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A1 If a woman, either a man’s [1] wife or daughter, enters a temple and steals something from the temple sanctuary and either it is found in her possession or the charges are proven against her and she is found guilty, they are to inquire of the deity and treat her as the deity instructs them.
A2 If a woman, either a man’s wife or daughter, utters a blasphemy or says something disgraceful, that woman alone will be held responsible for her offense; they are not to touch her husband, her sons, or her daughters.
A3 If a man is either ill or dead, and his wife steals something from his house and gives it to either a man or a woman, or to anyone else, they are to kill the man’s wife along with the ones who received [the stolen goods]. And if a man’s wife, whose husband is healthy, steals something from his house and gives it to either a man or a woman, or to anyone else, the man is to prosecute his wife and inflict (appropriate) punishment; the one who received the stolen goods is to return the stolen property, and shall receive the same punishment that the man has imposed on his wife.
A4 If a slave or slave-girl has received anything from a married woman, the slave(girl)’s nose and ears are to be cut off, so that the theft will be avenged and the man shall cut of his wife’s ears. But, if the man lets his wife off, and has not cut off her ears, the slave(girl) is not to lose nose or ears and the theft will not be avenged.
A5 If a married woman has stolen anything from any other man’s house, and has taken property worth more than five minas of lead, the owner of the stolen property is to swear, “I swear that I did not take it and then say that it had been stolen.” If her husband wishes, he may give back the stolen property and ransom her, but he must cut off her ears. If he does not wish to do so, the owner of the stolen property is to take her and cut off her nose.
A6 If the married woman has sold it outside the home, the receiver is to be liable for the stolen property.
A7 If a woman has been convicted of laying hands on a man, she is to pay 30 minas of lead and be caned (20 stripes).
A8 If a woman has crushed a man’s testicle in a brawl, they are to cut off one of her fingers. If, in spite of being bound up by a physician, the second testicle is affected and becomes swollen, or if she has crushed the second testicle in the brawl, they are to tear out both of her nipples(?). [2]
A9 If a man has laid a hand on a married woman, treating her like a little child, and he has been charged and convicted, they are to cut off one of his fingers. If he kissed her, they are to draw the blade of an axe along his lower lip and cut it off.
A10 If either a man or a woman has entered a man’s house and killed either man or woman they shall turn over the murderer to the next-of-kin; [3] He may have them executed, or he may choose to accept compensation in property. Alternatively, if the murderers have nothing of value in their house, either a son or [daughter]…in the house…belonging to….
A11 … of the king, he shall….
A12 If a married woman was walking on the street, and a man has grabbed her, and said to her, “Let me have sex with you,” and if she was not willing and defended herself, but he has taken her by force and raped her-whether they catch him on the wife, or they have testimony [4] that he forced her-the elders are to have him executed. The woman is not to be held responsible.
A13 If a married woman has left her house to visit a man at his abode, and he has had sex with her, knowing that she is married, both the man and the woman are to be executed.
A14 If a man has sex with a married woman either in a temple- brothel or on the street, knowing that she married, the adulterer is to be treated as the husband decides to handle his wife. If the adulterer did not know she was married, he goes free. The husband is to charge his wife, doing to her as he prefers.
A15 If a man has caught his wife with another man, and they have been charged and convicted, both of them are to be executed.
A16 If a man is seduced by a married woman, there is no penalty against him. The
A17 If a man tells another man, “Your wife is promiscuous,” but there are no witnesses, they are to make a contract [7] and go to the river (for the river-ordeal).
A18 If a man tells another man, either privately or in a brawl, “Your wife is promiscuous; I will bring charges against her myself,” but he is unable to substantiate the charge, and cannot prove it, he is to be caned (forty blows), be sentenced to a month’s hard labor for the king, be cut off, [8] and pay one talent [9] of lead.
A19 If a man has secretly started a rumor about his neighbor saying, “He has allowed men to have sex with him,” [10] or in a quarrel has told him in the presence of others, “Men have sex with you,” and then, “I will bring charges against you myself,” but is then unable to substantiate the charge, and cannot prove it, that man is to be caned (fifty blows), be sentenced to a month’s hard labor for the king, be cut off, and pay one talent of lead.
A20 If a man has had sex with his neighbor [11] (and) he [12] has been charged and convicted, (then) he is to be considered defiled [13] and made into a eunuch.
