136.  If any one leave his house, run away, and then his wife go to another house, if then he return, and wishes to take his wife back:  because he fled from his home and ran away, the wife of this runaway shall not return to her husband.

137.  If a man wish to separate from a woman who has borne him children, or from his wife who has borne him children:  then he shall give that wife her dowry, and a part of the usufruct of field, garden and property, so that she can rear her children.  When she has brought up her children, a portion of all that is given to the children, equal as that of one son, shall be given to her.  She may then marry the man of her heart.

138.  If a man wishes to separate from his wife who has borne him no children, he shall give her the amount of her purchase money [amount formerly paid to the bride’s father] and the dowry which she brought from her father’s house, and let her go.

139.  If there was no purchase price he shall give her one mina of gold as a gift of release.

140.  If he be a freed man he shall give her one-third of a mina of gold.

141.  If a man’s wife, who lives in his house, wishes to leave it, plunges into debt, tries to ruin her house, neglects her husband, and is judicially convicted:  if her husband offer her release, she may go on her way, and he gives her nothing as a gift of release.  If her husband does not wish to release her, and if he take another wife, she shall remain as servant in her husband’s house.

142.  If a woman quarrel with her husband, and say:  “You are not congenial to me,” the reasons for her prejudice must be presented.  If she is guiltless, and there is no fault on her part, but he leaves and neglects her, then no guilt attaches to this woman, she shall take her dowry and go back to her father’s house.

143.  If she is not innocent, but leaves her husband, and ruins her house, neglecting her husband, this woman shall be cast into the water.

144.  If a man take a wife and this woman give her husband a maid-servant, and she bear him children, but this man wishes to take another wife, this shall not be permitted to him; he shall not take a second wife.

145.  If a man take a wife, and she bear him no children, and he intend to take another wife:  if he take this second wife, and bring her into the house, this second wife shall not be allowed equality with his wife.

146.  If a man take a wife and she give this man a maid servant as wife and she bear him children, and then this maid assume equality with the wife:  because she has borne him children her master shall not sell her for money, but he may keep her as a slave, reckoning her among the maid-servants.

147.  If she have not borne him children, then her mistress may sell her for money.

148.  If a man take a wife, and she be seized by disease, if he then desire to take a second wife he shall not put away his wife, who has been attacked by disease, but he shall keep her in the house which he has built and support her so long as she lives.