Continuing Review of Various Laws

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Deuteronomy 21:1) “If anyone is found slain in the land which the LORD your God gives you to possess it, lying in the field, and it is not known who has slain him, (2) Then your elders and your judges shall come forth, and they shall measure to the cities which are round about him that is slain."

Moses continued reviewing the laws of God as he had been doing throughout the book of Deuteronomy.  Here he discussed what was to be done if a man was found slain in their promised land of Canaan, and it was not known who had killed him.  The elders and judges of the people were to measure how far the slain man was from the surrounding cities.

(3) “And it shall be that the elders of the city nearest to the slain man will take a heifer which has not been worked and which has not pulled with a yoke.

The elders of the city found to be nearest the slain man were to take a heifer that had not been worked and had not yet pulled with a yoke.

(4) "And the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer to a rough valley, which is neither eared nor sown, and shall strike off the heifer's neck there in the valley." 

The elders of the city nearest the slain man were to take the heifer to a rough valley, an uncultivated place neither plowed nor sown, and they were to either break its neck, or cut off its head at the neck.  It's unclear in the original text what exactly was meant, but it certainly meant to kill the heifer there in the rough valley.  There is much symbolism in this act.  First, this was not a sacrifice, but an execution of a representative for the murderer who could not be found.  The fact that this representative had not ever pulled with a yoke might be seen as a symbol of the murderer who could not bear the yoke of God's laws.  A rough and uncultivated valley was chosen for the blood of the murderer who had shed innocent blood that would have forever polluted the land.  Although not a proper sacrifice, this act of killing the heifer representing the murderer, was a type of atonement for the innocent blood that had been shed in the land.  You could also see some symbolism of Christ who was brought low to earth to atone for our sins.  Free from labor and the yoke could represent the freedom of Christ from the yoke of sin and the workings of it.  Christ descended from heaven, took on the sins of the world, and was killed, shedding his innocent blood for atonement of those sins.

(5) "And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near, 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 shall every controversy and every stroke be tried."

The priests who were from the tribe of Levi were to come forth for the Lord had chosen them for His service, and it would be by their word that controversies between men and whatever strokes or injuries might be made by one to another would be tried.

(6) “And all the elders of that city nearest to the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley. (7) And they shall answer and say, 'Our hands have not shed this blood, nor have our eyes seen it.'"

Verse 6 does confirm that the heifer was beheaded.  The elders of that city that was nearest to where the slain man had been found were to wash their hands over the heifer that had been beheaded in the rough valley, professing that they had not shed innocent blood nor did they know who had shed the innocent blood in the first place.

(8)  "'Be merciful, O LORD, to Your people Israel, whom You have redeemed, and do not lay innocent blood to Your people of Israel's charge.'"

The priests would pray to God to have mercy on His children of Israel and not to charge them as guilty of the shedding of innocent blood.

(9) "So shall you put away the guilt of innocent blood from among you when you do what is right in the sight of the LORD."

Indeed, thusly, they would put off the punishment from the shedding of innocent blood that polluted their land when they did as God had instructed they do. 

(10) “When you go out to war against your enemies, and the LORD your God has delivered them into your hands, and you have taken them captive, (11) And you see among the captives a beautiful woman, and have a desire for her, that you would have her as your wife, (12) Then you shall bring her home to your house, and she shall shave her head and trim her nails."

Moses spoke of a war other than one with the Canaanites, because there would be no captives among the seven nations that the Lord would have His people completely destroy.  In other wars, they were to spare the women, children, and cattle (Deuteronomy 20:14).  If in one of these wars, after the Lord had delivered their enemy into their hands, if one saw among the captives a beautiful woman whom he desired to have as a wife, it appears he was permitted that.  He could bring her into his house, but she was to shave her head and trim her nails.  Although intermarriage among the heathen nations was discouraged and in some cases forbidden as with the Canaanite nations, if a woman was captive, she was totally within her husband's power and would be converted to the Israelite religion.  Shaving her head and cutting her nails might be for a form of purification, but it was more likely that it made the woman less desirable.  There was a custom among the heathen nations of women adorning their nails to make them desirable for men to look at and then take and handle them, bringing them into the heathen woman's web, so to speak.

(13) "And she shall put the clothes of her captivity off her, and shall remain in your house, and mourn her father and her mother a full month; and after that you shall go in to her and be her husband and she shall be your wife."

The captive woman was also to remove the clothing she had worn when she was taken captive as those might have also been part of what had made her so appealing.  She was to remain in her captor's house for a full month, allowed to mourn her parents and her family, and all she was forced to leave behind, as the sense of the word translated as "mother" can also mean "parting".  After that month, the man could then go in to her, be intimate with her, and make her his wife.  This appears to provide a cooling off period for the lust of the man.  The woman was not to be abused and raped in the heat of the moment.  She was allowed time for her emotions and after a month, the man could be intimate with her and make her his wife.

(14) “And it shall be, if you have no delight in her, then you shall let her go where she will, but you shall not sell her at all for money, you shall not make merchandise of her, because you have humbled her."