A21 If a man has struck
A22 If a man (other than father, brother, or son) has caused a married woman to go on a business trip with him, as long as he did not know that she was married, he is to swear to this effect and pay two talents of lead to the husband. If he did know that she was married, he is to pay this fine and swear, “I swear that we did not have sex.” However, if the woman says, “We did have sex,” even though he has paid the fine, he is to face the river-ordeal, without contract. If he declines the river-ordeal, he is to be treated as the woman’s husband chooses to treat his wife.
A23 If a married woman has invited another married woman into her house and has given her to a man to have sex with, as long as the man knew that she was married, he is to be treated like anyone who has had sex with a married woman and the situation is to be handled as the husband chooses to treat his adulterous wife. So if the husband does nothing to his adulterous wife, nothing is to be done to the adulterer or the procuress; they are to be released. Alternatively, if the
A24 If a married woman has deserted her husband, and moved in with an Assyrian, [18] whether it was in the same city or a neighboring city, and he has set her up in a house where she stayed with the mistress of that house three or four nights (while the master of the house was unaware that a married woman was staying there), then, if she is caught, the deserted husband is to cut off his wife’s ears, but take her back. The married hostess is to have her ears cut off as well; her husband may redeem her for three talents and thirty minas of lead, or, if he prefers, she is to be taken away. [19]However, if the host knew that a married woman was staying in his house with his wife, he is to pay an extra third. If he denies it, saying, “I did not know,” they will use the river-ordeal. If the host declines the river-ordeal, he must pay the extra third unless the deserted husband also declines the river-ordeal; in that case the host is ‘off the hook’-it is as if he had been exonerated by the river. If the deserted man chooses not to cut his wife’s ears off, and takes her back, there is to be no punishment inflicted on anyone. [20]
A25 If a woman is still living in her father’s house, but her husband has died, [21] her husband’s brothers (as long as they have not yet divided the inheritance, and there is no son
A26 If a woman is still living in her father’s house, but her husband has died, if her husband had sons, [22] they will take any ornaments that her husband has given her, but if he had no sons she will take them herself. [23]
A27 If a woman is still living in her father’s house, and her husband has been making frequent visits, he may take back as his own any marriage-gift which he has given her, but he may not take what comes from her father’s house.
A28 If a widow has remarried into a man’s household, bringing her infant son with her, and that son has grown up in his step-father’s house, but there was never a deed of adoption, he is not to receive from his step-father’s inheritance, or be responsible for his debts. He is to receive his appropriate share from the estate of his natural father.
A29 If a woman has moved in with her husband, her dowry, whatever she has brought from her father’s house, and whatever her father-in-law has given her when she moved in, are reserved for her sons. Her brothers-in-law have no claim to it. But, if her husband survives her, [24] he may distribute it as he wants to his sons.
A30 If a father has brought (or had sent) the betrothal-gift to his son’s prospective father-in-law, but they have not yet married, and then another of his sons (whose wife is still living with her family) dies, he is to give his dead son’s wife as spouse to his other son to whose prospective father-in-law he brought the gift. If the fiancee’s guardian is no longer willing to give his daughter, [25] even though he accepted the betrothal-gift, the father who brought the gift has a right to take the daughter anyway, and give her to his son. But he may, instead, accept back in full whatever he brought
A31 If a man has brought the betrothal-gift to his prospective father-in-law’s house but his wife [27] has died, and his father-in-law has other daughters, if his father-in-law [28] prefers he may marry another of the father-in-law’s daughters in place of his dead wife. But, if he prefers, he may, instead, be refunded the money that he gave. But he will not get back grain, sheep, or anything that can be eaten, just the money.
A32 If a woman is still living in her father’s house, but has received her marriage-gift, regardless of whether she has been taken to her father-in-law’s house, she is to be liable for all her husband’s debts, misdemeanors, and crimes.
A33 If a woman is still living in her father’s house, but her husband has died, as long as she has sons, she may live in whichever of their houses she chooses. If she does not have a son, her father-in-law is to give her to whichever of his
A34 If a man is living together with a widow without having a marriage-contract for two years, she becomes his wife; she may not leave.
