o Wesl ey a n W . W . D A" I E S .

 TH E COD ES or H A M MURAB I AN D M O SES
lo d ; r who da i ly wo rsh ip s I n Esagi la the roya l 8 6 1011 be
and ,
‘

gotten b y S n who en r i che d Ur the pi ous the s ub mi ss i v e

i
“
,

on e who b r ing s r i ch e s to Gi sh sh i r gal

, the w i s e ki ng fa vo red - -
,

b y Sha ma sh ; the p ower ful one who la i d a ga in the foun da t i on s ,

of Sipp a r z who clothed w ith g reen the tom b [or sh r in e s ] of

“

M alkat ; who b ea uti fie d E bab ba r wh i ch i s bu i lt l ike a ,

1"

”
hea ven l y p la ce ; the wa rr i o r who p rotecte d La r s a an d r e , ,

bu i lt E b ab ba r for Sha ma sh h i s h el pe r ; the lo r d who gave

- -
, ,

l i fe to the c i ty of Ur uk ; an d b rou ght abu n da n c e of wa ter s "

to i ts in h ab i tan ts ; who bu i lt u p the towe r s of E ann a who -

,
’3

b r ou ght r i che s to An u a nd N an a the sh i e ld of th e lan d ;

who a ga in rea ss embl e d the sc attered in hab i ta n ts of I s in ’

[ N i s in ] who en i ch ed E gal m h ; th e p tr o n king of the

"
r - - a a
,

c i ty the b rother of Z a ma ma ;” who fir m l y e stabl i sh e d the

,
- -

“
s ttl emen ts of Ki sh f who su r ou n ded E e
e r m - te u r s a g w i th
’
- - -

glo ry ; who in c r ea s e d the s ac re d trea su re s of N ana the pa tron ,

”
of the temp l e of H a r sa g Ka lama the gr a ve of the e ne mi es ; -
,

whos e he lp b r ings v i cto ry who en r i ch ed the p laces of Gutha

—
who ma de ev eryth ing glo r i ous in E sh i d la m ; the mighty ” -

1' M ar d k t
u
’
s em p e a t l Ba b yl on .

14 T h e h i h h d f m s t mp l t U
M oon -god , w c a a a ou e e a r.
"5 A w ll k w e i ty ll d l M gh i t p
- no tn c , ca e e - u e r a r e se n .

1° W i tt l E gi g i g l t m p l f S i t U
r en a s o -
s r a , e e o n a r .

‘7 A i ty p h p t h A b H bb
c , er f tim
a s e u a a o ou r e.
13 Th t f Sh m h i i m t t
e co n s or o a as , or na n a e n a u re .

1° Th t m p l
e f Sh m h i Sip p
e d l
e o tL a as n a r, an a so a a rs a .

so A i ty f m
c f th w hi p f S h m h p h
a ou s or e or s o a as , er a ps th e E l as aa r of
G en . x iv , 1.
31 T h e E r ec h of Ge n . x, I o . I t is n ow ca ll d W k e ar a .

3’ T he emp t l e of I s ht a r, w i fe of An n, t U
a k ru .

fl Th e sa m e a s An na or I sht ; ar she w th d
as ght e au e r of A n u .
“ I ai n or N i si n, s u pp os e d by s om e t o b e D is m a y s , w h er e t h e Un i v e r
s i ty of h
C i ca go i s n ow e xca a v ti ng ; oth er s thi k i tn th e sa me as Ab u
H a bb a.
95 A t
em p e at l I si n .

”T h e go dd e s s of K is h .

37 A ci ty of Ba byl on i a .

”A c h
i ty n ea r Ki s , or at mp l e e of th t p l a ace .

39 A t mp l f Ki h
e e o s .

ao H ar e r ' s
p m a r gi n a l di g rea n , wh h lp
ose e e na bl e s on e to a tt ai n his
d es ire .
"

31 A ci ty o r r e gi o n in B byl i a on a .

a A t
emp e of l N er g a l .

18
 TH E PR O LO G U E .

”
bull wh i ch tramp l ed dow n h i s foes the favo rite of the god
, ,

T u-tu ; who ma de the c i ty of B ors ippa f r u i tful ; the m aj esti c

"
,

who i s u n t i r ing in h i s e ffor ts for E z i da ; the d i v in e king

- ”

of the c i ty the w i s e the cl e ver one who exten ded the cult i
, , ,
”
v a t i o n of the g r ou n d a t D i lb at ; who gave abu n dan t gra in for
Ura sh ; the lor d to who m b e long s sc e p te r a n d c ow n ; who m
"
,
r

t he w i s e Ma rna c reated who de ter mine d the boun dar ie s of

"
-
,

the te mp l e of K i sh ; who p r ov i d e d abu n d a n tl y for the s a c re d

fea sts of N i n tu the ca ut i ous the c are ful who p rovi ded food
-
, ,

a n d d r ink for La ga sh an d C i r su ; who fu rni sh ed the temp le

“ “

of N i gi r s u w i th a bu n dan ce of s a c r ific i a l ofi er ings ; who

n-
" '

a rre st e d the e n e mi es ; the e l ect of the o ra cl e wh i ch ful fill e d ,

the wo r d of H a ll a b who j o i c d t e heart of Annui t the “

r e e h ,

p u re p r in c e whos e p ra ye r s a r e hea r d b y
,
who p aci fies
t he h ea r t of A d a d the wa i o r in K k ; who e sto e d th
“
a r a r ,
rr r r e

s a c re d ve ss ls in E-ud gal ga l the king who g ve l i fe to the

e - - a

c ity of A d ab the lea d er of Emach the p rincely king of the

c i ty ; the i r res i st i bl e w a r ri or who gave l i fe to the in hab i ta nts
of Ma sh ka n sha b ri an d su p erabu n dan c e to th e te mp le of ,
“

Shidla m the w i s e the a ct i ve who p enet rat ed the h i d ing p la ce

, ,
-

of the ban d i ts ; who ga ve a h i d ing pl a ce to the p eop l e of Mal ka -

"

in thei r mi sfor tu n e an d e stabl i sh d th i r h ab i ta t i on in r i che s

,
e e

”An ll ti n f M d k T h b ll i
a p pe a f q
o t fig o ar u . e u s a re u en ur e for
t gt h i n S m i t i l i t t
s re n e c era u r e .

“S m
g d p
o hp
e oth m f M d k
, er a s an o e r na e or ar u .

Th t m p l i N b i
as e e B ip p e n e o n or s a.

A i ty f N
l li c t h B b yl i f m f t h l t f U h
o or e rn a on a , a ou s or e cu o ra s .

A s l
3" d i ty ll d ls N i i b
o ar e ,
ca e a o n .

3°
Th s t fU h
e c on or o ra s .

A g dd s w
5° o hi p d t K i h
es ors e a s .

A i t y f B b yl
40 c i ll d l S h i p l i d ti fi d T ll h
o a on a , ca e a so r ur a , en e as e o of o u r

41 A c i b yl o i
ty of B a n a .

4ni h
a r er fp N i Gi u Th T m p l
as f th
or n- rs , e e e o e Fif yt .

43A p h p th
c i ty ,
m er th m d Al p p
a s e sa e as e o er n e o.

‘4O f th
ne o p p ll ti f I ht e a e a on s o s ar.

45T h g d f t h t m p st w
e o hi p d t H ll b
o e e e , ors e a a a .

“ A i ty f B byl
c o i a on a .
47A l b t d t mp l f K k
ce e ra e e e o ar ar.

Id ti fi d b y s m w i t h B i m y
en e o e s a a.

A h p l w i t h i M d k t m p l E gi l
'
49 c a e n ar u s e e, sa a.

5°A i ty c t id ti fi dno en e .

6‘A i ty ct id ti fi dno en e .

I 9
 TH E COD ES OF H A M MUR AB I AN D M O SES .

”
who n dowed Ea and D am gal n u n n a ; who ha d m a de the
e - - ’

kingdo m great an d la sting w i th abu n d an ce of s a c ri fic i a l gi fts ; ,

the p in c l y king of the c i ty who subj ecte d the d i str i cts Oil
r e ,

[D a ga n ]
“
—
the Ud ki b n u n n a Can a l to t he do min ion of D a go n
- “ -

h i s cr ea tor ; who s p are d the inhab i tan ts of Met a an d T utu] “

“
the m j e st i c p r in c e who c a us e d the fa c e of N i nni
a , to sh ine ;
”
who ga ve s a c re d m eals to the d i vini ty N i na zu ; who took - -

c a re of th e in hab i ta n ts in thei r n eed and p r ov i de d in p ea c e ,

the i r p o rt i o n in B ab y lon ; the sh p h er d of h i s sub j ects whos e e ,

dee ds a r e well p l eas ing to An un it ; who m ad e p r ov i s i o n for

-

Anun it in the temp l e of D um a sh in the subu rb of Aga de ;

“
,

who p rocl aim s the right ; who b r ings in law ; who re sto red to
”
A shu r i ts b en evole nt p r ot ect ing god ; who p ermi tted the n ame
‘
,

of I shta r of N in eveh to dwell in E i ni sh mi sh ; the maj esti c - -

‘1
,

who hu mble s h im s el f to th e g rea t g ods ; the successo r of

Sum ula il t he mighty so n of Sin m uba l l it ; the r oya l sci o n
"
- -

of Eterni ty ; the mighty king ; the su n of B ab y lon who shed ,

i ts b right ray s over the l an d of S u mer and Akka d t he king

“
.

ob eye d b y the fou r qua rters of the wo rld the favo rite of ,

N inni am I .

Wh en M arduk s en t me to r ul e over men to g ran t pro ,

t ect i on to the l a n d th e n I p ut la w a n d r ight eo us ness in the

,

m outh of the p eop le an d b r ou ght w ell b e ing to my sub j ect s ,

-
.

”A g od w ors i p e h d at Er i d u .

53 A dd f th B byl i n
go es s o e a on a s.
5‘
O l g th E p h t
r a on e u ra es .
so
AC i t g d p h p th
a na a n m
e th B b yl oni n B l
o , er a s e sa e as e a a e .

“ Ci t i b t t id
e s, ti fi d
u no en e .

A g dd
57 k w l
o es s B no n a so a s ue n na.

A g dd ss
53 o e .

A t mp l
50 fA
e i t i Ag d
e o nan n a e.

A f m i ty pi t l f A y i f m s fo i t m y
°° a th
ou s c o n ce e ca a o ss r a, a
, ou r s an
t m p l I t m ti h p
e es . s enit g t ti q i ty
on e re r ov e s s rea an u .

“A t m l
1 f I sh t
e i Nie o h ar, n n eve
p .

“A f m k i g f B by l
or er n o a on .

T h f th
0' ef H mm a bi ; l i k w i k i g f B by l
er o a ura e se a n o a on .
Ms d A kk d w
in n e r a n y i t m fa ti B by l i
e re v e r a n c en na es or en re a on a ,
th gh th i
ou e re
g m t t wh t p
s no a ti w r ee ll d S m en
d as o a or on as ca e u " an
w h t Akk d
a M y g d th S m i s d A kk di
a . an re ar
th e u er a n an a a ns as e
S m i ti
n o n- e ttl w h p d d th S mi t i n B by l i B ut
c se er s , o r ec e e e e es a on a .
wh i th
er e s id e to h w t h t t h S mi ti p op l d i d
ev e n ce s
t up y
o a e e c e e no occ
B by l
a i t th
on a a y ti m w h th S m i s d Akk di n
e ve r e
S p
en e u er a n an a a s a re u

pose d t h o u p i d th t
o av e ty
cc e a co u n r

20
The T ext of the H am m u rabi C ode
w i th Par alle ls a n d C om m e n ts .

TH E text of the H a mm urab i Cod e i s pr int ed in

the follow ing pa ge s in s m all pi ca typ e the p ara ll els
,

f ro m the O ld Te stam ent in long pr im er wh i l e sti ll ,

a n oth e r t y e
p ( br ev i er ) i s e mp loyed for rem ark s an d
-

comm en ts Such an arrangemen t m ust p rove h elp

.

ful to ther ead er W e have gi ven s ecti on by s ect i on

.
,

a n d h a ve en d eavo red , as far a s p oss ible to po int ,

out th e r es em blan ces a s w ell as the d i ss imi l ar i t i es

b etw een the laws of H a mm u rab i and thos e of M os es .

The a utho r has m a d e good u s e of m uch of th e ex

cellent l i t er atu r e p ubl i sh ed o n the sub j ect a n d has ,

in co rp o rated m any of the i dea s foun d in book s a n d

pa mp hlets I t ha s b een h i s a im however to ac
.
, ,

kn owled ge rea l obl igat i on but n ot to pa ra de in foot

,

n otes the n a m es oi a m ult i tude of l earn ed p amphlets

a nd boo k s p erta ining to the sub j ect u n d er d i scus

s i on A l i st of the m or e h e lp ful book s br ochu r es

.
, ,

a nd p a mp hl ets w i ll b e fou n d in the A pp en d i x wh i c h ,

m ust p r ove useful to those who desi r e to en t er int o

a p r ofoun der study of the Cod e of H amm u r a bi .

N o doubt a m o r e tho r ou g h stud y of th i s a n ci en t

docu m en t an d a m o r e d i l igen t exa min at i on of the
O ld T esta m en t w i ll su ggest add i t i on a l con t ra sts an d
p aralle ls The author w i ll r egard i t as a spec i a l
.

favor to ha ve a ny one appr i s e h im of anyth ing wh i ch

might be pr ofitabl y in s erted a fter any s ect i on .
 T he H a m m u r abi Cod e .

If a m an m ak e a fa lse a ccusat i on aga in st a m an ,

p utting a ban u p on h im an d can n ot pr ove i t then

, ,

the a ccus er shall be put to d ea th .

J ohn s ren de r s the fir st cla use : I f a man w eave a s pell ;

“

H a rp er ren der s the s e con d cl a us e an d cha r ge h im w i th a

“
,
”
[ca pi ta l ] c r ime
. There can be however l i ttle doubt but tha t
, ,

th i s law wa s d i rected again st w i tchcra ft or m a gi c .

The H eb rews l egi sl a te d as follows

Thou sha lt not su ffer a sor ceres s to l i ve ( Ex . .

An d a lso
A m an or a woman tha t ha th a fami li ar spi rit or ,
I

tha t i s a wi zar d sha l l s u re ly be put to death ; they shall

,

stone them w i th s tones ( Lev . See a lso Lev

. .

The fact tha t the cod op en s w i th l a ws a gain st magi c or

e

so rcery s eem s to p r ove the p r eva l en c e of such p ra ct i c es a mong

the ea r l y B ab y lo ni an s a n d t he s eve r i ty of the p en a lty i s a
,

clea r p roof tha t the p eop le wer e superst i t i ously a frai d of thos e
who p ract i c ed ma gi c .

If a ma nchar ge a man of b eing a sor cerer and ,

i s u n abl e to susta in such a charge the on e who i s ,

a ccus ed shall g o to the r i v er he sh a ll p lung e h im s elf

,

in to the r i v er an d i f he s ink in to the r i ver h i s ac

, ,

23
 TH E COD ES OF H A M MURAB I AN D M O SES .

eus er sha ll t ake h i s hous e I f how e ver th e r i ver

.
, ,

Show fo r th the inn oc en c e of th i s m a n a n d h e e sca p e ,

un hu r t th en he who accus e d h im of so r c e ry shall

, ,

be p ut to d ea th wh i l e h e who p lu nge d in to the r i v er

,

sh a ll a ppr opr i a te the hous e of h i s accus er .

It w i ll n ot ice d that the B ab y loni an s emp loyed o rdeals

be
to test the g u i lt or inn ocen ce of p er son s sus p e cte d of or ,

cha ge d w i th sor c ery and a lso in conn ect i o n w i th wo men

r
, ,

charge d w i th ma r i tal in fidel i ty S uch tests or o r deals i n some

.

fo rm or an oth er have b een co mm on to m ost na ti ons even ,

down to comp arati vel y recen t t ime s T h ey ar e sti ll e mp loyed

.

in B ibl e lan ds We h ave a ll h ea r d of the o r d ea l b y fi re and

.
,

a lso b y wa t er wh i ch w e r e p ra ct i ce d in Engl a n d in the D a rk

,

Ages I t i s n ot reco rd ed th at the H eb re ws d i d at any t ime in

.

th e i r h i story p lu nge sus p ecte d p ar t i es in to the w at er but the ,

s ame p rinc ip le i s i llustra t d in the so c all ed w ate r s of j eal

e
“
-

ousy , so full y desc r ib ed in N um 3 1 wh ere we read

.
-
,

that any wo ma n sus p ected of infid el i t y to her husban d ha d to

d rink a lar ge quan ti ty of w ater p rep a red in a ce r ta in m ann er .

I t i s p oss i bl e th at the H eb r e ws emp loy e d oth er fo r m s of

”
o d e al The n a m e En M i shp at w ell of j ud gm en t may have
“
r -
, ,

o riginated fr o m such a p ract i c e See also P sa 1 09 3 8 ; Pr ov

. . .

-2
9.

i s re markabl e th at th e v i ct im and n ot the so r ce rer was

It ,

to p lunge into the w ate r The p rin c i p l e of cou r s e i s the s ame

.
, , ,

for the s a c re d w a t er w i ll s a v e an d p rot ect the inn oc ent .

3 .

If m an ( in a cas e p en d ing j ud gm en t ) th r eaten

a

the w i tn ess es or do n ot e s t a bl i sh th a t wh i ch h e has

,

t est ified i f th a t c as e be a c a s e in volv ing l i f e that

, ,

m a n Sh a ll be put to d eath .

The co rres p on d ing l a w in the M os a i c Code i s

I f an u nr ighteous w i tn es s ri s e u p agains t any man

24
 TH E CODES OF H A M MURAB I AN D M O SES .

ph et i cal book s I n deed the frequ en c y w i th wh i ch b r ib ery

.
,

a nd p e rve r s i o n s of j ust i c e a r e m en t i o n e d p r ov ver y clear l y that e

r ul e r s a n d thos e in p ow e r we re m uch a dd i ct e d to co r r u p t

p ract i ces ( See Ex 23 :6 8 ; 1 Sam

. .
- I sa. .

Ez ek . Am os

If a stea l the p roperty of a te mp l e or

ma n ,

[ro ya l ] pa la c e tha t ma n sh a ll be p ut to d ea th a n d
, ,

so too he who may r ecei ve f r o m h i s han d stolen

, ,

goods shall b e put to d eath .

We h ave n o reco r d in the O ld T estam en t th a t the d eath

p ena lty was infl i cted for m ere the ft u n less in such c a se s a s ,

tha t of Acha n ( J osh wher e the the ft wa s r ea ll y fr o m

.

God ; for the th ings t aken b y Ach a n w e re d ev oted to God

”
.

Pass age s l ike Gen a nd . l eave us to in fer tha t in

p atr ia rchal t im es thos e gu i lty of steal ing s ac re d th ing s w ere
sub j ecte d to the dea th p ena lty The p u r loining of Lab a n s
.
’

gods might b e rega rde d in the s a m e l ight a s the r obb ing of a

templ e ; and a s J osep h acte d in the c apa c i ty of v i ce g en eral -
,

t he st ea l ing of h i s cu p was a c r im e a ga in st th e p a l a c e o r
Egyp ti a n cou r t th ere fo re wo r th y of the s ve e st p en a lty Se e
, e r .

Ex . where a th i ef i s ki ll ed at night wh i le b rea king in to

a hous e .

7 .

If a man buy S i lver gold sla ve m al e or f em al e

, , , ,

ox sh eep a ss or anyth ing wha tso ever f r o m the so n

, , ,

or sl a v e of a ny p er so n w i thout w i t n e ss or co n t ra ct
, ,

or rec ei ve the s am e o n d ep os i t h e i s r egar d e d a s a ,

th i ef an d shall be p ut to d eath
,
.

The ob j ect of th i s la w i s ev i den t n a m e l y to p r e ve n t , ,

u n derhan ded buying and s ell ing by or f rom i r res p o n s ibl e ch i l

dren a n d fa i thless slave s or thos e un accusto me d to bus iness .

Atten t i on m ay be c a lle d to th e bus in e ss l ik e p r oc ee d ings in -

the c a s e of B o a z an d Ruth ( See Ruth 4 : 2ff ) B oa z a pp ea r s

. .

26
 TH E H A M MURAB I CO DE .

at t
the ga e, the usu al p lac e for tran s acting legal bus iness ,

where he m eets the other kin s man of Ruth ; then b e fo re the ,

e lder s of the c i ty of B ethl eh e m a con tra ct i s d ra wn u p b efo re

,

w i tn ess e s .

I t s e em s cl ear f r o m the abov e s ect i o n tha t sl aves w ere

, ,

co mpeten t to act a s agen ts for thei r m a sters but on l y in the ,

p res ence of w i tne ss e s and wh en a cont ra ct was dul y d ra wn up .

8 .

If a m anstea l an 0x or she ep or ass or pig , , , ,

or bo a t fro m a temp l e or p al a ce he shall pay th i rty

, ,

fold ; i f i t be f ro m a f r eeman he sha ll pay t en fold , .

I f the th i e f has n oth ing w i th wh i ch to p ay he shall ,

be p ut to d eath .

N ot i c e the gr a de s of p u ni sh men t Ob j ects co n t r ibut e d for

.

the su pp o r t of a t emp le w e re he ld a s very s a c re d an d as the ,

king was God s immed iate r ep res entat i ve h ere o n ear th hi s

’

p r o p e rty too wa s r ga rded as s a c red There was a w i de range

, ,
e .

in the B abylo ni an la ws of resti tut i on in c as es of th eft any ,

wh er e fr o m th i r ty to two ( See 1 24 and . Accor d in g to

H eb r e w l a ws an d custo m s i t range d f r o m s ev en ( P r ov .

to two ( Ex . The H eb re w law r eads thus

If a ma nl l steal an ox or a sheep and ki ll it

s ha , ,

o r s ell i t he sh al l p ay fi v e oxen for an ox a nd fou r

, ,

sheep for a sheep I f the th e ft b e found in

.

hi s han d al ive w hether i t be ox or as s or she ep he

, , , ,

sha ll p ay double ( Ex . and .

I n the t im e of D av i d a stol en l amb w as to b e re sto re d

,

fou r fold ( 2 Sa m
. T h i s fou rfold re storati on was in
.

vo g ue in the t im e of our Savi o r ( Luke an d p rev a i ls to

thi s day a m on g the B edou in of the desert .

9 .

