Laws of Justice and Family

Deuteronomy 21

Moses sets out a ritual of atonement for an unsolved murder, rules for marrying a woman taken captive in war, the requirement to honor the inheritance rights of a firstborn son even if his mother is the unloved wife, and the procedure for dealing with a persistently rebellious and disobedient son. He also commands that the body of an executed and hanged criminal be buried the same day.

About these editions

The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.

Thomson 1808Septuagint

Brenton 1851Septuagint

Greek · BrentonSeptuagint

KJV 1769Masoretic

JPS 1917Masoretic

Thomson—

BrentonAnd if one be found slain with the sword in the land, which the Lord thy God gives thee to inherit, having fallen in the field, and they do not know who has smitten him;

GreekἘὰν δὲ εὑρεθῇ τραυματίας ἐν τῇ γῇ, ᾗ Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου δίδωσί σοι κληρονομῆσαι, πεπτωκὼς ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ, καὶ οὐκ οἴδασι τὸν πατάξαντα,

KJVIf one be found slain in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it, lying in the field, and it be not known who hath slain him:

JPSIf one be found slain in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it, lying in the field, and it be not known who hath smitten him;

ThomsonIF one be found slain in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess—lying in the open field; and it is not known who smote him; thine elders, and thy judges, shall come and measure the distance to the cities around the slain;

Brentonthine elders and thy judges shall come forth, and shall measure the distances of the cities round about the slain man:

Greekἐξελεύσεται ἡ γερουσία σου καὶ οἱ κριταί σου, καὶ ἐκμετρήσουσιν ἐπὶ τὰς πόλεις τὰς κύκλῳ τοῦ τραυματίου·

KJVThen thy elders and thy judges shall come forth, and they shall measure unto the cities which are round about him that is slain:

JPSthen thy elders and thy judges shall come forth, and they shall measure unto the cities which are round about him that is slain.

Thomsonand the elders of the city which is next to the slain, shall take a heifer from the herd, which hath never been worked, and which hath never drawn in a yoke,

Brentonand it shall be that the city which is nearest to the slain man the elders of that city shall take a heifer of the herd, which has not laboured, and which has not borne a yoke.

GreekΚαὶ ἔσται ἡ πόλις ἡ ἐγγίζουσα τῷ τραυματίᾳ, καὶ λήψεται ἡ γερουσία τῆς πόλεως ἐκείνης δάμαλιν ἐκ βοῶν, ἥτις οὐκ εἴργασται, καὶ ἥτις οὐχ εἵλκυσε ζυγόν·

KJVAnd it shall be, that the city which is next unto the slain man, even the elders of that city shall take an heifer, which hath not been wrought with, and which hath not drawn in the yoke;

JPSAnd it shall be, that the city which is nearest unto the slain man, even the elders of that city shall take a heifer of the herd, which hath not been wrought with, and which hath not drawn in the yoke.

Thomsonand the elders of the city shall bring the heifer down to a rugged valley, which hath never been tilled, nor sowed, and they shall hamstring the heifer in the valley.

BrentonAnd the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer into a rough valley, which has not been tilled and is not sown, and they shall slay the heifer in the valley.

GreekΚαὶ καταβιβάσουσιν ἡ γερουσία τῆς πόλεως ἐκείνης δάμαλιν εἰς φάραγγα τραχεῖαν, ἥτις οὐκ εἴργασται οὐδὲ σπείρεται, καὶ νευροκοπήσουσι τὴν δάμαλιν ἐν τῇ φάραγγι.

KJVAnd the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto a rough valley, which is neither eared nor sown, and shall strike off the heifer’s neck there in the valley:

JPSAnd the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto a rough valley, which may neither be plowed nor sown, and shall break the heifer’s neck there in the valley.

ThomsonThen the priests, the Levites, shall come near because the Lord God hath chosen them to wait upon Him, and to bless in His name; therefore by their mouth every cause of plaint and denial, as well as all cases of leprosy, are to be decided.

BrentonAnd the priests the Levites shall come, because the Lord God has chosen them to stand by him, and to bless in his name, and by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be decided.

GreekΚαὶ προσελεύσονται οἱ ἱερεῖς οἱ Λευῖται, ὅτι αὐτοὺς ἐπέλεξε Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς παρεστηκέναι αὐτῷ, καὶ εὐλογεῖν ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ στόματι αὐτῶν ἔσται πᾶσα ἀντιλογία, καὶ πᾶσα ἁφή.

KJVAnd the priests the sons of Levi shall come near; for them the LORD thy God hath chosen to minister unto him, and to bless in the name of the LORD; and by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried:

JPSAnd the priests the sons of Levi shall come near—for them the LORD thy God hath chosen to minister unto Him, and to bless in the name of the LORD; and according to their word shall every controversy and every stroke be.

