A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Deuteronomy · Chapter 21
CHAP. XXI.
Verſ. 1. IF one be found ſlain in the land which the Lord thy God giveth to thee to poſſeſſe it, lying in the field, &c.]
The field is onelyonly here mentioned, becauſe in cities and towns ſuch murders are ſeldome committed ſo ſecretly but that the murderer is found out; yet when it ſo happened that in a town or citie a man was found murdered, and the man that did the fact could not be found, though all diligence had been uſed to find it out, it is moſt probable that the ſame courſe was taken for the expiation of the bloudſhed, that is here preſcribed, verſ. 3.
Verſ. 2. Then thy Elders and Judges ſhall come forth, and they ſhall meaſure, &c.]
That is, the Elders and the Judges of the towns or cities round about ſhall, for the better ſatisfaction of them all, come forth, and ſee the meaſure taken betwixt the dead bodie and the cities round about it, to wit, if it be doubtfull what …itie is neareſt; and that becauſe the next citie was to make expiation for the murder, as it follows in the next verſe.
Verſ. 3. The Elders of that citie ſhall take an heifer which hath not been wrought with, &c.]
This is enjoyned for the expiation of that murder, the authours whereof could not b… found out, thereby to teach them how much the Lord is diſpleaſed with murder, and with the neglect of Magiſtrates, if they did not uſe all care to ſecure the high-wayes about them from all robberie and murder, and to ſearch out the murderers when any man was ſecretly killed, that he might be pu…iſhed for the bloud he had ſhed. The Elders of the citie next to the ſlain man had this work of making an expiation impoſed upon them, becauſe there was moſt probabilitie that ſome of the inhabitants there had ſhed this bloud; and beſides, they were moſt culpable, for not well guarding and watching the place where the murder was committed: and that which is enjoyned to be done by way of expiation for this murder thus ſecretly committed, is the killing of a heifer which hath not been wrought with, and which hath not drawn in the yoke; and however ſome hold that this heifer did repreſent the murderer, in whoſe ſtead it was put to death, and therefore it was an heifer that had never born the yoke, to ſignifie the murderer to have been a wicked wretch, a ſonne of Belial, that is, lawleſſe and without yoke; yet it is more generally and upon better grounds held, that this heifer did ſignifie Chriſt, by whoſe death they were to expect that ſatisfaction ſhould be made to Gods juſtice, that the guilt of this murder might not be laid to their charge. And indeed in that it was an heifer which had not been wrought with, and which had not drawn in the yoke, and conſequently could not be ſlain for any thing diſliked in it, the fitter it was to be a lively repreſentation of Chriſt, who was never under the bondage of ſinne, nor never did any thing blame-worthy, but did voluntarily undergo that which he did ſuffer for our ſakes. See the note upon Numb. 19. 2.
Verſ. 4. And the Elders of that citie ſhall bring down the heifer unto a rough valley, &c.]
This was done principally to ſtrike them with the great…r horrour for the ſinne committed: for the carrying of this heifer, that was to bear the puniſhment due to the offender, as an accurſed thing, that would defile their fields, &c. into a deſert place, did notably teach them that murder was an execrable ſinne, and dangerous. But yet withall it might alſo ſignifie that Chriſt, of whom this heifer was a type, was to ſuffer in a horrid place called Calvarie or Golgotha, Matth. 27. 33. as likewiſe that by this expiation the guilt of this accurſed ſinne was removed from them, their fields and cities.
Verſ. 5. And the prieſts, the ſonnes of Levi, ſhall come near, &c.]
The prieſts are here enjoyned to be preſent, firſt, to ſhew by their preſence that this was a kind of extraordinary ſacrifice; ſecondly, that the Elders might before them, as in Gods preſence, proteſt their innocencie; thirdly, to ſee that all was done according to the law, and to ſatisfie the Elders in any thing that might ſeem doubtfull; fourthly▪ that they might bleſſe them in the name of the Lord, that is, pray for them, and upon theſe things thus done pronounce them free from the bloudſhed: all which is implyed in the following words, for them the Lord thy God hath choſen to minister unto him, and to bleſſe in the name of the Lord; and by their word ſhall every controverſie, and every ſtroke, be tried.
