Laws

Be it enacted forever and for all time: If a son says to his father, "Thou art not my father," he can shear his locks, make him a slave and sell him.—If a son says to his mother, "Thou art not my mother," she can shear his locks, drive him out of the town, or (at least) drive him away from home (i.e., she can deprive him of citizenship and of his inheritance, but not his liberty.)—If a father says to his son, "Thou art not my son," the latter has to leave the house and field (i.e., he loses his inheritance.)—If a mother says to her son, "Thou art not my son," he shall leave house and furniture.—If a wife is unfaithful to her husband and then says, "Thou art not my husband," let her be thrown into the river.—If a husband says to his wife, "Thou art not my wife," he shall pay a fine of half a maneh of silver.—If some one hires a servant and the latter dies or in some other way is rendered valueless (e.g., by flight, rebellion, or sickness) he shall give (to the owner) as daily wages ten measures of corn a day.

If an overseer or a fisherman when ordered to the service of the king does not come, but sends a hireling in his stead, that same overseer or fisherman shall be put to death, and his house shall pass into the possession of the hireling.

When a merchant gives to his clerk grain, wool, oil, or any othermerchandise for sale, the clerk shall give an exact account and turn in the money to the merchant; and the merchant shall give to the clerk a receipt for the money paid over to him.

When a man has bought a male or female slave, and the sale is opposed by a third party (the real owner) and the sale is in consequence thereof declared void, the seller of the slave has to pay all damages.

If a man sells a slave-girl and another party proves just claims to her, and takes her away (from her present owner), the seller shall return the money to the buyer, exactly the same amount that his receipt calls for; if (in the meanwhile) she has borne children, he shall—in addition—pay for each child one-half shekel.

If a man, after having promised, either verbally or in writing, a certain dower to his daughter, loses part of his property, he can give his daughter a dower in accordance with the property as it is now, and neither father-in-law nor son-in-law shall go to law on that account.

If a man has given his daughter a dower, and the daughter dies without issue, the dower reverts to the house of her father.

If a woman, whose dower her husband has taken charge of, remains childless and loses her husband, her dower shall be returned to her in full out of her husband’s estate. If her husband during his lifetime has presented her part of his property, she shall retain this also and still receive her own dower in full. But if she had no dower, the judge shall examine into the condition of her husband’s estate and then give her a proper share of her late husband’s property.