for him that
brings an accusation and calumny against his wife in an impudent and
rash manner, let him be punished by receiving forty stripes save one,
and let him pay fifty shekels to her father: but if the damsel be
convicted, as having been corrupted, and is one of the common people,
let her be stoned, because she did not preserve her virginity till she
were lawfully married; but if she were the daughter of a priest, let her
be burnt alive. If any one has two wives, and if he greatly respect and
be kind to one of them, either out of his affection to her, or for her
beauty, or for some other reason, while the other is of less esteem with
him; and if the son of her that is beloved be the younger by birth than
another born of the other wife, but endeavors to obtain the right
of primogeniture from his father's kindness to his mother, and would
thereby obtain a double portion of his father's substance, for that
double portion is what I have allotted him in the laws,--let not this be
permitted; for it is unjust that he who is the elder by birth should
be deprived of what is due to him, on the father's disposition of his
estate, because his mother was not equally regarded by him. He that hath
corrupted a damsel espoused to another man, in case he had her consent,
let both him and her be put to death, for they are both equally guilty;
the man, because he persuaded the woman willingly to submit to a most
impure action, and to prefer it to lawful wedlock; the woman, because
she was persuaded to yield herself to be corrupted, either for pleasure
or for gain. However, if a man light on a woman when she is alone, and
forces her, where nobody was present to come to her assistance, let
him only be put to death. Let him that hath corrupted a virgin not yet
espoused marry her; but if the father of the damsel be not willing that
she should be his wife, let him pay fifty shekels as the price of her
prostitution. He that desires to be divorced from his wife for any cause
[25] whatsoever, [and many such causes happen among men,] let him in
writing give assurance that he will never use her as his wife any
more; for by this means she may be at liberty to marry another husband,
although before this bill of divorce be given, she is not to be
permitted so to do: but if she be misused by him also, or if, when he
is dead, her first husband would marry her again, it shall not be
lawful for her to return to him. If a woman's husband die, and leave