Verſ. 6. And all the Elders of that citie that are next unto the ſlain man ſhall waſh their hands over the heifer, &c.]
To wit, thereby firſt to ſignifie that they were guiltleſſe of the bloud of the ſlain man (as for the ſame reaſon, when Pilate was to condemne Chriſt, he took water, and waſhed his hands before the multitude, ſaying, I am innocent of the bloud of this juſt perſon, Matt. 27. 24.) ſecondly, to intimate their deſire that the guilt of this murder might fall and lie upon this heifer, over whom they waſhed their hands, and that ſo the people might be free: and thirdly, to teach us that even thoſe that are mo…t guiltleſſe and innocent ought to clear themſelves from the very ſuſpicion of any evil amongſt men.
Verſ. 7. And they ſhall anſwer and ſay, Our hands hav… not ſhed this bloud, &c.]
This word, anſwer, may ſeem to imply that the prieſts did examine the Elders concerning this murder, and then they anſwered him, as here is expreſſed.
Verſ. 10. When thou goeſt forth to warre against thine enemies, &c.]
This Law, which implyes a liberty for men to marry women taken captives, though they had wives already, is herein like that of divorce, Deut. 24. which was onelyonly ſuffered for the hardneſſe of their hearts, and it is to be underſtood onelyonly of the captives of forein nations, not of the Canaani…es, who were to be all deſtroyed.
Verſ. 12. Then thou ſhalt bring her home to thine houſe, and ſhe ſhall ſhav… her head, and par… her nails, &c.]
According to the two different tranſlations of this laſt clauſe there are two different Expoſitions given of it: for if we reade it, as it is in the margin of our Bibles, ſhe ſhall ſhave her head, and ſuffer her nails to grow, then it ſeems evident that her head was ſhaved, her nails ſuffered to grow, and the ſervile attire of captives was put upon her, purpoſely that being thus deformed he might hereby be beaten from deſiring her to be his wife. But if we reade it, as upon better grounds it is in our text, ſhe ſhall ſhave her head, and pare her nails, and put the raiment of her captivity from off her, that is, the goodly attire which ſhe had on when ſhe was taken captive, then theſe outward ſignes were to teach them that if they deſired to marry ſuch a captive, ſhe muſt renounce her heatheniſme, and all the ſuperfluous and corrupt cuſtomes and ſuperſtitions thereof, and worſhip God onelyonly, as the Iſraelites did, living now a new and holy life, as became Gods people, into whoſe ſtock ſhe was to be ingrafted, and to ſhew them in what manifeſt danger they would b… of being defiled by ſuch wives, if they did not renounce their former religion and heatheniſh cuſ…omes and courſe of life. I know there are ſome Expoſitours do hold that hereby alſo was figured, that if Gods people would make uſe of the philoſophy of the heathens, or any other thing which being good in it ſelf hath been abuſed by them, they muſt be carefull to ſhave off and pare away whatever is ſuperſtitious and ſinnefull therei…. But that theſe rites were intended to ſignifie this, it is hard to ſay.
Verſ. 13. And bewail her father and her mother a full mone…h.]
This was enjoyned, either that the Iſraelite, that had taken this woman captive, might have ſo much time to conſider of what he did beforehand, and not to do that in the heat of his luſt which he ſhould afterwards repent, but might rather be weaned from his deſire of taking her to be his wife; or elſe this was enjoyned, as the other par…iculars before mentioned, as an outward expreſſion of the womans utter renouncing her fathers houſe, that ſhe might be ingrafted into the Iſrael of God: for this mourning for her parents as if they were dead was a kind of bidding farewell for ever to them, according to that of the Pſalmiſt, Hearken (O daughter) and conſider, and encline thine eare; forget alſo thine own people, and thy fathers houſe, Pſal. 45. 10.
Verſ. 14. And it ſhall be if thou have no delight in …er, then thou ſhalt let her go whither ſhe will, &c.]
