SCRIPTURE: DEUTERONOMY 21
ATONEMENT FOR A UNSOLVED MURDER (vs. 1-9)
If a man is slain in the land, the elders and judges shall measure the distance from the body to the neighboring towns. They shall take a heifer that has never been worked and never worn a yoke. Then and break his neck in the valley. Then all the elders of the town nearest he body shall wash their hands over the heifer and declare their innocense. This is to purge from yourselves the guilt of shedding innocent blood.
MARRYING A CAPTIVE WOMAN (vs. 10-14)
You can marry a captive woman after she had mourned for her parents. If you are not plead with her, let her go one month free. Do not sell her or treat her as a slave.
THE RIGHT OF THE FIRSTBORN (vs. 15-17)
If a man has w wives and he does not love the first wife, the right of the first born must be given to the son of the first wife. The first born shall inherit double share of all his properties as the first born son is the sign of his father’s strength.
A REBELLIOUS SON (vs. 18-21)
A son that is stubborn, rebellious, disobedient, profligate and drunkard shall be stoned to death by all the men of his town to purge the evil from among them.
VARIOUS LAWS (vs. 22-23)
A man found guilty of a capital offense is put to death and his body hung on a tree. But his body should not be left on the tree overnight. They should bury him that same day.
THOUGHTS:
When someone is killed and the criminal ran away, the community may be held responsible for damage. God was giving the whole community a keen sense of responsibility for what was going around them. We should also be aware of the community are are living in. We must correct any that are physically, socially or morally harmful.
Disobedient and rebellious children were to be brought before the elders of the citya nd stoned to death. This teaches us to disciple to be obedient, respectful and God-fearing while they are still young.