THE FIFTH BOOK OF

MOSES,
called
D E U T E R O N O M Y

Deuteronomy 21

1The expiation of a murder, when the slayer is unknown. 10The usage of a captive taken to wife. 15The firstborn not to be disinherited upon private affection. 18A rebellious son must be stoned to death. 22The malefactor must not hang all night on a tree.


1IF one be found slain in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it, lying in the field, and it be not known who hath slain him:

2Then thy elders and thy judges shall come forth, and they shall measure unto the cities which are round about him that is slain:

3And it shall be, that the city which is next unto the slain man, even the elders of that city shall take an heifer, which hath not been wrought with, and which hath not drawn in the yoke;

4And the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer 1unto a rough valley, which is neither eareda nor sown, and shall strike off the heifer's neck there in the valley:

1 These circumstances (as some perceive) serve to portray somewhat the atrocity of the sin of murder, and to deter men from it.

a ploughed

5And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near; for them the LORD thy God hath chosen to minister unto him, and to bless 2in the name of the LORD; and 3by their word shall every controversy and every stroke 4be tried:

2 See Deut. 10 on verse 8.

3 That is, according to their word, saying, sentence.

4 Hebr. be or be done.

6And all the elders of that city, that are next unto the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley:

7And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither 5have our eyes seen it.

5 That is, have not seen it shed.

86Be merciful, O LORD, unto thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and 7lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Israel's charge. And 8the blood shall be forgiven them.

6 Hebr. expiate or make propitiation for or over thy people.

7 That is, do not lay the murder of an innocent person unto thy people’s charge or punish them for it.

8 That is, thus shall they be discharged from the guilt of this murder, (and) that it shall not be imputed unto them.

9So shalt thou put away the guilt of innocent blood from among you, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the LORD.

10¶When thou goest forth to war against thine enemies, and the LORD thy God hath delivered them into thine hands, and thou hast taken 9them captive,

9 Hebr. his captivity, and so in the sequel.

11And seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her, that thou wouldest have her to thy wife;

12Then thou shalt bring her 10home to thine house; and she shall shave her head, and 11pare her nails;

10 Hebr. into the midst of thine house, as Deut. 22:2.

11 Hebr. make her nails, that is, fashion, prepare. In this sense is the Hebrew word likewise found in 2 Sam. 19:24. All these ceremonies mentioned in this and the following verse, as, shaving the head, paring or cleansing the nails, putting off her former pagan clothes, bewailing her parents, etc., were a sign of putting off and forsaking the former pagan, idolatrous nature, and of embracing the true religion, and of being incorporated into the people of God. Compare Psalm 45:10. Some perceive that these things served to make the man averse to this marriage, and therefore translate the words rendered here pare her nails as to let the nails grow.

13And she shall put the 12raiment of her captivity from off her, and shall remain in thine house, and bewail her father and her mother 13a full month: and after that thou shalt go in unto her, and be her husband, and she shall be thy wife.

12 The pagan garment in which she was taken captive.

13 Hebr. a month of days. See Gen. 29 on verse 14. Also a year of days, that is, a full year. See Gen. 41 on verse 1.

14And it shall be, if thou have no delight in her, then thou shalt let her go whither 14she will; but thou shalt not sell her 15at all for money, thou shalt 16not make merchandise of her, because thou hast 17humbled her.

14 Hebr. soul.

15 Hebr. selling, not sell her.

16 Compare Deut. 24:7.

17 Or, defiled her, slept with her.

15¶If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another 18hated, and they have born him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated:

18 That is, whom he loves less than the other. Compare Gen. 29:31.

16Then it shall be, when he maketh his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved 19firstborn 20before the son of the hated, which is indeed the firstborn:

19 That is, the right of the firstborn.

20 That is, passing him by in his presence and as it were in his sight, to his disgrace and injury. Other, before his face, that is, in his stead.

17But he shall 21acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by givingb him a 22double portion of all that he hath: for he is thec beginning of his strength; the 23right of the firstborn is his.

21 That is, he shall indeed prove that he esteems him to be the firstborn.

b 1 Chron. 5:1.

22 Or, two parts. Hebr. the mouth of two. Compare 2 Kings 2:9. See the annotation there. Likewise Zech. 13:8.

c Gen. 49:3.

23 See Gen. 25 on verse 31.

18¶If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them:

19Then 24shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders 25of his city, and unto the 26gate of his place;

24 Other, may lay hold.

25 Where the son lives.

26 See Gen. 22 on verse 17.

20And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.

21And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.

22¶And if a man have committed 27a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree:

27 Hebr. a sin, a sentence of death. See Deut. 19:6.

23His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt 28in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is 29accursed of God;d) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

28 Hebr. burying bury.

29 Hebr. a curse of God, as Deut. 17:1, an abomination unto the LORD. This in general has respect to the offenses which are abominable in the eyes of the LORD; but in particular to the intention of God concerning our Savior Jesus Christ, Who was to bear the curse for us, who were under the curse by reason of sin, and for a sign and assurance thereof was to be hanged on the tree. See Gal. 3:13; 1 Peter 2:24.

d Gal. 3:13.