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Deuteronomy Chapter
Twenty-one
Deuteronomy 21
Chapter Contents
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)
Commentary on Deuteronomy 21:1-9
(Read Deuteronomy 21:1-9)
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.
Commentary on Deuteronomy 21:10-14
(Read Deuteronomy 21:10-14)
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.
Commentary on Deuteronomy 21:15-17
(Read Deuteronomy 21:15-17)
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.
Commentary on Deuteronomy 21:18-21
(Read Deuteronomy 21:18-21)
Observe how the criminal is here described. He is a
stubborn and rebellious son. No child was to fare the worse for weakness of
capacity
slowness
or dulness
but for wilfulness and obstinacy. Nothing draws
men into all manner of wickedness
and hardens them in it more certainly and
fatally
than drunkenness. When men take to drinking
they forget the law of
honouring parents. His own father and mother must complain of him to the elders
of the city. Children who forget their duty
must thank themselves
and not
blame their parents
if they are regarded with less and less affection. He must
be publicly stoned to death by the men of his city. Disobedience to a parent's
authority must be very evil
when such a punishment was ordered; nor is it less
provoking to God now
though it escapes punishment in this world. But when
young people early become slaves to sensual appetites
the heart soon grows
hard
and the conscience callous; and we can expect nothing but rebellion and
destruction.
Commentary on Deuteronomy 21:22
23
(Read Deuteronomy 21:22
23)
By the law of Moses
the touch of a dead body was
defiling
therefore dead bodies must not be left hanging
as that would defile
the land. There is one reason here which has reference to Christ; "He that
is hanged is accursed of God;" that is
it is the highest degree of
disgrace and reproach. Those who see a man thus hanging between heaven and
earth
will conclude him abandoned of both
and unworthy of either. Moses
by
the Spirit
uses this phrase of being accursed of God
when he means no more
than being treated most disgracefully
that it might afterward be applied to
the death of Christ
and might show that in it he underwent the curse of the
law for us; which proves his love
and encourages to faith in him.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on Deuteronomy》
Deuteronomy 21
Verse 1
[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:
The field —
Or
in the city
or any place: only the field is named
as the place where such
murders are most commonly committed.
Verse 2
[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:
Thy elders and judges — Those of thy elders who are judges: the judges or rulers of all the
neighbouring cities.
Measure —
Unless it be evident which city is nearest; for then measuring was superfluous.
Verse 3
[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;
Which hath not drawn in the yoke — A fit representative of the murderer
in whose stead it was killed
who
would not bear the yoke of God's laws. A type also of Christ
who was under the
yoke
but what he had voluntarily taken upon himself.
Verse 4
[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:
A rough valley —
That such a desert and horrid place might beget an horror of murder and of the
murderer.
Strike off the neck — To
shew what they would and should have done to the murderer if they had found
him.
Verse 5
[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:
Every controversy — Of
this kind: every controversy which shall rise about any stroke
whether such a
mortal stroke as is here spoken of
or any other stroke or wound given by one
man to another.
Verse 7
[7] And
they shall answer and say
Our hands have not shed this blood
neither have our
eyes seen it.
They shall answer — To
the priests who shall examine them.
This blood —
This about which the present enquiry is made: or this which is here present:
for it is thought the corps of the slain man was brought into the same place
where the heifer was slain. Nor have we seen or understood how or by whom this
was done.
Verse 8
[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.
Forgiven —
Though there was no mortal guilt in this people
yet there was a ceremonial
uncleanness in the land
which was to be expiated and forgiven.
Verse 10
[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
Enemies — Of
other nations
but not of the Canaanites.
Verse 11
[11] And
seest among the captives a beautiful woman
and hast a desire unto her
that
thou wouldest have her to thy wife;
Hast a desire unto her — Or
hast taken delight in her: which may be a modest expression for
lying with her
and seems probable
because it is said
Deuteronomy 21:14
that he had humbled her. And here
seem to be two cases supposed
and direction given what to do in both of them
1. that he did desire to marry her
of which he speaks
Deuteronomy 21:11-13. 2. that he did not desire
this
of which he speaks
Deuteronomy 21:14.
Verse 12
[12] Then
thou shalt bring her home to thine house; and she shall shave her head
and
pare her nails;
She shall shave her head — In token of her renouncing her heathenish idolatry and superstition
and
of her becoming a new woman
and embracing the true religion.
Verse 13
[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.
Raiment of captivity — Those sordid raiments which were put upon her when she was taken
captive.
Bewail her father and mother — Either their death
or which was in effect the same
her final
separation from them.
Verse 14
[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.
If thou have no delight in her — If thou dost not chuse to marry her.
Thou shalt not make merchandise of her — Make gain of her
either by using her to thy own servile works
or by
prostituting her to the lusts or to the service of others.
Verse 15
[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:
Two wives —
This practice
though tolerated
is not hereby made lawful; but only provision
is made for the children in this case.
Hated —
Comparatively
that is
less loved.
Verse 19
[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;
His father and mother — The consent of both is required to prevent the abuse of this law to
cruelty. And it cannot reasonably be supposed that both would agree without the
son's abominable and incorrigible wickedness
in which case it seems a
righteous law
because the crime of rebellion against his own parents did so
fully signify what a pernicious member he would be in the commonwealth of
Israel
who had dissolved all his natural obligations.
Unto the elders — Which
was a sufficient caution to preserve children from the malice of any
hard-hearted parents
because these elders were first to examine the cause with
all exactness
and then to pronounce the sentence.
Verse 20
[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.
A glutton and a drunkard — Under which two offences others of a like or worse nature are
comprehended.
