5. If the judges found him clear, they released him, but if not they
deferred his judgment till the morrow. They conversed in pairs, and
reduced their eating, and they drank no wine all the day, and discussed
the matter the whole night. And on the morrow they came very early to the
judgment hall. He who was for clearing said, “I was for clearing, and I am
for clearing in my place.” And he who was for condemning said, “I was for
condemning, and I am for condemning in my place.” He who pronounced for
condemning, could pronounce for clearing, but he who pronounced for
clearing, could not turn round and pronounce for condemning. If the judges
erred in a matter, the two scribes of the judges recalled it to their
memory. If they found him clear, they released him: but if not, they stood
to be counted. “Twelve cleared him, and eleven condemned?” “He is clear.”
“Twelve condemned him, and eleven cleared him, and even eleven cleared,
and eleven condemned,” and one said, “I don’t know.” And even twenty-two
cleared or condemned, and one said, “I don’t know?” “They must add
judges.” “How many do they add as judges two by two?” “Up to seventy-one.”
“Thirty-six cleared him, and thirty-five condemned him?” “He is clear.”
“Thirty-six condemned him, and thirty-five cleared him?” “They disputed
with each other until one of the condemning party acknowledged the
statement of the clearing party.”
Chapter VI
1. When the judgment was finished, they brought him forth to stone
him.(394) The place of stoning was outside the judgment-hall; as is said,
“Bring him forth that hath cursed.”(395) One stood at the door of the
judgment-hall with towels in his hand, and another man rode a horse at a
distance from him, but so that he might see him. If one said, “I have
something to tell for clearing,” this one waved the towels, and the other
galloped his horse, and stopped the accused. And even though he himself
said, “I have something to tell to clear myself,” they brought him back as
many as four or five times, only there must be substance in his words. If
they found him clear, they freed him; but if not, they took him forth to
stone him. And a herald preceded him (crying), “Such a one, the son of
such a one, is brought out for stoning, because he committed such a
transgression, and so and so are witnesses; let everyone who knows aught
for clearing him come forth and tell it.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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