Unsolved Murders
1 When one is found slain on the ground which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee to possess it -- fallen in a field -- it is not known who hath smitten him,
1 If 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:
1 “If a slain person is found lying in the open country in the land which the Lord your God gives you to (a)possess, and it is not known who has struck him,
1 “If a murder victim is found lying in a field in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess, and it is not known who killed him,
1 "If a murder victim is found fallen in the open country of the land that the LORD your God is about to give you to possess, and it is not known who killed him,
2 then have thine elders and thy judges gone out and measured unto the cities which are round about the slain one,
2 Then thy elders and thy judges shall come forth, and they shall measure unto the cities which are round about him that is slain:
2 then your elders and your judges shall go out and measure the distance to the cities which are around the slain one.
2 your elders and judges must come out and measure the distance from the victim to the nearby cities.
2 then let your elders and judges go out and measure the distance from the dead body to the neighboring cities.
3 and it hath been, the city which is near unto the slain one, even the elders of that city have taken a heifer of the herd, which hath not been wrought with, which hath not drawn in the yoke,
3 And 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;
3 It shall be that the city which is nearest to the slain man, that is, the elders of that city, shall take a heifer of the herd, which has not been worked and which has not pulled in a yoke;
3 The elders of the city nearest to the victim are to get a young cow that has not been yoked or used for work.
3 Then the elders of the city nearest the body are to take a heifer that hasn't been put to work or hasn't pulled a yoke
4 and the elders of that city have brought down the heifer unto a hard valley, which is not tilled nor sown, and have beheaded there the heifer in the valley.
4 And 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:
4 and the elders of that city shall bring the heifer down to a valley with running water, which has not been plowed or sown, and shall break the heifer’s neck there in the valley.
4 The elders of that city will bring the cow down to a continually flowing stream, to a place not tilled or sown, and they will break its neck there by the stream.
4 and are to lead the heifer to a flowing stream in a valley that has never been tilled or planted. They are to break the heifer's neck there.
5 And the priests, sons of Levi, have come nigh -- for on them hath Jehovah thy God fixed to serve Him, and to bless in the name of Jehovah, and by their mouth is every strife, and every stroke --
5 And 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:
5 Then (A)the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come near, for the Lord your God has chosen them to serve Him and to bless in the name of the Lord; and every dispute and every (b)assault (c)shall be settled by them.
5 Then the priests, the sons of Levi, will come forward, for Yahweh your God has chosen them to serve Him and pronounce blessings in His name, and they are to give a ruling in(a) every dispute and case of assault.
5 Then the priests of the descendants of Levi are to step forward, because the LORD your God chose them to serve and pronounce blessings in his name. Every case of dispute and assault is to be subject to their ruling.
6 and all the elders of that city, who are near unto the slain one, do wash their hands over the heifer which is beheaded in the valley,
6 And 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:
6 All the elders of that city (d)which is nearest to the slain man shall (B)wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley;
6 All the elders of the city nearest to the victim will wash their hands by the stream over the young cow whose neck has been broken.
6 All the elders of the city nearest the dead body are to wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley,
7 and they have answered and said, Our hands have not shed this blood, and our eyes have not seen --
7 And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.
7 and they shall answer and say, ‘Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it.
7 They will declare, ‘Our hands did not shed this blood; our eyes did not see it.
7 and they are to make this declaration: "Our hands didn't shed this blood, nor were we witnesses to the crime.
8 receive atonement for Thy people Israel, whom Thou hast ransomed, O Jehovah, and suffer not innocent blood in the midst of Thy people Israel; and the blood hath been pardoned to them,
8 Be 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.
8 (e)Forgive Your people Israel whom You have redeemed, O Lord, and do not place the guilt of (C)innocent blood in the midst of Your people Israel.’ And the bloodguiltiness shall be (f)forgiven them.
8 Lord, forgive Your people Israel You redeemed, and do not hold the shedding of innocent blood against them.’ Then they will be absolved of responsibility for bloodshed.
8 Make atonement for your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, LORD, and don't charge the blood of an innocent man against them.' Then the blood that has been shed will be atoned for.