Ifa m an who has lost any art i cle fin d i t in the

ha n ds of an oth er ; an d the m an w i th whom the lost
27
 TH E COD ES OF H A M MURAB I AN D M O SES .

ar ti cle i s foun d s ay A m er ch an t sold i t to me i n

,

”
the p r es en ce of w i tn ess e s an d th e ow n er of the
,

art i cl e say I can p r oduce w i tn ess es who kn ow my

,
“

l ost p r op er t y th en sha ll the bu yer b r ing the mer

,

chan t who sold i t to h im an d the w i tne ss be for e

,

who m i t was p urcha sed a nd the ow n er Sh a ll br ing

,

w i tn esses who kn ow the lost prop e rt y The j ud ge .

shall e xamin e th ei r evi d en ce before God [ i e in . .

,

open court ] a n d both of the w i tn ess es b efor e whom

,

the p r i ce was pa i d an d of the w i tn esse s who i d en t i f y

,

the lost art i cl e [ I f] the m er chan t i s then proven

.

to be a th i ef h e sh all b e put to d eath The ow n er

,
.

of the lost art i cl e r ec ei ves h i s pr opert y the buyer ,

shall r ecover the m on ey he pa i d for the sa m e f r om

the estate of the s ell er .

I f the buyer can n ot p roduce the one who sold i t

a nd the w i tn ess e s b e for e who m he bou ght the art i cle ,

but i ts ow n er br ing w i tn esses who i d ent i fy i t th en ,

the buy er i s p ut to d ea th a s the th i e f a n d the own er

,

of the lost a rt i cl e sha ll tak e b ac k h i s pr op erty .

I f the own er [ cla im an t H ] of the lost a r t i cle

, .

do n ot p roduc e w i tn ess es to i d en t i fy sa i d a rt i cle he ,

28
 TH E H AM M URAB I CODE .

i s m alevol ent a nd gu i lt y of fraud ; he shall be put

to death .

See remark s u n d er Sect i o n 3 .

i
I f the seller have d i ed the buyer shall r ecover ,

fro m the estate of the s ell er fivefold da m ages .

The H eb re ws ,too ha d th ei r l a ws con c erning lost p r o p

,

e t t y a n d a rt i cl e s fou n d T hey a r e fully sta ted in both Exodus

.

a nd Lev i t i cus T h i s i s fro m the B OOk O f the Covenan t :

.

For every matter of t resp as s [vi ol at ion of p roperty

r ights e s p e c i a l ly the ft ] whe ther i t b e for ox for as s
, , , ,

for s heep for ra iment or for a ny manne r of lost thing

, , ,

whe reof on e s aith Thi s i s i t ; the c au se of b oth pa rtie s

,

sha ll come be for e God [to open tri al ] h e whom God ,

[the j udges ] cond emns s hall p ay double unto his

neighbor ( Ex . .

We fu rther rea d in Lev 5 .

-

I f any on e s in an d commi t a trespas s again st the

,

LO RD ; a n d d e a l fals ely w i th hi s neighbor in a matter

of d epos i t or O f ba r ga in [pl edge ] or of robb ery or
, , ,

ha ve oppr es s ed hi s neighbor ; or ha ve found tha t which

w as lost a nd dea l fa ls ely the re in and s wear to a li e ;
, ,
‘

in any of a ll the s e that a m an doeth s inning therei n ,

then it sha ll b e i f he hath s inned and i s gui lty tha t he

, , ,

s ha ll r esto re that wh i c h h e took by r obbery or the ,

thing whi ch he hath gotten by oppres s i on _ or the d e ,

p os i t whi ch w as commi tted to hi m or the lost th ing ,

whi ch hath found or anything about whi ch he hath

,

s w o r n fals ely ; he s ha ll e v en r esto r e i t in full a n d sha ll ,

a d d the fifth p a rt mo r e th er eto : u nto him i t a pp e rta in

29
 TH E CODES OF H A M MUR ABI AN D M O SES .

e th shal l he gi ve i t in the d a y of his being foun d

,

gu ilty .

I n de ed the H eb r e w la w w en t st i ll fa r th r fo r i t w as
,
e ,

d i re ctly comman de d tha t thos e fin d ing st ra yed a nima ls or ,

lost a rt i cl es of any kin d should m ake d i l igen t eff ort to find

,

the own e r so as to resto re to h im tha t wh i ch ha d b ee n lost .

1 3 .

I f the w i tn ess es O f th a t man be n ot at h an d the "

j udge shall p ut Off the ca s e for s i x m onths ; a n d i f

then he do n ot produc e h i s w i tn ess es w i th in thes e
s i x m on ths tha t m a n i s m a l evolen t he h im s elf sha ll
, ,

b ear the pena lty in that ca s e .

The r ea der w i ll a t on c e p e r ce i ve th a t the l a ws of H a mm u

r ab i wh i ch p e rt a in e d to th e ft w er e m uch h a r sh e r tha n thos e

of the H eb rews Th i s i s n atu ral for they p oin t to a m ore

.
,

develop e d commerc i al and bus in ess s y ste m than th a t wh i ch

obta in e d in I s r ae l N ot o n l y w a s th ft of a c e t a in kin d
. e r

p u ni shable w i th d ea th but the r ec e i ver of stolen goods was

,

subj ect to the s ame p enalty a s the th ief h im s elf .

If a man
st ea l the min o r son of a f reem a n he ,

sha ll be p ut to d eath .

Ki dnaping was a c a pita l o ffen s e i n I s rae l too The law .

rea ds :

A nd he that steal eth a m an and s ell eth him or i f ,

he be found in h is hand he sh al l s u r ely b e put to d eath

, .

( Ex .

I n D e uter on o my the l aw s e em s to be co n fin e d to the stea l

ing of I s ra el i t i sh ch i ld ren, as i t w a s in B ab yloni a to free men ,
whi c h goes to show that the H eb r e ws ma d e a d i st in ct i o n be
tween ki dnaping f rom I s rael i tes and fo reign er s We rea d .

30
 TH E H A M MUR AB I COD E .

If a m a n be
found stealing any O f his b rethren of
the ch i ld r en of I s ra el a n d he d eal w i th him a s a s l ave
, ,

or s e ll h im then th a t th i ef s ha ll d i e
, ( D eut . .

If a ny man t ak e
m a le or f em a le slave of the
a

[r o ya l ] pa l a ce or the m a le or f em a le sla ve of a
,

f reem a n outs i d e the ga tes of the c ity he shall be ,

p ut to d ea th .

If a m an con cea l in h i s hous e a m ale or female

sla ve a fugi t i ve f ro m the p a la ce or fr o m a free
, ,

man an d do n ot p r oduce the s am e at the o r d er of

,

the offi c er the m a ster O f th a t hous e sha ll be p ut to

,

d eath .

Th e B a b y loni an l aw m ade i t e xc eed ingl y d i fficult to h a —rbor

o r a id in an y wa y r u n a wa y sl a ve s I t w i ll b e n ot i c e d tha" the
.

e xt re m e p ena lt y of th e l a w w a s in fl i ct e d in a ll c a s es re ga r d ,

l ess O f th e fact a s to wheth er the slave was tha t of the king

or o f so m e Or d in ary c i t i z en S uch l a ws m ade the con d i t i o n
.

of thos e in sla v er y ext remel y har d I n I s rael on the other .

,

h an d the p r ov i s i on s of th e la ws re la ting to fu gi t i ve slave s

,

w ere ve ry mi ld T o recov e r or captu r e a H eb rew sla ve was

.

a d i fii c ul t t a s k ; the ow n er O f such a sla v e would th ere fo re ,

in the n atu re of th ings en deavo r to make i s lot tole rabl e

,
.

H ere i s the D e ute r o n o mi c l a w

Thou s ha lt not del i ve r unto hi s mas te r a s ervant

whi ch i s esc ape d from hi s ma ster unto the e ; he shall
d we ll w ith thee in the mi dst of thee in the p l ace
, ,

whi ch he s ha ll choo s e w ithin on e of thy gates where

, ,

i t l iketh hi m b es t : thou s ha lt not oppres s him ( Deut . .

23 : 1 5 ,

31
 TH E COD ES OF H A M MURAB I AN D M O SES .

I t may be Obs erve d th a t the p h ra s e i n the mi dst of th ee,

s ignifies any where in I s rae l Ma ny th ink tha t th i s la w was
.

en a ct e d for fo re ign e r s or n o n -I s rae l i te s , for th ey a r g u e th a t,

acco r d ing to Lev . a H eb r e w i s n ot to b e m a d e a bo n d

s ervan t, but, at the m ost, a hi re d man or d ay labo rer for a

l imi ted time We r ea d :
.

O f the n a ti on s that are r oun d about you , Of them

sha ll ye buy b on dm e n and bondma ids ( Lev . .

1 7 .

If m a n fin d a fugi ti ve sla ve m al e or fem ale

a , ,

in the o pen coun tr y an d b rings the s am e to the

,

own er the ow ne r O f s a i d slave shall p a y that man

,

two Shek els of s i lver .

If that slave r efus e to gi ve the n am e of h i s

m aster he shall be br ou ght to the p ala ce ; a n in qu i ry
,

sha ll be m ade into h i s p ast a n d he sh a ll be restor ed ,

to h i s own er .

H er e a ga in w e see an oth er p r oo f o f the l aw favo r ing the

r i ch ra th er tha n the p oo r the m a st er ra th er th a n th e sla v e ;
,

the re war d Ofi e red for the r e sto ra t i o n of a fu gi t i v e sl a v e could

n ot but h ave serve d a s an in duc em en t for the ca p tur e of thos e
slave s who had d es erte d thei r p osts I t i s p robable th at -
.

I s rael too had s imi lar l a ws

, , See th e a ccou n t o f Sh im e i an d
.

h i s two fu gi ti v e slaves I Kings 2 : 3gif

,
’
.

1 9 .

I f he
forc i bl y d etain tha t sl a ve in h i s house a n d ,

that slave be cau ght lat er in h i s hous e then that m a n ,

shall be p ut to d eath .

32
 TH E CODES OF H A M MUR AB I AN D M O SES .

If m an carr i ed o n h ighway robb ery

a and be
captu r ed he sh a ll be p ut to dea th
, .

I f the h ighwaym an be n ot cap tured he who ha s ,

b een robbed sha ll d eclare befor e God [ un der oath in

op en cour t ] th e a m ou n t lost ; th en the p lac e a n d
,

O ffic i a l in whos e t err i tor y a n d d i st r i ct the r obbery

took p lac e shall comp en sate h im for that wh i ch he

lost .

If it be a l i fe the p lace a n d Offici al shall

, pay one

min a Of s i lver to h i s p eop le .

T h i s i s rath er Obscu re Win c kl er ren d ers : I f p eop le are

.

stolen then sha ll the co mm u ni ty and Ofli c ial p ay one s i lver

,
”
min a to the re la ti ves H a ve we re fe ren ce here to m u rder
.

or ki d n a ping ? Coo k ev i d n tl y r e ga r ds the fir st cl a us e as

e

h av ing referen c e to m u r der H e say s : The code p lac e d up on

.

the c i t y an d the gover n o r the res p o n s i b i l i t y for b r iga n d a ge

c ar r ie d o n w i th in i ts l imi ts . An d i f i t was a l i fe the ,

c i ty and the govern o r w ere requ i re d to p ay one mina of s i lver

to t e p eop le of the m u rdere d m an Th e l a w has Semi ti c
h
”
.

an a lo gi e s, an d a s D a r e st e ha s p o in te d out
, re cu r s n ot in ,

f r equ en tl y in a nc i en t code s I n A rab i a the res p on s ib i l i ty for

.
“

ho mi c i de whe re the m u r der er w as u nkn own wa s c a st in the

, , ,

fi r st in st a n ce u p o n the n ea e st co mm u ni ty ; but u n d e r I sl a m
,
r ,

blood m on ey in the s e c i rcu m stan c es was pa i d b y the sta te, .

"

( P a ge 255 f
The H eb rew law in c a s e the m u r d ere r w ere n ot kn ow n i s
stated at l engt h in D e ut 2 1 : 1 9 to wh ich the r ea der i s r e
.
-
,

ferr ed as our s p ac e forb i ds i ts in s ert i o n here

, .

34
 TH E H A MMUR AB I CODE .

If a fire b reak out in a m a n s hous e and any on e

’

who goes to p ut out the fir e sha ll l i ft u p h i s eyes

tow ar ds the ow n er s p rop erty and tak e a ny p rop
’

e rty [ fu rni tu re ] of the ow n e r of the hous e he shall ,

be ca st in to th at s a m e fir e .

I t i s clea r fr o m the wo rd ing of th i s la w tha t the ow ner

, ,

of the hous e o n fi e ha d the r ight to t ake the law in to h i s ow n

r

han ds and p u ni sh the th i e f o n the s p ot j ust a s in the c as e of

, ,

hous eb rea king at night m en ti o ned in Secti on 21 We find n o .

p r a ll l to th i s in the M os i c Code n o r a ny re fer en ce to such

a e a ,

p ra cti ce a ny wher e in the O l d Te sta men t I t w i ll be a dmi tted

.
,

how ever tha t a man mean en ou gh to stea l u n der such c i rcu m

,

stan ce s des erve d su mm ary p u ni sh men t .

If officer or m an [ co mm on sold i er ] who has

an

b een or d ere d to pr oc eed on th e king s bus in ess go ’

n ot but h i r e a substi tute whom he s en ds in h i s p l a ce

, ,

that officer or m an s ha ll be put to dea th h i s s ubs ti ,

tute shall tak e poss ess i on of h i s house .

The co n t ra st b e tw een th i s s e ver e l a w a nd tha t of D e ute r

on om y in r e ga r d to sold i e r s an d a r my O ffi ce r s i s m a r k ed The .

H b w la w rea ds :
e re

When a man taketh a ne w wi fe he s hall not go ,

ou t i n th e ho s t n ei th e r s h all he b e c har ged w i th any

,

busin es s : he sha l l be free at hom e on e ye ar ( D eut . .

See al s o 20 : 5
I t is n ot qu i te cl ear wha t i s m ea n t b y the term s officer
a n d ma n in th i s se cti on nor y t on wha t bus iness they were
, e

35
 TH E COD ES oE H A M MUR ABI AN D M O SES
.

d i sp atched by the king Som e rega r d the re fer en c e to sol di ers

.

a n d offi c er s in t im e of w a r wh i l e oth e r s m a in t a in th a t the cult i

,

v at i o n of p ubl i c l an ds i s the sub j e ct in qu e st i o n .

We n ow co me to n u mb er of la ws ( 27 4 1 ) ha v ing re fer
a -

e n c e to wh a t m ay b e c a ll e d c row n la n ds or l an d h e ld in fee
-
,

by the State W e kn ow tha t I s a e l too ha d such lan ds at one

. r , ,

t im e or an oth er u n der the m onar chy I t i s to th i s custo m that

.

Sam u e l r efer s wh e n he s ay s to th e d el ega t i o n wh i ch wa i ted

up o n h im to de ma n d a king :
A nd he w i ll take you r fi eld s an d you r vineyards , ,

a n d you r ol i ve-ya r ds e v en the b es t of them an d gi ve

, ,

to hi s offi c ers and h i s s erva nts ( 1 Sam

, . .

The wo r ds of J ez eb el con c erning Naboth s v ineyar d p rove ’

clea r ly that the p ro p he cy of Sa m u el wa s n ot a m ere th reat .

( I K ing s Ez .

2 7.

I f an offic er or a m an be c aptu red in the ga r r i son

of the king a n d subs equen tl y h i s fi eld an d garden
,

have b een gi ven to a n oth er an d th i s o n e ta k e pos,

s ess i on ; i f he [ the form er ow n er ] r eturn an d reach

h i s p la c e h i s field an d ga r d en shall be r estor ed to
,

h im a nd he sha ll t ak e i t a ga in
, .

I f anoffic er or a man be cap tur ed in the garr i son

of the king i f h i s son b e a bl e to t ak e ch ar ge of h i s
,

bus in ess the field a nd the ga rden sh a ll be gi ven to

,

h im an d he sha ll tak e h i s father s field

,
’
.

36
 TH E H A M MUR AB I COD E .

29 .

Ifh i s so n be a min o r n ot a bl e to ta ke char ge

,

of the bu s in ess th e th i r d of the fie ld an d gar d en sha ll

,

be gi ven to h i s m oth er an d s he sha ll br ing h im u p

, .

30 .

If a n Officer or a m an n egl ect h i s field gard en , ,

or hous e in stead of ta king c ar e of th em ; i f a nother

,

t a ke h i s field a nd ga r d en an d hous e an d ca r e for

th em th r ee years ; i f the ow n er return and cla im h i s
field a n d gar d en an d hous e they sha ll n ot be gi ven
,

to h im but he who has tak en them a nd ca red for

,

th em sha ll con t in u e to tak e ca re O f them .

3 1.

I f he ban don ed th em one year a n d retu rn th en

a , ,

th e fi eld ga r d en a n d hous e sh a ll be gi ven ba ck to

, ,

h im an d he shall take them aga in

, .

32 .

If an offic er or a m an be c apture d o n an er r an d
of the king an d a m er chan t ran som h im a n d b r ing
, ,

h im ba ck to h i s loca l i ty ; i f he have in h i s house

m ea n s fo r hi s ra n som so Sha ll h e r a n s om h im self ;
,

i f th ere be n o m ean s in h i s hous e for h i s ran som so ,

sh a ll he be r an som e d b y the templ e of h i s com

m u ni t y ; i f in the t emp l e of h i s comm uni ty ther e be
n o m ean s to r an som h im then the p a la ce [the king ]
,

sha ll ran so m h im H i s field gard en an d hous e shall

.
, ,

n ot be gi ven for h i s r an som .

37
 TH E COD ES OF ’
H A M MUR AB I AN D M O SES .

If e i ther a gover n or
m agi strat e have ta k en to
or

h im s elf th e m en O f the l evy or a cc ep ted a nd s ent , ,

on th e king s e r r an d h i r e d subst i tut e th at g ov e rn o r

’
, ,

or m a gi st r at e sh a ll be p ut to d ea th .

Win ck l m a inta in s th a t i t i s an imp oss ib i l i ty to get at

er

the e x a ct m a ning O f th e wo ds t r an sl a t e d govern o r an d “

e r

ma gi st ate in th i s or the follow ing s ecti on H e th ink s how

r .
,

ev er th a t the r e fe re n ce m ust be to mi l i t a r y men of so me kin d

, ,

W e h av e followe d H a rp e r.

34

If a gover n or or a m a gi str at e tak e the p rop erty

of a n Officer p lun d er a n officer h i r e out a n officer
, ,

a s sl a v e or d e l i v e r an Offi c er in a l awsu i t to a t y ra nt
, ,

tak e a w ay f r o m an Officer a gi ft gi ven h im b y the

king ; th at govern o r or m a gi str a t e sha ll be p ut to .

d eath .

H a rp er s ren d e r ing i s n ea r l y t he s am e a s the a bove ; but

’

J ohn s gi v s the follow ing t a n sla ti on : I f e i th r a govern or or

e r
“
e

ma gi st a te ha s taken to h im s elf the p r op ert y of a ga u ger has

r ,

p lun dered a gau ger has given a ga u ge r to h i r e has stol en

, ,

f rom a ga u ger any j ud gmen t b y h igh h a n dedn ess has taken -

,

to h im se lf th e gi ft the king ha s gi v n th e ga u ger ; tha t gov e

c uo r or m agi st rat e shal l b e p ut to d ea th

r .

35

f a ny bu y the cattl e or sh eep fr om a n officer

on e
,

wh i ch w ere intr uste d to h im b y the king h e [the ,

bu yer ] sha ll fo r f ei t h i s money .

Th p r op e rty bov e m en t i o n d b long d e v i d en tl y to the

e a e e e

r oy a l fl oc k s in tr uste d to the c are of governm en t ofii ia ls

, c ,

38
 TH E H AM MURARI COD E .

The H eb re w king s too had the ir roya l doma in s con s i sting

, , ,

of vineyar ds Ol ive yards fl oc k s h erds etc ( See I Ch ron

,
-
, , , . .

36 .

The fi eld gard en or hous e of an officer sub

, , ,

O fficer [ con stabl e ] or a t r i butary [ tax gath erer ,

,
-

m ay n ot be sold for m on ey .

37

If a man bu y
fi eld ga rd en or hous e of an
the , ,

ofli cer sub officer or t r i butar y the s a l e i s vo i d

[the
-
, , ,

tablet recor d ing the sal e sha ll be b roken ] a n d he ,

fo r fei ts h i s m on ey The fi eld house or gar den shall

.
, ,

be gi ven back to the own er .

An o ffi cer sub -Officer , tr i buta ry may n ot tra n s

, or

fer i n w r i t ing h i s fi eld gard en or hous e to h i s w i fe

, ,

o r d a u ght er n or may he a ss ign th em for d ebt

, .

The re feren ce in th i s s ect i o n i s n ot to p ro per ty inh er i te d ,

o r e ve n a cqu i re d b y p u rch a s e but m ost p r ob abl y to l a n ds an d

,

hous e s in t r usted to a man wh i l e filling some governmen t or

m uni c ipa l Offic e ; or a s P rofe ssor H arp er suggests p r op e ty
, ,
r
”
“
wh i ch i s h i s b y v i r tue of h i s Of i ce I f th i s theo ry be correct
f .
,

w e may in fer th a t a so n might a ls o in h er i t c er ta in Ofli ces .

39

H m ay how ever tra n sfer in w r i t ing a field

e , , ,

ga r den or hous e wh i ch he has acqu i red by p ur

, ,

chase and p oss ess es to h i s w i fe or dau ght er or may

, , ,

ass ign for d ebt .

39
 TH E COD ES OF H A M MUR ABI AN D M O SES .

Dau ghters a cco rd ing to H eb re w law toO could u n de r

, , , ,

c ertain c i rcu m st nc s inh er i t the p ro p e rty of the r father

a e ,
i .

1 1 wh ere the c a s e of Zel op h eha d s d a u ghter s i s

'
See N um .
-
,

d i scuss ed .

40 .

H e s ell fi eld gar d en an d hous e to a royal

m ay , ,

a gen t [ta m ka r ] or a ny oth er St a t e o ffic i a l th e bu yer

hold ing field ga r d en a n d hous e for i ts usufr uct

, ,
.

T h i s s ect i o n i s O bscu re I t i s p rob able that the law refer s

.

to on e p ubl i c Offi c i a l t ran sferr ing p ubl i c p rop ert ie s or b en

e fice s to a n oth er a ge n t O f the Sta te .

H arp er s a n d John s s t ra n sl a t i o n s a r e ess en t i all y d i f

’ ’

fe rent . W e rep r oduc e th at gi ven b y H a rper : A wo man “

,

m erch an t or other p rop ert y holder may s ell field gar den or
,
-
, ,

hous e The p ur chas er sh a ll con duct the bus iness of the field
. ,
”
ga den or hous e wh i ch he has p u r cha s e d
r

J oh n s has vota ry—a e a temp le p r ost i tute—for woman

, .

. .
, ,

a nd fo re ign soj ou r n er for p r op er ty hold er

-
otherw i s e he agrees -

w i th H arp er .

41 .

If
any on e f en ce in the field ga r d en or house , ,

of an Offi cer sub— Offi cer or t r i buta r y a n d furni sh

, , ,

th e f en c ing m a ter i a l th er e fo r wh en the o ffi c er sub , ,

officer or t r i buta r y r etu r n to th e fi e ld ga r d en an d

, , ,

hous e the f en c ing m a ter i a l becom e s h i s pr oper ty

, .

The tran sl at i on s of both J ohn s a d H a r p e r d i ffer w i dely n

f ro m the above thou gh a g eeing v ry clos ely w i th one a n other

,
r e .

J ohn s r en der s thus : I f a m an has barter ed for a field gar den , ,

o r hous e Of a ga u ger co n sta bl e or t r i butary a n d ha s gi v en

, , ,

e xch a nge s t he ga u ger co n stabl e o r t r i buta r y sh a ll re tu r n to

, , ,

h i s field gard en or hous e and sh all keep the exch ange s gi ven
, , ,
”
h im.

40
 TH E C OD ES OF H A M M UR AB I AN D M O SES .

A GA N wa s a bout 63 a rec s , an d a GUR a l i ttle m o re th an

e ight bush ls e .

45

If a man h i s fi eld to an oth er for a fix e d r en t

l et ,

a n d h as r ec e i v ed th e r en t for the fi eld but stor m s ,

co m e an d d est r o y the cr op s the loss fa lls u p on the ,

r en ter .

T h i s la w i s e mine ntly u nj ust an d p r ov es cl earl y tha t the

,

r i ch ma n had a dva n t a ge ove r the p oo r a nd y et the s am e ,

custo m p r eva i ls to d a y in our ow n land

- .

B ut i f he ha ve n ot r ecei ved a fixe d r ent for h i s

fie ld but has l et i t out for on e-ha lf or on e th i r d [ of
,
-

th e c r o p ] so th e g r a in o n th e fi eld sh a ll be d i v i d ed
,

p rop o r ti on at el y b etween the rent er a n d the own er

O f the field .

47

I f the nter b ecaus e in the fir st year he d i d n ot

re ,

ga in susten an ce has gi v en the field in to th e charge

,

of a n oth er the ow n er sh a ll n ot obj ect ; th e field has

,

b een cult i vated a n d he sh a ll tak e h i s sha re of the

,

gra in a ccor d ing to the contra ct .

T h i s s ecti on i s n ot f ee f ro m Obscu i ty J ohn s re n ders

r r .

the fi st p a t I f the c ul tva to b ec a us in t he fo r m e r y ea r he

“
r r ,
r, e

d i d n ot set up h i s dw ell ing and Schei l b ec a use h e d i d not ,

“

g o to h i s farm .

48 .

If any ow e a d ebt on whi ch he pa y s in tere st ,

an d a sto r m d e va sta te h i s field an d d estr o y th e

42
 TH E H A M MURA B I COD E .

gra in or ow i ng to a scar ci ty of wat er the grain

, , ,

have no_t_ g\r ow n i n the fi eld ; in th a t yea r he n eed

n ot gi ve a ny gr ain to the cr ed i to r ; he shall m o i sten

h i s co nt r a ct ta bl et in water and n eed pay n o in ter est ,

th i s year .

T o m o i sten the tabl et in water was symbol i ca l We l earn .

f o m Se ct i on 3 7 that tabl ets were a lso dest r oye d

r .

49

Ifa ma n hav e tak en m on ey f rom a m erchan t ,

a n d h a v e gi v en [ as s ecu r i t y ] the m er ch an t an arabl e

fi eld to b e p l a n ted in gr a in or s esa m e an d ha ve sa i d

, ,

to h im Pla n t gr a in or s es a m e in the fie ld an d t ake

,

the c r o p ; i f the cult i v ato r p r oduc e gra in or s es a m e

in th e fi eld th en at the har vest the gr a in or s esam e

,

tha t the fi eld has p roduced sh a ll be the pr op erty of

the ow n er of th e fi eld a n d he sh a ll pay gra in for the
,

m on ey h e rec ei ved f r om the m erch an t an d for the ,

in ter est and for th e suppor t of the r enter .

we kn ow f ro m oth er in sc r ip t i o n s th a t in tere st
, , , amoun t
i ng to wha t would n ow be rega r d e d a s usu r y was , charged
in a n c i ent B ab y loni a The ra te a s a r ul e wa s 1 1 3 or 1 3 pe r
.
, ,

c e nt thou gh so me tabl ets r eco r d in te rest at 20 p er ce nt I a

,
.

ter es t wa s oft e n p a i d in m on ey but qu i t e co mm o n l y in g ra in

, ,

f r u i t or vegetabl es The cont ra cting of d ebt was r e gar de d

, .

b y the H eb re w la w as a mi sfo r tu ne ; co n s equ entl y thos ha v ing e

a ny th ing to l e n d w er e xho rt e d to be g en e rous

e W e rea d : .

Ifthou l end money to any of my p eople with thee

tha t i s poor thou shalt not be to him as a c r ed itor ;
,

nei the r s ha ll y e lay u pon hi m u s u ry ( Ex . .

 T H E C OD ES OF H A M MURA B I AN D M O SES .

It m ust be n oti c ed how eve r tha t the H eb re ws m a de a

, ,

d i st in ct i o n b etween a n a t i v e I s ra e l i t e a n d a fo re ign r i n m o n ey e ,

l en ding ma tte s ; for w e fu the r rea d :

r r

Thou Sha lt not l end on u s u ry to th y b r other u s u ry ,

of m on ey u s u r y o f v i ctu a l s u s u r y of a n yth ing th at i s

, ,

l en t on us u r y ; u n to a for e ign er thou m aye s t l end upon

u su ry but u nto thy b rother thou s ha lt not l end on
,

u s ury ( D eut . .

The der m ust b ear in min d tha t th e wor d usu ry i s

r ea

e mp loy e d h e e a s ev ywh e in the O l d T e sta men t a the

r ,
er er ,
s

e x a ct s yn o ny m of in t e e st a n d the re fo e should n e v er be t e
r ,
r

gard ed as a n e xc ess i ve rate of in te rest D r i ver Obser ves very .

,

j ustly that H eb re w l egi sla ti on in con demning int erest o n any

, ,

th ing l en t a g ee s p e fectly w i th the th inke r s O f Greec e a nd

,
r r

Ro me a s w ell as thos e of the ear ly Ch ri st i an Chu rch The

, .

fact however i s that i t was v ery u n co mm on in an c ient t im es

, , ,

to bo r row m oney s imp l y for th e s ake of s p e cul at i on or m ere ,

in vestme n t in so me bus ine ss p r oj ect A cl ea r cut d i st in cti o n .

-

should be m a d e b etw een the a n c i en t cha r i tabl e loan an d the

m oder n commerc i a l loan O ur Savi o r thou gh acqu a in ted w i th
.
,

p u rely co mmerc ia l loan s d i d n ot s p eak in u nm ea su red term s

,

O f co n d emn a t i o n ( See Ma tt 25 . N or m us t w e th ink .

tha t i t wa s ever a ge n era l p ract i c e a m ong the J e ws to r ec e i ve

n o in ter est a ccep t n o p led ges or d eman d n o s ecu r i ty I n deed
, , .
,

w e kn ow th at debto rs w e re sold ( for a l imi t e d p er i od ) a s

slave s ( S e 2 King s
. e N eh 6 ; I sa Th e . .

s even th yea r the so ca ll e d year of r elea s e i s kn own to us

,
-
,

all.
( See D e ut 1 5 : 1 6 ; a nd Ex 2 1
.
-
.

so .

fi e ld of gra in or the field of s esam e w er e

I f th e
a lrea d y p l an t e d wh en h e ga v e i t [ a s s ecu r i t y ] the ,

gra in or s es a m e in th at fi e ld sha ll b e long to the

ow ner of th at fi eld a n d he sha ll r etu r n the m on ey
,

w i th int er est to the m er cha nt .

44
 TH E H A M MUR AB I CODE .

I f he h a ve n o m oney to pay ba ck he sh all gi ve ,

the m er chan t gr a in or s esa m e a cco r d ing to the cu r

r en t p r i c e for the m on ey a n d a lso in t erest a ccord ,

ing to the roya l ta r iff [ i e the su m l ega ll y fix ed b y . .

,

th e a uthor i t i es ] .

I f th e n ter h a ve n ot p la nted gra in or s esa m e

re

in the field h i s [ the d ebto r s ] con tr act i s n ot an

,
’

n ulled .

H a r er p has , do n ot s ecu re a c rop in stea d of ha ve

,
“
not
”
p la n ted .

The bove la ws s ee m exce e dingl y fa i r Poo r c rop s re sult

a .

ing fr o m n a tu ra l ca us e s e xcus e d th e p oor ma n or r enter fr o m

p art of the ren tal ; but c areless ness or in dolen ce w ere t reated
w i th n o leni en c y .

The n ex t fou r la ws co n cern dam s dykes or c a na ls I n , , .

th e v e r y n tu re of th e c a s e the h i lls of P a l e st ine e xclude the

a ,

n ec ess i ty for le gi sla t i on su i ta bl e on l y to level or low la n ds ,

such a s M esop ota mi a B a byloni a was a l m ost as dependen t

.

u p on i ts ca na ls as i s H olla n d to day The y n eeded con stan t - .

c re a n d rep a i ring T hos e l i v ing a longs i de of th em were held

a .

r e s p on s i bl e for a ny da m a ge wh i ch might r e sult f r o m a b r ea ch .

The s e ver i t y of the la w a s we sha ll s ee for n egl ect ing them i s

, , ,

a c ert a in p r oof of the d a ma ge c a us e d b y in u n dat i on s .

53

If any on e n egl ect to keep h i s d yke in pro per

con d i t i on a nd do n ot strengthen h i s d yke a n d i f a ,

b rea ch take pl a ce a n d the m eadow lan d be in un

,
-

d at ed by the w a ter the man in whose dyke the ,

45
 TH E CODES OF H AM MUR AB I AN D M O SES .

brea ch has ta ken p lace shall pay b a ck for ,

th e gra in
wh i ch w a s th er eby d estroyed .

54

I f he be un able to rep lace the gra in he sh a ll be ,

sold an d a lso h is pr operty for m on ey a n d the f a rm

, ,

e r s whos e g ra in the w a t er s d estro yed sh a ll shar e

th e p r oc e eds .

55

If a m anhave o p en ed h i s tren ch es for i rr igat i on

i n such a c a r el ess w a y a s to ov er fl ow h i s n e ighbo r s
’

fi e ld he sh a ll pay h i s n eighbor in gra i n [the a moun t

,

ing ba s ed on the ad j o ining field s ] .

56 .

P I f a m an l et
in the wa te r an d the wa ter ca rr y O ff
the cr o p of the ad j o ining fi eld he sh a ll m ea su r e ten ,

GUR of g ra in for ev ery ten GAN of la n d

/ .

A s a l rea d y s a i d the H eb rews had n o l egi slat i on co nc ern

,

i ng c a n a ls or dyk es The y d i d however reco gni ze da mage s‘

.
, ,

a r i s ing fr o m n eg l e ct T hus when a c i stern or pi t wa s n ot

.

p r op erl y covered the own er of the s a me was to m a ke good the

,

loss ar i s ing fro m the n eg lect ( Ex . SO a lso in th

.

c a s e of fire Th e law r ea ds
.

I f fi r e b r ea k out a n d c a tch i n thorn s so tha t the

, ,

s hock s of co rn or the s tand ing co rn in the fi eld b e

, ,

cons um ed ; h e that k ind l ed the fire s hal l s u rely m ak e;

res ti tut i on .
( Ex .

57

Ifa sh epherd w i thout the con s en t or p er mi ss i on

,

of the own er of a field ha ve pa stured h i s she ep u pon

,

46
 TH E H A M MURAB I COD E .

the grow ing gra in ; the own er shall reap h i s field ,

an d the sh eph erd who w i thout h i s permi ss i on has

,

pa stur ed h i s fl oc k in th e fi eld shall pay in a dd i t i on ,

[ a s d a m a ge ] tw en ty GUR Of gra in for every ten

GAN .

The H b w
e re la w p res en ts the follow ing p arallel
If a ma n
shall c aus e a field or a vineyar d to be
ea ten a n d sha ll l et h i s b east loos e a n d i f i t feed in
, ,

a n oth er man s fie ld ; of the b est of h i s ow n field and

’

of the b est of hi s vineya r d s hall he make r esti tution .

( Ex .

I f after thesheep hav e l eft the m eadow an d have ,

b een shut up in the comm on fold at the c it y gate ,

the sh ep h er d tu r n th e sh eep in to th e field to p a stu r e ,

the sh eep on the fi e ld ; th e sh ep h er d sha ll tak e the

fi eld wh i ch he ha s su ff er e d to b e gr az ed an d bes i des ,

h e sh a ll pay the ow n er s i xt y GUR of gr a in for every

ten GAN .

The t ranslat i o n s of both J oh n s a nd H a rp e r d i ffer a l i ttl e

fr om the above T ha t of J ohn s rea ds thus : I f f rom the ti me
.
“

tha t the sheep h ave gon e u p fr o m the m ea dow and the whole ,

fl oc k ha s p a ss e d th r ou gh the ga te the sh ep h er d ha s l a i d h i s
,

sh eep o n the fie ld and has ca us ed the sh eep to feed O ff the field ,

the sh ep h er d who has m a d e th em fee d Off the fie ld one sha ll

watch and at harvest t im e he sha ll mea su re out s i xty Gu n of
,
”
co rn p er GAN to the Ow ne r O f the field .

The rea der w i ll ha ve doubtle ss O bs er ved the above law i s

v e ry Obscu re I t p rob ably refers to a sh eph e r d who t urned
.

h i s fl ock into the field of h i s n e ighbor at night .

47
 TH E COD ES OF H A M MUR AB I AN D M O SES .

59 0

If a w i thout the kn owl ed ge of th e ow n er

m an
of an o r ch ar d cut down a t ree in tha t o r ch a r d he ,

sh a ll pay on e h a lf min a of s i lver

-
.

I t m ay be in fe e d f r o m Ex 22 : 5 f tha t t rees could n ot

rr ,
. .
,

b e wa n to n ly de st r oy ed Th i s w as u n la wful ev en in the t ime

.

of wa r or du r ing a s i ege ( See D eut 20 : 1 9 f )

. . .

If a man ha ve gi ven a fi eld to a gar d en er to

I
" p la n t a s an or cha r d a n d th i s on e c ar e for i t h e sha ll
, ,

I
I ca re for the or ch ar d fou r y ear s ; in the fifth yea r the
own er of the l an d a nd the gar d en er Sha ll share
e qu a ll y ; the ow n er O f the o r ch ar d shall t a k e h i s p a rt .

W e ha v e follow in g p a r a ll e l in H eb re w le gi slat i on ;
the
thou gh n ot e x act i t has m uch in co mm on :
,

An d w hen y e hal l com e i n to the l a nd an d s hall

s ,

ha ve pl anted a ll ma nn er of tree s for food then ye shall ,

count the food ther eof as un c i rcum c i s ion ; thr ee years

s h a l l they b e a s u n c i r cum c i s i on un to
y ou i t s ha ll n ot
b e ea ten B u t in the fou rth yea r a l l the fru i t thereof
.

s h a ll b e holy for gi v ing p r a i s e u n to t he LORD A nd i n .

the fi fth ye ar ye shall e at of the fr ui t th er e of that it ,

m ay yi e l d unto you th e i n c r e a s e the r e of ( Lev 1 9 . .

2 3 -2 5 )
The gen era l m ea ning of both l ws i s clea r : The fi rst th ree
a

year s p roduc ed l i ttl e or n o f r u i t ; in the fou th y ea r a cco r d r

,

i ng to H eb r ew la w J ehova h wa s to rec ei v e a p o t i o n
,
( Se r . e
D e ut. Fr o m the fou th yea r on the own er was to
r
,

r e ce i v e h i s full p o r t i on the t n th of cou r s e e xcep t e d

, e
.

48
 TH E COD ES OF H A M MURAB I AN D M O SES .

th el es s ,m ea su r e out th e yi eld of the o r chard a c ,

’
co r d ing as [ th ings h a ve grown in ] the n eighbor s
[ ga r d en ] .

have a l rea dy Obs erved in the in tr oduct i on

'

H ere, as we ,

w e fin d th t five colu mn s or r ows O f the t ext h a ve b een

a

e ra s e d
. T h i s wa s w ithout doubt the wo rk of som e con qu ero r
in l ater a ges who b y in sc rib ing h i s n a m e t i tle s etc
, , ,

d es i re d to p rpetu a te h i s own glo ry an d r en own

e .

Wh y the s p a ce w n ot fi ll e d u p but l e ft bla nk c n

as , , a

on l y b e a ma tte r O f conj ectu re ; nor can we for m any i dea

of who the king or gen er a l might h ave been who p erp etrated
th i s pi ece of va nda l i s m W h t i s st i ll wo r s e w e ca n for m no
. a ,

co rr ect i dea of th e n a tu r e of th la ws thus e ra s e d Pé re e .

Schei l— and m ost oth er t ran sl ato r s a g ree—th ink s th a t n o l e ss

tha n th i r ty five l a ws w ere e ras ed T h i s a ccoun ts for our
- .

pa ss ing f o m the s i xty fifth to the hun d redth s e cti on Fr om

r -
.

H a mm u rab i t abl e ts fou n d in th e l ib ra r y of A ssu rb a nip a l i t

, ,

ha s b een in fer r ed tha t the follow ing might ha v e fo r me d a

pa rt Of the eras ed p o rt i on We give them a s t ran slated
.

b y J oh n s

A . If a has tak en m on ey f r om a m erchan t

ma n ,

a n d ha s gi v en a p la n t a t i o n of d a t e s to th e m erchan t ,

ha s s a i d to h im Th e d a te s th a t a r e in my p l a nta t i on
,

t ak e for th y m on ey ; tha t m er ch an t s ha ll n ot agree ,

th e d at es that a r e in the p l a n tat i on the ow n er of the

p l ant at i on sha ll t a k e an d he sha ll an swer to the

,

m erch an t for the m on ey an d i ts in t erests according

to the t en o r of h i s bon d The d ate s tha t ar e over .
,

wh i ch are in the p l an tat i on the own er of the p l a n ,

ta t ion sh a ll t ak e fo r sooth .

B the m an dw ell ing ( in the hous e

)
.

50
 TH E H A MMURAB I COD E .

ha s gi ven to the ow ner ( of the house ) the m on ey

of i ts r en t in full for the yea r the own er of the house ,

has ord er ed the dwell er to go out wh en h i s d ays ar e

n ot full the own er Of the hou s e beca use he ha s
, ,

or dered the dwe ller to l ea ve when h i s d ays are n ot

full ( sha ll gi ve ) of the m on ey wh i ch the dw ell er
,

ga ve h im .

C .I f a m an ha s to p a y in m on ey or co rn but , ,

ha s n ot m o n ey or cor n to p ay w i th but h a s goods , ,

wh atever i s in h i s han ds b efore w i tn ess es a ccor d ing

, ,

to wha t he has b r ou ght he sh a ll gi ve to h i s mer ,

cha nt The m er cha n t sha ll n ot ob j ect ; he sh a ll

.

re c e i v e i t .

We n ow su me the H amm u ra b i C ode Whe ther A B C

re . . . .

a r e a p a r t O f the o r igin a l cod e or wh eth e r th ey ha ve a ny rel a

t i on to i t i s a questi o n wh i ch w i th our p re s en t d a ta can n ot

,

b e a n sw er e d .

1 00.

intere st for the m on ey as m uch as r e

c ei v e d h e shall gi v e h i s n ot e for i t a nd o n the d ay
, ,

a gr ee d u p o n h e sh a ll pay th e m ercha n t .

It i s ge n erall y a gr eed tha t the above an d the few n ext fol

low ing s ect i on s refer to m er chants and cl erk s in thei r emp loy ,

e s p e c i a ll y to t rav e l ing s a l e s men or thos e t ran s a cti ng bus in e s s

,

a t a d i sta n c e .

1 01 .

th ere be n o bus in ess op enings in thos e p laces

If
to wh i ch he has gon e [ i e i f u n succ essful ] the . .
, ,

SI
 TH E COD ES OF H A M MURA B I AN D M O SES .

a gent sh all l ea ve in ta ct the m on ey wh i ch he re e c i v ed ,

a n d gi v e i t b a ck to the m er ch a n t .

p er ha s in ste d of sh ll l eave in tact

H ar , a
“
a th e m on ey ,

shall doubl e the am ou n t of m on ey .

1 02.

a m er ch an t ha ve gi v en m on ey for in vestm ent

If
to an agen t a n d the latt er suffer loss in the p lace
,

wh i th er he wen t he sha ll r etu rn the pr in cip al in full

,

to the m er chan t .

B oth H a rp er an d J oh n s h a ve “
as a favor , in stea d of
for in vest men t ”
.

wh i l e on a j ourn ey a n enemy rob a man

I f, ,

[ i e agen t ] of a nyth ing wh i ch he may have the

. .
, ,

a g en t sh a ll t ak e a n o ath [ b y th e n a m e of God
] an d ,

sh a ll b e a cqu i tted .

1 04.

If
m erchan t ha ve gi v en an a gen t gra in wool
a , ,

O il or a n y oth er g oods for t r a d ing p ur p os es

, the ,

a gen t sh a ll gi v e in w r i t ing a re ce ip t
[ m a k e an i n
vo i ce ] for the a m oun t a nd gi ve to the m er chant .

Th en he sha ll r ecei ve a receip t f r o m the m er chant

for the m o n ey p a i d the m er ch a n t .

J ohn s r en de ing of the la st cla us e i s as follows : The

r

a g en t sh a ll ta k e a s ea l ed m e m o ran du m of the p r i c
e wh i ch he
”
sh ll gi ve to the m erchan t H arp er s ren der ing i s v i rtua lly
a .
’

t he s a m e .

52
 TH E H A M MUR AB I COD E .

If a n agen t have n eglected to take a r eceipt for

th e m on ey h e g ave th e m erch an t h e m a n ot p la ce
y ,

th e m on ey for wh i ch he has n o rec eip t to h i s ow n

a ccou n t .

