deuteronomy 21 and 22

Read Deuteronomy 21 and 22 at Bible Gateway.

The Hebrew paragraph divisions for today’s chapters are:

Deu 21:1-9 {s} Atonement for unsolved murder
Deu 21:10-14 {s} Treatment of the captive woman
Deu 21:15-17 {s} Do not reject the legitimate firstborn (do not defile next generation)
Deu 21:18-21 {s} Treatment of the rebellious son (do not defile the next generation)
Deu 21:22-23 {s} Treatment of the executed criminal (do not defile the land)
Deu 22:1-3 {s} Treatment of a neighbor’s lost animals
Deu 22:4 {s} Treatment of a neighbor’s burdened animals
Deu 22:5 {s} Sanctity of gender distinction
Deu 22:6-7 {s} Treatment of a mother bird
Deu 22:8-9 {s} Preventing bloodguilt and defilement
Deu 22:10-11 {s} Prohibition of unlike mixtures
Deu 22:12 {s} You shall wear tzitzit on the four corners of your clothing
Deu 22:13-19 {s} Justice for the pure bride
Deu 22:20-21 {s} Justice for the impure bride
Deu 22:22 {s} Justice for the adulterous wife
Deu 22:23-24 {s} Justice for the betrothed virgin in the city
Deu 22:25-27 {s} Justice for the betrothed virgin in the country
Deu 22:28-29 {s} Justice for the unbetrothed virgin
Deu 22:30 {s} Unlawful unions prohibited

We saw that Deu 21:1-9 completes the instruction for Do not commit murder. But here, someone says, Christine’s neat theory breaks down. The header in many Bibles says, Miscellaneous Laws. What do these commandments have to do with ‘Do not commit adultery,’ the next commandment on the list? I will do my best to summarize:

Deu 21:10-14 {s} Treatment of the captive woman

At first glance we think this might have something to do with Do not commit murder, because the context is warfare. But, notice:

“… and you see among the captives a beautiful woman, and desire her and would take her for your wife, …” Deu 21:11

This is a shift of topic. We are now dealing with intimacy. God, by providing a cooling-off period of 30 days before a man can touch a captive woman, is protecting the captive from being raped on the battlefield, as was the common practice during warfare. If a man is determined to have her even after the month is up, it will be as a full wife with all its attendant rights and privileges. Thus, you shall preserve the sanctity of marital intimacy, even when the men are away at war. For further reading: deu 21:10-22:7, kind treatment of captives.

Deu 21:15-17 {s} Do not reject the legitimate firstborn

A father’s rejection of his children pollutes, rather than preserves, the sanctity of the next generation. Preserving the sanctity of the next generation is the end of preserving the sanctity of marital intimacy, because the next generation is the fruit of marital intimacy.

Deu 21:18-21 {s} Treatment of the rebellious son

A rebellious son who refuses to honor his parents, even when he knows that this command in Torah governs the society in which he lives, is so hardened in wickedness, that his influence on his peers pollutes, rather than preserves, the next generation. For further reading: deu 21:10-22:7, the value of the next generation.

Deu 21:22-23 {s} Treatment of the executed criminal

The reason for the command is given within it: that the land is not defiled. So the pattern being established in Torah, is that preserving the sanctity of marital intimacy, preserves the next generation. Preserving the next generation, preserves the integrity of the land; polluting the next generation pollutes the land. For further reading: deu 21:10-22:7, the integrity of the land.

Deu 22:1-3 {s} Treatment of a neighbor’s lost animals
Deu 22:4 {s} Treatment of a neighbor’s burdened animals

When we learn to treat animals with kindness, and treat neighbors and strangers as brothers for their good when we get nothing out of it ourselves, then we have learned how to treat our spouses, if we would preserve our marital happiness. For further reading: deu 21:10-22:7, kind treatment of animals.

Deu 22:5 {s} Sanctity of gender distinction

God is smarter than we are: respecting the sanctity of gender distinction, preserves the sanctity of the next generation, and the integrity of the land.

Deu 22:6-7 {s} Treatment of a mother bird

We preserve the life and well-being of the mother, because through her we preserve the life and well-being of the next generation. She is the source of the next generation. For further reading: deu 21:10-22:7, the importance of mothers.

Deu 22:8-9 {s} Preventing bloodguilt and defilement

When you build a new house, you shall fence it so no one falls. When you build a new family, you shall provide it with its fence of the knowledge of God and His ways, so that your children do not fall away, lest you are charged with their bloodguilt because of it. For further reading: deu 22:8-12, fencing your roof and deu 22:8-12, strengthening your vineyard.

Deu 22:10-11 {s} Prohibition of unlike mixtures

Do not be unequally yoked, 2 Cor 6:14-16. Believers: marry believers, not unbelievers. For further reading: deu 22:8-12, do not be unequally yoked.

Deu 22:12 {s} You shall wear tzitzit on the four corners of your clothing

The purpose of the command is given within it, so that we do not follow the harlotry to which our own heart and eyes are inclined. For further reading: deu 22:8-12, tzitzit and adultery.

Deu 22:13-19 {s} Justice for the pure bride
Deu 22:20-21 {s} Justice for the impure bride
Deu 22:22 {s} Justice for the adulterous wife
Deu 22:23-24 {s} Justice for the betrothed virgin in the city
Deu 22:25-27 {s} Justice for the betrothed virgin in the country
Deu 22:28-29 {s} Justice for the unbetrothed virgin

These all have to do with preserving the sacredness of marital intimacy. For further reading: deu 22:13-29, the sacredness of marital intimacy.

Deu 22:30 {s} Unlawful unions prohibited

More on preserving the sacredness of marital intimacy so that the next generation may be preserved. For further reading: deu 22:30-23:8, the integrity of the assembly.

The chiastic structure formed by the explanation of the 7th commandment, Do not commit adultery, is here. I notice how much the command to not commit adultery has to do with the next generation in its explanation. In other words, not every command is all about us, but about the people who will be directly and permanently impacted by our choices.