This week, we shall continue with
the study of the Book of Deuteronomy in the Old Testament.
vv. 1-15—Specific Legislations—Rules of Wars with nations “at a distance”
(1) War is obviously a normal part of a nation’s life: Why then should Israel not be afraid, even if the enemies are obviously stronger than they are? (v. 1)
(2) Why then should the battle be preceded by an address of the (high) priest? (v. 2)
(3) What is the message the priest should deliver? (vv. 3-4)
(4) Exemptions of military services (vv. 5-8: see Note below)
a. Who belong to the first two types of exemption? (vv. 5-6)
b. Given that the very purpose of the gift of the land by God to them was an inheritance to enjoy, what might be the reason behind the exemption?
c. Who belonged to the third type? (v. 7)
d. What is the reason behind this exemption?
e. Who belonged to the 4th type of exemption? (v. 8)
f. Should such people be exempt from fighting for their nation? Why or why not?
g. Although these provisions have not made it clear, what do you think happens if the person who qualifies under one of these exemptions still volunteers to go to battle?
(5) What might be the spiritual application to us today, as our Christian lives are often likened to a war? (2 Cor. 10:3-4; Eph. 6:12)
(6) Why should they offer peace as the first resort? (vv. 10-11)
(7) How should they treat the women, children, livestock and other things they plunder? (v. 14)
vv. 16-20—Specific Legislations—Rules of War with nations of the six neighboring peoples
(8) What is the main difference in the rules of war when they are against the six neighboring peoples in the Promised Land and when they are against those from nations far away? (vv. 16-17)
(9) What is the reason for the difference? (v. 18)
(10) How are they to deal with trees in the land they capture? (v. 19)
(11) What is the reasoning behind the sparing of fruit trees? (v. 20)
(12) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note:
“According to Josephus (Ant. iv. 8, 41) the enjoyment of them (consecrated houses) was to last a year…when fruit trees were planted (Lev. 19:23ff. )…the fruit was not to be eaten for the first three years, and that of the fourth year was to be consecrated to the Lord; and it was only the fruit that was gathered in the fifth year which could be applied by the owner to own use… (The exemption to the newly wed) is extended still further in ch. 24:5…for a whole year from military service and other public burdens.”
(K&D, 939)
However, the provision of Lev. 19:23 might be intended to apply only to the time they entered into the Promised Land and planted fruit trees for the first time.
Specific Legislations—The Sacredness of Life
(1) Atoning for unsolved murder (21:1-9)
a. Why should the town nearest to the body be deemed responsible for the crime?
b. “A life for a life” (19:21): What is being used to atone for the sin of the city?
c. What might the choice of a heifer that has never been used and a valley that has never been plowed or planted signify? (see Note below)
d. Apart from washing their hands over the heifer, what should the elders do? (vv. 7-8)
e. What if the elders of the city do not perform such a ritual? (v. 9)
f. What impact do you think this legislation would have on the elders and the people of the city concerned?
(2) Treatment of wives taken captive (vv. 10-14)
a. What do you think of how women taken captive in ancient times were normally treated? Do you think there were rules governing their treatment?
b. Why does the Lord mandate that such captive women be given a month to mourn her parents (likely killed in the war) before being taken as wives?
c. What then is the purpose of prohibiting her sale as a slave?
d. How different does the Lord want His people to be from the nations around them in this respect?
(3) No favoritism regarding the right of the firstborn (vv. 15-17)
a. What does this legislation seek to protect?
b. Without such legislation, how might they play favorites, using Abraham as their precedent in his treatment of Ishmael (Gen. 21:10)?
(4) Violation of the 5th Commandment (vv. 18-21)
a. What does the 5th Commandment state? (Exod. 20:12)
b. Are all “rebellious” sons to be treated as such? Why or why not?
c. Do you think it would be hard for any parent to do as told by this legislation?
d. What is the purpose of this legislation? (v. 21)
(5) Death on a pole (vv. 22-23)
a. Of all of the kinds of methods of execution of criminals, what does the execution by the hanging on a (wooden) pole represent?
b. Why is leaving the body overnight prohibited?
c. Since “anyone who is hung on a pole is under God’s curses”, what does this say about Jesus then? (see Gal. 3:13)
(6) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note:
“This regulation as to the locality in which the act of expiation was to be performed was probably founded upon the idea, that the water of the brook-valley would suck in the blood and clean it way, and that the blood sucked in by the earth would not be brought to light again by the ploughing and working of the soil.”