If an a gen t obta in m oney fro m a merchan t an d

d i sp ute i t w i th the m er chan t the latter sha ll charge
,

th e a gen t b efo re God a n d w i tn ess es [ in o p en cou r t ]

w i th h a v ing th e m on ey Th en [ in cas e of con vi e

.

t i o n ] the a gen t sha ll pay thr ee t im es the am ou nt

gi v en h im .

1 07 .

If a m er chant have cheated the a gen t an d the ,

a g en t h a v e r e tur n e d a l r ea d y a ll wh i ch th e m er ch a n t

ha d gi ven h im but the m er ch a nt d eny h a v ing re

,

c ei v ed what w as r etu r n ed to h im th en the a gen t

,

sha ll accus e the m er cha n t be for e God a n d w i tn ess es .

The m er ch a n t bec aus e h e den

, i ed hav ing r ecei v ed all
th at he ha d recei ved shall pay the a gen t s i x t imes
,

th e a m ou n t .

If a [ fem al e] taver n k eep er do n ot accept gr a in

-

accord ing to gross w eight a s pay for dr ink s but tak e ,

s i lv er ; a n d the pr i ce of the d r ink a s comp ared w ith

that of the gra in i s l ess she shall be con v icted an d
,

throw n in to the wat er .

53
 TH E CODES OF H A M M URA B i AN D M O SES .

H ar er p s
n d ering of the s eco n d cl a us e i s : or mak e the
’
re

m ea su re for d rink s mall e r tha n th e mea su re for co rn The .

"

meaning Of th i s law i s n ot qu i te clea r ; but th e s e veri t y of the

p ena lty shows cl ea r ly th a t the tavern k eep er took gr ea t advan -

tage of he r custom er .

Ex ecut i o n b y th r ow ing in to the w a ter—th a t i s b y d r own ,

ing—wa s very comm on in B abyloni a ( See 1 29 1 33 1 43 1 55 .

, , . .

e tc )
. Tave rn s or s a loon s w ere k ep t b y wo men Co mp are the .

ca se O f R ahab the h arlot ( J osh 2 : 1 ff )

, . . .

1 09 .

I f con s pi r ator s
assem ble in the house of a tavern
[
k eepen who are n ot ca ptu re d a n d d el i vered to the
court that tav er n k eeper sha ll be put to d eath
‘
-
.
,

1 1 0.

If votar y o p en a ta ver n or ent er a ta vern for

a ,

the p u r p os e of d r inking tha t wo m an sh a ll be bu rnt ,

to d eath .

B u rning to death wa s a m ode of p u ni sh m ent p ra ct i c ed in

I s rae l too for c e rt a in c r im e s : for in c e st ( Lev
, ,
and .

for u n ch a st i ty in the da u ght er of a p r i e st ( Lev . .

The wo r d re n de re d v otary p r ob abl y s igni fies a wo man .

I I I .

If a f em ale ta ver n k eeper gi ve 60 K A of USA -

K A N I for d r ink s h e shall rec e i v e 5 0 K A of gra in at

,

ha r vest .

T h i s s ect i on i s Obscu re U a kani wa s the na me of a

. s -

w ell kn ow n dr ink at th e t im when th i s law wa s m a de J ohn s

- e .

r en d er s u sa k ani b e st b e er
-
, .

1 1 2.

a ny on e on a j ou r n ey i n t rust s i lver gold

If , ,

preci ous ston e or a ny tr ea sur e of h i s h an d to a ma n

, ,

54
 TH E H A M M UR AB I CODE .

for tran sp or tat i on i f th i s ma n [the carr i er ] do n ot

,

b r ing a ll that was to be t ran sp orted to the appointed

p l ace but app ro pr i ates th em th en th i s ma n who
, ,

d i d n ot d el i ver the goods in trust ed to h im shall be

ca ll ed to accoun t an d he sh a ll p ay the owner of the
,

goods to be tran s port ed fivefold for all that in , ,

tr uste d to h im .

The bove la w r e fer s to goods int r uste d to p er son s trave l

a

ing a s co mm on ca r ri s T here i s no e xact p a ra ll l in H eb rew

, er . e

l egi slat i on thou gh the follow ing s eem s to cover th e s ame

,

g r ou n d
I f a ny on e s in an d commi t a t respa ss against the
LORD a n d deal fa ls ely w ith hi s n eighbor in a matt er
,

of depos it ,
then s hall it be i f he ha s s inned ,

a n d i s gu i lty that he s hal l r e stor e the d ep os i t wh i ch

'

w as commi tted to him ; he shall even r estore

i t in full a n d shall a dd the fifth part mor e thereto
,
.

( Lev 6 : 2 .

T h i s resto rat i o n was to be followe d by a re l igi ous c ere

m ony ( Lev 6 :6f )
. . .

If any cl a im for grain or m oney o n

on e h a ve a

a n oth er ma n a nd he sha ll tak e f r om the gr ain heap

,
-

or gra n a r y w i thout th e kn owl ed ge of the ow n er tha t ,

m an sh a ll b e ch ar ged b e fore th e cou rt w i th having

ta ken w ithout th e kn owledge of the own er gra in
, ,

f ro m the gra in h eap or gr an ar y an d he sha ll r estore

-
,

the g ra in wh i ch h e took H e sha ll forf ei t all that .

was d ue h im [the en ti re a m oun t of h i s d ebt ] .

55
 TH E CODES OF H AM M U RAB I AN D M O SES .

h av e n o cl aim for gr a in or m on ey u pon

I f a m an
an other an d l ev y a d i stra int h e sha ll p y
,
a on e-
th i r d
,

of a mina of s i lver in ea ch cas e of d i str a in t .

1 1 5 .

If a have a cl a im for gr a in or m on ey upon

m an
a n oth er an
,d l ev y a d i str a int a n d the m an thus ,

sei z ed d i e a n atu ra l d ea th in the house of h i s d i s

tra in er that cas e has n o p en a lty
, .

1 1 6 .

I f the on e s ei z ed d i e of blows or of bad t reat

m en t in the hous e of h i s d i stra in er the own er of the ,

on e s ei z ed sh a ll b r ing the m er cha n t to accou n t ; i f

he be th e so n of a f r eebo r n m an th en the so n of ,

the m erchan t sh a ll be p ut to d eath ; i f he be a slave ,

he shall pa y on e th i r d of a min a of s i lver an d he

-
, .

[the d i str a in er ] shall for f ei t a ll that he gave a s a

loan .

H ere w e h ave a m ost l i ter a l ca r rying out of the

”
ey e for ey e a n d tooth f r tooth or r a th er s
‘
,
o ,

We h a v e n o ev i d en c e tha t the H eb rew law ever a utho r i z e d the

p u ni sh ing of a ch i ld for the s in of h i s pa ren t I t i s t r u e th at.

ch i ld ren p r ovi d en ti ally h ave to su ff er p hy s i ca l p ain etc for , .

,

the t ra n s gr e ss i o n O f th e i r p ar en ts .
( Ex an d
. T hey
su ffer by the s e lf a ct ing op erati on of n atu ral la ws I n the
“
-
.

p rov i den c e of God the n atu ra l t ies u ni ting a fami l y a re such

that i t i s d i fficult for on e m emb er to e sc ap e ent i r ely the c ou s e
q u en es of a n othe r s s in s I n a n c i en t t im e s i t w a s n ot uncom
’
.

m on to p uni sh an ent i re fami l y for the s in s of one m emb er .

56
 TH E CODES OF H A M MU RABI AN D M O SES .

1 1 9 .

If a m an in cur d ebt a nd s ell for m on ey a f em al e

,

sla ve who ha s born e h im ch i ld r en ; th e m on ey wh i ch

,

the m e r ch a n t ha s p a i d sh a ll b e r etu r n e d b y th e ow n er

of the sl a ve an d he sha ll r an som h i s f em a le sl ave

,
.

The H eb re w l a w a lso fa vo red co n cub ine s The l aw con .

ce rning women take n c apt i ves in war an d fo c d to concu r e

b ina ge rea d thus

An d i t s ha ll b e i f thou have n o del ight in he r then ,

thou s ha lt l et he r go wh i ther s he w i ll ; but thou sha lt

not sell her a s a slave because thou h ast humbl ed her
, .

( D eut 2 1 : 1 4 See also Ex 2 1 : 7

. . .

1 2 0.

If a m an sto re h i s gr a in in the house of a nother ,

an d som e d a m age happen to the stor ed gra in or i f ,

the own er of the hous e o p en the gr an a ry a n d tak e

som e of the gr a in or d i spute conc erning the qu ant i ty

,

of gra in stor ed in h i s hous e ; th en th e O wn er of the

gra in sh a ll cla im the gra in be for e God [ in o p en
cou rt ] th e own er of the hous e sha ll r eturn the gra in
,

in full [ double the a m ou n t H ] to the own er Of , .

.

the gr a in .

For the gene r a l la w of the H eb re ws cove ring a l l kin ds

of dep os i t see Ex 22 : 7 10
, .
-
.

121 .

If a m an stor e gra in in th e house of an oth er he ,

s ha ll pay stor age p r i c e of on e GU R for ev er y KA

p e r yea r .

58
 TH E H AM M U RAB I CODE .

1 22 .

If a m an d epos i t s i lver gold or anyth ing what , ,

soev er a ll that he ma y d ep os i t he shall show to w i t

,

n ess es ma ke a con t ra ct an d th en he sh all depos i t

, ,
.

W e fin d n o e xact p a ra ll e l in H eb re w legi sl at i on See .

,

how eve r Lev 6 :2 7

, .
-
.

If m an d epos i t anyt h ing w i thout w itn ess es an d

a

con t r a ct an d the y a t whose p la ce th e d epos i t wa s

,

m a d e d eny i t th ere i s n o legal redress in tha t case

, , .

1 24.

I f a m an d epos i t s i lve r gold or anyth ing whatso , ,

e v er w i th a n oth er in th e p r e s en c e of w i t n ess es a n d ,

th e d ep os i ta r y d eny i t h e shall b e br ou ght b e for e

,

th e cou r t an d wh a tev er h e h a s d eni e d he sh a ll pa y

,

in full [ i f con v i ct ed ] .

'
H arp er r en d er s the l a st cl a us he shall doubl e wh at eve r
“
e :
”
he has d i s p ute d and rep ay i t , .

I f a man d ep os i t a nyth ing an d at the dep os i tary , ,

th r ou gh bu rglary or r obbery h i s p rop ert y in com , ,

m on w i th th at of the own er of the p lace be lost ,

th en t he ow n er of the p lace th rou gh whose carel ess ,

n ess the loss occu rred m ust co mpen s at e in full the ,

ow n er of the [ stol en ] goods The ow ner O f the .

p lace shall follow u p an d tr y to r e cover the lost pr op

et t y a n d tak e i t fr o m the th i ef
,
.

59
 TH E CO D ES OF H A M MUR AB I AN D M O SES .

Sim
T he H eb r ew l a w, as a l rea dy p o in te d out ,
wa s qu i te
i la r
.
( See Ex .

1 2 6.

who ha s n ot lo s t a nyth ing sa y that he

I f a m an , ,

h a s lost so m eth ing a n d p uts forth f a ls e cl a im s he , ,

sha ll m ak e kn ow n h i s [ pr et en d ed ] loss in the pres

e n c e of God [ b e fo r e a cou r t of l a w ] then h e sha ll ,

be full y comp en sa t ed for a ll h i s a ll eged loss .

H p e s re n de ing of the l atter p a r t of th i s l aw i s : he

ar r
’
r

sh a ll doubl e and p a y for the ( a ll ege d ) loss the a mount for

w h i ch he ha d ma de cl a im .

Th i s law i f the abov e tran slati o n b e co rrect s eem s st range

, ,

a n d u n fa i r Ne v e r th el e ss w e m ust r e me mb er that p erj ur y

.

w a s n ot a s co mm o n th e n as in l a t e r a ge s T o sw ear was a .

r e l i gi ous a ct a m ost sol emn th ing ; thus to sw ear fa ls e l y was

,

v ery r i s ky A ll th e Semi t i c p eop le r e co gni zed the s ac redness

.

of an oath T hey su p e rsti t i ously b el i e ved th at an oa th taken

.

a t a hol y p l a c e b e fo r e so m e d i v ini t y would be s p eed i l y and

, ,

c ertain ly a venged in c a s e O f p erj u ry The custo m Of sw ear .

ing or d ecl aring up on oath at a s an ctu ary in o r der to decla re

one s inn oc en c e w a s kn ow n a lso to I s ra el W e rea d in
’
, .

1 King s

If as in agains t hi s n eighbor an d an oath be

man ,

l a i d u pon h i m to ca u s e h i m to sw ea r b e for e Thin e a l tar

in thi s hou se ; the n he a r Thou i n hea ve n an d do an d , ,

j udge Thy s ervants condemning the wi cked to b ring , ,

hi s w ay up on hi s own hea d ; a nd j u sti fying the right

c ous to gi ve t o hi m a cc or d i n g to h i s ow n r ighte ous
,

ness ( Se e a l s o Ex
. .

1 2 7.

If a m an po in t h i s finger at [ slan der ] a vota r y

or a t a m an s w i fe but can n ot pr ove h i s cha r ge
’
,
,

60
 TH E H A M M U RA B I COD E .

he shall be taken be for e th e j ud ge , a nd shall be

bran d ed on h i s for eh ea d .

The
”
l i t l t
e ra n sl a t i o n of the p h ra s e b ra n d ed o n h i s fo re
ra
“

”
h d i s to sh ar the b row Cook has the follow ing remark
ea
“
e .

“
The p r ec i s e n atu re O f the p en a lty i s n ot cl ea r I t i s conce iv .

a bl e th a t the fo r e loc k the m a r k of a f ree d m an wa s cut off

, ; ,

but the s a me wor d i s use d e ls ewhere of the b ran ding Of

slaves .

If a m an m arr y a w i fe but ha ve m a d e n o con ,

t ract w i th her th i s wo m an i s n ot a [ lega l ] w i fe

, .

The ob j ect of th i s la w w a s per ha p s to p r otect one a ga in st

a s e c re t ma r r i a ge .

1 29.

If a m an s w i f e be ca ught lying w i th a noth er

’

ma n both sha ll be bou n d a n d throw n in to the wa ter

, ,

u n less the husba n d of that wo ma n d es i re to pardon

h i s w i fe or the king h i s s ervan t
, .

The H e b rew la w for a dultery ha s m uch in comm o n w i th

the above I t rea ds :
.

A n d the m an that committeth a dultery w ith a n

other man s w i fe even he tha t committeth a dultery
’
,

w ith hi s ne ighbor s w i fe the a dulterer and the adulter

’
,

ess shall su rely b e p ut to d ea th ( Lev . .

The law ven in D e ut 22 :22 rea ds :

as gi ,

I f a m an be fou n d lying w i th a woman ma rr ie d to

a n husb and then they sh a ll both of them d i e
,
.

T hou gh the H eb re w law m ak es n o p r ov i s i on for pa rdon

in any cas e b y ei th er husb an d or king w e kn ow that the hus
, ,

b an d d i d s om et i me s p ardon h i s w i fe ( See H os I and I I ) . . .

61
 TH E COD ES OF H A M MURAB I AN D M O SES .

1 30 .

If v i ola te th e w i f e [ b etr othe d ] of a

a ny on e

man who ha s n ot kn ow n a m a n but who i s sti ll

, ,

l i ving in the hous e of her f a ther an d h e l i e w i th her ,

a nd be cau ght he sh a ll be p ut to d eath but the

, ,

wo man shall go fr ee .

The f
n ce he re i s w i thout doubt to a b etrothed
re er e , ,

m a i den v i ola ted a ga in st h w i ll The H b rew la w i s a l most

er . e

i d ent i ca l I t r ea ds
.

B ut if the man find the da ms el that i s b etrothed in

the field , a n d th e m an for ce he r a nd li e w i th her : th en ,

the ma n only that lay with h er s hall d i e : but unto the

dam sel they shall do nothing there i s in the dams el n o ,

s i n worthy of d eath ( D eut . .

In cas e the da m se l w as n ot b et rothe d her s educ er wa s ,

fo rced to ma rry her w i thout the p oss i b i l i ty O f a d i vo rc e and ,

pay he r fa th e r a l arge s um of m o ne y as p en a lty ( See D eu t . .

22 za8f .
)
J eremi a s th ink s tha t the a bove s ecti o n p roves that ch i ld
marr i a ge s w ere in vo g ue .

1 31 .

Ifa m a n have accused h i s own w i fe but she has ,

n ot been caught l ying w i th a nother man s he shall ,

sw ea r by the n am e O f God and th en may r etur n to ,

’
her [ fath er s ] hous e .

I n I s rael the wom an was subj ected to a n o r d eal ; and in

c as e the cha rge aga in st her could n ot b e p r oved, the husban d
wa s fin e d one hu n d red Sh ek els , and had to l i v e w i th h i s w i fe .

( D e ut
. See n ex t s ect i o n ) .

62
 TH E H A M MURAB I COD E .

1 3 2.

I f thefinger ha ve been p o in ted a ga in st a man s ’

w i fe [L e i f she ha ve been sus pected ] but s he have

.
, ,

n ot been ca u ght lying w i th a n other m an she shall ,

p lunge in to the r i ver for her husban d s [ satis fac ’

t i on ].

Th i s wa s evi den tly a c a s e wh ere a wo ma n had fa llen ,

j ustly or u nj ustly in to bad rep ute when the scan da l had be

, ,

co me p ubl i c p rop erty TO p rove her inn ocen c y s he m ust seek

.

the j ust i c e of the r i v e r god whos e duty i t was to p rotect the

-
,

i nn ocen t an d p u ni sh the g u i lty b y swa llow ing th em u p The

, , .

H eb re ws too ha d the i r o rd e a ls a nd in dee d in c a s e s where

, , ,

wo me n w er e sus p ected O f infidel i ty to thei r husban ds they ,

were force d to d r ink the s o ca ll ed waters of b i tte rness The

-
.

H eb re w l a w i s too l ength y to in s ert in th i s p la c e so the rea de r ,

i s refer red to N um 5 : 12 28 .
-
.

1 33 .

Ifa m an be tak en ca pt i ve in w ar and ther e i s ,

susten an ce in h i s house a nd h i s w i fe h a ve left h i s

,

hous e an d cou rt an d ha ve en tered the house of an

oth er becaus e that wo m an ha s n ot guard ed he r
,

bod y but en ter ed an other s hous e she sha ll be con

,
’
,

d emn ed a ccor d ing to law a n d throw n in to the water s .

The p u ni sh men t i s the s a me as in the ca s e of fla gran t

a dult er y . The w i fe should h a v e a wa i t ed the re tu r n Of he r
husban d or at lea st t i ll th ere wa s n o food in her hous e
,
.

1 34 .

If a man have b een tak en cap t i ve in w ar an d ,

there be n o susten a n ce in h i s hous e when the w i f e ,

63
 TH E COD ES OF H A M MUR AB I AN D M O SES .

of thi s ma n enter a nother s hous e [ m arr y ’

a n oth er
man ] th i s wo m an in cu r s n o p en a lty .

1 35 .

If a ma n h a ve b een ta k en ca p t i ve in war an d ,

re be n o sust en a n c e in h i s hous e wh en h i s w i f e
,

en t er ed in to the hous e of a n oth er a n d h a ve ,

ch i ldren a nd i f the fir st husban d r eturn l a ter

,

a n d com e to h i s ho m e th a t wo m a n shall r eturn to

,

h er fir st husban d but the ch i ld ren shall follow thei r

,

fath er [the s econ d husban d ] .

1 3 6.

If a man lea ve h i s n at ive p lac e a n d fl ee away ,

’
a n d h i s w i fe subs equ en tl y en te r in to a n other s hous e

[ ma rr y a noth er ma n ] but i f then he return a n d

,

d es i r e to take h i s w i f e ; beca us e he l eft h i s n at i ve

p la ce an d ran awa y th i s w i fe sha ll n ot r eturn to
,

h im .

1 37 .

Ifa m an ha ve m a d e u p h i s min d to s eparat e from

a con cub in e who ha s bo rn e h im ch i ld r en
, or f ro m ,

h i s w i f e who has born e h im ch i ldr en then h e sha ll ,

gi ve ba ck to that wom an her dowr y an d the usu ,

fr uct O f the fi eld ga r d en an d p rop ert y so th a t s he

, , ,

m ay b r ing u p her ch i ld ren ; wh en s h e shall hav e

brou ght u p the ch i ldre n she sha ll have a sha re equal

64
 TH E COD ES OF H A M MUR AB I AN D M O SES .

1 40 .

I f h e be f r eed ma n
a , he shall gi ve h er o n e-th i rd
of a min a of s i lver .

1 41 .

If m an s w i fe l i ving in h i s hous e has m a de

a
’

, ,

u p her min d to l ea ve tha t house a nd through ex ,

tr a v a gan ce r un in to d ebt h a v e w ast ed her hous e

, ,

a n d n eg l ect ed h er husb a n d on e m ay pr oc ee d j ud i
,

cia lly a ga in st h er ; i f h er husba n d co n s en t to her

d i vo rce th en he may let her go her way H e sh a ll

,
.

n ot gi ve her anything for her d i vor ce I f h er hus .

ban d do n ot con s en t to her d i vor ce an d ta k e a n other

w i f e ; the for m er w i f e sha ll r ema in in the hous e a s
a s er v a nt .

1 42.

If w i fe qu ar rel w i th her husban d and say

a , ,

T hou sha lt n ot poss ess me ; th en the rea son s for her

pr ej udi ces must be ex amin ed I f she be w i thout .

bl am e an d ther e be n o fault on her pa rt but her

, ,

husban d h a ve b een tr amping aroun d b el i ttl ing her ,

very m uch ; then th i s woma n sh all be bla m eless she ,

sha ll tak e h er dow ry an d retur n to th e hous e of h er

fa ther .

If n ot f ruga l i f she ga d about i s ex

she be , ,

t ra v a ga n t in the hous e b e l i ttl e h er husban d the y

, ,

s ha ll th ro w th a t wo m an in to the w a ter .

66
 TH E H A M MURAB I CODE .

1 44 .

If any one tak e a w i f e a nd th i s w i f e gi ve a m a i d

,

to her husb an d a n d the l a tter bea r ch i ld ren but th i s

, ,

m an m a k e u p h i s min d to tak e a noth er co n cub ine ,

on e sha ll n ot c ou n t en a n c e h im H e may n ot ta k e.

a co n cub in e .

T hou gh n ot clea rl y stated th e imp l i c at i o n i s that the w i fe

, ,

ment i on e d in the above s e ct i on wa s ch i ldless H en ce her .

w i ll ingn ess to gi ve her husban d a m ai ds ervan t a s con cub ine .

The fa ct th a t th i s con cub in e ha d bo r ne ch i ld ren m a d e i t i lle ga l ,

for the husb a n d to ta ke a n oth e r co n cub in e The ch i ldr e n of

.

a co n cub in e could b e re gar d ed a s thos e of a l ega l w i fe There .

would thus be an a dded b arri e r to d ivo rc e Ch i ldle ss ness . ,

occ a s i one d b y the ba r renne ss of the wi fe has a lways b een re ,

g r de d in the East a m ong Semi ti c p e op le a suffi c i e nt ca us

a , ,
e

for d i vo r c e Keeping th i s in min d the wo r ds of Lea h a re

.
,

ea s i l y u n d er stood :

A n d Leah s a id God has endowed me with a good

,

dowry now wi ll my husband dw ell with me because

, ,

I h a ve bor n e h im s i x s on s ( Gen . See als o

.
,

29 3 4 )
1 4s .

If a m an tak e a w i f e an d she hear h im n o ch i l

,

dren an d he m ake u p h i s min d to take a concu

,

b ine ; i f he tak e a con cub in e a n d b r ing her to h i s

house th i s con cub ine shall n ot stan d on equ a l i ty
,

w i th h i s w i fe .

1 46 .

If m an tak e a w i f e a nd she gi ve her husban d

a

a m a i d s er va n t for a w i f e a nd th i s on e hear h im
-
,

chi ldren an d then th i s m aid -se rvan t have tr i ed to

,

67
 TH E COD ES OF H A M MUR AB I AN D M O SES .

m ak e h er sel f equ a l w i th her mi stress b eca use she ,

h as born e ch i ld ren h er mi st r es s m a y n ot s ell her ,

for m on ey but ma y m a ke h er a s er vant an d coun t

’

, ,

h er as on e O f her s erva nts .

The B ibl e r ea d e r w i ll reca ll the sto ry of Sa ra h and H a ga r ,

wh i ch Offer s a st r iking paralle l to the above s e ct i on I n deed . ,

i t i s m o th n p ob abl e that Ab ra ha m s t e tmen t of H a ga r

re a r
’
r a

w as i n st r i ct a cco r da n c e w i th the B a b y lo ni a n la w gover ning

such ca s es ( See Gen 1 6 3 11 an d the ca s e of R ach e l 30 : 1 ff )
. .
, ,
.

1 47 .

I f s he have n ot born e ch i ld ren then , the mi stress

may s ell her for m on ey .

The H eb rews forba de the s ell ing of a con cub ine to for
e i gner s .

To s ell unto a t
s r an ge na ti on , he s hall ha ve no
power .
( Ex .

1 48 .

If a man
t ake a w i fe an d s i ckness attack her , ,

i f he th en set h i s f a ce to take a s econ d on e he may ; ,

but he sha ll n ot put a way h i s w i fe whom d i seas e ,

has a tt a ck ed ; on the other han d she sha ll dwell in ,

the hous e h e has bu i lt an d he shall su pp o r t her as ,

long as she l i ves .

1 49 .

th i s wo man be u n w i ll ing to dwell in her hus

If
ban d s hous e th en he m ust gi ve ba c k to her the
’
,

dowry wh i ch she brought from her father s hous e ’

,

a n d she m ay go .

68
 TH E H AM MURAB I CODE .

1 5 0.

If a m an gi ve h i s w i fe a field gar d en house or , , ,

goods an d gi ve her a s eal ed deed for the same

, ,

th en after the d eath of her husban d her son s can

, ,

n ot p res en t cl aim s ; the m oth er may w i ll what she

l ea ves to tha t on e of her son s who m she m ay pr ef er ,

but to the br oth ers [her other son s ] she n eed not
g i ve .

H a rp e r ren der s the l a st cl a us e b ut to a b r oth er s he may

“
,

n ot and s imi l ar ly J oh n s : to b rothe rs she sha ll n ot gi ve ”

,
” “
.

I f th e i r t ran sl at i on s b e the co r r e ct one th en the imp o r t of the

,

s e ct i o n i s tha t the estate m ust b e kep t in the husb an d s fami l y

,
’
,

but can n ot be w i ll ed to the w i fe s relat i ves ( See Sect i on

’
.

1 7 1 ff .
)
1 5 1 .

a wo m an dwell ing in th e house of a m a n have

If
contracted w i th her husban d that n o cr ed i tor of h i s
can a r rest her [ for h i s obl igat i on s ] an d has for ced ,

f r om h im a con tract to th i s effect so i f that m an , ,

had a d ebt b efore he ha d tak en th i s w i f e the c red itor ,

can n ot hold the w i fe for i t ; an d i f th i s wo man had

’
a d ebt b efore she ent ered her husban d s house the ,

cred i tor may n ot hold the husban d respon s i ble .

Ifdebt hav e b een co ntr acted after the woma n

a

en t ere d th e hous e of a m an [ aft er m arr i a ge ] both ,

of them are respo n s i ble to the merchan t .

 TH E CODES OF H A M MURAB I AN D M O SES .

If m an s w i f e on a ccoun t of an oth er c aus e

a
’

, ,

the d ea th of h er husb an d s h e sh a ll b e imp a l e d ,

.

Nei th er imp a l ing nor h a nging w as ev e r p r a ct i c d in I s ra e l e ,

thou gh imp l ing w s n ot u n co mm on in A ss yr i a I t i s tr u e

a a ,

th t w e somet im es rea d of bod ie s b eing hange d or p l aced u p on

a

t rees but th i s wa s w i thout doubt a fter th e ma le facto r had

, , ,

b een p revi ousl y p ut to d eath The re i s n o e xp l i c i t law in .

H b e w l gi sl a t i o n a ga in st a w i fe m u r d e in g he
e r e husban d r r ,

wh ich goes to p rove that s uch a c r ime m us t h ave been ex

c eed ingly u ncomm on i f i t ever happ ened , .

1 54 .

If a have kn ow n h i s d au ghter he sh a ll
ma n ,
be
d r i ven f r o m h i s c ity [the p la ce he l i ves in ] .

1 55 .

If a h a ve betroth ed a gi r l to h i s son and

man ,

h i s son h a ve kn ow n her but he [ th e father ] a ft er ,

w ar ds l i e w i th h er an d be cau ght w i th her th ey shall

, ,

b in d h i m a nd th r ow h im in to th e w a ter .

Th e la st cl a us e in the o igina l h s her a d n ot hi m T h i s

r a n .

a ccou n ts for Joh s co re ct re n d e ing a n d ca st he r in to the

’ “
ns r r ,
”
wate rs The her i s p r ob abl y a t extu a l e r r or for h im
.
” “ " “
.

( See Sect i o n H arp e r Win c k l er La grange a n d Schei l

, , ,
”
subst i tute h im for the he r of the te xt N otw i thsta n d ing
" ” “
.

a r r a y of a utho r i t y fo subst i tut ing h im one ca n n ot

” “
the r ,

r es i st the t e mp ta t i o n to su ggest the subst i tut i o n of th em ” “

.

As the la w n ow reads n oth ing i s s a i d of the p u ni sh m en t of

t he wo ma n . The H eb e w la w re ds thus r a

An d i f a m a n li e w ith hi s d au ghter i n l aw both of - ~

them shall be su re ly put to de ath ( Lev . .

70
 TH E H A MMURA B I CODE
The der sha ll h a ve n ot i ce d also that the
rea Ba b yloni an
a n d H eb re w custo m O f a fa th e r s e l e ct ing a w i fe for h i s son
i s the s am e ( See Gen . a n d 2 King s
.

1 56 .

If a man ha v e b etr oth ed a br i d e to h i s son a n d ,

h i s son has n ot kn own her but h e [the fa th er ] a fter ,

w a r ds l i e w i th h er he sha ll pay on e ha lf mina of s i l

,
-

v er , an d r etu r n to he r a ll sh e br ou ght f r o m her

fath er s house She may m arr y the man of her

’
.

cho i c e .

H eb re w l e gi sl at i o n Offer s n o e x act p a ra ll e l We kn ow .
,

however tha t the vi olati o n o f a v i rgin w s a g ve Off en s e in

,
a ra

Is a l
r e W e r ea d i n D e ut
. 29 .

I f a m an fin ds a da ms el that i s a vi rgin whi ch i s ,

not b etr othe d a n d l ay h old on he r a n d li e w i th h er

, , ,

a n d th ey b e fou n d ; th en the m a n tha t l a y w i th h e r

s ha ll gi v e unto th e d am s e l s fa ther fi fty Sh ek e l s of s i l

’

v er an d s he s ha l l b e hi s w i fe b ec aus e h e h ath hum

, ,

b l e d he r .

1 57 .

If fter h i s father [ i s d ead l ie w i th h i s

a m an a

m oth er on e sh all bu rn them both

,
.

B u ning to d ea th w a s a p n a lty kn ow n to I s rael too a s

r e , ,

w e see fr o m t he follow ing

I f a m an ta ke a w i fe an d her m othe r i t i s wi ck ed ,

ness they s hal l b e bu rnt w ith fire both he and they , .

( Lev .

W e fu r the rd r ea

A nd the d aughter of any p ri es t i f she p rofaneth ,

hers elf b y pl aying the h arl ot she p r ofan eth her fath er ; ,

s he s h a ll b e bu rn t w i th fi r e ( Lev . .

‘
7T
 TH E COD ES OF H A M MUR A B I AN D M O SES .

Thi s horr ibl e m ode of p uni sh ment and m a ny co m

wa s a ,

m e ta to s to a o i d th e s ev r i t y O f such a la w su gge st tha t

n r ,
v e ,

th e bu rning too k p l ac e o n l y a fte r d ea th b y sto ning a s in the ,

ca se of Achan ( J osh . .

15 8 .

If a fter h i s fath er [ i s dea d ] b e surp r i sed

m an , a ,

l ying w i th a w i fe O f h i s f ath er who ha s bor n e ch i l ,

d r en he sha ll be d r i ven out Of the hous e of h i s

,

f ath er .

Thi s a nd the p rec ed ing s ecti on s ar e very s imi la r I n 1 57 .

w e h a v e r e fe en c e to o n e s own m oth r a n d in 1 5 8 to a st ep
’
r e ,

m oth er Or foster m other Th i s i s ev i de nt f r o m the d i fferen c e

,
-
.

in d egree Of p u ni sh ment I t s ee m s tha t the d eath p ena lty w s

. a

infl i cted in I s ra l fo in c est whethe r w i th one s ow n m other or

e r ,
’

step m other The law r ea ds :

- .

The nak ednes s O f thy fath er even the nakedn es s ,

o f thy m oth er s h alt thou n ot u ncov er , ( Lev . .

T h en a ga in
The nak ednes s of thy fath er s w i fe shalt thou not
’

u n cove r ( Lev . .

The p h ra s e to un cove r the n ake dne ss i s a H eb ra i s m

,

for to ha ve c a rna l in te rcou r s Th i s i s clear fr o m Lev e. .

where w e rea d :
An d the man th at l i eth w i th hi s fath er s w i fe hath ’

unc over ed hi s father s n akednes s : both of them sha ll ’

be p ut to d eath .

The p h ra s e to b e dr i ven out of h i s father s hous e

“ ’
, ,

mean s about the s ame as to be d i s in heri ted in our cou n try .

1 59 .

If a man who has b rou ght a p res en t in to h i s

,

f ather -
in -
l aw s hous e an d gi ven the dow ry look
’
, ,

72
 TH E COD ES OF H A M MUR AB I AN D M O SES .

If take a w i fe an d s h e be ar h im n o ch i l
a man ,

d ren and i f th a t wom a n d i e ; i f th e f ath er i n la w

,
- -

r etu rn the dow r y wh i ch th a t m an br ou g ht to h i s

hous e [ house of the f ather in law ] the husba n d ha s - -

,

n o cla im upon the m a r r i age por t i on of that wo m an .

I t b elongs to th e hous e of her fa th er .

h i s father in law do n ot retur n the dow r y he

If - -
,

may d educt the p r i c e of th e ma rr i a ge p o r t i o n f r o m

her dowr y a n d gi v e [the ba l a n ce of ] th e dow r y to
,

th e hous e of her f ath er .

If a gi ve h i s s on whom he p r ef er s a fi eld
m an , , ,

garden or hous e a n d d ra w up a sea l ed deed for th e

, ,

s am e ; i f a fter war ds the f ath er d ie a n d the b r oth er s

“

d i v i d e [the p roper ty ] they sha ll gi ve h im th e pr es en t

of h i s fath er a n d h e sh a ll tak e i t ; an d th ey sha ll
,

sh are equa lly w i th h im in the pa ter n a l poss ess i on s

[ wh i ch a r e left ] .

H a rp e r r en d e s the s eco n d p a t O f th i s s ect i o n thus : H e

r r

sha ll t ke the p es en t wh i ch the fa th ga ve h im a d ov r a n d

a r er , n e

a bov e th ey sh a ll d i v i d e the goods O f the fath e r s hous e e qu a ll y

’
.

J oh n s v i r tua lly a grees w i th H a rp er s t ran slat i on ’

.

Par t i a l ity to fa vor i te son s wa s O ften show n b y H eb re w

fa th e s too W e s ee th i s in the h i story Of J a cob ( Gen
r . .

a n d of D a v i d ( 1 K ing s 13 ) a nd th i s too in s pi te O f the

-
, ,

fact that the l a w ga ve t he fi r st bo r n a doubl e po rt i on ( D ent

-
. .

2 1 : 1 5 ff .
)
74
 TH E H AM MURAB I COD E .

1 66 .

If a man tak e w i ves for h i s son s but n ot for h i s ,

min or son a n d then d i e ; when the son s d i v i de [the

,

pr operty ] th ey sha ll gi ve to the min or son who has

, ,

n ot tak en a w i f e in a dd i t i on to h i s share m on ey
, ,

for p u r chas e m on ey [to pay the fa th e r-i n l a w ] a n d -

,

they shall he lp h im to take a w i fe

,
.

N ot i c e a s imi lar l aw for a s i st er Sect i o n 184 , .

1 67 .

If a man take a w i fe who b ea r h im ch i ld ren

, ,

an d that wo ma n d i e an d h e ta ke a secon d w i fe who

, ,

bear h im ch i ldr en and then the fath er d ie ; the ch i l

,

d r en shall n ot part i t i on the estate a ccor d ing to th e

m oth er s ; th ey sha ll tak e on l y the ma r r i age port i on
of th ei r m other s [the two s ets of ch i ld r en sh a ll d i
v i d e th ei r m oth er s p ropert y ] but the goods of thei r
’

fathe r a ll sha r e equall y .

The abov e l aw i s p er fectl y cl ear an d j ust : The ch i ld re n

sha re equa ll y in p aterna l p r o pe rty ; wherea s a m othe r s dowr y ’

ca n be d i v i d e d b etwee n her ow n ch i ld ren o n l y but n o n e of i t

,

may be gi ven to step ch i ld ren

-
.

1 68 .

If a m a n d ec i d e to thrust out [ d i s in her i t ]

“
h i s son and say to the j ud ge I w i ll thrust out my
, ,

son th en the j udge sh a ll ex amin e in to h i s rea son s ,

a n d i f the so n h a ve n o g r i evous fault wh i ch j ustifies ,

h i s being thr ust out the son may n ot be cut O ff fro m

,

son sh ip .
 TH E CODES or H A M MURA BI AN D M O SES .

1 69 .

I f he have co mmi tted a gr a ve fault wh i ch m a y ,

j ust i f y the fa th er in cutt ing h im off fro m so n sh ip ,

h e sha ll p ardo n th e fir st O ffen s e; but i f he have co m

m itted a gra ve f a ult the s ecofil t im e th e father m a y ,

J epri ve h im of son sh ip .

1 70 .

If a m an s w i fe hea r h im ch i ld ren or h i s m a i d
’
,

s er van t bea r h im ch i ld ren an d th e father du r ing h i s

,

l i fet im e sa y to the ch i ld ren who m h i s m a i d ser van t -

“ ”
has born e h im My ch i ld r en
,
an d cou n t th em w i th
,

the ch i ld ren of h i s w i f e a fter the d eath of th e fath er

, ,

the ch i ld r en of h i s w i f e a n d thos e of h i s m a i d -s er van t

shall shar e equall y in the goods of the father s ’

hous e The ch i ld ren of the w i fe h a ve to d i v i d e an d

.

to choos e .

The p rob able m eaning of the l a st cla us e i s tha t the chi l ,

d ren Of the first w i fe ha ve the fi r st cho i c e in ca s e of d i s p ute ,

when the final d i st r ibut i on of p r op erty i s m a de .

1 71 .

I f the f ath er dur ing h i s l i fet im e have n ot sa i d

to the ch i ld ren whom the m a i d s er van t has born e
,
-

“ ”
h im My ch i ld ren a fter the father d i es the ch i l
, , ,

d r en of the m a i d s er van t shall n ot shar e w i th those

-

of the w i fe The m a i d s erva n t and her ch i ld r en

.
-

shall be gi ven th ei r f reedom the ch i ld ren of the w i fe

,

may have n o cla im for s er v i tude u p on the ch i ldren of

76
 TH E H A M MUR AB I COD E .

th e m a i d s er va n t The w i fe sha ll r ecei ve her dowr y

-
.

a n d the m a rr ia ge p o rt i o n wh i ch her husb an d ga v e

an d d eed ed her an d s he sha ll r em a in in the house

,

of her husban d as long as she l i ves an d sh a ll en j oy ,

[the p rop er ly l eft her ] She ca n n ot s ell i t for

.

m on ey W hat she lea ves b elongs to her ch i ld r en

. .

Thou gh 2 H eb r e w fa the r might gi ve gi fts to the ch i ldr n e

of con cub ines ( Gen .i t s eem s tha t they had not the r ight
to any in her itan ce f ro m the father s es tate ( Gen ’
. .

J udg .

1 72 .

I f her husban d h a ve n ot gi ven her a gi ft they ,

shall restore her dowr y an d she shall recei ve f ro m

,

th e p r ope rt y of h er husba n d a sh ar e equ a l to tha t

of a son I f her son s worr y her so as to d r i ve her

.
,

out of the hous e then the j ud ge sh all in qu i re in to

,

the m a tt er a nd i f the so n s be to bl a m e the w i f e

, ,

sha ll n ot l ea v e her husban d s house but i f the w i fe’

be det ermin ed to l ea ve the hous e she m ust l eav e ,

to her son s the gi ft wh i ch her husban d ga ve her ,

but the p re s en t f rom her father she m ay tak e She .

may ma rr y the m an of her h eart [ cho i ce ] .

1 73 .

tha t wom an bear ch i ldren to her s econ d hus

If
ban d i h the p la ce wh i th er she w en t an d th en d ie , ,

the for m e r a n d the later ch i ldr en shall share her

dowr y .

77
 TH E COD ES OF H A M MUR AB I AN D M O SES .

1 74 .

Ifshe bear n o ch i ld ren to her s econ d hus

ban d the ch i ldren of her fir st husban d sh a ll ha ve her
,

dowry .

1 75 .

If a sl ave of the p al a c e or a sl a ve of a freed m an

, ,

take to w i f e th e d a ughter of a freem an a n d b eget

ch i ldren the ma ster of the sla ve sha ll ha ve n o cla im
,

for s erv i ce u pon the ch i ld ren of th i s f ree wo m an .

I t i s n ot alway s p oss ibl e in A ss y r i an any m o re th an i n

H eb rew to d r a w a cl a r cut d i st in ct i o n b etwee n the wo r ds
e -

r en d e e d sl a ve a n d s er v a n t
r Th ere w e re e vi den tl y s evera l
.

gra des of sl aves a m ong all the Semi ti c p eop les The M os ai c .
“

law co n t ra sts m ost fa vo rabl y w i th the l a ws of co n te mp o ra ry

n ati on s in i ts hu mani ty tow a ds sl ve s A s in B a by lonia so
r a .
,

in I s rae l too sl ve s or s e rva nts w e e a llowed to m a rry the

, a r

da u ghters of freemen We rea d in 1 Ch ron

. that She .

shan ga ve hi s da u ghter to Ja rh a h i s s erva n t to w i fe Ab ra .

ham too w a s p a in e d t th e thou ght of the p oss ib i l i ty of h a v ing

, ,
a

to lea ve all h i s p rop erty to El i ezer h i s ch ie f s erva nt ( Gen

, . .

1 76 .

If a slave O f th e pa la ce or a sla ve Of a freed ma n

, ,

ta ke to w i f e the d a u ghter of a f reem an [ gen tlem a n ,

John s ] an d i f wh en he m a r r i e s her s he en t er the
, , ,

hous e of the sla ve of the pa la ce or the sla ve of a

f r eed m a n w i th a dowry from her fa ther s house ’

a n d f ro m the t im e th ey s et u p housek eeping a n d

a cqu i re p r o p er t y ; i f lat er o n the sl a v e of th e p a lace

or the sla ve of the freed ma n d i e th en she who was ,

f ree born may r ecei ve her dow r y an d all wh i ch she

-
,

78
 TH E H AM MURAB I CODE .

an d her husb an d had acqu i red s in ce th ey w er e u ni ted

togeth er sha ll be d i v i ded in to two equ a l parts ; the
own er of the slave sh a ll tak e one p ar t and the free ,

born wom an shall tak e th e oth er for her ch i ldren .

I f th e f r e e born wo ma n ha d n o dowry she sha ll

-
,

d i v i d e into two equa l pa rts a ll tha t s he a n d her hus

b an d had a cqu i r ed s in ce thei r b eing uni ted together ;
the ow n e r of th e slav e shall recei v e on e h a lf an d the -
,

free-born wo m an shall tak e the other for her ch i l

d r en .

We ha ve the follow ing p rovi s i o n i n H eb re w l egi sla t i o n

I f he [a sl ave ] com e in by hi m self he shall go out ,

by hims elf ; i f he be mar ri ed then hi s wi fe s ha ll go ,

out with him I f hi s master give him a wi fe and she

.
,

b ear hi m s ons or d aughter s ; the wi fe an d her chil dren

s ha ll b e he r m as ter s an d he s ha ll go out by hi ms e lf
’
.
,

( Ex . 2 1 :3 f
.
)
1 77 .

If w i dow whos e ch i ld ren a re min or s d es i re

a , ,

to enter an oth er house [ remarry ] she sha ll ,

n ot do so w i thout th e con s en t of the j udges .

