[[Deuteronomy 20|<< Deuteronomy 20]] | [[Deuteronomy|Deuteronomy]] | [[Deuteronomy 22|Deuteronomy 22 >>]] ### Deuteronomy 21 1 IF _one_ be found slain in the land which the LORD thy God gives thee to possess it, lying in the field, _and_ it be not known who has slain him: ^1 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: ^2 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 has not been wrought with, _and_ which has not drawn in the yoke; ^3 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: ^4 5 And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near; for them the LORD thy God has 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:_ ^5 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: ^6 7 And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen _it_. ^7 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. ^8 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. ^9 10 ¶ When thou goest forth to war against thine enemies, and the LORD thy God has delivered them into thine hands, and thou hast taken them captive, ^10 11 And seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her, that thou wouldest have her to thy wife; ^11 12 Then thou shalt bring her home to thine house; and she shall shave her head, and pare her nails; ^12 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. ^13 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. ^14 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: ^15 16 Then it shall be, when he makes his sons to inherit _that_ which he has, _that_ he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, _which_ _is_ _indeed_ the firstborn: ^16 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. ^17 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: ^18 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; ^19 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. ^20 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 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: ^22 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 gives thee _for_ an inheritance. ^23