The Skeptics Annotated Bible (188 page)

21
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:

(21.1)
“If one be found slain in the land … 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;

(21.2-3)
“Then … the elders of that city shall take an heifer.”

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:

(21.4)
“And shall strike off the heifer’s neck.”

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:

(21.6)
“And all the elders of that city … shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded.”

7
And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.

(21.7)
“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.

(21.10-14) If you see a pretty woman among the captives and would like her for a wife, then just bring her home and “go in unto her.” Later, if you decide you don’t like her, you can “let her go.”

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,

(21.10)
“When thou goest forth to war,”

11
And seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her
, that thou wouldest have her to thy wife;

(21.11)
“And seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her,”

12
Then thou shalt bring her home to thine house;
she shall shave her head, and pare her nails;

(21.12)
“Then thou shalt bring her home to thine house.”

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.

(21.13)
“And she shall … bewail her father and her mother a full month: and after that thou shalt go in unto her.”

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.

(21.14) “
And … if thou have no delight in her, then thou shalt let her go.”

(21.15-17) Rules for those who have two wives: “one beloved, and another hated,” and how to treat your hated children.
16 Is polygamy OK?

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:

(21.15)
“If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another 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:

(21.16) “
When he maketh his sons to inherit that which he hath….”
When a man dies, his sons inherit his property. Wives and daughters get nothing at all.

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.

(21.18-21) If you have a “stubborn and rebellious son,” then you and the other men in your neighborhood “shall stone him with stones that he die.”