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DEUTERONOMY
CHAPTER 21

1 If 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: 2 Then thy 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 heifer, 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 rough 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 hath chosen to minister unto him, and to bless in the name of the LORD; and by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried: 6 And 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: 7 And they shall answer and say, Our 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 lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Israel's charge. And the blood shall be forgiven them. 9 So 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.

For every sin there is a consequence, or sometimes even a SET of consequences.
God is just in His judgment and He does not want the innocent to suffer because of the guilty.
Therefore, He gives these laws concerning a person who is found murdered.
First, there must be diligent inquisition to determine facts and what they represent (verse 1). This may disclose the guilty party.
Second, the nearest town (or people) are to openly confess to NO WRONGDOING (verses 2-10). There's nothing wrong with answering a few questions. And the innocent should not be offended to do so.
Then, God will allow the guilt to be put away. God does require an "account of what is past." (Ecclesiastes 3:15) One day the guilty will face God, even though THIS day his actions may not be disclosed.
Notice who God requires here: elders, priests, Levites. The leaders of communities (and countries) are held in higher judgment for wrong actions.

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 them captive, 11 And seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her, that thou wouldest have her to thy wife; 12 Then thou shalt bring her home to thine house; and she shall shave her head, and pare her nails; 13 And she shall put the raiment of her captivity from off her, and shall remain in thine house, and bewail 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 shalt let her go whither she will; but thou shalt not sell her at all for money, thou shalt not make merchandise of her, because thou hast humbled her.

God's desire is that marriage should be within one's own culture. (Exodus 34:12-16, Deuteronomy 7:3)
However, God recognizes the inordinate desires of mankind. Therefore, He instituted this law to restrain men in unholy lusts, and to put righteousness where man would act unrighteously.
1) IF one desires to marry outside his culture, the expectant partner must come and become familiar with the new form of life they will be living.away from home influences, and being submitted to the new environment will yield time to make a proper decision (verses 12-13).
2) IF one marries outside the culture and it doesn't work, the partner taken must not become considered as merchandise or excess baggage. Again, God does not like divorce.
However, God knows the evil of people's hearts. And He provides for righteousness where man acts unrighteously.

15 If a man have 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 maketh 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 shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.

Personally, I've never understood why a man would want TWO wives. Multiple marriages lead to multiple sin (IE. jealousy, deceipt, prejudicial treatment, etc.).
God's plan for marriage is one man for one woman for one lifetime.
But God knows the hearts of men are often set to fulfilling lust, not reason and righteousenss. And God provides righteousness where man acts unrighteously.
Notice that the mans FIRST-BORN must become the HEIR!

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: 19 Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto 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 a glutton, and a drunkard. 21 And 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.

Children and youth might be advised of this law!! 'Tis far better to be obedient and not rebellious!
What do we do today when a child (or youth) just REFUSES to be obedient? Oh, we can think of a hundred responses; talking to them, discipline, corporal punishment, excessive love, counselors, certain disciplinary schools, etc.
But that's not the question we should really focus on. The REAL question is WWJD- "What Would Jesus Do?"
Friends, we need to be more concerned about the spiritual side of rebellion than the physical side. And I don't mean that we should ignore physical problems or consequences.
But if a child is rebellious all the time, we should be concerned about what GOD is going to do!

22 And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: 23 His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

Under God's law, this means that a person who is hanged on a tree is "accursed." Now the Hebrew word here is CHEREM. That word is used in many ways in the Old Testament. 1) Numbers 21:2 - dedicated.
2) Deuteronomy 2:34 - killed.
3) Joshua 6:21 - become God's property.
4) Judges 21:11 - devoted.

In this text (Deuteronomy 21:23), I believe, it means "killed for righteousness sake."
You see, the person is judged and found guilty and justly sentenced to die (verse 22).
Therefore, the death sentence is for righteousness sake.
Since this was the case, the body of that person was to be given great respect. He was not to remain on the tree overnight.

Perhaps to see the full meaning of these verses fulfilled, we need to look at John 19:31 and Galatians 3:13.

John 19:31 31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

Gal 3:13 13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

Jesus became our redemption because He was killed for righteousness sake!!
He willingly took upon Himself the sins of all mankind. And God justly judged Him to die for righteousness.

Please continue to follow with us daily in Bible study.