Matthew Henry Commentary Deuteronomy 21
Matthew Henry Commentary
Deuteronomy 21
Matthew Henry Commentary
Deuteronomy 21
"If one be found slain in the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee to possess it, lying in the field, and it be not known who hath smitten him; then thy elders and thy judges shall come forth, and they shall measure unto the cities which are round about him that is slain: and it shall be, that the city which is nearest unto the slain man, even the elders of that city shall take a heifer of the herd, which hath not been wrought with, and which hath not drawn in the yoke; and the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto a valley with running water, which is neither plowed nor sown, and shall break the heifer`s neck there in the valley. And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near; for them Jehovah thy God hath chosen to minister unto him, and to bless in the name of Jehovah; and according to their word shall every controversy and every stroke be. And all the elders of that city, who are nearest unto the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley; and they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it. Forgive, O Jehovah, thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and suffer not innocent blood [to remain] in the midst of thy people Israel. And the blood shall be forgiven them. So shalt thou put away the innocent blood from the midst of thee, when thou shalt do that which is right in the eyes of Jehovah." — Deuteronomy 21:1-9 (ASV)
If a murderer could not be discovered, a solemn ceremony is prescribed for removing the guilt from the land, as an expression of dread and detestation of that sin. The providence of God has often wonderfully brought to light these hidden works of darkness, and the sin of the guilty has often strangely exposed them. The dread of murder should be deeply impressed upon every heart, and all should join in detecting and punishing those who are guilty.
The elders were to profess that they had not in any way been aiding or abetting the sin. The priests were to pray to God for the country and nation, that God would be merciful. We must empty that measure by our prayers, which others are filling with their sins.
Everyone would be taught by this solemn ceremony to use the utmost care and diligence to prevent, discover, and punish murder. We may all learn from this to be careful not to partake in other people's sins. And we have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness if we do not reprove them.
"When thou goest forth to battle against thine enemies, and Jehovah thy God delivereth them into thy hands, and thou carriest them away captive, and seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and thou hast a desire unto her, and wouldest take her to thee to wife; then thou shalt bring her home to thy house; and she shall shave her head, and pare her nails; and she shall put the raiment of her captivity from off her, and shall remain in thy 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. 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 deal with her as a slave, because thou hast humbled her." — Deuteronomy 21:10-14 (ASV)
By this law, a soldier was allowed to marry his captive if he wished. This might take place on some occasions; but the law does not show any approval of it. It also suggests how binding the laws of justice and honor are in marriage, which is a sacred engagement.
"If a man have two wives, the one beloved, and the other hated, and they have borne him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the first-born son be hers that was hated; then it shall be, in the day that he causeth his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved the first-born before the son of the hated, who is the first-born: but he shall acknowledge the first-born, the son of the hated, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath; for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the first-born is his." — Deuteronomy 21:15-17 (ASV)
This law restrains men from disinheriting their eldest sons without just cause. The principle in this case regarding children is still binding on parents; they must give children their right without partiality.
"If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, that will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and, though they chasten him, will not hearken unto them; 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; 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. And all the men of his city shall stone him to death with stones: so shalt thou put away the evil from the midst of thee; and all Israel shall hear, and fear." — Deuteronomy 21:18-21 (ASV)
Observe how the criminal is described here. He is a stubborn and rebellious son. No child was to be punished for lack of ability, slowness, or dullness, but for willfulness and obstinacy. Nothing draws people into all kinds of wickedness, and hardens them in it more certainly and fatally, than drunkenness.
When people start drinking, they forget the law of honoring parents. His own father and mother must complain of him to the elders of the city. Children who forget their duty have only themselves to thank, and should not blame their parents, if they are regarded with less and less affection.
He must be publicly stoned to death by the men of his city. Disobedience to a parent's authority must be very evil, when such a punishment was ordered; and it is no less provoking to God now, even though it escapes punishment in this world. But when young people early become slaves to sensual appetites, the heart soon grows hard and the conscience callous, and we can expect nothing but rebellion and destruction.
"And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree; his body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt surely bury him the same day; for he that is hanged is accursed of God; that thou defile not thy land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance." — Deuteronomy 21:22-23 (ASV)
By the law of Moses, the touch of a dead body was defiling. Therefore, dead bodies must not be left hanging, as that would defile the land.
One reason for this relates to Christ: He that is hanged is accursed of God—which is to say, this is the highest degree of disgrace and reproach.
Those who saw a man hanging in this way, between heaven and earth, would conclude he was abandoned by both and unworthy of either.
Moses, by the Spirit, used this phrase "accursed of God"—which, in its original context, meant simply being treated with extreme disgrace—so that it might later be applied to the death of Christ. This application would demonstrate that in His death, He underwent the curse of the law for us. Such a revelation proves His love and encourages faith in Him.
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