(K&D, 942)
Specific Legislations—Various Laws and Regulations: We shall try to group these regulations into several headings for consideration:
Be a responsible neighbor (22:1-4, 6-8)
Respect God’s distinction in creation (22:5, 9-11)
Remember God’s laws all the time (22:12)
(1) Be a responsible neighbor (I) (22:1-4)
a. What is the reason behind the stipulations in vv. 1-3?
b. What might be the most common reason for not doing so?
c. A donkey or an ox will most likely fall under heavy burdens or due to an injury and often it is hard for just one person to help the animal back on its feet: Do you think the stipulation in v. 4 is easier to comply with than the previous one?
d. What might be the most common reason for not complying with the stipulation in v. 4?
(2) Being a responsible neighbor (II) (22:6-8)
a. Do you think this stipulation is given based on humanitarian grounds? Why or why not?
b. The young or eggs are likely taken for food: What practical purpose might it serve to let the mother go?
c. The reason behind the stipulation in v.8 is obvious: How may we apply it in today’s world? Can you think of any applicable example?
(3) Respect God’s distinction in creation (22:5, 9-11)
a. Why does Moses say that wearing clothing of the opposite sex is detested by God? (v. 5)
b. What does this say about today’s “transgender” issue?
c. What does Genesis 1:12 say about the way God created vegetation on the 3rd day?
d. What might be the reason for the prohibition in v. 9? Why does it say that the planting of two kinds of seed in the same vineyard will defile both the crop and the fruit?
e. Apart from the practical problem associated with yoking an ox with a donkey, what do you understand as the difference between the two according to the law of cleanness? (Lev. 14:1-8)
f. Perhaps, the reason for the prohibition in v. 11 was obvious to the Israelites at the time, but it is no longer known today. The best guess is proposed by some commentators who think such was the fashion of nations like Egypt at the time which the Lord does not want Israel to copy. In any case, what might be the core teaching revealed by the sum of the above stipulations?
(4) Remember God’s laws all the time (22:12)—It is a brief reiteration of Numbers 15: 37-41.
a. Even if we do not fully understand the reasons behind each of the above stipulations, what does 22:12 serve to remind us of?
(5) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Specific Legislations—Sexual Purity
(1) Virginity of a bride (vv. 13-21)
a. What might be the motive(s) of a husband who accused his wife of pre-marital infidelity (instead of simply divorcing her according to 24:1ff)?
b. What recourse does the wife or her family have? (vv. 15-17)
c. Do you think 2½ lbs. of silver is an adequate punishment on top of “chastisement” (likely referring to flogging) for such a false accusation? Why or why not?
d. What if the accusation is proved to be true? (v. 21)
e. Why does the Lord put such emphasis on sexual purity?
(2) Adultery with the wife of one’s neighbor (v. 22)
a. What is the punishment in this respect?
b. What is the reason behind such a harsh punishment?
c. What is the message for us today?
(3) Dealing with rape (vv. 23-29)
a. Rape of a woman pledged to be married not in the country-side, i.e. within the city (vv. 23-24)
- What is the punishment for both the man and the woman involved?
- Why should the woman die too?
b. Rape of a woman pledged to be married in the country-side (vv. 25-27)
- What is the punishment for the man?
- What is the punishment for the woman?
- Comparing the treatment in the two different situations above, do you think the legislation is fair? Why or why not?
c. Rape of an unmarried woman (vv. 28-29)
- What is the punishment for the man?
- What other obligations does the man have?
- Do you think it is fair? Why or why not?
(4) Incest (v. 30)
a. What kind of incest does Moses reiterate with this legislation?
b. What is the punishment already pronounced in Leviticus? (see Lev. 18:8, 29)
(5) How do all of the above stipulations reveal the desire of the Lord?
(6) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
23:1-8—Specific Legislations—Exclusion from the Assembly
(1) What is the first category of people excluded from the assembly of the Lord? (v. 1)
(2) What might be the reason for it?
(3) What is the second category? (v. 2)
(4) What might be the reason for it?
(5) What is the third category? (v. 3, the incident is recorded in Num. 22-24)
(6) What is the reason given? (vv. 4-6; you may want to read Num. 22-24 as well)
(7) What is the fourth category? (vv. 7-8)
(8) Who in the fourth category will be exempt from the exclusion and why?
(9) What are the purposes for these legislations of exclusion?
23:9-14—Specific Legislations—Maintaining Holiness of the Military Camp
(10) Why is “nocturnal emission” considered unclean? (v. 9; see Num. 5:2)
(11) How should “contamination” by such uncleanness be prevented? (vv. 10-11)
(12) How should excrement at the camp be dealt with? (vv. 12-13)
(13) What is the reason given for these legislations? (v. 14; Note: K&D translate “anything indecent” as “nakedness of a thing”)
23:15-25—Specific Legislations—Miscellaneous Laws
(14) What is the purpose behind the dealing with run-away slaves from a foreign nation? (v. 15)
(15) What is the difference between a prostitute and a shrine prostitute? (v. 17)
(16) What exclusion is imposed on prostitutes in general and why? (v. 18)
(17) Why does the Lord prohibit charging of interest among the Israelites and not on loans to foreigners? (see Lev. 25:36-37)
(18) How might this apply to us today?
