|
|
|
|
1. "In the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you might find a dead body in a field, but no one knows who killed that person.
|
1. If H3588 one be found H4672 slain H2491 in the land H127 which H834 the LORD H3068 thy God H430 giveth H5414 thee to possess H3423 it, lying H5307 in the field H7704 , and it be not H3808 known H3045 who H4310 hath slain H5221 him:
|
|
2. Your leaders and judges must come out and measure the distance to the towns around the dead body.
|
2. Then thy elders H2205 and thy judges H8199 shall come forth H3318 , and they shall measure H4058 unto H413 the cities H5892 which H834 are round about H5439 him that is slain H2491 :
|
|
3. When you learn which town is nearest to the dead body, the leaders of that town must take a cow from their herds. It must be a cow that never had a calf and that has never been used for work.
|
3. And it shall be H1961 , that the city H5892 which is next H7138 unto H413 the slain man H2491 , even the elders H2205 of that H1931 city H5892 shall take H3947 a heifer H5697 H1241 , which H834 hath not H3808 been wrought H5647 with, and which H834 hath not H3808 drawn H4900 in the yoke H5923 ;
|
|
4. The leaders of that town must then bring the cow down to a valley with running water. It must be a valley that has never been plowed or had anything planted in it. Then the leaders must break the cow's neck there in that valley.
|
4. And the elders H2205 of that H1931 city H5892 shall bring down H3381 H853 the heifer H5697 unto H413 a rough H386 valley H5158 , which H834 is neither H3808 eared H5647 nor H3808 sown H2232 , and shall strike off H6203 H853 the heifer H5697 's neck H6203 there H8033 in the valley H5158 :
|
|
5. The priests, the descendants of Levi, must also go there. (The Lord your God has chosen these priests to serve him and to bless people in his name. The priests will decide who is right in every lawsuit and whenever someone is hurt.)
|
5. And the priests H3548 the sons H1121 of Levi H3878 shall come near H5066 ; for H3588 them the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath chosen H977 to minister H8334 unto him , and to bless H1288 in the name H8034 of the LORD H3068 ; and by H5921 their word H6310 shall every H3605 controversy H7379 and every H3605 stroke H5061 be H1961 tried :
|
|
6. All the leaders of the town nearest the dead body must wash their hands over the cow that had its neck broken in the valley.
|
6. And all H3605 the elders H2205 of that H1931 city H5892 , that are next H7138 unto H413 the slain H2491 man , shall wash H7364 H853 their hands H3027 over H5921 the heifer H5697 that is beheaded H6202 in the valley H5158 :
|
|
7. These leaders must say, 'We did not kill this person, and we did not see it happen.
|
7. And they shall answer H6030 and say H559 , Our hands H3027 have not H3808 shed H8210 H853 this H2088 blood H1818 , neither H3808 have our eyes H5869 seen H7200 it .
|
|
8. Lord, you saved Israel. We are your people. Now make us pure. Don't blame us for killing an innocent person.' In this way these men will not be blamed for killing an innocent person.
|
8. Be merciful H3722 , O LORD H3068 , unto thy people H5971 Israel H3478 , whom H834 thou hast redeemed H6299 , and lay H5414 not H408 innocent H5355 blood H1818 unto thy people H5971 of Israel H3478 's charge H7130 . And the blood H1818 shall be forgiven H3722 them.
|
|
9. In this way you will remove that guilt from your group by doing what the Lord said.
|
9. So shalt thou H859 put away H1197 the guilt of innocent H5355 blood H1818 from among H4480 H7130 you, when H3588 thou shalt do H6213 that which is right H3477 in the sight H5869 of the LORD H3068 .
|
|
10. "You might fight against your enemies, and the Lord your God might let you defeat them and take them as captives.
|
10. When H3588 thou goest forth H3318 to war H4421 against H5921 thine enemies H341 , and the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath delivered H5414 them into thine hands H3027 , and thou hast taken H7617 them captive H7628 ,
|
|
11. You might see a beautiful woman among the captives who you want to be your wife.
|
11. And seest H7200 among the captives H7633 a beautiful H3033 H8389 woman H802 , and hast a desire H2836 unto her , that thou wouldest have H3947 her to thy wife H802 ;
|
|
12. You must then bring her into your house where she will shave her head and cut her nails.
|
12. Then thou shalt bring H935 her home H8432 to thine house H1004 ; and she shall shave H1548 H853 her head H7218 , and pare H6213 H853 her nails H6856 ;
|
|
13. She must change her clothes and take off the clothes she was wearing when she was captured in war. She will stay in your house and be sad about losing her father and her mother for a full month. After that you may go to her to be her husband, and she will be your wife.