I f sh e ent er in to a n oth er hous e the j ud ges shall ,

examin e in to tha t left b y her for m er husban d a nd ,

th ey m a y gi ve over the hous e Of the former husban d

to the n ew husban d a nd that wom an to be man ,

aged b y them an d th ey [the j ud ges ] sha ll ca us e

,

th em to draw u p a co ntra ct T hey shall k eep the .

house in order an d bring u p the ch i ld r en but m ay

, ,

79
 TH E COD ES OF H A M MUR ABI AN D M O SES .

n ot s ell the household goods for m on ey W hoever .

’
m ay bu y the household goods of a w i dow s ch i l
d r en sh a ll for fei t h i s m oney an d the goods shall ,

r evert to th ei r own er s .

If vota r y or a s a cred pr ost i tu te [ on e

[ th er e be ] a

conn ect ed w i th som e temp l e] to whom he r f ath er

has gi ven a dowr y an d a d eed for the sam e but h a ve ,

not sta ted in the deed wh i ch he has dra w n u p for

,

her th a t s he may bequ eath h er es ta te to whom so

,

e ve r she p l ea s e an d h a v e n ot exp l i c i tl y gra n t ed h er

,

full p ow er for d i spos ing of i t ; i f her fath er d i e her ,

broth er s sh all t ak e her field an d her gar d en an d they ,

shall gi ve her gra in o i l and wool a ccor d ing to the

, ,

va lu e of her port i on they sha ll sa t i sf y her I f her

, .

broth er s do n ot gi ve her gra in o i l an d wool a ccord , ,

ing to the valu e of her p ort i on a n d do n ot s a t i sfy ,

her she may gi v e her fie ld a n

, d ga rd en to a r en t er ,

whom she may s elect an d th i s ren ter shall su pp ort

,

her . F i eld an d gar d en a nd all wh i ch her fa th er

,

ga ve her she sha ll en j oy as lo ng a s she l i ves She

, .

may n ot s ell or t r an sfe r i t to any oth er W h a t s he .

has inher i ted b elongs to her br others .

1 79 .

If
a votary or s a cred prost i tute to whom her ,

father has gi ven a dowry a nd a d eed for the sa m e ,

80
 TH E COD ES OF H A M MUR AB I AN D M O SES .

sa me a fter her f ath er d i es s he sha ll r ecei ve fr o m her

,

broth er s a s her sh ar e of the patern a l e state one

, ,

th i r d of a son s port i on ; but she sha ll n ot h ave the

’

m a na gem en t of th i s A vota r y of M a r duk m ay be

.

q uea th he r esta te to whom so ev er s he p l ea s e .

If a ma n
gi ve h i s da u ghter by a con cub in e a
dowr y an d gi ve her to a husban d an d a w r i tten
, ,

d eed [r egar d ing the dow ry ] i f th en the fa ther d i e ,

s h e shall n ot ha v e a sh ar e of her f ath er s e sta te

’
.

1 84 .

If a ma n
gi ve h i s d a ughter by a con cub in e n o
dowry a nd do n ot gi ve her to a husban d ; i f then the
,

fath er d i e her b rothers sha ll gi ve her a dow ry ac

,

cor d ing to the pr oper ty of her f ath er an d they sh a ll ,

gi ve her a husb an d .

1 85 .

I f a man tak e a ch i ld in h i s n a m e a dop t an d rear ,

h im a s a son th i s grown up so n may n ot be d e

,
-

ma nd ed back .

There i s n o r e feren c e in the H eb rew la w to imm ed i ate

a dop t i o n thou gh i t i s m o ra ll y c erta in th a t wh er e t h e in t ere sts
,

O f o p ha n s w
r e so p r ote ct d a s th ey w
er e in I s a e l the p ra c
e er r ,

ti c e of a dop ting ch i ld ren m ust have obta ine d W ha t might b . e

con str u e d as r egular adop t i o n s are the c as e s O f M os e s b y

Pha ra oh s da u ghter ( Ex
’
Gen ub a th ( 1 Kings
.

a n d th a t of Esth er b y M o r d e c a i ( Esth T hes e how eve r .

, ,

a r e a l l e xc ep t i o n a l c a s e s St P a ul n o l e ss th a n fiv e t im es
. . , ,

82
 TH E H AM MUR AB I CODE .

s s the term adopti on in h i s epi stl es to denote the p rivi lege

u e ,

O f son sh ip b e stow e d b y our H eav en l y Fa th er u p o n H i s ch i l

.

dren I t i s qu i te un certa in whe th er he b as es h i s fig u re up on

.

H eb re w or Gen t i l e p racti ce I n th e abs n c e of data w e may

. e ,

con clude tha t the B ab y lo nian s p oss ess ed m ore leg i slati o n con
cerning a dopt i o n than d i d the I s rael i tes .

1 86 .

If a m an a ch i ld a s h i s son an d after he ,

has tak en h im he tra n s gr ess a ga in st h i s foster

,

father ; that ado pted son sha ll return to the house of

h i s ow n fa th er .

The a bove d i ff er s fr o m both J oh n s a n d H a rp e r J ohns .

render s the s eco n d cl a us e : when he took h im h i s fa ther and

“
,
”
m other reb elled .

1 87 .

The son of N er s e ga in th e p a lace servi ce or

- -
,

the son of a pr ost i tut e can n ot be dem a n d ed b a ck .

I t i s qu i t e u n c e r ta in wha t the t er m N er -s e-ga m ea n s but ,

pr obabl y i s the app e llati o n gi ve n to so me Offi cer connected

w i th the r oyal p a la ce .

1 88 .

If an art i sa n a dop t a ch i ld an d teach h im h i s

trade , n o one ca n dem an d h im back .

1 89 .

Ifhe have n ot tau ght h im a trade the adopted ,

’
ch i ld m ay retu rn to h i s father s house .

1 9 0.

Ifa m an do n ot treat as one of h i s own son s the

ch i ld whom he has adopted as a son a nd reared ,

’
that adopted son may retu rn to h i s fath er s house .

8 2
 TH E COD ES OF H A M MURAB I AN D M O SES .

1 91 .

If m an who ha s a dop ted a son an d brou ght

a ,

h im up foun d h i s ow n hous e a nd ha ve ch i ldr en

, ,

a ft er th e ado p t i o n of the fo r m er a n d s et h i s f a c e ,

to thr ust out the adopted son tha t son sha ll n ot ,

s imp ly go h i s way h i s foster-fath er sh a ll gi ve h im

,

on e th i r d the sha re of a son th en he m ay go

-
,
He .

sha ll n ot gi ve h im of the fi eld gard en or house , ,

.

1 92 .

I f the so n of a N er s e ga or a sa cred p r ost i tut e

- -
, ,

“
s ay to a foster f a ther or m oth e r T hou art n ot my ,

” “
father , Thou art n ot my m other o n e shall cut ,

out h i s tongue .

1 93.

I f the son of a N er-s e ga or a sacred p rost i tute

-
, ,

long for h i s f ather s hous e and r un awa y f ro m h i s

’
,

fost er fa th er an d foster m oth er an d go back to h i s

- -

f ath er s hous e on e sha ll p luck out h i s eye

’
, .

st d of run a wa y both H a rp er an d J oh n s ha v e
I n ea ,

ha te l d ] thefather tha t b r ou ght h im u p The p utt ing out .

"

of an ey e wa s n ot kn ow n in I s rael as the p enalty for v i ol at ing

”
a ny l a w but ra ther a s re ta l i a t i o n
( See N u m
“
, ey e for an ey e
, . .

J udg . 2 King s

1 94 .

If a m an
gi ve h i s ch i ld to a w et n u r s e an d that ,

ch i ld d ie on her h an ds a n d the w et n u r s e w ithout

, ,

the kn owl ed ge of the f a th er a nd the m oth er s ub sti ,

84
 TH E H AM MUR ARI COD E .

tute an other ch i ld one sha ll ch arge her w i th having

,

n ur sed an other ch i ld and beca us e she pr ocured an ,

other ch i ld w i thout the kn owl edge of fa ther or

m other one sha ll cut Off her b rea st
, .

1 95 .

If a so n strike h i s fath er , on e shall cut on h i s

han ds .

The H eb rew l a w wa s st i ll m ore severe

tha t s tr iketh
H e hi s father or hi s mother shall
surely b e put to death ( Ex . .

Even the cu r s ing of a paren t was p uni shable w ith death .

( Ex . Lev . So wa s a lso d i sob ed i en c e a nd reb el

l i on . ( D eut . 21 z1 8ff .
)
1 9 6.

" a m an destro y
If th e eye of an other m an , one

shall d estro y h i s eye .

H e re we have p rec i s el y the s am e l aw as in I s rael , the

w el l kn o wn Lax Tali oni s
-
“
,
”
co mm on w ithout doubt to al l
the
Se mi t i c pe o p l e s .

Thou sha lt gi ve l i fe for l i fe ey e for ey e tooth for , ,

tooth hand for hand foot for foot b urning for b urn
, , ,

ing wound for wound str ike for s tr ike ( Ex 2 1

, , . .

See a lso Lev D eut . .

We see the e xten s i o n of th i s fam ous la w in many in d i

rect wa y s : The to ng u e g u i lt y of in s olen ce an d imp uden c e wa s

cut O ff ( 192 ) the b rea sts of the n u rs e who p racti c e d dec ep ti on

Wer e cut so th a t she could d ec e i ve n o m o re
,
an d e ve n

the h an ds O f the u n succ e ssful su r geo n w e re cut Off so th a t ,

he could do n o m o re d am age in h i s p rofess i o n

85
 TH E COD ES OF H A M MUR AB I AN D M O SES .

1 9 7.

any
If on e brea k a ma n s bon e ’
, one sha ll br ea k
h i s bon e .

1 98 .

I f he d estro y the eye Of a f reed m an or br eak ,

th e bon es of a f reed man he shall pay o n e min a of ,

s i lver .

1 99.

’
d estro y the eye of a m an s sla v e or break
I f he ,

th e bo n e of a m a n s sl a v e h e shall p a y on e h a lf h i s
’
-
,

v a lu e .

H er e a ga in w e s ee th a t H eb re w l e gi sla t i o n co n t ra st e d
m ost f vo rably w i th that of a n c i en t B aby lonia whe re the
a ,

slave wa s regard ed as a mere chattel or pi ec e of p rop erty ,

a n d n ot a s a man d es er v ing co n s i d er a t i o n an d hu m a n e t eat r

ment The r ea de can n ot but n ot i c the gen era l ton e of kin d

. r e

ness in th e follow ing H eb rew l aw :

I f a m an s m ite the ey e o f hi s s er va n t or the eye of
hi s m a i d a n d de str oy i t he s h a l l l et him go f r ee for h i s
, ,

eye s s ak e ; i f he s m i t e out h i s m a n s e r v ant s tooth he

’ ’
,

sha ll l et hi m go free for his tooth s s ake ( Ex 2 1 ’

. .

2 6f .
)
Such a l aw as th e bove would m ak e
a the m aster exc eed
i ngl y c a re ful i n the trea tment of h i s sla ve .

2 00 .

a m an knock out the teeth of a m a n who i s h i s

If
e qu a l in r ank on e sh a ll kn ock out h i s t e eth
, .

See bove n otes un der

a 1 96 .

86
 TH E H A M MU RAB I COD E .

2 01 .

kn ock out the teeth of a f reedm an

I f he , he shall
pay one-thi rd min a of s i lver .

2 02 .

If a str ik e a m an of h igher rank than h im

man
s elf on e sha ll gi ve h im s i xty str okes w ith a cow
,

h i de wh ip in p ubl i c .

I t s e em s th at p ub l i c wh ipping wa s p r a ct i c ed in I s rael
too a s in the ca s e of the husban d who fals el y a ccus ed h i s
,

w i f e or b e t r oth e d of u n ch a st i t y ( D e ut . So me kin d
.

of forni ca t i on wa s l ikew i se p uni sh ed w i th p ubl i c wh ipping .

( Lev .

20 3 .

Ifa f r ee born m an str ikes a m an of h i s own r ank

-
,

he shall pa y one mina of s i lv er .

2 0 4.

Iff r eema n str ike

a a f r eem an , he sha ll pay ten

Sh ek els O f s i lve r .

2 05 .

I f the sla ve of a f r eem a n st r ik e a f reem an ,

on e

sha ll cut O ff hi s ca r .

2 06.

I f on e man str ike an other in a quarr el and wou n d

“
h im he shall sw ear I d i d n ot str ik e h im inten ti on
, ,

”
a ll y an d he shall pay the p h ys i c i a n
,
.

Ther e i s a great s imi l ar i ty b etween th e above law an d th e

M osa i c legi sl at i on on the s ame subj ect The H eb rew law .

r eads

87
 TH E COD ES OF H A M MUR AB I AN D M O SES .

I f m enstri ve together an d on e smite anothe r wi th

a ston e or w i th hi s fi st an d h e d ie not but he k eep eth , ,

hi s b ed i f he r i s e a ga i n an d wa l k ab out u pon hi s s ta ff
, ,

then s ha l l he that sm ote him b e q u it ; on ly he s ha l l p ay

for the los s of hi s t i m e an d s ha ll c au s e h im to b e th or ,

oughly h ea l ed ( Ex 2 1 z1 8 f ) . . .

The bove s ect i o n an d s eve ra l of the follow ing on e s relate

a

to ph y s i c i an s a d the fees pa i d the m We ha ve n o d i rect

n .

p a ra llels in the H b e w l aw thou gh there c b e n o doubt

e r ,
an

that I s rae l too had a cl a ss of men who p racti c e d the h eal ing
, ,

a rt
. Th i s i s cl early imp l i e d fro m the langu age of the law
quote d above for the cl a us e he sha ll c a us e h im to b e tho r
, ,
“

ou ghly h l d c n h ave n o othe r m aning tha n th at the

”
ea e ,
a e

s mite r i s res p on s ibl e for the su r geon s b i ll in full W e rea d ’

.

in 2 Ch r on .that Asa who wa s t r oubl ed w i th some ,

d i s a s e of the fe t sou ght n ot to Jehovah but to p hy s i c i an s

e e , , .

So m e d i s ea s e s l ike l p r os y w e h ea l e d b y th e p r i st I n our
,
e ,
er e .

Sav i o r s t ime p h ys i c ian s m ust have b een n u m erous ( See

’ ‘

Lu ke

I f the m an d i e of h i s wou n ds he sha ll l ik ew i s e ,

sw ea r a nd i f h e [the v i ct im ] be a f r ee bo r n m an
,
-
,

h e sh a ll pay one h a lf mina of s i lv er -

.

The H eb r e w l a w in fl i cted the e xt e me p en lty wh i ch r a ,

goes to show the h igh r ega r d in wh i ch hu m an l i fe was h eld

b y the H eb rews The la w r eads .

H e th at sm i teth a m a n s o that he d i e s ha ll sur ely ,

b e put to death ( Ex 2 1 . .

I f h e be a freed m an , he shall pa y on e-th i rd min a

of s i lver .

88
 TH E CODES OF H A M MURAB I AN D M O SES .

2 1 2.

I f that wom an d i e, h e shall pa y on e-half min a of

s i lver .

21 3 .

If a m an strik e the ma i d ser va nt Of a f reem an -

,

an d thus produce a mi sca r ri age he sha ll pay two ,

Sh ek els of s i lv er .

2 1 4.

If that m a i d s ervant d i e he shall pa y one-th i r d

-
,

min a of s i lv er .

The rea de r can n ot but be imp ress e d w i th the sc a l e of

damage s in the above c se s everything dep en d ing up on the
a ,

r a nk of the wo m a n inj u re d or ki ll ed W e n oti ce the s a me .

th ing in the n ext few s ecti on s wh i ch relate to the pay a war ded
,

phys i c ian s in succ essful ca s es and the fine s imp os ed when the
,

o perati on s w er e n ot succ e ssfu l ( See a lso .

21 5 .

If ph ys i ci an treat a man for a sever e wou n d

a

w ith a bron z e kni fe an d h ea l the m an or i f he open ,

a n abscess [ n ea r th e ey e ] w i th a br o n z e kni f e a n d ,

sa ve the eye he sh all r ec ei ve ten Sh ek els of s i lver

, .

The e x a ct n a tu r e of th es e o pera t i on s can on l y b e g u e ss ed

at. C ook su gge sts th a t the wo r d na — gab t i t ra n sl a t ed a bsce ss -
,

b y both J ohn s and H a rp e r should be ren der e d film ; i e

, . .
,

cataract .

21 6 .

I f he ( the pat i en t ) be a fr eed m an , he shall te

ce i v e fiv e Sh ek els .

If i t be a m an s sl ave h i s own er shall

’
, p ay the
ph ys i ci an two Sh ek els O f s i lver .

90
 TH E H A M MURAB I CODE .

If a ph ys i c i an t reat a ma n for a s evere wou n d

w i th a b r on z e kni f e an d ki ll h im or i f he open an ,

a bsc e ss [n ea r the eye ] an d d est r o y the ey e on e sh al l ,

cut off h i s h an ds .

One p ecul iar off en s e w a s p u ni sh ed b y the H eb rews too , ,

by cutt ing Off the h an d

\ ( See D e ut 25 m i )
. . .

21 9 .

Ifa phys i c i an tr eat the sl a ve of a f reem an for

a s ever e woun d w i th a b r on z e kni fe a nd ki ll h im , ,

h e m ust r ep l a ce the sl a v e w i th a n other [ of cou r s e

of equa l va lue ] .

2 2 0.

I f he O p en
bsces s [n ear
an a the ] w i th a
ey e

b ron z e kni fe an d d est r oy the eye

, , he shall pay one
half wh at the sla ve w a s wo rth .

22 1 .

If a ph ys i c ia n h ea l the b rok en l im b of a m an or ,

cur e h i s d i sea s ed bowels the pat i en t sh a ll pa y fiv e

,

S hek e ls of s i lv er .

The A ss yr ia n wo r d ren der ed d i s e a s e d bow els in the

”

above s e ct i o n mean s a cco r d ing to Win c k l er soft p a rts of the

, , ,

b ody a s d i stingu i shed fro m bones .

222.

I f h e be a freed m a n , he shall pa y three Shek els

of s i lv er .

01
 TH E CODES OF H A M MURAB I AN D M O SES .

22 3 .

a sla ve h i s own er sha ll p ay the p hys i ci an

I f he be ,

two sheke ls of s i lver .

2 24.

If a cow doctor or an ass doctor treat a cow or

- -

a n a ss for a s ever e woun d a nd cu r e the a nim al th e

, ,

own er shall pay the docto r on e s i xth of a Shek el of -

s i lver a s fee .

22 5 .

I f he treat a cow or ass for a s evere woun d an d ,

ki ll i t he shall pay the owner one-fourth i ts va lue

,
.

22 6.

If a bran der w i thout the kn owled ge of the own er

,

of a sl a ve bran d a sla ve w i th the ma rk of a sla ve

, ,

who can not be sold the han ds of tha t br an d er shall

,

be cut off .

Win ck ler r end r s ga ll a bum b a rb er or sh ear e r The H e

e ,
.

b rew word galla b i s also t ran slated b arb er I t i s p oss ible that .

barbers pra ct i ced su rgery on a s mal l scale as they do to th i s ,

d ay -in B i bl e l an ds .

22 7 .

If a man d ecei ve a bra n der an d ca use h im to

b ran d a sl a ve w i th the m ar k of a sla ve who can n ot
be sold h e sh a ll be put to d eath an d bu r i ed in h i s
,

“
own house but th e b ran d er shall swea r I d i d lnot
, ,

”
br an d h im w i ttingly ; th en he m ay go f ree .

92
 TH E H A M MUR AB I COD E .

If bu i lder bu i ld a house for a ny on e an d fini sh

a

i t he sha ll be pa i d two shekels of s i lver for each

,

SAR of sur fac e .

A sa r a ccord ing to the b est a utho ri t ies was about e ighteen

, ,

square yards .

2 29 .

If a bu i ld er bu i ld a hous e for any one an d do

n ot bu i ld i t sol i d ; an d the house wh i ch he has bu i lt
, ,

fall dow n a n d ki ll the ow n er ; one sha ll put that

bu i ld er to d eath .

H eb re w le gi sl at i on o ffer s n o e xact p ara lle l thou gh the ,

follow ing b elongs to the s ame class of l a ws

When thou bu i lde s t a n ew hou s e then sha lt thou
‘

m ake a battlement for thy roof tha t thou br ing not

,

blood u pon thy house i f any man fall from thence

,
.

( D ent .

A p r oh ib i ti on of s imi la r imp or t i s foun d in Ex . 22 : 33 f .

If i t ki ll a son of the own er of the house , one

sh a ll put to d eath the son of the bu i ld er .

A l i tera l ex ecuti o n of the lex ta li om s,

'

so n for son . ( See

r ema rk s u n de r

23 1 .

If i t ki ll a slav e of the owner of the house he ,

sha ll gi ve the own er of that house an other slave .

02 .
 TH E CODES OF H A M MUR AB I AN D M O SES .

23 2.

If i t dest roy any pr oper ty he sha ll compen sate ,

for al l tha t i t d estr o yed an d b ecaus e h e d i d not bu i ld

,

the hous e sol i d an d b ec a us e it f ell down he sh a ll

, ,

r ebu i ld the house f rom h i s ow n goods [ i e at h i s . .

,

own exp en se] .

If a bu i ld er bu i ld a hous e for any one and h ave ,

n ot en t i r ely comp l eted the wo rk ; i f the w a ll becom e

r i ck et y the bu i ld er sh a ll strength en th a t w a ll a t h i s
,

own e xp en s e .

H arp er ren d e rs the s eco n d cl a us e an d d o n ot ma k e i ts

”
con str uct i on meet the equ i re men ts a n d a wa ll fa ll in
r , .

23 4 .

If boat bu i ld er bu i ld a boa t of s i xty GU R for

a -

a ny on e he sha ll p ay h im two sh ek els of s i lv er a s

,

P3 )“
J ohn s r en der ing i s very d iffe ren t : I f a boat man ha s
”
nav igated a sh ip etc A CUR i s supp os ed to have b ee n about
, .

fiv e hu n dre d p ou n ds or a l i ttl e ov e r e ight bush els

, .

23 5 .

If boat bu i lder bu i ld a boat for a man a n d

a -
,

do not m ak e i t t ight [ seaworthy ] ; i f in that s am e

year the boat be s ent o n a tr ip an d be d am a ged th e , ,

boat—bu i ld er sha ll r ebu i ld tha t boa t and mak e i t ,

strong a t h i s own ex pen se he shall gi ve th e r econ ,

str ucted boat to the own er .

04
 TH E H A M MURA B I COD E .

23 6 .

If a m an let h i s boat to a boatm an an d the boat ,

man act ca rel essly an d w r eck or s ink th at bo a t the

, ,

bo a tm an sha ll gi ve the ow n er of the boat an other

on e a s co mpe n s a t i on .

