Self-interpreting Bible

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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.


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

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

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

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

5 And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near; for them the LORD thy God fhath chosen to minister unto him, and to bless in the name of the LORD; and gby their 1word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried:

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

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

8 Be merciful, O LORD, unto thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and jlay not innocent blood 2unto thy people of Israel's charge. And the blood shall be forgiven them.

9 So kshalt 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 lthine enemies, and the LORD thy God hath delivered them into thine hands, and thou hast taken them captive,

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

12 Then thou shalt bring her home to thine house; and she shall nshave her head, and 3pare her nails;

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

14 And it shall be, if thou have no delight in her, then thou pshalt let her go *whither she will; but thou shalt not sell her at all for money, thou shalt not qmake merchandise of her, because thou hast rhumbled her.

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

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

17 But he ushall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all 4that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.

18 ¶If a man vhave 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:

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

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

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

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

23 His body shall not cremain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for dhe that is hanged is 5accursed of God;) that ethy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.