Atoning for Innocent Blood
21 1 If a slain man is found lying in the field in the land your Father gives you to possess, and no one knows who killed him, 2 then your elders and judges must go out and measure to the towns around the body. 3 The elders of the city nearest the body must take a heifer never worked, never yoked, 4 and that town's elders must bring the heifer down to a valley with running water, never plowed or sown, and break its neck there in the valley. 5 The priests, Levi's sons, must come forward, for your Father chose them to serve him and bless in the name of our Father; by their word every dispute and every assault is settled. 6 All the elders of that city nearest the body must wash their hands over the broken-necked heifer in the valley, 7 and they must declare, "Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it." 8 Atone for your people Israel, our Father, whom you redeemed; don't place innocent blood among your people Israel. Then the blood will be atoned for them. a a v8 The heifer ritual allowed the nearest town to publicly declare its innocence and seek atonement before God for an unsolved murder in the land. 9 So you will purge the guilt of innocent blood from among you, when you do what is right in the eyes of our Father.
A Captive Woman Taken as Wife
10 When you march out against your enemies and our Father hands them to you and you take captives, 11 and among the captives you see a beautiful woman, desire her, and want to take her as your wife, 12 then bring her into your home, and she must shave her head and cut her nails, 13 Have her take off her captive's clothes, stay in your house, mourn her father and mother a full month. Then you may go to her as husband, and she becomes your wife. 14 If you no longer want her, let her go where she wishes. Do not sell her for silver or treat her as a slave, since you humiliated her.
The Firstborn Son's Inheritance
15 If a man has two wives, one loved, one unloved, and both bear him sons, but the firstborn is the unloved wife's, b b v15 Here "unloved" means simply loved less — the wife who holds second place in affection, not one who is despised. 16 when he wills his estate to his sons, he may not make the loved wife's son firstborn over the unloved wife's son, the real firstborn. 17 Instead he must acknowledge the firstborn, the unloved wife's son, giving him a double share of all he has; for he is the first of his strength—the birthright is his.
A Stubborn and Rebellious Son
18 If a man has a stubborn, rebellious son who won't obey his father or mother, and won't listen when they discipline him, 19 then his father and mother must take him to the elders at his city's gate, 20 and tell his city's elders, "This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious; he won't listen to us — a glutton and a drunk." 21 All his city's men must stone him to death. Clear the evil out from among you, and all Israel will hear and be afraid.
Cursed Is Anyone Hung on a Tree
22 If a man's sin deserves death and he is executed, and you hang him on a tree, 23 Don't leave his body on the tree overnight; bury him that day, for anyone hung on a tree is under our Father's curse. Don't make your land unclean, the land your Father gives you to inherit. c c v23 Paul tells us Jesus became a curse for us by hanging on the tree, so that the Father's blessing could reach everyone — Galatians 3:13.