23 7 .

If a man h i r e a boatm a n an d h i s boat an d load

i t w i th gr a in cloth ing [ wool
, O i l d a te s or a n y , ,

freight wh at ever ; i f th a t boa tman be car el ess and

w reck th at boa t an d lose the car go the boat ma n
, , ,

who w r ecke d tha t boa t a n d lost the ca rgo sha ll ,

rep lace the boa t an d all the ca rgo he caus ed to be

,

lost .

If a boatm an wr eck a n oth er m an s boat but re ’

fl oat i t he sha ll pay the ha lf of i ts valu e in s i lver

, .

23 9 .

If a m an h i re a bo atm an he shall pa y h im s i x ,

GUR of g ra in p er y ear .

Si x OUR would b e about fi fty bush e ls Thus the pay

.

men t for such s er vi ces would be a bout one bushe l a week or ,

at p re s en t p r i c e of wh ea t on e doll a r a bout fi fte en c e n ts a d ay

, , ,

coun ting hol i days .

2 4 0.

If a boat r un a ga in st a noth er boat at a n chor

a n d s ink i t the ow n er of the su nk en bo at sha ll de
,

clare be fo re God [ in O pen court ] the exten t of hi s

05
 TH E COD ES OF H A M MUR AB I AN D M O SES .

loss ; the ow n er of the boat wh i ch ran dow n the one ,

a t a n cho r sh a ll m a k e r ep a ra t i o n for th e boat a nd a ll

tha t w a s lost .

I t i s imp oss i bl e to s ay wh eth er boats of d i ff er en t s i zes a r e

inten de d I t s em s howe v f r om 275 and 276 where the
. e ,
er, ,

s ame te rm s a re emp loye d tha t one boa t wa s la rger th n the

,
a

oth er At any rate the h i re or ren t p ai d for th ei r use d i ffered

.

qu i te a l i ttl e ( See thes e s ect i on s )

. .

If a take an ox on d i stra in t he shall p ay

man ,

one th i r d min a of s i lv er
-
.

Win c kl er reads : I f a man tak e an ox for fo rc ed l abo r .

The r e feren ce i s to the custo m of m ort ga ging or rath er O f ,

fo reclos ing a m or tg ge for debt T o take a p oo r ma n s ox

a , .
’
,

would b e to r ob h im of th v ry th ing wh i ch enabl e d h im

e e

to make a l i ving so as to sup p o rt h im s elf and fami l y Ther e .

i s a passage in J ob wh i ch reca lls th i s ba rb ar ous custo m

They d ri ve away the a s s of the fath er l es s they t ak e ,

the w idow s ox for a p l edge

’
( Job .

I t w as fo rb i dd en b y H eb re w l a w for a c r d i to r to t ak e e

the ga r m en t of a p oo r man ov er night or to ta k e th e l i ttl e ,

ha n d mi ll wh i ch w s da i l y us d for gr in d ing corn ( D eut

- a e . .

1 2ff ) The n ec e ss i ty for such l e gi sla t i o n b e co m e s e vi

.

den t ou read ing pa ssa ges l ike J ob P rov an d .

Am os .

2 42 .

If a m an
h i re [ an ox ] for one yea r he shall p ay ,

the own er four GUR of gra in for a wo rking ox .

2 43 .

A s pay for an ox of the herd , he shall pay three

GUR of gra in .

96
 TH E COD ES OF H AM MURAB I AN D M OSES .

248 .

If a h i r e an ox a n d b rea k Off i ts ho rn or
m an ,

cut off i ts ta i l or in j u re i ts n ostr i ls he Sha ll pay

, ,

on e qu ar t er of i ts v a lu e
-
.

2 49.

Ifa man h i re an ox and a god str ik e i t an d i t

, ,

d i e th e man who h i r ed i t sh a ll sw ea r b e fo re God [ in

,

open cou r t ] a n d h e shall be acqu i tted .

See n ote un de r 244 .

o
’

25 .

f
I f a n ox w h i l e p a ss ing th r ou g h the str eets
,

[ m ar k et ] gor e an d ki ll a man th i s ca s e i s n ot sub

, ,

j ect to l i tigat i on .

The Hb r ew i s m ore s eve re I t r un s thus

e .

And i f a n ox gor e a m a n or a w oman tha t they d i e , ,

the ox s hal l be su r ely stoned an d i ts fl es h sha ll not be ,

e aten ; but the owner of the ox sh all b e qu i t ( Ex . .

K2 1 : 28 ) .

25 1 .

If m an s ox w er e kn ow n to gor e an d he had
a
’
,

been n ot i fied tha t i t w as a gor er an d he h a ve n ot ,

woun d u p i ts horn s an d h av e n ot shut i t u p an d

, ,

the ox go r e a f r e e born m an an d ki ll h im he sha ll

-
, ,

p ay on e h a lf min a of s i lver
-
.

The H b re w l aw i s m uch mo re s eve re show ing clea r l y

e ,

that a h igher va lue was s et u p o n l i fe in I s rae l than in B a b y

loni a . We rea d :
98
 TH E H AM MURARI COD E .

B ut ifox were w ont to gor e i n ti m e pas t a n d

the , ,

i t hath be en tes tified to its ow ner a nd he hath not kept ,

hi m in but that he hath ki ll ed a man or a wom an : the

,

ox s hall b e stone d an d hi s ow ner a lso shall be put to

d ea th ( Ex 21
. .

If i t ki ll the sla ve of a m an he [ the own er ] sha ll ,

pay on e th i r d min a of s i lver

-
.

The p en a lt y o fin e un l e ss the p i ce of s i lve r va r i d w a s

r ,
r e ,

con s i derably h igher in I s rael The H eb rew r eads thus :

.

I f the ox gor e a m an s er va nt or a ma i d ser vant ; he

- -

s ha ll gi ve unto th e i r m a s te r th i rt y s h eke ls of s i lver ,

and the ox sha ll b e ston e d ( Ex 2 1

. .

N ot i c e the la st cl a us e e s p e c i a ll y .

25 3 .

If a m an h i re a m an to ten d h i s fi eld [ farm ] ,

furni sh h im s eed intr ust h im w i th ox en a n d engage

, ,

h im to c ul t i vate th e fi eld ; i f h e stea l gr ain or p lan ts ,

an d th ey b e foun d in h i s h a n d s one sha ll cut off h i s ,

han ds .

25 4 .

I f he tak e the s eed — gra in and do n ot wo r k the ,

ox en he sha ll rep l a ce the qu an ti ty of gra in recei ved

,

for sow ing .

We h ave gi ven W inck l er s t r an sl at i on B oth H a rp er a n d

’
.

J oh n s give a ve ry d i fferen t r en der ing The fo rmer ha s : I f .

“

he t ak e the s e ed gr a in a nd ove rwo rk the ox en he sh all r esto re

-
,
”
the qu an t i t y of g ra in wh i ch he has ho ed J ohn s has : I f he “
.

ha s t ake n the s ee d wo r n out the oxen f ro m the s eed wh i ch

, ,
”
h e ha s hoe d he sha ll r esto re .

" C)
 TH E COD ES OF H A M MUR AB I AN D M O SES .

I f hesubl et the ox en of the m an or stea l the ,

seed gra in an d do n ot cult i va te the fi eld he shall

-
, ,

be in d i cted a n d sha ll pay s i xt y OUR of gr a in per

,

ten OA N .

Win ckl e ha r s : for on e hun d d re ga n he sha ll p ay s i xty

”
gu r of gra in .

25 6 .

If h i s comm uni ty be n ot abl e to p ay for h im he ,

sh all be l eft w i th th e c attle on the fi eld .

B oth H a rp e r a n d J oh n s en de r the a bove d i ffer e n tl y W e

r .

sub j oin H a rp er s t an sl a t i o n : I f he b e n ot abl e to m eet h i s

’
r
“

Obl igat i on th ey sh a ll l eav e h im in th a t fi e ld w i th the ca ttl e

”
.
,

Win ckl er in a n ote s ay s that the comm u ni ty was res p on s i ble

, ,

fo th in d i v i du a l
r e The s e ct i o n i s v er y Obscu r e
. .

25 7 .

If a m an h i re a fi eld -labor er , h e sha ll pay e ight

OU R of gr a in p er year .

25 8 .

If a h i re a n
m an ox - dr i ver , he shall p ay hi m S i x
OU R O f gr a in a y ear .

25 9 .

If a stea l a wa t er w h eel [a m a ch ine for i r r i

man -

gati on ] f r om a field h e sha ll p ay the ow ner fiv e

, ,

sh eke ls of s i lver .

2 6 0.

I f hesteal a water ing bucket or a plo w -

, he shall
pay thr ee shek els of s i lver .

1 00
 TH E COD ES OF H A M MUR AB I AN D M O SES .

to the st ip ula ted p ay a llow the n u m b er of c a ttl e or

,

sheep to d ecr ea s e or l ess en the in c rea s e b y b i rth he

, ,

sha ll m ak e good the in crea s e and pr oduce a cco rd ing

to th e wor d ing of h i s con tra ct .

265 .

If a sh eph er d to whom cows a nd sh eep have

b een gi ven to pa stu r e a ct f r a udul en tly or m a ke f a ls e ,

retu r n s rega r d ing th e in c r ea s e or s e ll th e m for

,

m oney he sh a ll be in d i ct ed a nd sh a ll r en der to th e i r
, ,

own er ox en an d sh eep t en fold for wh at h e ha s

stol en .

H eb r e w l eg i slat i o n Off er s the follow ing p a r a ll e l

I f a m a n s hal l s tea l a n ox or a s heep a n d ki ll it

, , ,

or s e ll i t ; h e sh a l l p ay fi ve ox en for an ox an d fou r

s h eep for a s h eep . I f th e th e ft b e fou n d i n

hi s ha n d a li ve wh ether i t b e ox or a s s or s h ee p ; he
, , ,

s ha ll p ay double .
(Ex . an d

I n c a s e t he th i e f ha d n oth ing wh erew i th to p ay h e might ,

b e ma de a slave .
( See Gen .

2 66 .

If strok e Of God [ an y a cc i d ent ] happen in a

a

stabl e or a l i on ki ll i t [ any bea st ] th e sheph er d sh a ll

, ,

d ecl ar e hi s inn ocen c e b efo r e God an d th e own er of ,

th e stabl e shall su ff er the loss .

2 67 .

If a sh eph er d over look anyth ing a n d an a cc i ,

d en t tak e pl ac e in a st able the sh epherd Shall m ak e

,

1 02
 TH E H A M MUR AB I COD E .

good in cattle or sh eep the da ma ge for wh i ch he i s

a t fault a n d gi v e to the ow n er
, .

N earl y the s a me l aw i s en fo rc ed a m ong the B edo uin s to

th i s d ay ( See Ex
. nd
. e m r k s u n d r 263 a n d
a r a e

2 6 8.

If a ma n h i r e an ox to thr esh , the pay i s twenty

KA of gr a in .

26 9.

If a m an h i r e an ass to thresh , th e p a y i s tw enty

KA of gr ain .

B oth H a rp er a nd J ohn s have ten K A for twe nty .

If a h i r e a young anima l to th r esh the pay

man ,

i s ten K A O f gra in .

La lu r en d ere d y ou ng a nim a l in th i s s ect i on m a y be a

, ,

young c alf or goat B oth H a rp er a nd J ohn s have one KA

.

for ten .

27 1 .

Ifa man h i re ox en cart and d r i ver he shall p ay

, ,

one hun d red an d eighty K A O f g ra in a d ay .

a man h i r e a cart on ly
If ,
he sha ll p ay for ty KA

of gra in a d ay .

273 .

I f a m anh i re a la bo r er fro m n ew yea r to the fifth

m on th [ A pr i l to A u gust ] he sh a ll p ay s i x SE of ,

s i lver a d ay ; f ro m the s i xth m on th to the end of

I O?
 TH E COD ES OF H A M MURA B I AN D M O SES .

the year [ Septem ber to A pr i l ] he sh a ll pay five SE

of s i lver a d ay .

The stel e i s so m ut i lat ed h er e tha t i t i s n ot p oss i bl e to

r ea d the in sc r ip t i o n w i th any d e gree of a ccu ra c y We sub .

j o in the s ect i on as gi ven b y J ohn s

2 7 4.

If a m an shall h ir e an art i san ,

( a ) the h i re of a fiv e SE of s i lver ,

( b ) the h i re O f a br ickm ak er fiv e SE of ,

s i lver ,

( c ) the h i r e of a ta i lor fiv e SE of s i lver

, ,

( d ) the h i r e of a ston e cutt er -

SE of ,
.

s i lver ,

( e ) th e h i re of a SE of s i lv er ,

( f ) the h i r e of a SE of s i lve r ,

( g ) the h i r e of a ca rpenter four SE of s i lver , ,

( h ) the hi re of a four SE O f s i lver ,

( i ) the h i r e of a 3 13 of s i lver ,

( 5) the h i re of a bu i ld er SE of s i lver
, ,

per di em he sha ll gi v e .

H e r e J oh n s en u me a t s fiv e kin ds of m e ch ani cs or j ust

r e ,

one h a lf wh a t was o n the st el e wh e n fir st w r i tt en

-
H a rp er .

gi ves fou r and omi ts s i x En ou gh however i s gi ven to Show

, .
, ,

tha t s ki lle d me chani cs re c e i ve d b etween fou r an d five SE p er

d ay. T her e w er e 1 80 SE in a Sheke l : thus fi e SE would be v

of a Sh eke l I f a Shekel wa s equa l to about s i xty-fiv e

.

c ents in our m on ey i t w i ll b e s een that wa ges w ere exce ss i vely

,

low ; and y et the in tr in s i c va lu e of the m on ey m ust be d i s

ti n gui she d fr o m i ts p u rch a s ing p ower T hus i f the w a ge s
.
,

of a mechani c were n ot qu i te two cents a day n o doubt wheat ,

and oth e r p roduct s w ere sold at very l ow p r i c es .

1 04
 TH E COD ES OF H A M MUR AB I AN D M O SES
.

If a m an buy in a foreign cou ntry a m al e sla ve

or a f em a l e sl a v e a n d h e r etu r n to h i s ow n l a n d a n d
, ,

th e for m er ow n er of th i s m a l e sla ve or f em al e sl a v e

reco gni z e th e s am e i f th e m ale sl a ve or f em al e sl a ve

,

b e a n a t i v e of the coun tr y h e sh a ll gi ve them back

,

w i thout compen s at i on in m on ey .

Bo th H arper and J ohn s t ran sl ate the la st cla us e qu i te

d i ffe ntly : H e sha l l gran t th em th ei r free do m w i thout m oney
re
“

( p r i ce )
.

If th ey be n at i ves of a n oth er coun try the bu yer ,

shall d eclar e b efo re God [ in Open cou rt ] the su m

of m oney he pa i d for th em and the fo rm er ow ner
,

of the m a le sla v e or f em a l e sla ve sh all gi ve to the

m er chan t the m on ey pa i d for th em a nd he [the ,

fo rm er ow n er ] sh a ll recover h i s m al e or h i s f em ale
slave .

“
If a slave say to h i s m a ster Thou art n ot my
,

”
m a st er i f h i s m a ster shall p rove h im to be h i s slave
, ,

he may cut off h i s ear .

1 06
 Ep i logu e .

TH E j ust l a ws wh i ch H a mm u rabi the w i s e Ici ng e stab

, , ,

li shed H e t a u ght the l an d a j ust l a w an d a pi ous st atut e

. .

H amm u rab i the p rot ect ing king am I

, I h ave n ot w i thd ra w n , .

mys lf I ha ve n ot b een n e gl e ctful of the B lac k ha i re d p eop le

e .
-

w h i ch B e l p es ent e d m e whos e r ule Ma r du k ga v e m e

r
,
I p ro .

cured for th em a p eace ful hab itati on I op ened up steep .

pa sse s I m ade the li ght to sh in e up on th em Wi th the mighty

.
'

w eap o n s wh i ch Z a m a m a a n d I sht a r de l i ve re d to m e w i th the

1
,

ke nn ss of v i s i on wh i ch Ea en dowe d m e w i th the w i sdo m

e e ,

wh i ch Ma rduk b estow ed u p o n me I have exterminate d the ,

en emy abov e an d b elow [n o r th an d south ] subdue d the earth , ,

b ou ght w e ll b e ing to the la n d c a us d the inhab i tants to dw ell

r -
,
e

s ecu r ly and I tolera te d no d i stu rb r of thei r re st

e e .

The g rea t gods c alle d me and I am th e s alvat i on b ringing ,

-

Sh ep h er d [r ul er ] whos e sc p ter i s st raight [r ighteous ] and

,
e ,

w hos e g ood p r ote ct i o n e xt en ds ove my c i t y I n my b ea st r . r

I che r i sh th e inh ab i tan ts of Su me r a nd Akka d ; in my p ro

tecti on h a v e I c a us e d th e m to r est in p ea c e ; in my w i sdo m
h ave I h i dden th em Tha t the st rong m ight n ot inj u r e the
.

weak an d tha t the w i dow a nd the o rpha n m ight be s a fe I

, ,

h ave in B aby lon the c i ty of An u and B el who rai s e d h er h igh ,

h ea d [tow ers ] i n E— sa gi la t he t emp l e whos e fou n d a t i o n s

- -
,

a e fi r m a s t he h a v en s a n d t he ear th in o r d
r e to a dmini ste ,
er r

j usti c e in the l an d to de ci d e d i s p utes to hea l inj u r i es my

, , ,

p rec i ous wo rds w r i tte n up o n my m on u men t b efore my image ,

a s king of r ight e ous n e ss h ve I s t u p a e .

The king who tow r s u p a m ong c i ty kings a m I

,
e
My - .

1 I s ht ar w a s th e d a ug hter of A n n.

1 07
 TH E COD ES OF H A M MURAB I AN D M O SES .

m on u men t I n E sa gi la wh i ch I love l et my n ame b e re

.
- - -
, ,

memb ere d forever Let the opp ress e d who ha s a l a wsu i t

. , ,

come b e fo re my ima ge a s king of righteous n ess Let h im .

rea d the in sc r ip t i o n o n my m o n u m en t an d u n de r st a n d my ,

p rec i ous wo r ds Let my in sc rip t i o n th row l ight u p o n h i s ca s e

. ,

and may he d i scov er h i s r ights and l et h i s h ea rt be m a d e gl a d ,

so tha t he m ay s ay : H a mm u ab i i s a Lo d who i s a fa th er r r ,

to h i s subj ects : he h as obta ined r e veren c e for the words O f

Ma r duk : he has a ch i eve d v i cto ry for M ar duk above and
b elow [n or th and south ] H e rej oi c es the h ea t of M a r du k ; . r

h i s Lo r d he has b r ou ght ha ppiness to h i s subj e cts fo r ever

'

, ,

a n d ha s gi v en o r de r to the l n d W hen he r ea ds the docu men t a . ,

let h im p ra y out of a full h ea rt b efo re M a rdu k my Lo r d a n d , , ,

Za rp ani t [ Ma r du k s co n so r t ] my La dy : th en sh a ll th e tut e la ry
’
,

dei tie s an d the gods who e nter E sa gi la g a c i ousl y re co mm n d - - - r e

h i s thou ghts every day to Mar duk my Lo r d and to Zarpani t , , ,

my Lady .

For the futu re a lwa y s an d fo rev e r m o re : may the king

, ,

who i s in the l an d obser ve the wor ds of r ighte ousn ess wh i ch ,

I h ave i n sc r i b ed u p o n my m o n u m en t l et h im n ot a lte r the ,

law of the lan d wh i ch I h a v e gi ven or th e d e c i s i on s wh i ch

,

I h a ve r en d e re d a n d l et h i m n ot i n j u e [d e fa ce ] my m o n u
,
r

m ent I f such a p r inc e h a ve w i sdo m a n d b e a bl e to m a in ta in

.
’

o r der in h i s lan d l et h im Obs erve the wo rds wh ich I have i n

,

sc r ib ed on th i s m on u m nt ; for th i s in sc r i p ti on w i ll sho w hi m
e

the r ul of co n duct th e sta tute s t he l a ws of the l a n d wh i ch

e , ,

I h a ve gi ven an d the d e c i s i on s wh i ch I h av e r en de re d
, H e .

shall r ul e h i s subj ects accor d ing to them ; he shall a dmini ster

l a w to th e m r en de r d ec i s i o n s an d he sha ll e xt er mina te the
, ,

w i ck e d an d c r iminals out of h i s lan d an d gran t p r os p er i ty to ,

h i s subj e ct s .

My wo ds a e well con sid r r

ere d ; my d ee ds a e b ey o n d co mp a r e to b ing low

r the , r

h igh to hu mbl e the p roud and to d rive out in solen ce

, , .

I f that p r in c e h eed my wo rds wh i ch I h ave w r i tten up o n

Th i s , u n for u n a e t t ly , i s th e v er y t hi ng whi h ft th l p f g
c a er e a se o a es
s om e con q u e r or did . H ad H a m m u ra b i s
’
wi h s b m p l i d w i th w
es e e n co e , e
s h ld t
ou o-d ay h av e a ou b t th i ty fi r - ve m ore s ti of th o i gi l od
ec on s e r na c e.

1 08
 TH E COD ES OF H A M MU RAB I AN D MO SES .

shatter h i s kingdom ; may he n ot ex ecute h i s l a ws de stroy ,

h i s p ath u n do the m ar ch of h i s t roop s ; ma y he gi ve h im in

, ,

h i s v i s i on s e v i l p re m oni ti on s fo ebod ing the e xti p a ti o n of

, ,
r r

ve y foun dat i on s of h i s kingdo m a nd th e de str ucti on O f

r

l an d May the j ud gments of Sha ma sh overtake h im

.

ckly a bov e [o n ea rth ] a m ong th e l i v ing a n d may he d ep r i v e ,

s pi r i t of water down be low the ea rth .

May Sin th e lo d of h ea v en the gr a t fa th e whos e s i ckl e

, r ,
e r,

sh ines a m ong the gods depr i ve h im of h i s c r ow n a nd r oya l ,

throne imp ose up o n h im gri evous g u i lt the g rea t transgr es

, ,

s i on wh i ch w i ll n ot l ea ve h im ; m ay he fini sh the day s m o nths , ,

yea r s of h i s reign in s ighs an d t a r s ; m y h in c rea s e the e a e

bu rden s of h i s domini on ; may he in fl i ct up o n h im l i fe tha t i s

l ike un to death .