ThomsonAnd all of the elders of the city which is nearest the person dead, shall wash their hands over the head of the heifer, which was hamstringed in the valley,

BrentonAnd all the elders of that city who draw nigh to the slain man shall wash their hands over the head of the heifer which was slain in the valley;

GreekΚαὶ πᾶσα ἡ γερουσία τῆς πόλεως ἐκείνης οἱ ἐγγίζοντες τῷ τραυματίᾳ νίψονται τὰς χεῖρας ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν τῆς δαμάλεως τῆς νενευροκοπημένης ἐν τῇ φάραγγι·

KJVAnd all the elders of that city, that are next unto the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley:

JPSAnd all the elders of that city, who are nearest unto the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley.

Thomsonand shall answer, and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, and our eyes have not seen it.

Brentonand they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, and our eyes have not seen it.

Greekκαὶ ἀποκριθέντες, ἐροῦσιν, αἱ χεῖρες ἡμῶν οὐκ ἐξέχεαν τὸ αἷμα τοῦτο, καὶ οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἡμῶν οὐκ ἑωράκασιν.

KJVAnd they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.

JPSAnd they shall speak and say: ‘Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.

ThomsonBe merciful to Thy people whom Thou, O Lord, hast redeemed, that there may not be bloodshed without cause among Thy people Israel. So the blood shall be forgiven them,

BrentonBe merciful to thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, O Lord, that innocent blood may not be charged on thy people Israel: and the blood shall be atoned for to them.

GreekἽλεως γένου τῷ λαῷ σου Ἰσραὴλ, οὓς ἐλυτρώσω Κύριε, ἵνα μὴ γένηται αἷμα ἀναίτιον ἐν τῷ λαῷ σου Ἰσραήλ· καὶ ἐξιλασθήσεται αὐτοῖς τὸ αἷμα.

KJVBe merciful, O LORD, unto thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Israel’s charge. And the blood shall be forgiven them.

JPSForgive, O LORD, Thy people Israel, whom Thou hast redeemed, and suffer not innocent blood to remain in the midst of Thy people Israel.’ And the blood shall be forgiven them.

Thomsonand thou shalt remove from among you the blood which was shed without cause, if thou do what is good, and well pleasing in the sight of the Lord thy God.

BrentonAnd thou shalt take away innocent blood from among you, if thou shouldest do that which is good and pleasing before the Lord thy God.

GreekΣὺ δὲ ἐξαρεῖς τὸ αἷμα τὸ ἀναίτιον ἐξ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν, ἐὰν ποιήσῃς τὸ καλὸν καὶ τὸ ἀρεστὸν ἔναντι Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου.

KJVSo shalt thou put away the guilt of innocent blood from among you, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the LORD.

JPSSo shalt thou put away the innocent blood from the midst of thee, when thou shalt do that which is right in the eyes of the LORD.

ThomsonAnd when thou goest out to war against thine enemies, and the Lord thy God hath delivered them into thy hands, and thou hast taken their prey,

BrentonAnd if when thou goest out to war against thine enemies, the Lord thy God should deliver them into thine hands, and thou shouldest take their spoil,

GreekἘὰν δὲ ἐξελθὼν εἰς πόλεμον ἐπὶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου, καὶ παραδῷ σοι Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου εἰς τὰς χεῖράς σου, καὶ προνομεύσῃς τὴν προνομὴν αὐτῶν,

KJVWhen thou goest forth to war against thine enemies, and the LORD thy God hath delivered them into thine hands, and thou hast taken them captive,

JPSWhen thou goest forth to battle against thine enemies, and the LORD thy God delivereth them into thy hands, and thou carriest them away captive,

Thomsonand hast seen, among the captives, a woman of a comely appearance, and hast loved her, and hast taken her to thyself for a wife,

Brentonand shouldest see among the spoil a woman beautiful in countenance, and shouldest desire her, and take her to thyself for a wife,

Greekκαὶ ἴδῃς ἐν τῇ προνομῇ γυναῖκα καλὴν τῷ εἴδει, καὶ ἐνθυμηθῇς αὐτῆς, καὶ λάβῃς αὐτὴν σεαυτῷ γυναῖκα,

KJVAnd seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her, that thou wouldest have her to thy wife;

JPSand seest among the captives a woman of goodly form, and thou hast a desire unto her, and wouldest take her to thee to wife;

Thomsonand brought her home to thy house, thou shalt shave her head, and pare her nails,

Brentonand shouldest bring her within thine house: then shalt thou shave her head, and pare her nails;

Greekκαὶ εἰσάξῃς αὐτὴν ἔνδον εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν σου, καὶ ξυρήσεις τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτῆς, καὶ περιονυχιεῖς αὐτὴν,

KJVThen thou shalt bring her home to thine house; and she shall shave her head, and pare her nails;

JPSthen thou shalt bring her home to thy house; and she shall shave her head, and pare her nails;

Thomsonand take from her the garments of her captivity, and she shall remain in thy house, and bewail her father, and her mother, a full month, and after that thou mayst go in unto her, and cohabit with her, and she shall be thy wife.

