§ 259. If a man steals a watering-machine from a field, he shall pay to the owner of the watering-machine 5 shekels of silver. § 260. If a man steals a watering-bucket or a plow, he shall pay 3 shekels of silver. As the Hebrews did not systematically irrigate their land, the Old Testament contains no similar laws. Laws Concerning Shepherds § 261. If a man hires a herdsman to tend cattle or sheep, he shall pay him 8 _Gur_ of grain per year. § 262. If a man, oxen, or sheep .............. (The rest is broken away.) § 263. If he loses an ox or a sheep that is intrusted to him, he shall restore ox for ox and sheep for sheep. § 264. If a herdsman who has had cattle or sheep intrusted to him receives his full pay and is satisfied, and he causes the cattle or the sheep to diminish in number or lessens the birth-rate, he shall give increase and produce according to his contracts. § 265. If a shepherd to whom cattle or sheep have been given to tend is dishonest and alters the price or sells them, they shall prosecute him, and he shall restore to their owner 10 times the oxen or sheep which he stole. § 266. If in a fold there is a pestilence of a god, or a lion has slain, the shepherd shall before a god declare himself innocent, and the owner of the fold shall bear the loss of the fold. § 267. If the shepherd is careless and causes a loss in the fold, the shepherd shall make good in cattle or sheep the loss which he caused in the fold and shall give them to the owner. The nearest approach in the Old Testament to laws of this character is in Exod. 22:10-13, which provides that, if a man deliver to his neighbor an ox, or ass, or sheep, or any beast to keep, and it dies, or is injured or is carried off when no one sees the deed, the oath of Jehovah shall be between them that the keeper has not put his hand to his neighbor’s goods. The owner was to accept this, and no restitution was necessary. If the animals were stolen from the keeper, he must make restitution. If they were torn in pieces by beasts of prey, he must bring the pieces for witness, and need not make restitution. The same general principles of the limits of responsibility underlay the two codes in these cases, though they differ in details. In Israel the shepherding of the flocks and herds of other people was not, as in Babylonia, a distinct occupation. On Wages of Animals and Men § 268. If a man hires an ox for threshing, 20 _Qa_ of grain is its hire. § 269. If he hires an ass for threshing, 10 _Qa_ of grain is its hire. § 270. If he hires a kid for threshing, 1 _Qa_ of grain is its hire. § 271. If he hires cattle, a wagon and a driver, he shall pay 180 _Qa_ of grain per day. § 272. If a man hires a wagon only, he shall pay 40 _Qa_ of grain per day.