May A da d the g od of sto r m s the lo r d of f er t i l i ty the

, , ,

p r in ce of heaven an d a r th my h lp er w i thhold fr o m h im e ,
e ,

ra in f r o m th e s ky the fl oods of w at er in th e i r s p r ing s ; m ay

,

he d e st r oy h i s l an d b y famin e a nd w an t ra ge fu r i ousl y ove r ,

h i s c i ty an d make h i s l an d a heap
, .
’

May Z a ma m a th e gre a t w ar r i o r the fir s t bo rn so n of

, ,
-

Ekur who m a rch es a t my r ight h a n d b reak in pi eces h i s a rm o r

,

on the b attl efield tu r n h i s day in to night an d gi ve h i s en my

, ,
e

vi cto r y over h im .

May I shta r the la d y [godd ess ] of b attl e an d co mb a t

, ,

who loos en s my w ea p on s my gra c i ous p r otecting dei ty who , ,

love s my r eign in he r angr y hea rt in her g rea t w rath cur s e

, , ,

h i s kingdom tu rn h i s good in to ev i l an d sh a tter h i s w p on s

, , ea

o n the field of b attle and co mb at ; may she c reate d i so rder

and u p r oar for h im st r ik e down h i s w a r r i o r s th a t t h e g r ou n d
, ,

m ay d rink th e i r blood ; m ay s he th r ow dow n in la r ge n u mb er s

the bod i es of h i s w ar r i o r s o n the [b attl e ] fie ld ; m a y s he n ot
gran t h im a l i fe of m erc y but de l i ver h im in to the h an ds of ,

h i s enemi es and b r ing h im cap t i ve into the l an d of h i s en emie s

, .

May N e ga l the might y on e a m ong the gods who i s

r , ,

i rre s i st ibl e in b attl e who gra nts me v i ctor y in h i s gre a t p ower

, ,

bu rn up h i s subj ects l ik e a sl en der reed stoc k cut ofl h i s l imb -

,
‘

w i th a mighty w e p on a d sh atte r h im l ike an ear th en im age

a ,
n .

‘ W i n c kl e r
d th re n e rs e d
w or S i n tfl u l h u g e l n ; i . e ., h ea p s or m ou n d s
ca u es d by t fl d vas oo s, a s h
b y t h e N oa c i a n D e u ge l . H a r p er r e nd ers t h e
sa m wo d h p l ft b y
e r ea e a w h i lw i d
r n .

I I O
 E PI LO GUE .

May N in tu ,
da u ghter of Anu the exalte d mi st re ss
the ,

of cou n t r i e s the ch i ld b ear ing m oth er d eny h im a so n ; ma y

,
-
,

s he n ot g ra n t h im a n a m e ; ma y s he gi v e h im n o p ro g eny

up on the ea rth .

May N in karak the d a u ghter of An u who p r omi s e s me

-
, ,

merc y in Ekur c a us e up on h i s m emb er s grievous d i s ea s es

, , ,

v i olen t fever s ba d wou n ds wh i ch can n ot be h ea le d the na tu re

, ,

of wh i ch a re n ot kn ow n to the p hys i c i an s wh i ch he can n ot ,

treat w i th ban da ge s wh i ch l ike the b ite O f death can n ot be

, , ,

re m oved t i ll the y d e st r o y h i s l i fe ; m ay he l a me n t the loss O f

hi s v i ta l p ow er s .

May the grea t gods of h ea ven an d ea r th all the An u nn aki , ,

b ring a cu rs e an d an evi l up on the outs ki rts of the temp le ,

the walls of th i s E— b arra and up o n h i s reign h i s l an d h i s

, , ,

warr i o rs h i s sub j e cts a n d h i s t r oo p s

, , .

May B el cu r s e h i m w i th a p owe r ful cu r s e fro m h i s m outh ,

whi ch i s i rrevocable and may i t overtake h im s peedi ly

, .

I I I
 G EN E RAL I N D E " .

Th e n u m be r s r e fer to th e s ec ti on i n th e C o d e.

Abatemen t of r en t 45 46 ; in te e st 48 , ,
r , .

Acc i den ta l loss ca use d b y stor m 45 48 , , .

Adj ou rnmen t of cou rt to p roduc e w i tness 1 3 , .

Adop ti on of a ch i ld 1 85 1 93 ,
- .

A dultery a c a pi tal c r ime p uni sh ed b y d r o wning 1 29 ; husba n d

, ,

may p a r do n h i s w i fe 1 29 ; king m ay pa r don h i s s e rva n t , ,

1 29 ; w i fe sus p e ct e d of a dult e ry 1 3 1 1 3 2 , , .

Agen ts La ws governing agen ts in th ei r relat i on to the i r

.

e mp lo yer s 1 00 1 07 ,
- .

Al im ony of a d i vo rc e d w i fe 1 37 , .

Ass ault of freeman u p on fr eeman 202 203 ; of a p oo r man , ,

u p o n a p oor man 204 ; of a freema n b y a sla ve 206 ; u p on

, ,

a p regn a n t wo m n 209 2 1 1 2 1 3 ; u p o n a p r e gn a n t wo ma n
a , , ,

r e sult ing in he r d ea th 2 10 21 2 2 1 4 ( Se e F in e s Re tal i , , , .

,

at i on ) .

B a ckb i t ing, 1 61 .

Bet rotha l P r e s en tma d e to the b ri de s fa the r 1 5 9 1 6 1 ; be ’

.
-
,

t rothed m ai den l i ve d in her father s hous e 1 3 0 ’

,
.

B igamy of wo m an p u ni sh ed w i th dea th 1 3 3 ; but so m et im e s

, ,

con done d 1 34 , .

B iga my of men a llow d i f w i fe be b a r r en 1 45 ; or a n i n

,
e ,

val i d 148 ; first w i fe may retu rn to h er fath er s hous e 149

,
’
, .

B oats 234 240 ; stea l ing a boat 8 ; pay for bu i ld ing 234 ; dam
,
-
, ,

a ge s for c oll i s i o n 2 40 ; bo a t ma n s p ay 2 39 ; w re c k 23 5
’
, , , ,

236 .

B on d, 7, 9 , 1 0, 1 20- 1 24 ( See B reach of C on tra ct ) . .

B ran d ing, for slan der 1 27 ; sl av es , 226, 227 ,

.

B ra wl ing in l i quo r shop s , 1 09

,
.

B r ea ch of con t ract, b y ren ter, 42, 44 , 256 b y gar dener, 62, 63,
65 ; b y thos e e n ga ged to be m a rri ed, 1 5 9-1 61 .

B rea sts , cut off, 1 94 .

B r i be s , 4 ~
 GEN E RAL I N D EX .

B roth el .
( See Prosti tutes ) .

B u i ld er s , l a ws gover ning, 228-23 3 ; of boats , 234 .

B u r ning a s p u ni sh m en t, th i e f a t fire, 25 ; of vota ry in c er ta in

ca s es, 1 10 ; m other a nd son for inc est, 1 57 .

Capi ta l p uni sh men t in fli cted for w i tchcra ft 1 2 ; i nti mi dat ing

, , ,

w itne ss 3 ; perj u ry 3 ; theft of sa c re d p rop erty 6 ; receiv

, , ,

ing stol en p r op erty 6 1 0 1 1 ; i ll e ga l bus in ess w i th slave , , , ,

7 ; s el l ing stol e n or lost p r op er ty 8 9 ; ki dn aping 1 4 ; , , ,

a i d ing sl a ve s to fl ee 1 5 ; co n c ea l ing fu gi t i v e sl a v e s 16 ;
, ,

deta ining cap tu r e d sla ve s 1 9 ; houseb reak ing 2 1 ; hi gh wa y , ,

r obb er y 22 ; th e ft a t fire 25 ; for n e gl e ct of offi c i a l dut y

, , ,

26 ; for s en d ing subst i tut e s 26 ; stea l ing the gov ernmen t ,

ta xes 33 ; opp ress ing subo rd inate s 34 ; d i shon est y of a

, ,

w in e shop keep e r; 1 08 ; a llow ing s e d it i ous a ss e mbl i es 1 09 ;

-
,

a vota ry en t e r ing a l i quo r sho p 1 1 0 ; a dulte ry of a c er ta in -

,

kin d 1 29 ; rap e of a betroth ed m ai den 1 30 ; w i fe of a cap

, ,

t i ve husban d in c ert ain c a s es 1 33 gadd ing and goss iping ,

w i fe 1 43 ; w i fe who h elp s or p la n s for the m u r de r of her

,

husb an d 1 5 3 ; for c arna l in ter cou rs e w i th on e s da u ghter

,
’

i h la w 1 55 ; in c est of m oth er and son 1 57 ; c a us ing the

-
, ,

death of a p regn an t woma n 2 1 0 ; for getting a slave i l ,

l egall y b ran ded 227 ; for bu i ld ing an in s ecu re hous e 229

, , ,

230 .
( See a lso B u rning D r own ing an d I mp al em en t ) , ,
.

Ca p t i ve s 1 33 280
, , .

Car r i e r s l a ws gov er ning 1 1 2

, ,
.

Changel ing fo i sted o n p a ren ts 1 94

, , ~

Ch i ld ren of s eco n d m ar r i a ges 1 35 1 66 sha re a t fa th e r s d eath , ,

’
,

1 65 ; of d i ffer en t m oth e r s 1 67 ; of ma i d s erva n ts 17 1 1 ; ,

-
, ,

sl a ve and f ree moth er 1 75 , .

C oll i s i o n of boats 240 , .

Co mmi ss i on of a gen ts 1 00 1 05 ,
-
.

C on cub in e r ights of d i vo r c e d 1 3 7 1 44 1 45 ; in fe r i o r to w i fe
, , , , ,

1 45 cl aim s o n fa ther s e sta te a t h i s dea th 1 83 1 84 ’

, , ,

Co nj u ga l r ights 1 42 , .

C o r n l a n d cult i vat i on of 62
, , .

Cou rtsh ip 1 5 9 1 61
,
-
.

Cr op s ass igne d for d bt 49 5 0 5 1 ; da ma ge s b a s e d o n 42-44

, e , , , , ,

55 -5 8. 62. 6s .

C utt ing dow n t rees , 59 .

1 16
 GE N E RAL I N D EX .

Ey e, to n out as pen a lty 1 93 ; loss by a ss a ult 1 96 1 98 199

r , , , ,

di s eas e of the 2 1 5 fees for t rea ting 215 21 7 malp ract1ce

, ,
-
,

2 1 8, 220 .

Fa ls e a ccus a t i on 1 2 1 27 1 3 1 , , , ,
.

Fals e claim s 1 0 1 1 1 3 1 06 1 07 1 26
, , , , , , .

Fata l a ssa ult 207 208 , , .

Fa vor i te son may rec e i ve s p ec i a l gi ft f ro m fa th er in a dd it i on

,

to h i s regul ar p or ti on 1 65 ; fro m m other 1 50 , , .

Fees for m e di c a l ai d 2 1 5 2 1 6 22 1 223 ; for t reat ing ox en or

, , , ,
-

sh eep 224 ; for bu i ld ing a hous e 228 ; for storage 121

, , ,
.

F ine s for i ll ega l r est a in t 1 1 4 ; for s e duct i on of a da u ghter

,
r ,

i n l aw 1 5 6 ; for a ss a ult a nd b a tter y 203 204 ; for fa t a l

-
, , ,

a ss a ult 207 208 ; for a ss a ult u p o n a p r egn a n t wo m a n re

, , ,

s ul ti ng in mi sc a r r i a ge 209 2 1 1 213 ; e sult ing in d ea th , , ,

r ,

2 1 2 2 1 4 ; fo r ca us ing d ea th of ox o r sh eep 225 ; fo t a king

, , r

an ox b y d i st ra in t 24 1 ; for m ut i la t ing h i r e d ox 248 ; for , ,

d eath c a us e d by a go r ing 0x 25 1 25 2 ; for stea l ing co rn , , ,

et c 25 5 ; fo
.
, stea l ing a water ing wh eel 25 9 ; for stea l ing
r -
,

other Obj ects 260 , .

F ir e the ft at 25
, ,
.

Floods ca us ed by sto rm s 45 46 48 ; ca us e d b y n ot c a ring for

, , , ,

dyke s 5 3 5 6 ,
- .

For feits in c a s es of un lawful s a l e s 3 5 3 7 4 1 1 77 ; for fa i lu re

, , , , ,

to culti vat e o rchard or lan d 42—44 62 63 ; for tak ing one s , , ,

’

goods i llega ll y 1 1 3 in ca s e of extre me c r u e lty 1 1 6

, , .

Foster-m othe r duties e tc 1 94 , , .

, .

Fugi t ive sla ve s laws con c ning 1 6 20 ; i d ing to esc ap e o r

,
er ,
- a

d eta ining p uni shed w i th death 1 5 1 6 1 9

, , , , .

GAN ( See Tabl e of We ights

. and M ea su re ) .

Gor ing b y ox 25 0-25 2 , .

Gr anary, l aws regar d ing, 1 1 3, 1 20, 121 .

H a n ds cut stri king on e s f ther 1 95 for ma lp ra ct ice

off , fo r ’
a , ,

21 8 ; for b ran d ing sl aves 226 .

,

H ighwa y r obb er y 22 24 ,
-
.

H i re pa i d in gra in to a bo atma n 23 9 ; reap er 25 7 ; th re sh er

, , , , ,

2 5 8 ; sh e p h e r d 26 1 ; for a d r a u ght 0x 242 ; mi lch cow

, , ,

243 ; a s s 269 ; c alf 270 ; ox en a nd ca r t 2 1 car t a lone 272

, 7 , , ,

1 18
 GE N E RA L I N D EX .

pai d in s i lver labo rers of va ri ous kin ds , , 273, 274 ; for b oat ,

275 -277

H ous e b reakin g
-
, 2 1 , 1 25 .

I d en t i fica t i on of stolen or lost p rop erty, 9-1 3 ; of sl ave, 1 8,

280-282 .

I mp al em en t, one m ode of d eath p en a lty 1 5 3 , .

I n cest , la ws relat ing to, 1 5 4-1 5 8 .

I n her i ta n c e , l a ws con c e r ning, 1 5 0, 1 62, 1 63, 1 65 -1 84 1 9 1 , .

I n tere st, 49 -5 1 , 100 ; r e mi tte d , 48 .

I nt imi dat i o n of w i tn e sse s 3 , .

I rr igati on , l a ws con cerning, 5 3 -5 6 ; da mages in cas e of loss

ca us ed b y, 5 2, 5 6 ,

J udges dut i es of 1 3 1 27
, , , ,
1 68, 1 69 , 1 72, 1 77 ; p uni shed for alter
ing a d ec i s i on 5 ,
.

Ki dna ping p u ni shable w ith death

, ,
14.

Leas e of fie ld or ga rden 42 44 60 , , 64 ; l essee s dut ie s ’

and p en
—
, ,

al ti es, 42-47, 60 64 .

Li be l of vota ry or devot ee, 1 27 ; of w i fe

, ,
1 32 ; of a fiancé , 1 61 .

Li on, s p ok en of 244, 266 , .

Li quo r l a ws 1 08-1 1 1 , .

Loss of c r o p s 45 ; b y steal ing 1 25 ; by

, , ,
re volt , 1 25 ; b y h i re d
nima ls 226
a , ,
244, 245 , 249
,
266 .

Lying 1 0-1 2 , .

Ma i d or fema l e sl ave may be gi ven b y a ch i ldl ess w i fe to her

, ,

husb an d 1 44 ; the p os i t i o n of such a ma i d in fe r i or 1 46 ;

, ,

m ay n ot b e sold i f s he h a ve bo rn e ch i ld r en 1 46 ; ch i ld ren ,

of such mai ds 1 70 1 7 1 , , .

Man sl a u ghter p ena lty for 1 16 206 208 210 21 2 2 14 2 1 8 2 19

, , ,
-
, , , , ,
.

Ma r ria ge port i on gi ven b y fathe ( see D ow ry ) ; gi ve n b y

,
r

b ri degr oo m to b ri de 1 5 0 1 7 1 1 72 , , ,
.

Merchan ts an d agen ts 1 00 1 07 ,
-
.

M erchants as m oney l en de r s 49 1 16 1 1 8 1 1 9 ; m ust accep t , , , ,

gra in a s p aymen t 49 ; m ust remi t pa r t of in terest when ,

s ea so n i s bad 48 ; sub j ect to certain l aws 1 1 3 1 19

, ,
-
.

M in ors laws rega r d ing 7 1 4 29 1 36 1 66 1 77 186-19 1

, , , , , , , , .

M i scarr ia ge 209 21 1 21 3 , , , .

1 19
 GEN ERAL I N D EX .

M on ey ( See Table at the end )

. .

Mo rtga ge 49 5 0 1 1 8 1 1 9 , , , , .

M other wh en s he m ay b e custod i n of ch i ldren 29 1 44 ; m ay

, a , ,

w i ll or d eed p r op erty 1 5 0 ; her dowry reverts to ch i ld ren , ,

1 67 1 73 1 75 ; bu r n t to d ea th for in c est 1 5 7
-

M ut i lat i o n a s p uni sh men t—e a r cut off 205 282 ; ey e p l uc k d

.
, ,

, ,
e
,

out 1 93 ; b ea st cut off 1 94 ; fin ger s cut off 1 95 2 1 8 226

,
r , , , , ,

25 3 ; sla n d e rer s b ran de d 1 27 ; sl a v e s b ra n d e d 226 227 ; , , ,

p uni sh men t for m uti la t ing anima ls 246 248 ,

-
.

N eg ligen c e of duty p uni sh e d w i th death 26 of far me r s

, ,

to a tten d to the i r fields 42 44 47 ; of dyk e s 5 3 5 5 ,

-
, , , ,

5 6 ; of r ent ed gar d en s 6 1 63 65 ; of co mm o n c a r r i e r ,
-
, ,

1 1 2 ; of bu i ld e r s 2 29 233 ; of boa tm en 23 5 23 7 240 ; of ,

-
,
-
,

a nim a ls b y sh ep he r ds etc 245 263 264 267 ; of go r ing 0 x , .

, , , , ,

25 1 , 25 2.

Oa ths , w i tn e ss e s we re sworn , 9; vari ous oaths for p u rgati on ,

20, 1 03 , 1 3 1 , 206, 207, 227, 249 266 ; for loss es of d i ff er en t

,

kin ds 23 1 03 1 26 240 249

, , , , , .

O ffic i a ls dut i es of 26 3 1 3 3 3 5
, ,
-
,
-
the ra n som of , 32 .

O r dea l 2 1 3 2
, ,
.

O x en l a ws re l a t ing to 241 255

, ,
-
, 268, 27 1 .

P enalty remitte d 1 29 , .

P e j u r y 3 4 9 1 3 1 06 1 07
r , , ,
-
, , .

P regnan t wom n 209-214 a

,
.

P ri estess 1 82 ( See D evotee and P rosti tute )

, . .

P r osti tute 1 1 0 127 1 78-1 82 1 92 1 93

, , , , , .

R an so m of ofli cial s 32 , .

R ap e p uni shed b y d eath 1 30 1 5 5 ; b y fine 1 56

, , , , .

R ec eip ts requ i red of min o r s or sl aves 7 ; given to agen ts

, , ,

1 04 1 07 ; gi ve n to d ep os i to r s 1 20 1 22 126
-
7
, , .

R ec ei ving stolen p r op e rty or goods p uni sh e d b y dea th 6 8 1 0 , , , ,

R ecovery of sto en p rop erty la ws r elating to the 9 1 0 1 7 1 8

.
l
,
, , , , ,

23 , 263 .

R edemp t i on 1 1 9 , .

Rema r r i age of a woman , 1 3 6, 1 3 7, 1 72-1 74, 1 77 .

R ents ( See Leas e )

. .

1 20
 GEN E R AL I N D EX .

Wi dow laws relat ing to 17 1 1 77

, ,
- .

Wi fe la ws relating to 1 27 129 1 3 1 1 45 1 48-1 5 1 ; imp aled for

, ,
-
,
-
,

c a us ing the d eath of her husban d 1 5 3 , .

Win e-seller ( See Li quo r La ws 1 08

.
,

Wi tchc ra ft laws rel at ing to 1 2

, , , .

Wi tness intimi da ti on of 3 ; br ib ing of 4 ; in d i s pen s able in ce r

, , ,

ta in t ran sact i on s 7 9-1 3 1 23 1 24 ; t im e gi ven to hun t

, , , ,

up 1 3, .

1 22
 I N D EX or B I B LI CAL PAS SAGE S .

T
D E U E R O N OM " .

S E CT I ON .

42
1 16

21 8

60

J O SH UA .

N UM B E RS
J UD GE S
.

1 32

1 93

39 RU TH
T
D EU E R ON OM" .

15 1 -6 49
15 12 1 17

15 1 31
? 1 17

19 1 6- 1 9 3
1 9 z 21 1 96

20 - 26
5 9
20 1 9f 59 1 KI N GS
21 1 -9 24

21 14 1 16

21 1 55 1 65
21 1 8ff 1 95

21 24 1 19

22 8 202,
2 K I N GS .

22 18
49
22 19
I SS
22 22
I 93
22 25

22 28 1 CH R ONI CLE S .

22 28, 29 I 7S
‘

23 15 1 35
23 1 9 -20
2 CH R ON I CLE S
15
.

24

24 5
24 6 —
12 N E H E M I AH .

24 7 49
 W E I GH T S AN D M EASURE S .

TH E subj ect we ig hts and m ea su r es i s one of grea t

of

d ifi culty a nd the fa rth er w e g o b a c k in the h i sto r y O f the

,

world the h ar der i t be come s to s p eak wi th any degree of

c e rtain ty We begin w i th the sh eke l ( of s i lver )
.

Sh ekel = 1 80 s he o r gra in s of wh ea t
,
.

M ina=6o sh eke ls .

T here was a h ea vy a s well a s a l ight B ab ylonia n weight .

Accord ing to the h ea vy w e ight a sh eke l would be equ al to a

,

l i ttl e over 25 2 T roy grain s and the l ight we ight j ust exa ctl y
,

on e h a lf
- . We m ust a lway s be min dful of th e s e doubl e a nd
s ing le stan da r ds
.

Accord ing to D r R F H a rp e r the follow ing B ab ylo nia n

. . .
,

term s to d en ote w eight or m ea su re may b e expr ess e d in Eng

l i sh as follows
Ka=on e l i ter or about 990 gra m s
,
.

Gur =3oo Ka or about 500 p ou n ds or a l i ttle m or e th a n

, ,

8 bushe ls of wh eat .

Can an d Bar a re su r fac e m ea su re s .

Sar=about 1 8 squa r e ya r ds .

Gan =1 8oo Sar or 63 a c res

, , .

1 26