Relationship rules

Deuteronomy Chapter 21

Moses wanted the Israelites to have laws for their relationships and he told them to suppose somebody was found murdered and they did not know who committed the murder. In such cases, their judges and leaders must determine which town was near the body, then the leaders of that town must select a young cow and lead it to an unplanted valley with a stream running through it. There they must kill the cow by breaking its neck and the Levite priests will go there and pronounce blessing in the Lord's name and they will decide all punishments.

The leaders of the town nearest the body must wash their hands over the young cow, then they must say "Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did we see it happen. O Lord forgive your people Israel whom you have redeemed. Do not charge your people with the guilt of murder of an innocent person". Then they will be absolved of the guilt of this person's blood and will be cleansed by the Lord.

Suppose, Moses continued, you go to war and the Lord hands you captives and you see a beautiful woman among the captives and you are attracted to her and want to marry her. You may take her home, where she must shave her head, cut her nails and change all her clothes. Then she must remain in your home for a month, mourning for her mother and father. After which, you may marry her, but if you do, then decide later you do not like her, you must let her go free and not sell her or treat her as a slave, for you have humiliated her.

Suppose, Moses said, a man has two wives, but love one and not the other, both have given him sons. Suppose the firstborn son is the son of the wive he does not love. When he divides the inheritance, he may not give the larger inheritance to his younger son, the son of the woman he loves. He must give the customary double portion to his oldest son, who represents the strength of his father's manhood and who owns the rights of the firstborn son.

Suppose, Moses said, a man has a stubborn, rebellious son who will not obey his father or mother. They may take him before the leaders of the town and declare that he is rebellious. He may be a worthless drunkard. And all the men of the town must stone him to death. In this way, you will cleanse this evil from among you and all of Israel will hear about it and be afraid.

If someone has committed a crime worthy of death and is executed and hanged, the body must remain in the hanging tree overnight. Bury the body that same day, for anyone hanging on a tree is cursed of God. Do not defile the land the Lord is giving you as a special possession.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW when a crime was committed the whole community was held responsible.God needed the whole community to feel a keen sense of responsibility for what was going on around them and to correct any situation that might potentially harm the community, either physically, socially or morally.

Disobedient and rebellious children could be brought before the leaders of the town and stoned to death. There is no evidence that this punishment was ever carried out, but the point was made that rebelliousness would not be tolerated.

How does this Chapter relate to us today? The only way I can think of that a community might take responsibility for a crime would be to take care of a dangerous intersection. Liability plays an important part in today's world. They could confiscate weapons, but cannot trample the individual's right to protect themselves. They can't take away every knife or club in the city. Yet no city wants to be liable for an accidental killing. The criminal justice system is supposed to take care of criminals. Socially and morally harmful criminals are most likely to be institutionalized.

I wonder where in the Bible that men no longer had multiple wives? Do you remember that Jacob loved Rachel, but had many children by Leah and his slave woman. I think a man can show love to the children of the woman whom he loves the most. He can show it in other ways besides giving them the inheritance. He can show it by the attention he gives them or gives their mother. They can see love in his eyes, feel it in his touch.

Yours in Christ,
Mary