2 The guilty person might have to be punished with a beating. If so, the judge will make him lie down. They will beat him in front of the judge. The number of lashes should match the crime.
3 But don’t hit him more than 40 times. If he is beaten more than that, it would disgrace him before others.
4 When an ox is working in the grain, do not cover its mouth to keep it from eating.
5 Two brothers might be living together. One of them might die without having a son. His widow must not marry someone outside her husband’s family. Her husband’s brother must marry her. This is his duty for her as a brother-in-law.
6 The first son she has must be named for the dead brother. Then his name will not be forgotten in Israel.
7 But a man might not want to marry his brother’s widow. Then she should go to the elders at the town gate. And she should say, “My brother-in-law will not carry on his brother’s name in Israel. He refuses to do his duty for me.”
8 Then the elders of the town must call for the man and talk to him. But he might be stubborn and say, “I don’t want to marry her.”