9 and thou dost put away the innocent blood out of thy midst, for thou dost that which is right in the eyes of Jehovah.
9 So 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.
9 (D)So you shall remove the guilt of innocent blood from your midst, when you do what is right in the eyes of the Lord.
9 You must purge from yourselves the guilt of shedding innocent blood, for you will be doing what is right in the Lord’s sight.
9 This is how you will remove the guilt of innocent blood from among you, for you must do what is right in the sight of the LORD."
Fair Treatment Of Captured Women
10 'When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and Jehovah thy God hath given them into thy hand, and thou hast taken captive its captivity,
10 When 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,
10 “When you go out to battle against your enemies, and (E)the Lord your God delivers them into your hands and you take them away captive,
10 “When you go to war against your enemies and the Lord your God hands them over to you and you take some of them prisoner, and
10 "If you go to battle against your enemies, and the LORD your God delivers them into your control, you may take some prisoners captive.
11 and hast seen in the captivity a woman of fair form, and hast delighted in her, and hast taken to thee for a wife,
11 And seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her, that thou wouldest have her to thy wife;
11 and see among the captives a beautiful woman, and have a desire for her and would take her as a wife for yourself,
11 if you see a beautiful woman among the captives, desire her, and want to take her as your wife,
11 If you see among the prisoners a beautiful woman and you desire her, then you may take her as your wife.
12 then thou hast brought her in unto the midst of thy household, and she hath shaved her head, and prepared her nails,
12 Then thou shalt bring her home to thine house; and she shall shave her head, and pare her nails;
12 then you shall bring her home to your house, and she shall (F)shave her head and (g)trim her nails.
12 you are to bring her into your house. She must shave her head, trim her nails,
12 Bring her to your house, but shave her head and trim her nails.
13 and turned aside the raiment of her captivity from off her, and hath dwelt in thy house, and bewailed her father and her mother a month of days, and afterwards thou dost go in unto her and hast married her, and she hath been to thee for a wife:
13 And 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.
13 She shall also (h)remove the clothes of her captivity and shall remain in your house, and (G)mourn her father and mother a full month; and after that you may go in to her and be her husband and she shall be your wife.
13 remove the clothes she was wearing when she was taken prisoner, live in your house, and mourn for her father and mother a full month. After that, you may have sexual relations with her and be her husband, and she will be your wife.
13 Remove her prisoner's clothing and let her remain for a month in your house, mourning her parents. After that, you may become her husband and she is to become your wife.
14 And it hath been -- if thou hast not delighted in her, that thou hast sent her away at her desire, and thou dost not at all sell her for money; thou dost not tyrannize over her, because that thou hast humbled her.
14 And 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.
14 It shall be, if you are not pleased with her, then you shall let her go (i)wherever she wishes; but you shall certainly not sell her for money, you shall not (j)mistreat her, because you have (H)humbled her.
14 Then if you are not satisfied with her, you are to let her go where she wants, but you must not sell her for money or treat her as merchandise,(b) because you have humiliated her.
14 If you aren't pleased with her and you send her away, you must not sell her for money or mistreat her, since you will have dishonored her."
The Right Of The Firstborn
15 'When a man hath two wives, the one loved and the other hated, and they have borne to him sons (the loved one and the hated one), and the first-born son hath been to the hated one;
15 If 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:
15 “If a man has two wives, the one loved and (I)the other (k)unloved, and both the loved and the (l)unloved have borne him sons, if the firstborn son belongs to the (m)unloved,
15 “If a man has two wives, one loved and the other unloved, and both the loved and the unloved bear him sons, and if the unloved wife has the firstborn son,
15 "If a man has two wives where one is loved but the other is unloved, and both of them bear him sons, but the firstborn is the son of the unloved wife,
16 then it hath been, in the day of his causing his sons to inherit that which he hath, he is not able to declare first-born the son of the loved one, in the face of the son of the hated one -- the first-born.
16 Then it shall be, when he maketh his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, which is indeed the firstborn:
16 then it shall be in the day he (n)wills what he has to his sons, he cannot make the son of the loved the firstborn before the son of the (o)unloved, who is the firstborn.
