有關未結案的謀殺案件
1「在耶和華－你神所賜你為業的地上，若遇見被殺的人倒在田野，不知道是誰殺的， 2長老和審判官就要出去，從被殺的人那裏量起，直量到四圍的城邑， 3看哪城離被殺的人最近，那城的長老就要從牛羣中取一隻未曾耕地、未曾負軛的母牛犢， 4把母牛犢牽到流水、未曾耕種的山谷去，在谷中打折母牛犢的頸項。 5祭司利未的子孫要近前來；因為耶和華－你的神揀選了他們事奉他，奉耶和華的名祝福，所有爭訟毆打的事都要憑他們判斷。 6那城的眾長老，就是離被殺的人最近的，要在那山谷中，在所打折頸項的母牛犢以上洗手， 7禱告說：『我們的手未曾流這人的血；我們的眼也未曾看見這事。 8耶和華啊，求你赦免你所救贖的以色列民，不要使流無辜血的罪歸在你的百姓以色列中間。』這樣，流血的罪必得赦免。 9你行耶和華眼中看為正的事，就可以從你們中間除掉流無辜血的罪。」
有關女戰俘的案件
10「你出去與仇敵爭戰的時候，耶和華－你的神將他們交在你手中，你就擄了他們去。 11若在被擄的人中見有美貌的女子，戀慕她，要娶她為妻， 12就可以領她到你家裏去；她便要剃頭髮，修指甲， 13脫去被擄時所穿的衣服，住在你家裏哀哭父母一個整月，然後可以與她同房。你作她的丈夫，她作你的妻子。 14後來你若不喜悅她，就要由她隨意出去，決不可為錢賣她，也不可當婢女待她，因為你玷污了她。」
有關長子的繼承權
15「人若有二妻，一為所愛，一為所惡，所愛的、所惡的都給他生了兒子，但長子是所惡之妻生的。 16到了把產業分給兒子承受的時候，不可將所愛之妻生的兒子立為長子，在所惡之妻生的兒子以上， 17卻要認所惡之妻生的兒子為長子，將產業多加一分給他；因這兒子是他力量強壯的時候生的，長子的名分本當歸他。」
有關逆子的處置
18「人若有頑梗悖逆的兒子，不聽從父母的話，他們雖懲治他，他仍不聽從， 19父母就要抓住他，將他帶到本地的城門、本城的長老那裏， 20對長老說：『我們這兒子頑梗悖逆，不聽從我們的話，是貪食好酒的人。』 21本城的眾人就要用石頭將他打死。這樣，就把那惡從你們中間除掉，以色列眾人都要聽見害怕。」
其他的條例
22「人若犯該死的罪，被治死了，你將他掛在木頭上， 23他的屍首不可留在木頭上過夜，必要當日將他葬埋，免得玷污了耶和華－你神所賜你為業之地。因為被掛的人是在神面前受咒詛的。
各位平安，這一章裡面我們繼續讀到關於社會責任的相關規範。我們之前談過的，申命記的社會規範都是以人性為出發點設立，所以裡面考量的主要內容都是人跟人之間的關係，以及社會上的責任。我們一同來看看。
首先關於找不到兇手的謀殺案。在今天的社會中，要是有莫名的兇殺案發生，必定會成為社會新聞，以及追查的案子。但是在古代，無名屍首的事情常見，但是上帝卻要求以色列民族為了無名屍首的情況也要進行嚴肅的贖罪祭。距離案發地點最近的城市要負起這個責任，由長老和祭司要為整個社會 – 以色列民 - 獻上流血的贖罪祭。這個行為為要表明，百姓沒有人知道這件事情的始作俑者，無法追查，只能把這個案件交託給上帝。由上帝來追查裁決。
洗手的行為，我們可以看見彼拉多在處刑耶穌之前也是洗手，說這流血的罪不歸我，你們自己承擔。由此可見，上帝看重每一條人命，就算是無法追查的案子，上帝都要讓以色列人明白，有流血的罪，上帝都必要追查。
接著我們看到對待女戰俘的條例。這個條例可以說是相當仁慈的。在古代，女性通常不被看重，而如果是被俘虜的女性，命運通常是極為悲慘的。而這裡上帝卻賜下了一條相當恩典的條例：如果要娶她，要好好對待她，並且要給她為自己家庭和父母哀哭的時間，然後娶她。這是對她的尊重，這在古代是很稀有的一個對待戰俘的方式。
關於財產的繼承權也是，父親雖然是一家之主，但也不可以隨心所欲地去分派家產，所謂名分之分還是重要的。先出生的就是長子，就算生長子的妻子可能是因為某些原因跟父親結合的，而夫妻感情並不和睦，這原因也不能剝奪長子的權利，這是上帝要求對名份的看重。長子名份是相當重要的，不可輕易出賣，在皇室繼承權上，或是家產分派上，長子的名份都是相當重要。
接下來論到關於處置逆子的條例。這一個條例相當可怕，甚至要處以石刑，用石頭把他打死。相信應該不會有父母會讓自己的孩子經歷這樣的酷刑。這裡講的不只是兒子和父母拌嘴吵架，是已經到了相當嚴重的悖逆，甚至已經危害到社會穩定，像是某些新聞中的兒子，不只是殺人，甚至已經到了要危害父母的敗類，這樣的人必須被帶到長老面前，徹底除掉。這不只是為了父母，免得這個兒子造成其他家庭的破壞，讓父母承擔後果，而是為整體的社會責任，也有必要把這樣的惡人除去。
最後是關於人被處死後，要把屍首拿下來。這部分特別強調不是為了尊重被處死的人，而是尊重上帝賜為業的土地。把一個死刑的人持續掛在樹上並不會有殺雞儆猴的效果，反而是不斷提醒人這件事情。
這些所有的經文看似有點雜亂，但是我們可以從這些條例中看出一個主調性：責任與尊重。人與人之間有責任，社會之間有社會的責任，身為社會的一份子，我們每一個人對彼此有一份責任。當有人違反這份社會責任，就是犯罪時，必須要受到相對應的懲罰和負上責任。這責任是出於人與人彼此之間的尊重。在社會中生存，必須要尊重一些律法和尊重。我們說一個人有家教，有品德，說的就是這個人能夠一定程度抑制自己的罪性，能夠對他人的權利有尊重，並且可以不會任意犯罪，去傷害別人的權利。