Verse 22
[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:
On a tree —
Which was done after the malefactor was put to death some other way
this
publick shame being added to his former punishment.
Verse 23
[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.
He is accursed of God — He is in a singular manner cursed and punished by God's appointment with
a most shameful kind of punishment
as this was held among the Jews and all
nations; and therefore this punishment may suffice for him
and there shall not
be added to it that of lying unburied. And this curse is here appropriated to
those that are hanged
to so signify that Christ should undergo this execrable
punishment
and be made a curse for us
Galatians 3:13
which though it was to come in
respect to men
yet was present unto God.
Defiled —
Either by inhumanity towards the dead: or by suffering the monument of the
man's wickedness
and of God's curse
to remain publick a longer time than God
would have it
whereas it should he put out of sight
and buried in oblivion.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Deuteronomy》
21 Chapter 21
Verses 1-9
If one be found slain.
God’s value of individual life
“This narrative
” says one
“sets forth the preciousness of human
life in the sight of God.” Dr. Jamieson believes this singular statute
concerning homicide is far superior to what is found in the criminal code of
any other ancient nation
and is undoubtedly the origin or germ of the modern
coroners’ inquests.
I. Discovered in
the loss of one man. Only one missing! But God counts men as well as stars
and
“gathers one by one.” Ancient philosophy and modern socialism overlook
personality
and legislate for men in a mass. The individual exists only for
the race
has no rights
and becomes a tool or slave of society. Christianity
does not belittle man
but recognises and renews individuals
exalts them to
responsibility
and appeals to them for right. “Adam
where art thou?”
II. Discovered in
the injury to one man. One man was missing
but he was murdered. His blood
like that of Abel
Was crying for justice. Society was wounded in one of its
members. An inquiry was demanded
and the reproach must be wiped away.
III. Discovered in
the interest which the community should take in one man. “Am I my brother’s
keeper?” Formerly heavy fines were inflicted on districts to prevent the murder
of Danes and Normans by exasperated Englishmen. We are members one of another;
related one to another
and none of us can turn away like Cain.
IV. Discovered in
the provision made for every man’s salvation. Christ died for one and for all.
It is not the will of God “that one of these little ones should perish.” If one
sheep goes astray
the ninety and nine are left by the shepherd. He seeks the
one that is lost
and its restoration brings greater joy than over all the
remainder. “Dost thou believe?” (J. Wolfendale.)
Expiating unknown murder
We shall endeavour--
I. To explain the
ordinance. In doing this we must notice--
1. Its general design. God intended by this law--
2. Its particular provisions: the victim
the death
the place; the
protestations and petitions of the elders.
II. To point out
some lessons which may be learned from it.
1. The importance of preventing or punishing sin.
2. The comfort of a good conscience.
3. The efficacy of united faith and prayer. (C. Simeon
M. A.)
Verses 15-17
The right of the firstborn.
I. The rights of primogeniture defined. “A double portion of all
that he hath.” As head of the family
the eldest son would be put into power
and privilege
be heir of his father’s rank and wealth. He was not to be
limited in his allowance
nor deposed from his authority. The Divine Ruler
entrusts him with possessions and entails them by His will.
II. The rights of
primogeniture upheld. Individual preferences and partialities are not to set
aside the rights of the firstborn.
1. Rights upheld through successive marriage. When an Israelite had
two wives together or in succession
one might be loved and the other hated (Deuteronomy 21:15). God might tolerate
polygamy
but right must be upheld.
2. Rights upheld against human partiality. The influence of the
second wife was later and more permanent. Justice must not bend to personal
like or dislike. Amid divided affections and divided authority
God and not
caprice must rule.
3. Rights upheld by Divine injunction. Man is changeable; entails
discord
feud
and litigation in his family; but God is just and impartial. He
will protect our rights and vindicate our character. (J. Wolfendale.)
He that is hanged is accursed of God.
Hanging
I. Hanging a
disgraceful punishment. The body was exposed to insult and assault. Shameful
deeds were kept in public memory
and the dead was a spectacle to the world. It
was only inflicted on most infamous offenders. Cicero calls it a nameless
wickedness. Its pain and disgrace were extreme.
II. Hanging a
defilement of the land That thy land be not defiled. The vices of the living
and the bodies of the dead defiled the land (Numbers 35:34).
1. Physically it would be defiled. In the hot climate its
decomposition would injure the health and peril the life of others.
2. Morally
as the land of Jehovah
it would be polluted. Remembrance
of crime would harden the heart and breed familiarity.
III. Hanging a
warning to others. The punishment was designed to deter others. They saw the
terrible consequences of guilt. Alas! “hanging is no warning
” and men leave
the very gibbet or the gallows to commit their crimes.
IV. Hanging a type
of the death of Christ (Acts 5:35; Galatians 3:13).
1. He became our substitute.
2. He was buried in the evening (John 19:31).
3. As the land was cleansed by removal of curse
so the conscience
and the Church purified by Christ. (J. Wolfendale.)
The accursed tree
I. A shameful
death awaits abominable crime. “Worthy
of death
” lit.
if there be on a man a
right of death
“he was hanged upon a tree.”
II. Public ignominy
expressed in this shameful death. Penalty for crime
detestation of the
perpetrator
and the curse of God.
III. The
desirability of taking away the memory of this shame. “He shall not remain all
night
” take him down from the tree and bury him; blot out his name and remove
the curse.
IV. Christ alone
removes the curse. The best of men treated as one of the vilest
died the just
for the unjust
“who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree.” (J.
Wolfendale.)
──《The Biblical Illustrator》