16 when that man gives what he has to his sons as an inheritance, he is not to show favoritism to the son of the loved wife as his firstborn over the firstborn of the unloved wife.
16 then when he bequeaths his possessions to his sons, he must not give preference to the firstborn of the beloved wife over the firstborn of the unloved wife.
17 But the first-born, son of the hated one, he doth acknowledge, to give to him a double portion of all that is found with him, for he is the beginning of his strength; to him is the right of the first-born.
17 But 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.
17 But he shall acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the (p)unloved, by giving him a double portion of all that (q)he has, for he is the (J)beginning of his strength; (K)to him belongs the right of the firstborn.
17 He must acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the unloved wife, by giving him two shares(c)(d) of his estate, for he is the firstfruits of his virility; he has the rights of the firstborn.(A)
17 Instead, he must acknowledge the firstborn of the unloved wife by giving him double of everything he owns, because he is really the first fruit of his father's strength. The right of the firstborn belongs to him."
A Rebellious Son
18 When a man hath a son apostatizing and rebellious -- he is not hearkening to the voice of his father, and to the voice of his mother, and they have chastised him, and he doth not hearken unto them --
18 If 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:
18 “If any man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will (L)not obey his father or his mother, and when they chastise him, he will not even listen to them,
18 “If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father or mother and doesn’t listen to them even after they discipline him,
18 "If a man has a stubborn son who does not obey his parents, and although they try to discipline him, he still refuses to pay attention to them,
19 then laid hold on him have his father and his mother, and they have brought him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place,
19 Then 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;
19 then his father and mother shall seize him, and bring him out to the elders of his city (r)at the gateway of his hometown.
19 his father and mother must take hold of him and bring him to the elders of his city, to the gate(B) of his hometown.
19 then his parents are to seize him and bring him before the elders at the gate of his city.
20 and have said unto the elders of his city, Our son -- this one -- is apostatizing and rebellious; he is not hearkening to our voice -- a glutton and drunkard;
20 And 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.
20 They shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey us, he is a glutton and a drunkard.’
20 They will say to the elders of his city, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious; he doesn’t obey us. He’s a glutton and a drunkard.’
20 Then they are to declare to the elders of their city: "Our son is stubborn and rebellious. He does not obey us. He lives wildly and is a drunkard.'
21 and all the men of his city have stoned him with stones, and he hath died, and thou hast put away the evil out of thy midst, and all Israel do hear and fear.
21 And 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.
21 (M)Then all the men of his city shall stone him to death; so (N)you shall remove the evil from your midst, and (O)all Israel will hear of it and fear.
21 Then all the men of his city will stone him to death.(C) You must purge the evil from you, and all Israel will hear and be afraid.
21 Then all the men of his city are to stone him with boulders so that he dies. This is how you will remove this evil from among you. Then all Israel will hear of it and will be afraid."
Display Of Executed People
22 And when there is in a man a sin -- a cause of death, and he hath been put to death, and thou hast hanged him on a tree,
22 And 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:
22 “If a man has committed a sin (P)worthy of death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree,
22 “If anyone is found guilty of an offense deserving the death penalty and is executed, and you hang his body on a tree,
22 "If a man is guilty of a capital offense, is executed, and then is impaled on a tree,
23 his corpse doth not remain on the tree, for thou dost certainly bury him in that day -- for a thing lightly esteemed of God is the hanged one -- and thou dost not defile thy ground which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee -- an inheritance.
23 His 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.
23 (Q)his corpse shall not hang all night on the tree, but you shall surely bury him on the same day (for (R)he who is hanged is (s)accursed of God), so that you (S)do not defile your land which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance.
23 you are not to leave his corpse on the tree overnight but are to bury him that day, for anyone hung on a tree is under God’s curse.(D) You must not defile the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.(E)
23 his body must not remain overnight on the tree. You must bury him that same day, because cursed of God is the one who has been hanged on a tree. Don't defile your land that the LORD is about to give you as your inheritance."