(19) What is the purpose behind the legislation about the vow? (vv. 21-23; see Matt. 5:33-37 as well)
(20) What is the purpose of the legislation in vv. 24-25?
(21) How may we apply it to us today?
(22) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
24:1-4—Specific Legislations—Laws of Divorce and Remarriage
(1) Is it right for a husband to divorce his wife simply because she is displeasing to him?
(2) What does Jesus say about this matter and the reason why Moses instituted this law? (Mk. 10:2-12)
(3) What protection does this legislation grant to the divorced woman?
(4) Why can’t the first husband remarry the same wife after she had also remarried? (v. 4)
24:5-22 (except vv. 7-9, 16)—Specific Legislations—Laws of Compassion
(5) To the newly wed (v. 5): Apart from the exemption of military service, what else is he exempt from? Why?
(6) About pledges (vv. 6, 10-13)
a. Whether it is a millstone (v. 6), or one's cloak (v. 12), what is the rationale behind these laws?
b. Can you think of any other similar applications?
c. Why shouldn’t one go in to get his pledge? (vv. 10-11)
(7) About hired workers (vv. 14-15)
a. What is the legislation in this regard?
b. Why does it apply to both fellow Israelites and foreigners?
c. How should we apply this principle today?
(8) Treatment of the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows (vv. 17-22)
a. In terms of a security or pledge for debts: How does the legislation in v. 17 supersede the above rules for pledges?
b. Why? (v. 18)
c. What is the purpose for the rules in vv. 19-22?
d. What is the reason given? (v. 22)
e. How might we apply this principle today?
24:7-9, 16—Specific Legislations—Miscellaneous Laws
(9) Why is kidnapping among Israelites such a severe sin that deserves capital punishment? (v. 7)
(10) Skin diseases were addressed earlier in Leviticus 13 in detail (see Note below):
a. Why is it reiterated here? (v. 8)
b. Why does Moses use Miriam’s leprosy as an example? What is his point? (v. 9; see Num. 12:10-15)
(11) How important is the legislation in v. 16?
(12) What is its implication concerning eternal life and death?
(13) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note:
It appears that the law concerning leprosy or skin diseases is repeated by Moses with the single emphasis that they should follow the instructions of the priest strictly so that it would not spread to others in the community; even Miriam had to follow strict instructions with her leprosy (Num. 12:14-15).
Specific Legislations—Various Laws
(1) Limits on corporal punishment (vv. 1-3)
a. What safeguards are being put in place to ensure proper court proceedings, limits to punishment, and its execution?
b. What is the purpose of limiting punishment to forty lashes?
c. What in your opinion was the reason why the Jews ended up imposing only “forty lashes minus one”? (2 Cor. 11:24)
(2) Ethical treatment of animals (v. 4)
a. What is the rationale behind the law regarding an ox (which is used for threshing)?
b. How does the Apostle Paul see its application? (1 Cor. 9:9-11; 1 Tim. 5:17-18)
c. How may owners of businesses apply this principle?
(3) Levirate marriage (vv. 5-10)
a. How did this “custom” play out in the family of Judah? (Gen. 38)
b. What is the reason given by Moses to make this custom into a law? (v. 6)
c. What might be the motive or reason for the brother-in-law to refuse to marry his sister-in-law? (see Gen. 38:9)
d. Does this law force the “brother-in-law” to comply with this obligation? (see Note 1 below)
e. What will be the result of his refusal? (vv. 7-10)
(4) The sanctity of man’s private part (vv. 11-12)
a. What is the motive of the action by the wife in this example?
b. What does such an unusually harsh punishment point to?
(5) Dishonest scale (vv. 13-16)
a. How does the Lord view dishonesty, especially in business? (v. 16)
b. What might be the equivalent of the dishonest scale in today’s business world?
(6) Eradication of the Amalekites (vv. 17-19)
a. The Israelites have faced many enemies. What makes the Amalekites so hated by the Lord? (v. 18; see the full story in Exod. 17:8-16)
b. How seriously does the Lord take this particular command that He gives to Israel? (1 Sam. 15:11)
c. What might be the reason that this instruction is placed in this section of laws? (see Note 2 below)
(7) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note 1:
“Brother-in-law — the Hebrew term (yabam) has a more specific sense than the English equivalent implies, for it refers specifically to that brother-in-law who was liable to levirate marriage under the conditions specified above.”
(NICOT, Deuteronomy, 315)
Note
2:
“(I)t was presented again to the Israelites as a reminder that there was unfinished business to perform once they had settled in the promised land.”
(NICOT, Deuteronomy, 318)