1. Hammurabi’s Code of Laws

2. Hammurabi’s Code of Laws
One of the first written codes of laws
Established during the reign of the Babylonian king, Hammurabi between – 1750 B.C. (or B.C.E.)

3. Hammurabi’s Code of Laws
Established so that "the strong shall not injure the weak, and the orphan and the widow shall receive justice."
Replaced systems where revenge was a family matter or kings decided matters as they wished

4. the king of righteousness, on whom Shamash has conferred the law,
Hammurabi’s Code
“Hammurabi,
the king of righteousness,
on whom Shamash has conferred the law,
am I.”

5. the king of righteousness, on whom Shamash has conferred the law,
Hammurabi’s Code
“Hammurabi,
the king of righteousness,
on whom Shamash has conferred the law,
am I.”

6. to give the protection of right to the land,
Hammurabi’s Code
“When Marduk*
sent me to rule over men,
to give the protection of right to the land,
I did right and in righteousness brought about the well-being of the oppressed.

7. Hammurabi had his Code of laws written down in Cuneiform.

8. Time for you to think and respond!
Hammurabi’s Code
Time for you to think and respond!

9. What do you think Shamash would have wanted Hammurabi to do?
Hammurabi’s Code
What do you think Shamash would have wanted Hammurabi to do?
Q #1:
What should be done if a son is adopted and then the birth-parents want him back?

10. Hammurabi’s Code Hammurabi’s Code #185:
“If a man takes in his own home a young boy as a son and rears him, one may not bring claim for that adopted son.”

11. Hammurabi’s Code
What do you think Shamash would have wanted Hammurabi to do?
Q #2:
What should happen to a boy who slaps his father?

12. “If a son strike his father, his hands shall be hewn [cut] off.”
Hammurabi’s Code
Hammurabi’s Code #195:
“If a son strike his father, his hands shall be hewn [cut] off.”

13. Hammurabi’s Code
What do you think Shamash would have wanted Hammurabi to do?
Q #3:
What happens if a man is unable to pay his debts?

14. Hammurabi’s Code Hammurabi’s Code # 178:
“If a man be in debt and is unable to pay his creditors,
he shall sell his wife, son, or daughter, or bind them over to service.
For three years they shall work in the houses of their purchaser or master;
in the fourth year they shall be given their freedom.

15. What do you think Shamash would have wanted Hammurabi to do?
Hammurabi’s Code
What do you think Shamash would have wanted Hammurabi to do?
Q #4:
How is the truth determined when one man brings an accusation against another?

16. Hammurabi’s Code Hammurabi’s Code #2:
“If any one bring an accusation against a man,
and the accused go to the river and leap into the river,
if he sink in the river his accuser shall take possession of his house…

17. then he who had brought the accusation shall be put to death,
Hammurabi’s Code
Hammurabi’s Code #2:
… But if the river prove that the accused is not guilty, and he escape unhurt,
then he who had brought the accusation shall be put to death,
while he who leaped into the river shall take possession of the house that had belonged to his accuser.”

18. What do you think Shamash would have wanted Hammurabi to do?
Hammurabi’s Code
What do you think Shamash would have wanted Hammurabi to do?
Q #5:
What should be done to the carpenter who builds a house that falls and kills the owner?

19. Hammurabi’s Code Hammurabi’s Code #229:
“If a builder build a house for some one,
and does not construct it properly,
and the house which he built fall in and kill its owner,
then that builder shall be put to death.

20. Hammurabi’s Code
What do you think Shamash would have wanted Hammurabi to do?
Q #6:
What should be done if the house falls on and kills the owner’s slave?

21. Hammurabi’s Code Hammurabi’s Code #231:
“If it kill a slave of the owner,
then he shall pay slave for slave to the owner of the house.

22. Hammurabi’s Code
What do you think Shamash would have wanted Hammurabi to do?
Q #7:
What should be done if the house falls on and kills the owner’s son?

23. Hammurabi’s Code Hammurabi’s Code #230:
“If it kill the son of the owner
the son of that builder shall be put to death.”

24. What do you think Shamash would have wanted Hammurabi to do?
Hammurabi’s Code
What do you think Shamash would have wanted Hammurabi to do?
Q #8:
What should be done if someone comes to someone’s house that is on fire and steals from it?

25. Hammurabi’s Code Hammurabi’s Code #25: “If fire break out in a house,
and some one who comes to put it out cast his eye upon the property of the owner of the house,
and take the property of the master of the house,
he shall be thrown into that self-same fire. .”

26. Hammurabi’s Code
What do you think Shamash would have wanted Hammurabi to do?
Q #9:
What should be done if a man puts out the eye of another man?

27. “If a man put out the eye of another man, his eye shall be put out. ”
Hammurabi’s Code
Hammurabi’s Code #196:
“If a man put out the eye of another man,
his eye shall be put out. ”

28. Hammurabi’s Code
What do you think Shamash would have wanted Hammurabi to do?
Q #10:
What should be done if a man puts out the eye of a former slave?

29. Hammurabi’s Code Hammurabi’s Code #198:
“If he put out the eye of a freed man [former slave], …
he shall pay one gold mina. ”

30. Hammurabi’s Code
What do you think Shamash would have wanted Hammurabi to do?
Q #11:
What should be done if a man puts out the eye of a slave?

31. Hammurabi’s Code Hammurabi’s Code #199:
“If he put out the eye of a man's slave, …
he shall pay one-half of its value. ”

32. Would you have made a good Babylonian God or King?
Hammurabi’s Code
How did you do?
Would you have made a good Babylonian God or King?

33. There is a saying today that stems from this sort of justice.
Hammurabi’s Code
There is a saying today that stems from this sort of justice.
What would that be?

34. Hammurabi’s Code “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.”
* Laws for loss of a tooth are similar to those concerning loss of an eye.

35. Hammurabi’s Code
Some questions for you to ponder.
1. List ways in which Hammurabi’s code is similar to our own laws.

36. Some questions for you to ponder.
Hammurabi’s Code
Some questions for you to ponder.
Similarities …

37. Hammurabi’s Code
Some questions for you to ponder.
1. List ways in which Hammurabi’s code is similar to our own laws.
2. List ways in which Hammurabi’s code is different from our own laws.

38. Some questions for you to ponder.
Hammurabi’s Code
Some questions for you to ponder.
Similarities
Differences … …

39. Hammurabi’s Code
Now, using Yes, MAAM, write a short essay of at least two paragraphs comparing and contrasting Hammurabi’s Code to our laws today.