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20 where they shall say to the elders of the city, “This son of ours is a stubborn and rebellious fellow who will not listen to us; he is a glutton and a drunkard.”(A) 21 Then all his fellow citizens shall stone him to death. Thus shall you purge the evil from your midst, and all Israel will hear and be afraid.(B)

Corpse of a Criminal. 22 (C)If a man guilty of a capital offense is put to death and you hang him on a tree,[a] 23 his corpse shall not remain on the tree overnight.(D) You must bury it the same day; anyone who is hanged is a curse of God.[b] You shall not defile the land which the Lord, your God, is giving you as a heritage.

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Footnotes

  1. 21:22 You hang him on a tree: some understand, “impaled on a stake.” In any case the hanging or impaling was not the means used to execute the criminal; he was first put to death by the ordinary means, stoning, and his corpse was then exposed on high as a warning for others. Cf. Jos 8:29; 10:26; 1 Sm 31:10; 2 Sm 21:9.
  2. 21:23 Gal 3:13 applies these words to the crucifixion of Jesus, who “redeemed us from the curse of the law, becoming a curse for us.”

20 They shall say to the elders, “This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey us. He is a glutton and a drunkard.” 21 Then all the men of his town are to stone him to death.(A) You must purge the evil(B) from among you. All Israel will hear of it and be afraid.(C)

Various Laws

22 If someone guilty of a capital offense(D) is put to death and their body is exposed on a pole, 23 you must not leave the body hanging on the pole overnight.(E) Be sure to bury(F) it that same day, because anyone who is hung on a pole is under God’s curse.(G) You must not desecrate(H) the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.

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