Deu 25 | EE | STEP | When two men cannot agree, they must both go to the judges. Then the judges will decide who is right and who is wrong.

Deuteronomy 25

1 When two men cannot agree, they must both go to the judges. Then the judges will decide who is right and who is wrong. 2 The judge may need to punish the bad man. If he does need to punish him, the judge will cause him to lie down. Then someone will hit him several times. He will hit him many times if he has done a very bad thing. He will hit him only a few times if the thing was not too bad. 3 But he must not hit him more than 40 times. So then you will not all feel that another Israelite has become less important.

4 Do not tie up the mouth of a cow while she walks on your corn to prepare it for you. ^{▼▼25:4 Paul uses this verse when he writes about Christian workers.}

5 Perhaps two brothers are living together. One of the brothers may die and leave no son. If that happens, his wife must not marry outside the family. The second brother must take the wife and he must marry her. He is doing what is right for his dead brother. 6 The first son that is born to them will be called the same name as the dead brother. So everyone in Israel will remember that name.

7 But a man may not want to marry his dead brother’s wife. If he does not want to do it, she should go to the leaders at the gate of the town. She should say, ‘My dead husband’s brother refuses to do his duty for me. He does not want people to remember my dead husband. He does not want to give my husband’s name to our son.’ 8 Then the leaders of the town must call the man to them and they must talk to him. Perhaps he will continue to say, ‘I do not want to marry her!’

9 If that happens, his brother’s wife must go to him, in front of the leaders. She must pull off one of his shoes and spit in his face. And she must say, ‘We do this to a man who will not help to keep the family name of his dead brother.’ 10 Then everyone will call the family of the living brother, ‘the family of the man who lost his shoe.’

11 Perhaps two men are fighting each other. The wife of one of them comes to save him. She takes hold of the sex parts of his enemy. 12 If that happens, you must cut off her hand. Do not be sorry for her.

13 Do not have in your bag two different things with which to measure weight, one heavy and one light. 14 Do not have in your house two different jars with which to measure, one large and one small.

15 You must have true and honest things with which to measure and to weigh. If you do that you will live for a long time in your country. It is the country that the LORD your God is giving to you. 16 The LORD your God hates anyone who is not always honest.

17 Remember what the descendants of Amalek did to you when you came out of Egypt. 18 They met you when you were tired and weak. They killed all the people who could not walk fast. They were not afraid of God. 19 The LORD your God will give you rest from all your enemies in the country. This is the country that he is giving you. On that day you must kill all the descendants of Amalek. Then nobody will remember them. Do not forget to do this! ^{▼▼25:19 The descendants of Amalek attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. Exodus 17:8-16 describes the battle.}