The Law Concerning Unsolved Murder

21 “If anyone is found slain, lying in the field in the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess, and it is not known who killed him, then your elders and your judges shall go out and measure the distance from the slain man to the surrounding cities. And it shall be that the elders of the city nearest to the slain man will take a heifer which has not been worked and which has not pulled with a (A)yoke. The elders of that city shall bring the heifer down to a valley with flowing water, which is neither plowed nor sown, and they shall break the heifer’s neck there in the valley. Then the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come near, for (B)the Lord your God has chosen them to minister to Him and to bless in the name of the Lord; (C)by their word every controversy and every [a]assault shall be settled. And all the elders of that city nearest to the slain man (D)shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley. Then they shall answer and say, ‘Our hands have not shed this blood, nor have our eyes seen it. Provide atonement, O Lord, for Your people Israel, whom You have redeemed, (E)and do not lay innocent blood to the charge of Your people Israel.’ And atonement shall be provided on their behalf for the blood. So (F)you shall put away the guilt of innocent blood from among you when you do what is right in the sight of the Lord.

Female Captives

10 “When you go out to war against your enemies, and the Lord your God delivers them into your hand, and you take them captive, 11 and you see among the captives a beautiful woman, and desire her and would take her for your (G)wife, 12 then you shall bring her home to your house, and she shall (H)shave her head and trim her nails. 13 She shall put off the clothes of her captivity, remain in your house, and (I)mourn her father and her mother a full month; after that you may go in to her and be her husband, and she shall be your wife. 14 And it shall be, if you have no delight in her, then you shall set her free, but you certainly shall not sell her for money; you shall not treat her brutally, because you have (J)humbled her.

Firstborn Inheritance Rights

15 “If a man has two wives, one loved (K)and the other unloved, and they have borne him children, both the loved and the unloved, and if the firstborn son is of her who is unloved, 16 then it shall be, (L)on the day he bequeaths his possessions to his sons, that he must not bestow firstborn status on the son of the loved wife in preference to the son of the unloved, the true firstborn. 17 But he shall acknowledge the son of the unloved wife as the firstborn (M)by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he (N)is the beginning of his strength; (O)the right of the firstborn is his.

The Rebellious Son

18 “If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and who, when they have chastened him, will not heed them, 19 then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city, to the gate of his city. 20 And they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ 21 Then all the men of his city shall stone him to death with stones; (P)so you shall put away the evil from among you, (Q)and all Israel shall hear and fear.

Miscellaneous Laws

22 “If a man has committed a sin (R)deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, 23 (S)his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that (T)you do not defile the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance; for (U)he who is hanged is accursed of God.

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 21:5 Lit. stroke

21 Kung may masumpungang pinatay sa lupain na ibinibigay sa iyo ng Panginoon mong Dios upang ariin, na nabubulagta sa parang, at hindi maalaman kung sinong sumugat sa kaniya:

Ay lalabas nga ang iyong mga matanda at ang iyong mga hukom, at kanilang susukatin ang layo ng mga bayang nasa palibot ng pinatay:

At mangyayari, na ang mga matanda sa bayang yaon, na bayang malapit sa pinatay, ay kukuha ng isang dumalagang baka sa bakahan, na hindi pa nagagamit at hindi pa nakakapagpasan ng pamatok;

At ibababa ng mga matanda ang dumalagang baka sa isang libis na may agos ng tubig, na di pa nabubukid, ni nahahasikan, at babaliin ang leeg ng dumalagang baka doon sa libis:

At ang mga saserdote na mga anak ni Levi ay lalapit, sapagka't sila ang pinili ng Panginoon mong Dios na mangasiwa sa kaniya, at bumasbas sa pangalan ng Panginoon; at ayon sa kanilang salita ay pasisiyahan ang bawa't pagkakaalit at bawa't awayan:

At lahat ng mga matanda sa bayang yaon, na malapit sa pinatay, ay maghuhugas ng kanilang kamay sa ibabaw ng dumalagang baka na binali ang leeg sa libis:

At sila'y sasagot at sasabihin, Ang aming kamay ay hindi nagbubo ng dugong ito, ni nakita ng aming mga mata.

Patawarin mo, Oh Panginoon, ang iyong bayang Israel, na iyong tinubos, at huwag mong tikising matira sa gitna ng iyong bayang Israel, ang dugong walang sala. At ang dugo'y ipatatawad sa kanila.

Gayon mo aalisin ang dugong walang sala sa gitna mo, pagka iyong gagawin ang matuwid sa paningin ng Panginoon.

10 Pagka ikaw ay lalabas upang makipagbaka laban sa iyong mga kaaway, at ibibigay sila ng Panginoon mong Dios sa iyong mga kamay, at dadalhin mo silang bihag,

11 At makakakita ka sa mga bihag ng isang magandang babae, at magkaroon ka ng nasa sa kaniya, at iibigin mo siyang kuning asawa,

12 Ay iyo nga siyang dadalhin sa iyong bahay; at kaniyang aahitan ang kaniyang ulo, at gugupitin ang kaniyang mga kuko;

13 At kaniyang huhubarin ang suot na pagkabihag sa kaniya, at matitira sa iyong bahay, at iiyakan ang kaniyang ama at ang kaniyang ina na isang buong buwan: at pagkatapos noo'y sisiping ka sa kaniya, at ikaw ay magiging asawa niya, at siya'y magiging iyong asawa.

