by Wells, Steve
(20.17) “But thou shalt utterly destroy them … as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee.”
18 That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the LORD your God.
19 When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by forcing an axe against them: for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down (for the tree of the field is man’s life) to employ them in the siege:
(20.19) Kill the people, but spare the trees “When thou shalt besiege a city … thou shalt not destroy the trees.”
151 Were the Israelites to spare the trees in the countries they invaded?
20 Only the trees which thou knowest that they be not trees for meat, thou shalt destroy and cut them down; and thou shalt build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee, until it be subdued.
DEUTERONOMY 21
(21.1-8) What to do with a dead body If you find a dead body and don’t know the cause of death, then get all the elders together, cut off the head of a heifer, wash your hands over its body, and say “our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.” (That’ll do it!)
21 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:
(21.1) “If one be found slain in the land … 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;
(21.2-3) “Then … the elders of that city shall take an heifer.”
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:
(21.4) “And shall strike off the heifer’s neck.”
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:
(21.6) “And all the elders of that city … shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded.”
7 And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.
(21.7) “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.
(21.10-14) If you see a pretty woman among the captives and would like her for a wife, then just bring her home and “go in unto her.” Later, if you decide you don’t like her, you can “let her go.”
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,
(21.10) “When thou goest forth to war,”
11 And seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her, that thou wouldest have her to thy wife;
(21.11) “And seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her,”
12 Then thou shalt bring her home to thine house; she shall shave her head, and pare her nails;
(21.12) “Then thou shalt bring her home to thine house.”
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.
(21.13) “And she shall … bewail her father and her mother a full month: and after that thou shalt go in unto her.”
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.
(21.14) “And … if thou have no delight in her, then thou shalt let her go.”
(21.15-17) Rules for those who have two wives: “one beloved, and another hated,” and how to treat your hated children.
16 Is polygamy OK?
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:
(21.15) “If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another 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:
(21.16) “When he maketh his sons to inherit that which he hath….” When a man dies, his sons inherit his property. Wives and daughters get nothing at all.
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.
(21.18-21) If you have a “stubborn and rebellious son,” then you and the other men in your neighborhood “shall stone him with stones that he die.”
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:
(21.18) “If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother,”
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;
(21.19) “Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city.”
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.
(21.20) “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.
(21.21) “And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die.”
(21.22-23) When someone commits “a sin worthy of death” that person is “accursed of God” and should be hung on a tree. But should the accursed person be killed first by stoning and then hung on a tree or be killed by hanging on a tree—that is, by crucifixion? I’ll leave that for the Bible scholars to decide. The important thing is to make sure you take the accursed dead body down before nightfall. Leaving dead bodies on trees all night is just nasty. Too nasty even for a very nasty God.
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:
(21.22) “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: His body shall not remain all night upon the 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.
(21.23) “His body shall not remain all night upon the tree … (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;).”
DEUTERONOMY 22
(22.1-4) Look out for your neighbor’s animals and protect them from ha
rm.
22 Thou shalt not see thy brother’s ox or his sheep go astray, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt in any case bring them again unto thy brother.
(22.1) “Thou shalt not see thy brother’s ox or his sheep go astray, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt in any case bring them again unto thy brother.”
2 And if thy brother be not nigh unto thee, or if thou know him not, then thou shalt bring it unto thine own house, and it shall be with thee until thy brother seek after it, and thou shalt restore it to him again.
3 In like manner shalt thou do with his ass; and so shalt thou do with his raiment; and with all lost thing of thy brother’s, which he hath lost, and thou hast found, shalt thou do likewise: thou mayest not hide thyself.
(22.3) “In like manner shalt thou do with his ass; and so shalt thou do with his raiment; and with all lost thing of thy brother’s, which he hath lost, and thou hast found.”
4 Thou shalt not see thy brother’s ass or his ox fall down by the way, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt surely help him to lift them up again.
(22.4) “Thou shalt not see thy brother’s ass or his ox fall down by the way, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt surely help him.”
5 The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.
(22.5) “The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD.” Women cannot wear men’s clothing and vice versa—it’s an “abomination unto the Lord.”
6 If a bird’s nest chance to be before thee in the way in any tree, or on the ground, whether they be young ones, or eggs, and the dam sitting upon the young, or upon the eggs, thou shalt not take the dam with the young:
7 But thou shalt in any wise let the dam go, and take the young to thee; that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days.
8 When thou buildest a new house, then thou shalt make a battlement for thy roof, that thou bring not blood upon thine house, if any man fall from thence.
