The Oldest Code of Laws in the World: The code of laws promulgated by Hammurabi, King of Babylon, B.C. 2285-2242Hammurabi, King of Babylonia
History
The Oldest Code of Laws in the World: The code of laws promulgated by Hammurabi, King of Babylon, B.C. 2285-2242
Hammurabi, King of Babylonia
Law -- Iraq -- Babylonia -- Sources
section 137. If a man has set his face to put away his concubine who has
borne him children or his wife who has granted him children, to that
woman he shall return her her marriage portion and shall give her the
usufruct of field, garden, and goods, and she shall bring up her
children. From the time that her children are grown up, from whatever is
given to her children they shall give her a share like that of one son,
and she shall marry the husband of her choice.
section 138. If a man has put away his bride who has not borne him
children, he shall give her money as much as her dowry, and shall pay her
the marriage portion which she brought from her father's house, and shall
put her away.
section 139. If there was no dowry, he shall give her one mina of silver
for a divorce.
section 140. If he is a poor man, he shall give her one-third of a mina
of silver.
section 141. If the wife of a man who is living in the house of her
husband has set her face to go out and has acted the fool, has wasted her
house, has belittled her husband, one shall put her to account, and if
her husband has said, 'I put her away,' he shall put her away and she
shall go her way, he shall not give her anything for her divorce. If her
husband has not said 'I put her away,' her husband shall marry another
woman, that woman as a maidservant shall dwell in the house of her
husband.
section 142. If a woman hates her husband and has said 'Thou shalt not
possess me,' one shall enquire into her past what is her lack, and if she
has been economical and has no vice, and her husband has gone out and
greatly belittled her, that woman has no blame, she shall take her
marriage portion and go off to her father's house.
section 143. If she has not been economical, a goer about, has wasted
her house, has belittled her husband, that woman one shall throw her into
the waters.
section 144. If a man has espoused a votary, and that votary has given a
maid to her husband and has brought up children, that man has set his
face to take a concubine, one shall not countenance that man, he shall
not take a concubine.
section 145. If a man has espoused a votary, and she has not granted him
children and he has set his face to take a concubine, that man shall take
a concubine, he shall cause her to enter into his house. That concubine
he shall not put on an equality with the wife.
section 146. If a man has espoused a votary, and she has given a maid to
her husband and she has borne children, afterwards that maid has made
herself equal with her mistress, because she has borne children her
mistress shall not sell her for money, she shall put a mark upon her and
count her among the maidservants.
section 147. If she has not borne children her mistress may sell her for
money.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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