14 At mangyayari, na kung di mo kalugdan siya, ay iyo ngang pababayaan siyang yumaon kung saan niya ibig; nguni't huwag mo siyang ipagbibili ng salapi, huwag mo siyang aalipinin, sapagka't iyong pinangayupapa siya.

15 Kung ang isang lalake ay may dalawang asawa, na ang isa'y sinisinta, at ang isa'y kinapopootan, at kapuwa magkaanak sa kaniya, ang sinisinta at ang kinapopootan; at kung ang maging panganay ay sa kinapopootan:

16 Ay mangyayari nga sa araw na kaniyang pagmanahin ang kaniyang mga anak ng kaniyang tinatangkilik, ay hindi niya magagawang panganay ang anak ng sinisinta na higit kay sa anak ng kinapopootan, na siyang panganay;

17 Kundi kaniyang kikilalaning panganay, ang anak ng kinapopootan sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay sa kaniya ng dalawang bahagi sa buong kaniyang tinatangkilik; sapagka't siya ang pasimula ng kaniyang lakas; ang karapatan nga ng pagkapanganay ay kaniya.

18 Kung ang isang lalake ay may matigas na loob at mapanghimagsik na anak, na ayaw makinig ng tinig ng kaniyang ama, o ng tinig ng kaniyang ina, at bagaman kanilang parusahan siya ay ayaw makinig sa kanila:

19 Ay hahawakan nga ng kaniyang ama at ng kaniyang ina at dadalhin sa mga matanda sa kaniyang bayan, at sa pintuang-bayan ng kaniyang pook;

20 At kanilang sasabihin sa mga matanda sa kaniyang bayan. Itong aming anak ay matigas na loob at mapanghimagsik, na ayaw niyang dinggin ang aming tinig; siya'y may masamang pamumuhay, at manglalasing.

21 At babatuhin siya ng mga bato, ng lahat ng mga lalake sa kaniyang bayan upang siya'y mamatay: gayon mo aalisin ang kasamaan sa gitna mo; at maririnig ng buong Israel, at matatakot.

22 Kung ang isang lalake ay magkasala ng kasalanang marapat sa kamatayan, at siya'y patayin, at iyong ibitin siya sa isang punong kahoy;

23 Ay huwag maiiwan buong gabi ang kaniyang bangkay sa punong kahoy, kundi walang pagsalang siya'y iyong ililibing sa araw ding yaon; sapagka't ang bitin ay sinumpa ng Dios; upang huwag mong ihawa ang iyong lupa na ibinibigay sa iyo ng Panginoon mong Dios, na ipinamana.

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:

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

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;

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:

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:

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:

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Atonement for an Unsolved Murder

21 If someone is found slain, lying in a field in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess, and it is not known who the killer was,(A) your elders and judges shall go out and measure the distance from the body to the neighboring towns. Then the elders of the town nearest the body shall take a heifer that has never been worked and has never worn a yoke(B) and lead it down to a valley that has not been plowed or planted and where there is a flowing stream. There in the valley they are to break the heifer’s neck. The Levitical priests shall step forward, for the Lord your God has chosen them to minister and to pronounce blessings(C) in the name of the Lord and to decide all cases of dispute and assault.(D) Then all the elders of the town nearest the body shall wash their hands(E) over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley, and they shall declare: “Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it done. Accept this atonement for your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, Lord, and do not hold your people guilty of the blood of an innocent person.” Then the bloodshed will be atoned for,(F) and you will have purged(G) from yourselves the guilt of shedding innocent blood, since you have done what is right in the eyes of the Lord.

Marrying a Captive Woman

10 When you go to war against your enemies and the Lord your God delivers them into your hands(H) and you take captives,(I) 11 if you notice among the captives a beautiful(J) woman and are attracted to her,(K) you may take her as your wife. 12 Bring her into your home and have her shave her head,(L) trim her nails 13 and put aside the clothes she was wearing when captured. After she has lived in your house and mourned her father and mother for a full month,(M) then you may go to her and be her husband and she shall be your wife. 14 If you are not pleased with her, let her go wherever she wishes. You must not sell her or treat her as a slave, since you have dishonored her.(N)

The Right of the Firstborn

15 If a man has two wives,(O) and he loves one but not the other, and both bear him sons but the firstborn is the son of the wife he does not love,(P) 16 when he wills his property to his sons, he must not give the rights of the firstborn to the son of the wife he loves in preference to his actual firstborn, the son of the wife he does not love.(Q) 17 He must acknowledge the son of his unloved wife as the firstborn by giving him a double(R) share of all he has. That son is the first sign of his father’s strength.(S) The right of the firstborn belongs to him.(T)

A Rebellious Son

18 If someone has a stubborn and rebellious(U) son(V) who does not obey his father and mother(W) and will not listen to them when they discipline him, 19 his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his town. 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.(X) You must purge the evil(Y) from among you. All Israel will hear of it and be afraid.(Z)

Various Laws

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