Deuteronomy21
New International Version
1If someone is found slain, lying in a field in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess, and it is not known who the killer was,
2your elders and judges shall go out and measure the distance from the body to the neighboring towns.
3Then the elders of the town nearest the body shall take a heifer that has never been worked and has never worn a yoke
4and lead it down to a valley that has not been plowed or planted and where there is a flowing stream. There in the valley they are to break the heifer’s neck.
5The Levitical priests shall step forward, for the Lord your God has chosen them to minister and to pronounce blessings in the name of the Lord and to decide all cases of dispute and assault.
6Then all the elders of the town nearest the body shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley,
7and they shall declare: “Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it done.
8Accept this atonement for your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, Lord, and do not hold your people guilty of the blood of an innocent person.” Then the bloodshed will be atoned for,
9and you will have purged from yourselves the guilt of shedding innocent blood, since you have done what is right in the eyes of the Lord.
10When you go to war against your enemies and the Lord your God delivers them into your hands and you take captives,
11if you notice among the captives a beautiful woman and are attracted to her, you may take her as your wife.
12Bring her into your home and have her shave her head, trim her nails
13and put aside the clothes she was wearing when captured. After she has lived in your house and mourned her father and mother for a full month, then you may go to her and be her husband and she shall be your wife.
14If you are not pleased with her, let her go wherever she wishes. You must not sell her or treat her as a slave, since you have dishonored her.
15If a man has two wives, and he loves one but not the other, and both bear him sons but the firstborn is the son of the wife he does not love,
16when he wills his property to his sons, he must not give the rights of the firstborn to the son of the wife he loves in preference to his actual firstborn, the son of the wife he does not love.
17He must acknowledge the son of his unloved wife as the firstborn by giving him a double share of all he has. That son is the first sign of his father’s strength. The right of the firstborn belongs to him.
18If someone has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and will not listen to them when they discipline him,
19his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his town.
20They shall say to the elders, “This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey us. He is a glutton and a drunkard.”
21Then all the men of his town are to stone him to death. You must purge the evil from among you. All Israel will hear of it and be afraid.
22If someone guilty of a capital offense is put to death and their body is exposed on a pole,
23you must not leave the body hanging on the pole overnight. Be sure to bury it that same day, because anyone who is hung on a pole is under God’s curse. You must not desecrate the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Deuteronomy 21.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The expiation of uncertain murder. (1–9). Respecting a captive taken to wife. (10–14). The first-born not to be disinherited for private affection. (15–17). A stubborn son to be stoned. (18–21). Malefactors not to be left hanging all night. (22, 23).
vv1-9
If a murderer could not be found out, great solemnity is provided for putting away the guilt from the land, as an expression of dread and detesting of that sin. The providence of God has often wonderfully brought to light these hidden works of darkness, and the sin of the guilty has often strangely found them out. The dread of murder should be deeply impressed upon every heart, and all should join in detecting and punishing those who are guilty. The elders were to profess that they had not been any way aiding or abetting the sin. The priests were to pray to God for the country and nation, that God would be merciful. We must empty that measure by our prayers, which others are filling by their sins. All would be taught by this solemnity, to use the utmost care and diligence to prevent, discover, and punish murder. We may all learn from hence to take heed of partaking in other men's sins. And we have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, if we do not reprove them.
vv10-14
By this law a soldier was allowed to marry his captive, if he pleased. This might take place upon some occasions; but the law does not show any approval of it. It also intimates how binding the laws of justice and honour are in marriage; which is a sacred engagement.
vv15-17
This law restrains men from disinheriting their eldest sons without just cause. The principle in this case as to children, is still binding to parents; they must give children their right without partiality.
Key Words
כִּי: (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
אֲדָמָה: soil (from its general redness)
אֲשֶׁר: who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
אֱלֹהִים: gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
נָתַן: to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
יָרַשׁ: to occupy (by driving out previous tenants, and possessing in their place); by implication, to seize, to rob, to inherit; also to expel, to impoverish, to ruin
מָצָא: properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present
חָלָל: pierced (especially to death); figuratively, polluted
נָפַל: to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative)
שָׂדֶה: a field (as flat)
Cross References
Deuteronomy 21Explicitly cites 'cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree' to show Christ bearing the law's curse.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Pilate washing his hands to declare innocence echoes the elders' ritual washing over the slain heifer.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Both rituals require a red heifer that has never borne a yoke, indicating dedication and purity.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Forget thy own people and father's house parallels the captive woman's month of mourning for her parents.
Supported by John Calvin
Reuben lost his birthright, which gave his double portion to Joseph, demonstrating rules of double portion inheritance.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Jacob defines the firstborn Reuben as 'the beginning of my strength,' using the same Hebrew legal phrase.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The sailors' plea 'lay not upon us innocent blood' matches the elders' expiation prayer for unsolved murder.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Jacob loving Rachel more than Leah is the classic historical case of the beloved and 'hated' wives.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Joshua takes down the king of Ai's body from the tree at sunset, fulfilling this civil statute.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Joshua's hanging of five kings and taking them down by evening directly conforms to the Deuteronomy law.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Establishes the priestly tribe of Levi's authority to minister, bless in God's name, and decide controversies.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Command to purge the guilt of innocent blood from Israel to ensure the nation's welfare.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Protects maidservants/captives from commercial sale or mistreatment, emphasizing their human dignity when humbled.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Stoning at the gates of the city was the standard punishment for high covenant rebellion.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Hanging of Saul's descendants to expiate the blood guilt of the Gibeonites left on the land.
Supported by Matthew Poole