Deuteronomy 21
1. If one be found * slain in the land which the LORD thy God giveth * thee to possess * it, lying * in the field, and it be not known * who hath slain * him:
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:
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 hath not been wrought with * , and which hath not drawn * in the yoke;
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:
5. And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near * ; for them the LORD thy God hath 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:
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:
7. And they shall answer * and say * , Our hands have not shed * this blood, neither have our eyes seen * it.
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.
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.
10. When thou goest forth * to war against thine enemies * , and the LORD thy God hath delivered * them into thine hands, and thou hast taken * them captive,
11. And seest * among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire * unto her, that thou wouldest have her * to thy wife;
12. Then thou shalt bring * her home to thine house; and she shall shave * her head, and pare * her nails;
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.
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.
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:
16. Then it shall be, when he maketh his sons to inherit * that which he hath, that he may * not make the son of the beloved * firstborn * before the son of the hated * , which is indeed the firstborn:
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.
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:
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;
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 * .
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 * .
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:
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 giveth * thee for an inheritance.