(22.8) “When thou buildest a new house … make a battlement for thy roof, that thou bring not blood upon thine house, if any man fall from thence.” When building a roof, make sure it is safe.
9 Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with divers seeds: lest the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown, and the fruit of thy vineyard, be defiled.
(22.10-12) Don’t plow with an ox and an ass together, wear clothes made from blended fabrics or that lack fringes.
10 Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together.
(22.10) “Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together.”
11 Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts, as of woollen and linen together.
(22.11) “Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts, as of woollen and linen together.”
12 Thou shalt make thee fringes upon the four quarters of thy vesture, wherewith thou coverest thyself.
(22.13-21) If a man marries and then decides that he hates his wife, he can claim she wasn’t a virgin when they were married. If her father can’t produce the “tokens of her virginity” (bloody sheets), then the woman is to be stoned to death at her father’s doorstep.
23 Does God approve of capital punishment?
13 If any man take a wife, and go in unto her, and hate her,
(22.13) “If any man take a wife, and go in unto her, and hate her.”
14 And give occasions of speech against her, and bring up an evil name upon her, and say, I took this woman, and when I came to her, I found her not a maid:
(22.14) “And say, I took this woman, and when I came to her, I found her not a maid:”
15 Then shall the father of the damsel, and her mother, take and bring forth the tokens of the damsel’s virginity unto the elders of the city in the gate:
(22.15) “Then shall the father of the damsel, and her mother, take and bring forth the tokens of the damsel’s virginity unto the elders of the city in the gate:”
16 And the damsel’s father shall say unto the elders, I gave my daughter unto this man to wife, and he hateth her;
(22.16) “And the damsel’s father shall say … I gave my daughter unto this man to wife, and he hateth her;
17 And, lo, he hath given occasions of speech against her, saying, I found not thy daughter a maid; and yet these are the tokens of my daughter’s virginity. And they shall spread the cloth before the elders of the city.
(22.17) “And yet these are the tokens of my daughter’s virginity. And they shall spread the cloth before the elders of the city.”
18 And the elders of that city shall take that man and chastise him;
19 And they shall amerce him in an hundred shekels of silver, and give them unto the father of the damsel, because he hath brought up an evil name upon a virgin of Israel: and she shall be his wife; he may not put her away all his days.
20 But if this thing be true, and the tokens of virginity be not found for the damsel:
(22.20) “But if … the tokens of virginity be not found for the damsel,”
21 Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die: because she hath wrought folly in Israel, to play the whore in her father’s house: so shalt thou put evil away from among you.
(22.21) “Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die.”
22 If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel.
(22.22) “If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die.”
(22.23-24) City Rape If a woman is raped in the city and doesn’t cry out loud enough, the men of the city must stone her to death.
23 Does God approve of capital punishment?
23 If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her;
(22.23) “If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her;”
24 Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbour’s wife: so thou shalt put away evil from among you.
(22.24) “Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city.”
(22.25-27) Country Rape If a woman is raped in the country, then only the man shall die (since there was no one to hear her if she cried out.)
25 But if a man find a betrothed damsel in the field, and the man force her, and lie with her: then the man only that lay with her shall die:
(22.25) “If a man find a betrothed damsel in the field, and the man force her, and lie with her: then the man only that lay with her shall die.”
26 But unto the damsel thou shalt do nothing; there is in the damsel no sin worthy of death: for as when a man riseth against his neighbour, and slayeth him, even so is this matter:
(22.26) “But unto the damsel thou shalt do nothing.”
27 For he found her in the field, and the betrothed damsel cried, and there was none to save her.
(22.27) “For he found her in the field, and the betrothed damsel cried, and there was none to save her.”
(22.28-29) If a man rapes an unbetrothed virgin, he must pay her father 50 shekels of silver and then marry her.
28 If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found;
(22.28) “If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and
lie with her, and they be found.”
29 Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days.
(22.29) “Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife.”
30 A man shall not take his father’s wife, nor discover his father’s skirt.
(22.30) “A man shall not take his father’s wife, nor discover his father’s skirt.”
DEUTERONOMY 23
23 He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD.
(23.1) “He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD.”
2 A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the LORD.
(23.2) “A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to his tenth generation.” God won’t let bastards attend church. Neither can the sons or daughters of bastards “even to the tenth generation.”
41 Are we punished for the sins of others?
3 An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever:
(23.3) “An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation.”
152 Did any Moabite enter the congregation of the Lord?
4 Because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee.
5 Nevertheless the LORD thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but the LORD thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the LORD thy God loved thee.
6 Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity all thy days for ever.
7 Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother: thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a stranger in his land.