這些古代的律法已經不適用於今天，但是立法的精神和原則依然不變。就如我們上一篇所說到，律法的三大功用。所有的律法出發點都是為人，為了使人明白自己有罪，懂得悔改，也是為防範人的罪性無止盡擴張，也是為人提供一個道德的指引，我們能夠按照去進行。這些經文的頒布對於以色列民來說，堪比華夏民族的立基者 - 周公制禮作樂 - 異曲同工，都是為了穩定社會提供一個道德性的規範，建立文化的重要根基。
以後我們會提到關於詩歌的重要性，在古文明之中，音樂和詩歌是極其重要的一環。
感謝各位的聆聽，我們繼續從這些古代典籍中學習今日社會中和個人生活中的重要智慧。
DEUTERONOMY 21
Atonement for Unsolved Murders
“If in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess someone is found slain, lying in the open country, and it is not known who killed him,
then your elders and your judges shall come out, and they shall measure the distance to the surrounding cities.
And the elders of the city that is nearest to the slain man shall take a heifer that has never been worked and that has not pulled in a yoke.
And the elders of that city shall bring the heifer down to a valley with running water, which is neither plowed nor sown, and shall break the heifer’s neck there in the valley.
Then the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come forward, for the Lord your God has chosen them to minister to him and to bless in the name of the Lord, and by their word every dispute and every assault shall be settled.
And all the elders of that city nearest to the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley,
and they shall testify, ‘Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it shed.
Accept atonement, O Lord, for your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, and do not set the guilt of innocent blood in the midst of your people Israel, so that their blood guilt be atoned for.’
So you shall purge the guilt of innocent blood from your midst, when you do what is right in the sight of the Lord.
Marrying Female Captives
“When you go out to war against your enemies, and the Lord your God gives them into your hand and you take them captive,
and you see among the captives a beautiful woman, and you desire to take her to be your wife,
and you bring her home to your house, she shall shave her head and pare her nails.
And she shall take off the clothes in which she was captured and shall remain in your house and lament her father and her mother a full month. After that you may go in to her and be her husband, and she shall be your wife.