A35 If a widow moves in with a man at his house, whatever she brings with her becomes her husband’s. Similarly if a man moves in with a woman at her house, whatever he brings with him becomes hers. [31]
A36 If a woman is still living in her father’s house, or her husband has made her live in separate quarters, and then he has gone to the fields, leaving her no oil, wool, clothing, food, or anything else, nor has he had provisions sent to her from the fields, she is to remain faithful to her husband for five years, not going to live with another husband. If she has sons, who take jobs and earn their own living, she is to respect her husband, not going to live with another husband. If she does not have sons, she is to honor her husband for five years. In the sixth year, she may go to a new husband of her choosing. Her previous husband, on his return, may not claim her; she is available for her new husband. If, however, his return was delayed past five years beyond his control-perhaps he had to flee some adversary, or he was arrested and detained-he may make a claim, provide a women equivalent to his wife, and take his own wife back. Of, if he was on king’s business and it takes longer than the five years, his wife is to respect him and not go to live with another husband. If she has gone to live with another husband before the five years were up, even if she has had children, on his return her previous husband is to take her (along with her children), since she did not respect the marriage-contract, but remarried.
A37 If a man divorces his wife, he may, if he wants, give her something; if he does not want to, he need not give her anything. She will leave empty-handed.
A38 If a woman is still living in her father’s house, and her husband divorces her, he may take back the ornaments that he gave her himself, but may not take back the marriage-gift that he brought, since it permanently belongs to the woman. [32]
A39 If a girl has been given as a pledge for her father’s debt and the creditor gives her to a husband (even though she was not his daughter), [33] then another creditor with an earlier claim comes forward, he is to be paid the value of the girl who was given in marriage. If the second creditor cannot pay, he will himself be taken. If the girl has been treated cruelly, she has no obligation to the man who has mistreated her. If the woman’s husband has indebted himself or become liable in the case, and pays the price of the woman, then the creditor who gave her is off the hook. [34]
A40 Married women, widows, and Assyrian [18] women must not have their heads uncovered when they go out into the street. Daughters of status[35] must be veiled, whether by a veil, a robe, or a [mantle]; they must not have their heads uncovered. When …, …, or…… they need not be veiled, but when the go into the street [alone] they are to be veiled. A concubine [36] on the street with her mistress is to be veiled. A hierodule who has gotten married must be veiled on the street, but a single hierodule must have her head uncovered; she may not be veiled. A harlot is not to be veiled; her head must be uncovered. Any man who sees a veiled harlot is to apprehend her, produce witnesses [37] and bring her to the palace entrance. Although her jewelry may not be taken the one who apprehended her may take her clothing. She will be caned (fifty stripes), and have pitch poured on her head. If a man sees a veiled harlot and lets her go rather than bringing her to the palace entrance, will himself be caned (50 stripes). The one who turned him in may take his clothing. His ears will be pierced, threaded with a cord tied behind him, and he will be sentenced to a full month’s hard labor for the king.
Slave-girls are not to be veiled either. Any man who sees a veiled slave-girl is to apprehend her and bring her to the palace entrance. Her ears will be cut off, and the man who apprehended her may take her clothes. If a man sees a veiled slave-girl and lets her go rather than bringing her to the palace entrance, and he has been charged and convicted, he is to be caned (50 stripes). His ears will be pierced, threaded with a cord tied behind him, and he will be sentenced to a full month’s hard labor for the king.
A41 If a man wants to veil his concubine, [38] he must assemble five or six of his neighbors and veil her in front of them, and say, “She is my wife.” In this way she becomes his wife. A concubine who has not been veiled in front of witnesses, or whose husband has not said, “She is my wife,” is not a wife; she is still a concubine. If a man has died and has no sons by his veiled wife, his sons by his concubines become
A42 If a man poured oil on the head of a girl of status on a holy-day or brought betrothal-gifts on a festival, the gifts are not returnable.
A43 If a man poured oil on the head of a girl of status or brought betrothal-gifts, but the son for whom he was seeking betrothal has either died or disappeared, he may give her to whichever of his remaining sons that he prefers, from the eldest to the youngest as long as he is at least ten years old; he is to marry her. If there are grandsons less than ten years old, the girl’s father has the option to give his daughter to one of them, or return the gifts equitably. If there are no other sons, he is certainly to return in full whatever he has received-precious stones and anything that cannot be eaten. He is not to return edible goods.
A44 If an Assyrian [18] man or woman is staying in a man’s house as a pledge, or given as payment for a debt (up to its full amount), the
A45 If a woman has gotten married, but the enemy has captured her husband, and she has neither father-in-law nor son, she is to remain faithful to her husband for two years. If, during those two years she has no food, she is to come and make a declaration, then she will become a ward of the palace. Her ………is to support her and she will work for him. If she is a peasant’s wife, she ………… is to support her and she will work for him. If her husband had a field and a house in the city as a fief, she is to report to the judges, “I have nothing to live on.” The judge is to make inquiry with the mayor and city elders, and since he had a field in the city as a fief, they will acquire the field and house, in exchange of two years support, and lease them to her. They will provide a contract and she must live there for two years, after which she may go and live with a husband of her choosing; they will provide her with a certificate of widowhood.