Brentonand shalt take away her garments of captivity from off her, and she shall abide in thine house, and shall bewail her father and mother the days of a month; and afterwards thou shalt go in to her and dwell with her, and she shall be thy wife.

Greekκαὶ περιελεῖς τὰ ἱμάτια τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας ἀπʼ αὐτῆς, καὶ καθιεῖται ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ σου, καὶ κλαύσεται τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὴν μητέρα μηνὸς ἡμέρας· καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα εἰσελεύσῃ πρὸς αὐτὴν καὶ συνοικισθήσῃ αὐτῇ, καὶ ἔσται σου γυνή.

KJVAnd she shall put the raiment of her captivity from off her, and shall remain in thine house, and bewail her father and her mother a full month: and after that thou shalt go in unto her, and be her husband, and she shall be thy wife.

JPSand she shall put the raiment of her captivity from off her, and shall remain in thy house, and bewail her father and her mother a full month; and after that thou mayest go in unto her, and be her husband, and she shall be thy wife.

ThomsonAnd in case thou dislike her, thou shalt send her away free. She shall not be sold for money. Thou shalt not deal falsely with her, because thou hast humbled her.

BrentonAnd it shall be if thou do not delight in her, thou shalt send her out free; and she shall not by any means be sold for money, thou shalt not treat her contemptuously, because thou hast humbled her.

GreekΚαὶ ἔσται ἐὰν μὴ θέλῃς αὐτὴν, ἐξαποστελεῖς αὐτὴν ἐλευθέραν, καὶ πράσει οὐ πραθήσεται ἀργυρίου· οὐκ ἀθετήσεις αὐτὴν, διότι ἐταπείνωσας αὐτήν.

KJVAnd it shall be, if thou have no delight in her, then thou shalt let her go whither she will; but thou shalt not sell her at all for money, thou shalt not make merchandise of her, because thou hast humbled her.

JPSAnd it shall be, if thou have no delight in her, then thou shalt let her go whither she will; but thou shalt not sell her at all for money, thou shalt not deal with her as a slave, because thou hast humbled her.

ThomsonIf any man hath two wives, and one of them be beloved, and the other hated; and both the beloved, and the hated, bear him children, and the son of the hated be the first-born,

BrentonAnd if a man have two wives, the one loved and the other hated, and both the loved and the hated should have born him children, and the son of the hated should be first-born;

GreekἘὰν δὲ γένωνται ἀνθρώπῳ δύο γυναῖκες, μία αὐτῶν ἠγαπημένη, καὶ μία αὐτῶν μισουμένη, καὶ τέκωσιν αὐτῷ ἡ ἠγαπημένη καὶ ἡ μισουμένη, καὶ γένηται υἱὸς πρωτότοκος τῆς μισουμένης·

KJVIf a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated:

JPSIf a man have two wives, the one beloved, and the other hated, and they have borne him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the first-born son be hers that was hated;

Thomsonhe shall not be at liberty, when he bequeatheth his substance to his children, to give the right of primogeniture to the son of the beloved, and overlook the son of the hated, who is the first-born;

Brentonthen it shall be that whensoever he shall divide by inheritance his goods to his sons, he shall not be able to give the right of the first-born to the son of the loved one, having overlooked the son of the hated, which is the first-born.

GreekΚαὶ ἔσται ἡ· ἂν ἡμέρᾳ κατακληρονομῇ τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτοῦ τὰ ὑπάρχοντα αὐτοῦ, οὐ δυνήσεται πρωτοτοκεῦσαι τῷ υἱῷ τῆς ἠγαπημένης, ὑπεριδὼν τὸν υἱὸν τῆς μισουμένης τὸν πρωτότοκον·

KJV—

JPSthen it shall be, in the day that he causeth his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved the first-born before the son of the hated, who is the first-born;

Thomsonbut shall acknowledge the son of the hated as his first-born, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath, because he is the head of his children, and the rights of primogeniture belong to him.

BrentonBut he shall acknowledge the first-born of the hated one to give to him double of all things which shall be found by him, because he is the first of his children, and to him belongs the birthright.

