Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Deuteronomy
Book: Deuteronomy
Chapter: 21
Overview:
The
Expiation of uncertain
Murder.
(1-9) Respecting a
Captive
taken to
Wife.
(10-14) The
First-born not to be disinherited for
private
Affection.
(15-17) A stubborn son to be stoned.
(18-21)
Malefactors not to be left
Hanging all night.
(22,23)
1-9 If a murderer could not be found out, great solemnity is
provided for putting away the guilt from the land, as an
expression of dread and detesting of that
Sin. The
Providence of
God has often wonderfully brought to
Light these hidden
Works of
Darkness, and the
Sin of the guilty has often strangely found
them out. The dread of
Murder should be deeply impressed upon
every
Heart, and all should join in detecting and punishing
those who are guilty. The elders were to profess that they had
not been any way aiding or abetting the
Sin. The priests were to
pray to
God for the country and nation, that
God would be
merciful. We must empty that
Measure By our prayers, which
others are filling
By their sins. All would be taught
By this
solemnity, to use the utmost care and diligence to prevent,
discover, and punish
Murder. We may all learn from hence to take
heed of partaking in other men's sins. And we have
Fellowship
with the unfruitful
Works of
Darkness, if we do not reprove
them.
10-14 By this
Law a soldier was allowed to marry his
Captive,
if he pleased. This might take place upon some occasions; but
the
Law does not show any approval of it. It also intimates how
binding the laws of
Justice and honour are in
Marriage; which is
a sacred engagement.
15-17 This
Law restrains men from disinheriting their eldest
sons without just cause. The principle in this case as to
children, is still binding to parents; they must give children
their right without partiality.
18-21 Observe how the criminal is here described. He is a
stubborn and rebellious son.
No Child was to fare the worse for
weakness of capacity, slowness, or dulness, but for wilfulness
and obstinacy. Nothing draws men into all manner of wickedness,
and hardens them in it more certainly and fatally, than
drunkenness. When men take to drinking, they forget the
Law of
honouring parents. His own
Father and mother must complain of
him to the elders of the
City. Children who forget their duty,
must thank themselves, and not blame their parents, if they are
regarded with less and less
Affection. He must be publicly
stoned to
Death By the men of his
City. Disobedience to a
parent's authority must be very evil, when such a
Punishment was
ordered; nor is it less provoking to
God now, though it escapes
Punishment in this world. But when young people early become
slaves to sensual appetites, the
Heart soon grows hard, and the
Conscience callous; and we can expect nothing but rebellion and
Destruction.
22,23 By the
Law of
Moses, the touch of a dead body was
defiling, therefore dead bodies must not be left
Hanging, as
that would defile the land. There is one reason here which has
reference to
Christ; "He that is hanged is accursed of
God;"
that is, it is the highest degree of disgrace and reproach.
Those who see a
Man thus
Hanging between
Heaven and
Earth, will
conclude him abandoned of both, and unworthy of either.
Moses,
By the
Spirit, uses this phrase of being accursed of
God, when
he means
No more than being treated most disgracefully, that it
might afterward be applied to the
Death of
Christ, and might
show that in it he underwent the
Curse of the
Law for us; which
proves his
Love, and encourages to
Faith in him.