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Deuteronomy 21

23 verses

TL;DR

Deuteronomy 21 outlines procedures for accidental murder, treatment of captured women, inheritance rules, handling of rebellious sons, and capital punishment, emphasizing justice and communal responsibility.

Summary

The chapter opens with a procedure for dealing with a man found slain without known assailants: the nearest city’s elders present a heifer to the priests, who then judge the case and the elders wash their hands over the beheaded animal, signifying their innocence and God's mercy. It then instructs how to treat a captured woman, who must be shaved and kept in mourning before becoming a wife, and how to treat her if the man no longer desires her. The laws for inheritance require that the firstborn from a hated wife receives a double portion and the rightful status of a firstborn, even if a beloved wife has a son earlier. A stubborn son who resists parental authority is to be handed over to the city elders, who, after testimony, will stone him to remove evil from the community. Finally, if a person is condemned to death, the law requires that his body not remain on the gallows overnight but be buried the same day to keep the land clean. The passage stresses communal accountability, protection of the innocent, and order within families and society.

Outline
  1. Procedures for accidental murder and innocent blood
  2. Regulations on captured women and family inheritance
  3. Rules for rebellious sons and capital punishment
Themes
Justice and communal accountabilityProtection of the innocentFamily order and hierarchy
Keywords
innocent bloodheifercaptivesfirstborndouble portionrebellious sonexecution
People
Levi
Places
the landthe cities around hima rough valleyIsrael
Things
heifercaptured womanfirstborndouble portionstonetree
Key Verses
  • Deuteronomy 21:1: Introduces the procedure for accidental murder and innocent blood.
  • Deuteronomy 21:10-14: Regulates the treatment of captured women and their integration into Israelite families.
  • Deuteronomy 21:15-17: Details inheritance rights of a firstborn son from a hated wife.
  • Deuteronomy 21:18-21: Describes the handling and punishment of a rebellious son.
  • Deuteronomy 21:22-23: Specifies the execution and burial procedure to avoid defiling the land.
Questions
  • What does the procedure for accidental murder reveal about communal responsibility in ancient Israel?
  • How does the law regarding captured women reflect the tension between conquest and cultural assimilation?
  • In what ways do the inheritance rules aim to preserve family lineage and social order?
  • Why is it important that a rebellious son be executed by the community rather than the family?
  • How does the burial requirement after execution align with concerns for land and holiness?
Sentiment

neutral
The passage presents legal instructions without overt emotional tone, though it conveys a concern for justice and communal well-being.