|
13. And she shall put H5493 H853 the raiment H8071 of her captivity H7628 from off H4480 H5921 her , and shall remain H3427 in thine house H1004 , and bewail H1058 H853 her father H1 and her mother H517 a full H3117 month H3391 : and after H310 that H3651 thou shalt go in H935 unto H413 her , and be her husband H1167 , and she shall be H1961 thy wife H802 .
|
|
14. If you are not pleased with her and choose to divorce her, set her free. You cannot sell her. You had sexual relations with her, so you must not treat her like a slave.
|
14. And it shall be H1961 , if H518 thou have no delight H2654 H3808 in her , then thou shalt let her go H7971 whither she will H5315 ; but thou shalt not H3808 sell her at all H4376 H4376 for money H3701 , thou shalt not H3808 make merchandise H6014 of her, because H8478 H834 thou hast humbled H6031 her.
|
|
15. "A man might have two wives. He might love one wife more than the other. Both wives might have children for him, but the firstborn son might be from the wife he does not love.
|
15. If H3588 a man H376 have H1961 two H8147 wives H802 , one H259 beloved H157 , and another H259 hated H8130 , and they have born H3205 him children H1121 , both the beloved H157 and the hated H8130 ; and if the firstborn H1060 son H1121 be H1961 hers that was hated H8146 :
|
|
16. When the man divides his property among his children, he cannot give the rights of the firstborn to the son of his favorite wife.
|
16. Then it shall be H1961 , when H3117 he maketh H853 his sons H1121 to inherit H5157 H853 that which H834 he hath H1961 , that he may H3201 not H3808 make H1069 H853 the son H1121 of the beloved H157 firstborn H1069 before H5921 H6440 the son H1121 of the hated H8130 , which is indeed the firstborn H1060 :
|
|
17. The man must accept the firstborn son from the wife he does not love. The man must give that son a double share of everything he owns because that son is his first child. The right of the firstborn belongs to that son.
|
17. But H3588 he shall acknowledge H5234 the son H1121 of the hated H8130 H853 for the firstborn H1060 , by giving H5414 him a double H8147 portion H6310 of all H3605 that H834 he hath H4672 : for H3588 he H1931 is the beginning H7225 of his strength H202 ; the right H4941 of the firstborn H1062 is his.
|
|
18. "A man might have a son who is stubborn and refuses to obey. This son does not obey his father or mother. They punish the son, but he still refuses to listen to them.
|
18. If H3588 a man H376 have H1961 a stubborn H5637 and rebellious H4784 son H1121 , which will not H369 obey H8085 the voice H6963 of his father H1 , or the voice H6963 of his mother H517 , and that , when they have chastened H3256 him , will not H3808 hearken H8085 unto H413 them:
|
|
19. His father and mother must then take him to the leaders of the town at the town meeting place.
|
19. Then shall his father H1 and his mother H517 lay hold H8610 on him , and bring him out H3318 H853 unto H413 the elders H2205 of his city H5892 , and unto H413 the gate H8179 of his place H4725 ;
|
|
20. They must say to the leaders of the town: 'Our son is stubborn and refuses to obey. He does not do anything we tell him to do. He eats and he drinks too much.'
|
20. And they shall say H559 unto H413 the elders H2205 of his city H5892 , This H2088 our son H1121 is stubborn H5637 and rebellious H4784 , he will not H369 obey H8085 our voice H6963 ; he is a glutton H2151 , and a drunkard H5433 .
|
|
21. Then the men in the town must kill the son with stones. By doing this you will remove this evil from your group. Everyone in Israel will hear about this and be afraid.
|
21. And all H3605 the men H376 of his city H5892 shall stone H7275 him with stones H68 , that he die H4191 : so shalt thou put evil away H1197 H7451 from among H4480 H7130 you ; and all H3605 Israel H3478 shall hear H8085 , and fear H3372 .
|
|
22. "A man might be guilty of a sin that must be punished by death. People might kill him and hang his body on a tree.
|
22. And if H3588 a man H376 have committed H1961 a sin H2399 worthy H4941 of death H4194 , and he be to be put to death H4191 , and thou hang H8518 him on H5921 a tree H6086 :
|
|
23. You must not let that body stay on the tree overnight. You must be sure to bury this man on the same day, because the one who hangs on a tree is cursed by God, and you must not let the land that the Lord your God is giving you become unclean.
|
23. His body H5038 shall not H3808 remain all night H3885 upon H5921 the tree H6086 , but H3588 thou shalt in any wise bury H6912 H6912 him that H1931 day H3117 ; ( for H3588 he that is hanged H8518 is accursed H7045 of God;) H430 that H853 thy land H127 be not H3808 defiled H2930 , which H834 the LORD H3068 thy God H430 giveth H5414 thee for an inheritance H5159 .
|