If her missing husband later returns to the country, he is to take his wife back (even though she remarried), but he will not lay claim to the sons she bore to her later husband, rather the later husband is to keep them. He may recover his field and house which were acquired by the state in order to pay for her maintenance, by repaying the cost of the lease (unless he rejoins the king’s armed service). [39] If, on the other hand, he does not return, but has died in another country, the king may reallocate his house and field as he desires.
A46 If a woman’s husband dies, and she does not wish to leave her house after her husband’s death but her husband has not assigned anything to her in writing, she is to live in whichever of her sons’ houses she chooses. Her husband’s sons are to support her-they are to contract with her to provide her food and drink as if she were a cherished bride. If she is a second wife without her own sons, she is to live with one of her husband’s sons, and they will share her upkeep. If she has her own sons, and the former wife’s sons do not want to provide for her, she will live in one of her own sons’ houses, as she chooses. They will support her, and she will do their
A47 If a man or woman has made magical preparations and they have been found in their possession, they are to be executed. The man who saw them making the magical preparation, or the one who heard of it from an eye-witness (who told him, “I saw it myself”) is to come forward as a hearsay-witness and report it to the king. If the eye-witness denies it, the one he told is to declare it in front of the Bull, son of Shamash, [41] “I swear he said it,” then he has fulfilled his service. The king will interrogate the eye-witness who denied saying it in whatever way he thinks necessary to uncover the truth.
A48 If a girl has been given as a pledge for her father’s debt and the creditor has her father’s permission he may give her to a husband. If the father does not agree, he may not do so. If her father has died, he may ask one of her brothers, who will consult with her other brothers. If one of the brothers announces that he will redeem her within a month, but fails to do so, the creditor may declare the loan in default and give her to a husband, or sell her, depending on the terms of his contract…… her…… him…… them…… them…… him.
A49 ………as a brother……But if the harlot dies, because her brothers declared her in this way…shall divide a share as a brother with the brothers of their mother. [43]
A50 If a man struck a married woman and caused her to miscarry, the striker’s wife will be treated in the same way: he will pay for the unborn child on the principle of a life for a life. But if (the first) woman died, the man is to be executed: he will pay for the unborn child on the principle of a life for a life. If (the first) woman’s husband has no son, and she has been struck causing a miscarriage, the striker will be executed, even if the child was a girl: he will still pay for the unborn child on the principle of a life for a life.
A51 If a man struck a married woman who does not rear her children [44] and caused her to miscarry, he is to pay two talents of lead.
A52 If a man struck a harlot and caused her to miscarry, he is to be struck with the same number and type of blows: in this way he will pay on the principle of a life for a life.
A53 If a woman aborts her own unborn child, and she has been charged and convicted, she is to be impaled and not buried. If she died during the abortion, she is (still) to be impaled [45] and not buried. If some woman hid her when had the abortion, and did not report it to the king………
A54 ………there is not………………slave-girls………
A55 If a man has taken and raped another man’s virgin daughter, dishonoring her (she was living in her father’s house, was not engaged, and her hymen had not been penetrated-since she had not been married), and no one had a claim on the father’s house, [46] the father is to take the rapist’s wife and allow her to be raped, and keep her, not returning her to her husband. It does not matter if the (original) rape was in the city, the open country, at night in the street, in a granary, or at a city festival. The father may give his raped daughter to her rapist. [47] If the rapist has no wife, his to give ‘the third’ in silver (the virgin-price) to her father. [48] Then her rapist is to marry her, and will not be allowed to divorce her. [49] If the father does not approve
A56 If the virgin has given herself to the man (voluntarily), he is to swear to this effect and his wife is to be left alone. The seducer is to give ‘the third’ (the virgin-price) in silver and the father is to treat his daughter as he wants.
A57 Whether it is a beating…………..[of] a married woman, as prescribed in the law, [50] it should be done in the presence of the judges.
A58 In all punishments, from tearing out the nipples, [51] to cutting off (the nose, ears, or fingers) of a married woman, the priest should be called; it should be done as prescribed by law. [50]
A59 Other than prescribed penalties for a man’s wife, a husband may beat his wife, pull out her hair, or mutilate and twist her ears,
