Deuteronomy 19-21 Boundaries and Atonement

Thoughts

Deuteronomy 19

Cities of Refuge

• When Israel enters the land, they must set apart three cities (eventually six) as places where someone who accidentally kills another can flee for protection.
• The killer is protected from a “blood avenger” until standing trial.

Israelites not allowed to move boundary markers that have been set

In order to convict someone, there needs to be 2-3 witnesses.

If a false witness is discovered, they will receive the intended penalty.

Vs 21 has been misused “Your eye shall not pity. It shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot”. This does not give you permission to avenge someone who has hurt you. This is about false witnesses’ punishments.

The phrase in Hebrew is “eye under eye”  עַיִן תַּחַת עַיִן (ayin tachat ayin)

Deuteronomy 20

Do not be afraid! Even if the battle looks tough, God will fight with you. This is the same God who wiped out Egypt.

Exempt from Battle:

• Anyone who built a house but hasn’t lived in it yet.
• Anyone who planted a vineyard but hasn’t enjoyed its fruit yet.
• Anyone engaged to be married.
• Anyone afraid or fainthearted (to avoid discouraging others).

These verses are a bit hard to digest: For cities not part of the Promised Land, Israel must first offer peace. If cities refused their terms, they were to kill every male and plunder for themselves, including the women and children.

Cities that accepted the peace offer would become subject to Israel and do forced labor.

There are 6 nations that God is giving Israel (Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, Jebusites) where Israel is to destroy them completely. The 7th nation (Girgashites) are not mentioned here.

Don’t cut down fruit trees in the cities.

Deuteronomy 21

Unsolved Murders

• If a body is found, measure the distance to the nearest town
• The town leaders will take a heifer that has never been worked and break its neck
• Priests and elders will wash their hands and ask God for atonement

If an Israelite wants to marry a woman captive, she must first shave her head and cut her nails. She is then allowed to grieve for a month. She is not to be treated as a slave or sold for money.

Firstborn sons must always receive the double portion, even if there are two wives. There can be no favoritism

A persistently rebellious, drunken, and gluttonous son who rejects discipline can be brought by his parents to the elders. He will then be stoned to ‘purge evil’. Some say this law was not used but to show the authority of parents.

Do not leave dead bodies hanging on trees overnight, for that will defile the land. This is mentioned by Paul in Galatians 3:13-14: Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Questions

Why did Israel need to conquer cities outside of the Promised Land instead of just making peace?

Why are the Girgashites not mentioend in Deut 20?

Why are there laws concerning having two wives when having two wives is forbidden?

Application

A common thread in these three chapters is justice. From the cities of refuge and unsolved murders to captives and rebellious children, we see that God has a way of ensuring justice is upheld. He calls us to protect the innocent while holding the guilty accountable. This means we are called not only to stand up for others but, at times, to lovingly confront fellow believers when necessary. And because God always desires peace first, we should strive to approach every situation with peace and love.