Read Deuteronomy 22 here (text coming …) or at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew Paragraphs:
22:1-3 {s} Treatment of a neighbor’s lost animals
22:4 {s} Treatment of a neighbor’s burdened animals
22:5 {p} Sanctity of gender distinction
22:6-7 {s} Treatment of a mother bird
22:8-9 {s} Preventing bloodguilt and defilement
22:10-11 {s} Prohibition of unlike mixtures
22:12 {s} You shall wear tzitzit on the four corners of your clothing
22:13-19 {s} Justice for the pure bride
22:20-21 {s} Justice for the impure bride
22:22 {s} Justice for the adulterous wife
22:23-24 {s} Justice for the betrothed virgin in the city
22:25-27 {s} Justice for the betrothed virgin in the country
22:28-29 {s} Justice for the unbetrothed virgin
22:30 {s} Unlawful unions prohibited
The Scripture is teaching us about preserving the sanctity of marital intimacy (Do not commit adultery) in its unique way. The Strong Theme concluded by Deu 22:5 begins to reveal it …
21:1-9 {s} Atonement for unsolved murder
21:10-14 {s} Treatment of the captive woman (sanctity of marital intimacy)
21:15-17 {s} Do not reject the legitimate firstborn (do not defile next generation)
21:18-21 {s} Treatment of the rebellious son (do not defile the next generation)
21:22-23 {s} Treatment of the executed criminal (do not defile the land)
22:1-3 {s} Treatment of a neighbor’s lost animals
22:4 {s} Treatment of a neighbor’s burdened animals
22:5 {p} Sanctity of gender distinction
… and makes the following Chiastic Structure:
Now let’s just think about this. The command about the captive woman reveals that God of course cares for captives, but also He is interested in Do not defile the marital union. We are given the next commands about sons, because He is interested in Do not defile the next generation. Parental rejection defiles children. This command is taken straight from Genesis, and Jacob’s hated wife Leah and his legitimate firstborn Reuben, and his beloved wife Rachel, with Joseph her firstborn. The father’s rejection of the next generation defiled them. A next generation which has been protected and not polluted, in other words, comes from marital intimacy that has been protected and not polluted. The next generation is the fruit of the marital union.
The command about the proper treatment of the hanged criminal reveals that God is interested in preserving the sanctity or integrity of the Land. The Pattern already established teaches us, that a land which has been protected and not polluted, comes from the next generation that has been protected and not polluted. Just as the state of the next generation is the fruit of the state of the marital union, the state of the land is the fruit of the state of the next generation. To establish a land of purity and integrity, we must first establish a next generation of purity and integrity. To establish a next generation of purity and integrity, we must first establish, support, and protect the purity and integrity of the marital union.
If there are questions, this is a good resource, which goes into each of the Hebrew paragraphs in depth, and reveals how their wisdom preserves the sanctity of marital intimacy:
Deuteronomy 21:10-23:19 7th Commandment Summary: Do not commit adultery – Christine Miller
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