By way of ſatisfaction for the wrong he had done her, he was freely to ſet her at liberty. Now this putting away …f the captive woman after he had married her, upon ſome diſlike or diſpleaſure taken againſt her, was one of thoſe things which God did never approve, but onelyonly tolerate to the Jews for the hardneſſe of their hearts. And indeed if there were danger leſt the husband ſhould kill or grievouſly oppreſſe a wife of their own nation, upon diſpleaſure taken againſt her, and therefore they were permitted rather to give their wives a bill of divorce and put them away; much more would there have been great danger of the killing or extreme hard uſage of a wife that had form…rly been taken as a captive, and therefore the man is here allowed to put her away; but withall he is reſtrained from ſelling her under pretence that ſhe was his captive and ſervant, but is appointed to ſet her at liberty to go whither ſhe would.
Verſ. 16. He may not make the ſonne of the beloved firſt-born before the ſonne of the hated, &c.]
That is, the ſonne of the hated being yet living, and that becauſe the right of the firſt-born by Law of nature belonged unto him.
Verſ. 19. Then ſhall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the Elders of his citie, &c.]
Who were no doubt to examine the truth of the accuſation brought againſt him, and accordingly to proceed.
Verſ. 21. And the men of his citie ſhall ſtone him with ſtones that he die, &c.]
That is, after the accuſation given in againſt this rebellious ſonne is ſufficiently proved the Elders ſhall condemne him, and ſo he ſhall be ſtoned; and thus by the ſeverity of this Law not onelyonly children were kept in aw that they might not da…e to rebell againſt their parents, but alſo parents were taught to be the more carefull of the education of their children.
Verſ. 23. His body ſhall not remain all night on the tree, but thou ſhalt in any wiſe bury him that day, &c.]
To wi…, whether he were hanged alive, or dead, as thoſe Kings were, Joſh. 10. 26. And afterward Joſhua ſmote them, and ſlew them, and hanged them on five trees: and they were …anging upon the trees untill the evening. And this they were enjoyned to do, firſt, leſt they ſhould by being inured to look daily on the dead carcaſes of men become mercileſ…e and cruel, and make light of killing men; and ſecondly, that the land might not be defiled by that monument of Gods curſe remaining upon it viſibly. And thus were the people taught to look upon death as the wages of ſinne▪ the curſe of the Law.
For he that is hanged is accurſed of God.]
Since the death of any malefactour might be a monument of Gods curſe for ſinne, it may be queſtioned why this brand is peculiarly ſet upon this kind of puniſhment, that he that is hanged is accurſed of God? To which I anſwer, that the reaſon of this was, beca…ſ… this was eſteemed the moſt ſhamefull, the moſt diſhonourable and infamous of all kinds of death, and was uſually therefore the puniſhment of thoſe that had by ſome notorious wickedneſſe provoked God to poure out his wrath upon the whole land▪ and ſo were hanged up to appeaſe his wrath, as we may ſee in the hanging of thoſe Prin…es that were guilty of committing whoredome with the daughters of Moab, Numb. 25. 4. and i… the hanging of thoſe ſonnes of Saul in the dayes of David, when there was a famine in the land, becauſe of Sauls perfidious oppreſſing of the Gibeonites, 2. Sam. 21. 6. Nor was it without cauſe that this kind of death was, both by the Iſraelites and other nations, eſteemed the moſt ſhamefull and accurſed, becauſe the very manner of the death did intimate that ſuch men as were thus executed were ſuch execrable and accurſed wretches, that they did defile the earth with treading on it, and would pollute the earth if they ſhould die upon it, and there…ore we…e ſo truſſed up in the aire as not fit to be amongſt men, and that others might look upon them as men made ſpectacles of Gods indignation and cur…e becauſe of the wickedneſſe they had committed, which was not done in other kinds of death: and hence it was that the Lord God would have his ſon, the Lord Chriſt, to ſuffer this kind of death, that even hence it might be the more evident that in his death he bare the curſe due to our ſinnes, according to that of the Apoſtle, Gal. 3. 13. Chriſt hath redeemed us from the curſe of the Law, being made a curſe for us; for it is written, Curſed is every one that hangeth on the tree.