GreekἈλλὰ τὸν πρωτότοκον υἱὸν τῆς μισουμένης ἐπιγνώσεται δοῦναι αὐτῷ διπλᾶ ἀπὸ πάντων ὧν ἂν εὑρεθῇ αὐτῷ, ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ἀρχὴ τέκνων αὐτοῦ, καὶ τούτῳ καθήκει τὰ πρωτοτοκεῖα.

KJVBut he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.

JPSbut he shall acknowledge the first-born, the son of the hated, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath; for he is the first-fruits of his strength, the right of the first-born is his.

ThomsonIf any man hath a stubborn, and rebellious son, who hearkeneth not to the voice of his father, nor to the voice of his mother; and they have corrected him, and he will not hearken to them;

BrentonAnd if any man has a disobedient and contentious son, who hearkens not to the voice of his father and the voice of his mother, and they should correct him, and he should not hearken to them;

GreekἘὰν δέ τινι ἠ· υἱὸς ἀπειθῆς καὶ ἐρεθιστὴς οὐχ ὑπακούων φωνὴν πατρὸς καὶ φωνὴν μητρὸς, καὶ παιδεύωσιν αὐτὸν, καὶ μὴ εἰσακούῃ αὐτῶν·

KJVIf a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them:

JPSIf a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, that will not hearken to the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and though they chasten him, will not hearken unto them;

Thomsonhis father and his mother shall take him, and bring him out to the senate of his city, and to the gate of the place;

Brentonthen shall his father and his mother take hold of him, and bring him forth to the elders of his city, and to the gate of the place:

GreekΚαὶ συλλαβόντες αὐτὸν ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐξάξουσιν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὴν γερουσίαν τῆς πόλεως αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν πύλην τοῦ τόπου·

KJVThen shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place;

JPSthen shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place;

Thomsonand they shall say to the men of their city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious; he hearkeneth not to our voice. He is devoted to revelling and drunkenness.

Brentonand they shall say to the men of their city, This our son is disobedient and contentious, he hearkens not to our voice, he is a reveller and a drunkard.

GreekΚαὶ ἐροῦσι τοῖς ἀνδράσι τῆς πόλεως αὐτῶν, ὁ υἱὸς ἡμῶν οὗτος ἀπειθεῖ καὶ ἐρεθίζει, οὐχ ὑπακούει τῆς φωνῆς ἡμῶν, συμβολοκοπῶν οἰνοφλυγεῖ.

KJVAnd they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.

JPSand they shall say unto the elders of his city: ‘This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he doth not hearken to our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.’

ThomsonThereupon the men of his city shall stone him with stones, and he shall be put to death. So thou shalt remove the wicked from among you; and the rest, who hear, will be struck with awe.

BrentonAnd the men of his city shall stone him with stones, and he shall die; and thou shalt remove the evil one from yourselves, and the rest shall hear and fear.

GreekΚαὶ λιθοβολήσουσιν αὐτὸν οἱ ἄνδρες τῆς πόλεως αὐτοῦ ἐν λίθοις, καὶ ἀποθανεῖται· καὶ ἐξαρεῖς τὸν πονηρὸν ἐξ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν· καὶ οἱ ἐπίλοιποι ἀκούσαντες φοβηθήσονται.

KJVAnd all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.

JPSAnd all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die; so shalt thou put away the evil from the midst of thee; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.

ThomsonIf any man commit a sin incurring death; and he be put to death; and you hang him on a gibbet;

BrentonAnd if there be sin in any one, and the judgment of death be upon him, and he be put to death, and ye hang him on a tree:

GreekἘὰν δὲ γένηται ἔν τινι ἁμαρτία, κρίμα θανάτου, καὶ ἀποθάνῃ, καὶ κρεμάσητε αὐτὸν ἐπὶ ξύλου·

KJVAnd if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree:

JPSAnd if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree;

Thomsonhis body shall not remain on the gibbet; but you shall bury it the same day. Because everyone who is hanged on a gibbet is accursed of God; therefore you shall not defile the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for a possession.

Brentonhis body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but ye shall by all means bury it in that day; for every one that is hanged on a tree is cursed of God; and ye shall by no means defile the land which the Lord thy God gives thee for an inheritance.

Greekοὐ κοιμηθήσεται τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τοῦ ξύλου, ἀλλὰ ταφῇ θάψετε αὐτὸ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ, ὅτι κεκατηραμένος ὑπὸ Θεοῦ πᾶς κρεμάμενος ἐπὶ ξύλου· καὶ οὐ μὴ μιανεῖτε τὴν γῆν, ἣν Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου δίδωσί σοι ἐν κλήρῳ.

KJVHis body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

JPShis body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt surely bury him the same day; for he that is hanged is a reproach unto God; that thou defile not thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.