But if you no longer delight in her, you shall let her go where she wants. But you shall not sell her for money, nor shall you treat her as a slave, since you have humiliated her.
Inheritance Rights of the Firstborn
“If a man has two wives, the one loved and the other unloved, and both the loved and the unloved have borne him children, and if the firstborn son belongs to the unloved,
then on the day when he assigns his possessions as an inheritance to his sons, he may not treat the son of the loved as the firstborn in preference to the son of the unloved, who is the firstborn,
but he shall acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the unloved, by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the firstfruits of his strength. The right of the firstborn is his.
A Rebellious Son
“If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and, though they discipline him, will not listen to them,
then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gate of the place where he lives,
and they shall say to 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.’
Then all the men of the city shall stone him to death with stones. So you shall purge the evil from your midst, and all Israel shall hear, and fear.
A Man Hanged on a Tree Is Cursed
“And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree,
his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance.
Hello everyone, peace be with you. In this chapter, we continue to delve into the regulations concerning social responsibility. As we've discussed before, the social norms outlined in Deuteronomy are rooted in human nature. Therefore, the primary considerations revolve around human relationships and societal obligations. Let's explore together.
Firstly, regarding unsolved murder cases. In today's society, any unexplained homicide would undoubtedly become a matter of public interest and investigation. However, in ancient times, cases of unidentified corpses were common. Yet, God required the Israelite community to solemnly atone, even for such cases involving nameless victims. The nearest city to the scene of the crime bore this responsibility. The elders and priests were to offer a blood sacrifice for the entire community of Israel, symbolizing that although the perpetrator remained unknown to the people, the case was entrusted to God for investigation and judgment.
The act of washing hands is also significant. We see Pontius Pilate washing his hands before the execution of Jesus, disavowing responsibility for shedding innocent blood. This underscores the value God places on every human life. Even in cases where the perpetrator cannot be identified, God mandates accountability among the Israelites, emphasizing that He will hold them accountable for shedding blood.
Next, we encounter regulations regarding the treatment of female captives, which can be considered rather humane. In ancient times, women were often undervalued, and the fate of female captives was typically grim. However, here God decrees a remarkably gracious regulation: if one desires to marry a female captive, they must treat her well and allow her time to mourn for her family before marrying her. This demonstrates respect for her, a rare approach to dealing with captives in ancient times.
Concerning inheritance rights, although the father was the head of the household, he couldn't arbitrarily distribute the family estate. The concept of primogeniture was crucial. The firstborn, even if his wife had grievances against the father for certain reasons, couldn't be deprived of his rights. This highlights God's insistence on respecting lineage and the significance of the firstborn's status, which holds importance not only in royal succession but also in the division of family assets.
Moving on to regulations regarding rebellious sons, this is a rather terrifying statute, prescribing stoning as punishment, effectively executing the rebellious child. It's unlikely that any parent would subject their child to such brutality. This statute isn't merely about parental disputes with children but signifies severe rebellion, potentially jeopardizing social stability. It's akin to contemporary cases where children not only commit crimes but pose threats to their parents' lives, warranting their removal for the greater good of society.
Lastly, concerning the handling of corpses after execution, the emphasis lies not in respecting the deceased but in honoring the land God has given as inheritance.
While these laws may seem somewhat disparate, we can discern a common theme: responsibility and respect. There's a mutual responsibility among individuals and within society as a whole. When someone violates this social responsibility, committing a crime, they must face appropriate punishment and accountability. This responsibility stems from mutual respect among individuals. Survival in society necessitates respecting laws and one another. When we say someone has good upbringing and character, we imply their ability to restrain their sinful nature to some extent, respect the rights of others, and refrain from committing arbitrary acts that harm others' rights.
Although these ancient laws are no longer applicable today, the spirit and principles of legislation remain unchanged. As we discussed previously, the threefold function of the law: to convict people of sin, to prevent the endless expansion of human sinfulness, and to provide moral guidance. The promulgation of these scriptures, for the Israelites, was as crucial as the establishment of rites and music by Confucius for the Chinese people. Both aimed to provide moral standards to stabilize society and lay the foundation for culture.
In the future, we'll discuss the importance of poetry. In ancient civilizations, music and poetry were integral aspects.
Thank you for listening. Let's continue to extract wisdom for today's society and individual lives from these ancient texts.