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 161. If a man has brought in a present to the house of his
father-in-law, has given a dowry, and a comrade of his has slandered him,
his father-in-law has said to the claimant of the wife, 'My daughter thou
shalt not espouse,' he shall make up and return all that he brought him,
and his comrade shall not marry his wife.
section 162. If a man has married a wife and she has borne him children,
and that woman has gone to her fate, her father shall have no claim on
her marriage portion, her marriage portion is her children's forsooth.
section 163. If a man has married a wife, and she has not granted him
children, that woman has gone to her fate, if his father-in-law has
returned him the dowry that that man brought to the house of his father-
in-law, her husband shall have no claim on the marriage portion of that
woman, her marriage portion belongs to the house of her father forsooth.
section 164. If his father-in-law has not returned him the dowry, he
shall deduct all her dowry from his marriage portion and shall return her
marriage portion to the house of her father.
section 165. If a man has apportioned to his son, the first in his eyes,
field, garden, and house, has written him a sealed deed, after the father
has gone to his fate, when the brothers divide, the present his father
gave him he shall take, and over and above he shall share equally in the
goods of the father's house.
section 166. If a man, in addition to the children which he has
possessed, has taken a wife, for his young son has not taken a wife,
after the father has gone to his fate, when the brothers divide, from the
goods of the father's house to their young brother who has not taken a
wife, beside his share, they shall assign him money as a dowry and shall
cause him to take a wife.
section 167. If a man has taken a wife, and she has borne him sons, that
woman has gone to her fate, after her, he has taken to himself another
woman and she has borne children, afterwards the father has gone to his
fate, the children shall not share according to their mothers, they shall
take the marriage portions of their mothers and shall share the goods of
their father's house equally.
section 168. If a man has set his face to cut off his son, has said to
the judge 'I will cut off my son,' the judge shall enquire into his
reasons, and if the son has not committed a heavy crime which cuts off
from sonship, the father shall not cut off his son from sonship.
section 169. If he has committed against his father a heavy crime which
cuts off from sonship, for the first time the judge shall bring back his
face; if he has committed a heavy crime for the second time, the father
shall cut off his son from sonship.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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