The Fifth Book of Moses: Deuteronomy

⭑ Unlocked Literal Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 21 -

If someone is found killed in the land that Yahweh your God is giving you to possess, lying in the field, and it is not known who has attacked him;

then your elders and your judges must go out, and they must measure to the cities that are around him who has been killed.

Then the elders of the town nearest to the dead man’s body must take a heifer from the herd, one that has never been put to work, and that has not borne the yoke.

Then they must lead the heifer down to a valley with running water, a valley that has been neither plowed nor sown, and there in the valley they must break the heifer’s neck.

The priests, descendants of Levi, must come near; for them Yahweh your God has chosen to serve him and to bless the people in the name of Yahweh; listen to their advice, for their word will be the verdict in every dispute and case of assault.

All the elders of the city that is the nearest to the killed man must wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley;

and they must answer to the case and say, ’Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.

Forgive, Yahweh, your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, and do not put guilt for innocent bloodshed in the midst of your people Israel.’ Then the bloodshed will be forgiven them.

In this way you will put away the innocent blood from your midst, when you do what is right in the eyes of Yahweh.

Marrying a Captive Woman

When you go out to do battle against your enemies and Yahweh your God gives you victory and puts them under your control, and you take them away as captives,

if you see among the captives a beautiful woman, and you have a desire for her and wish to take her for yourself as a wife,

then you will bring her home to your house; she will shave her head and cut her nails.

Then she will take off the clothes she was wearing when she was taken captive and she will remain in your house and mourn for her father and her mother a full month. After that you may sleep with her and be her husband, and she will be your wife.

But if you take no delight in her, then you may let her go where she wishes. But you must not sell her at all for money, and you must not treat her like a slave, because you have humiliated her.

Inheritance Rights of the Firstborn

If a man has two wives and one is loved and the other is hated, and they have both borne him children-both the beloved wife and the hated wife-if the firstborn son is of her that is hated,

then on the day that the man causes his sons to inherit what he possesses, he may not make the son of the beloved wife the firstborn before the son of the hated wife, the son who is actually the firstborn.

Instead, he must acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the hated wife, by giving him a double portion of all that he possesses; for that son is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn belongs to him.

A Rebellious Son

(Luke 15:11–32)

If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and who, even though they correct him, will not listen to them;

then his father and his mother must lay hold on him and bring him out to the elders of his city and to the gate of his city.

They must say to the elders of his city, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’

Then all the men of his city must stone him to death with stones; and you will remove the evil from among you. All Israel will hear of it and fear.

Cursed Is Anyone Hung on a Tree

If a man has committed a sin worthy of death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree,

then his body must not remain all night on the tree. Instead, you must surely bury him the same day; for whoever is hanged is cursed by God. Obey this commandment so that you do not defile the land that Yahweh your God is giving you as an inheritance.

If someone is found slain in the land which the LORD your God gives you to possess, lying in the field, and it isn’t known who has struck him,

then your elders and your judges shall come out, and they shall measure to the cities which are around him who is slain.

It shall be that the elders of the city which is nearest to the slain man shall take a heifer of the herd, which hasn’t been worked with and which has not drawn in the yoke.

The elders of that city shall bring the heifer down to a valley with running water, which is neither plowed nor sown, and shall break the heifer’s neck there in the valley.

The priests the sons of Levi shall come near, for them the LORD your God has chosen to minister to him, and to bless in the LORD’s name; and according to their word shall every controversy and every assault be decided.

All the elders of that city which is nearest to the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley.

They shall answer and say, “Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.

Forgive, LORD, your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, and don’t allow innocent blood among your people Israel.” The blood shall be forgiven them.

So you shall put away the innocent blood from among you, when you shall do that which is right in the LORD’s eyes.

Marrying a Captive Woman

When you go out to battle against your enemies, and the LORD your God delivers them into your hands and you carry them away captive,

and see among the captives a beautiful woman, and you are attracted to her, and desire to take her as your wife,

then you shall bring her home to your house. She shall shave her head and trim her nails.

She shall take off the clothing of her captivity, and shall remain in your house, and bewail her father and her mother a full month. After that you shall go in to her and be her husband, and she shall be your wife.

It shall be, if you have no delight in her, then you shall let her go where she desires; but you shall not sell her at all for money. You shall not deal with her as a slave, because you have humbled her.

Inheritance Rights of the Firstborn

If a man has two wives, the one beloved and the other hated, and they have borne him children, both the beloved and the hated, and if the firstborn son is hers who was hated,

then it shall be, in the day that he causes his sons to inherit that which he has, that he may not give the son of the beloved the rights of the firstborn before the son of the hated, who is the firstborn;

but he shall acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the hated, by giving him a double portion of all that he has; for he is the beginning of his strength. The right of the firstborn is his.

A Rebellious Son

(Luke 15:11–32)

If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and though they chasten him, will not listen to them,

then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city and to the gate of his place.

They shall tell 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.”

All the men of his city shall stone him to death with stones. So you shall remove the evil from among you. All Israel shall hear, and fear.

Cursed Is Anyone Hung on a Tree

If a man has committed a sin worthy of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree,

his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall surely bury him the same day; for he who is hanged is accursed of God. Don’t defile your land which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance.