Read Deuteronomy 19:1-21:9 at Bible Gateway.
Previously: deuteronomy 21:1-9, unsolved murder
(Please review the teaching tools of scripture, especially the Hebrew paragraph divisions and chiastic structures. The paragraphs marked by an “s” at their close are weak paragraphs, which indicate a change of facet but not a change of theme or topic. The paragraphs marked by a “p” at their close are strong paragraphs, which indicate the completion of a theme or topic. The paragraph divisions reveal the chiastic structures: narratives which zero in on the main point of the narrative at its center, like a bull’s eye at the center of a target. The main point is revealed, because the narrative elements before the main point (or central axis) are repeated after the central axis, in reverse order, while the central axis itself is not repeated.)
The sixth commandment, Do not commit murder, is explained in Deu 19:1-21:9, and this is my summary of it. It turns out this entire section forms a single chiastic structure:
Deu 19:1-21:9 p+sx5+p+s
1a) Deu 19:1-10 p, Cities of refuge in the case of accidental death;
1b) Deu 19:11-21 s+s+s, The murderer shall not find refuge + the ancient boundary shall not be moved:
– 1b.1) Deu 19:11-21 s+s+s, The murderer shall not find refuge, but he shall die;
– 1b.2) Deu 19:14 s, You shall not move the ancient boundary;
1c) Deu 20:1a, When you go out to battle against your enemies;
1d) Deu 20:1b, Do not be afraid, for the Lord your God is with who led you out of Egypt;
1e) Deu 20:2-4, Do not let your heart be faint, do not be afraid, do not tremble or be terrified because of them;
1f) Deu 20:5a, Then the officers shall speak to the people;
central axis) Deu 20:5b-7, What man has new house + vineyard + wife/ Let him go lest he die in the battle;
2f) Deu 20:8a, The officers shall speak further to the people;
2e) Deu 20:8b, What man is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go, lest the heart of his brethren faint like his heart;
2d) Deu 20:9 s, Captains shall be appointed who will lead the people into battle;
2c) Deu 20:10-15, When you go near to a city to fight against it;
2b) Deu 20:16-20 s+p, The Canaanites shall not find peace + ancient trees shall not be cut down:
– 2b.1) Deu 20:16-18 s, The nations of the Canaanites shall not find peace, but shall be destroyed;
– 2b.2) Deu 20:19-20 p, You shall not cut down the ancient food trees;
2a) Deu 21:1-9 s, Atonement in the case of unsolved death.
What an unusual central axis! In fact, the central axis has the theme of escape from certain death or the possibility of death. That theme is one of the signs of Messiah in Torah (please see the teaching tools of scripture)! It is the ministry of Messiah to redeem us from the death we earned for ourselves in the Garden! The command of Torah is, Do not commit murder – a command which preserves life! And at the heart of the command is the sign of Messiah, escape from certain death, which is also the preservation of life! God Himself obeys His own Torah and is not a murderer, but a Provider of refuge from death, and a Redeemer from the sentence of certain death!
Continued:
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