If after that month's cooling off period, the man decided he really didn't want to marry the woman after all, but it had just been the heat of the moment, then he was to set her free.  He was forbidden to try to sell her or use her for any gain; just because she had been his captive for a month, humiliated by being shaved and all adornments removed, she was not to be treated as an object.

(15) “If a man has two wives, one beloved and the other hated, and they have born him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated, (16) Then it shall be, when he makes his sons inherit that which he has, he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, who is indeed the firstborn."

Moses then moved to the subject of a man with two wives, where one was much loved, and the other not so much.  If both wives had borne him children, and the firstborn had come from the wife who was not loved, the man was forbidden to favor his beloved wife's child over the rightful firstborn heir.  Although polygamy was allowed, it was not God's way, one man and one woman becoming one flesh.  This passage demonstrates one of the many ways that having more than one wife can complicate things.  There would always be a favorite or preferred wife, and it would most often cause envy and constant strife in the household, even more so when there were children involved.  Who doesn't think their child is the best and most deserving?  God's law in this case said that the firstborn was the firstborn, regardless of affection.  Interestingly, previous to this law being enacted, birthright was given to Joseph, the oldest son of Rachel, the most beloved wife of Jacob, before Reuben, son of Leah, the less loved wife, who was actually the firstborn.  However, this was God's appointment and Jacob had been tricked into marrying Leah.  His desire all along had been Rachel.  This law was enacted because of the hardness of men's hearts, just as Jesus said about divorce in Matthew 19:8.  A provision was made for the case, but it was not God's intention from the beginning.

(17) “But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated as the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his."

Continuing the thought started in verse 15 above, the man with two wives was required to acknowledge his true firstborn son, even if he was the son of the wife who was not loved.  That firstborn was the beginning of his father's strength, or his family that became larger and strengthened by the addition of the firstborn.  The actual firstborn was to have his birthright privilege, which was a double portion of his father's estate.

(18) “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 who, when they have chastened him, will not hearken to them, (19) Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out to the elders of his city, and to the gate of his place; (20) And they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ (21) And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he dies; so shall you put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear."

In the case of a stubborn and rebellious son who would not obey his father and his mother, even after they had chastened him, and refused to listen to them, the parents were to take hold of their son and bring him to the elders of his city.  There they would declare their son stubborn and rebellious and unwilling to obey his parents, which would necessarily find him unwilling to obey any authority.  From the beginning, in one of the Ten Commandments, God required that children honor and obey their parents (Exodus 20:12), and abusing them mentally, as well as physically, was worthy of death (Exodus 21:15, 17 and Leviticus 20:9).  The parents would declare the son's sins to the elders, and all the men of his city would stone him with stones until he died.  In that way, the parents and all the people would put evil away from Israel, and all the people would hear of it and take heed.  Wow!  It seems so harsh to us now.  However, when you consider God's commandment, and His laws since Exodus that a rebellious son was worthy of death, sons would necessarily understand their requirements under the civil law and more importantly, the Law of God, which were one and the same at this time.  If, knowing this, they were still so stubborn and evil, it could be assumed they would never change their rebellious hearts.  If such a law were executed now, it would certainly do a lot to destroy the wicked in the world.  We must love God with all our hearts and souls, and as Jesus said, "...he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me."  Such hate and rebellion against God is of Satan and cannot be tolerated.  Though we don't go around stoning our rebellious kids in this day and age, we should remember Who comes first in our lives.

(22) "And if a man has committed a sin worthy of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, (23) His body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day (for he that is hanged is accursed of God) that your land not be defiled, which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance."

The hanging mentioned here is most likely not a strangulation by hanging by the neck, but a suspension as on a cross or tree or the like.  Additionally, from what I have read, crucifixion was not a normal mode of execution, but that after criminals were stoned to death, they were sometimes hung afterward as an additional public shame and as a visual reminder to the people of what would happen if they committed a sin worthy of death; they would not only hear and fear, but would see and fear.  However, if a criminal was hung on a tree, he was not to be left all night, but was to be taken down and buried that day.  The reason given is that the land not be defiled.  This can be taken literally; allowing rotting bodies to hang indefinitely would certainly pollute the land.  Also the criminal was said to be accursed by God, so again, allowing cursed things to hang around indefinitely defiled the land.  As a person was considered unclean who touched a dead body, so the land would be unclean that allowed hanging dead bodies in it.  The law called for the criminal's life, and once that life was taken, the law was fulfilled, and no more was required.  This seems to include an element of mercy for even the worst of criminals and a respect for the human body.  Most notably, this law was symbolic, and in these particular words by Moses, prophetic of the coming Christ who "redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree'" (Galatians 3:13).  As the criminal's body fulfilled the law in his case, so Christ's hanging on a cross was indication and proof of His being made sin and a curse for His people and that He bore the curse of the law for their sins, and so the law was ultimately fulfilled.  The taking down of the body before sunset and burying him, signified the removal of the curse from the land, as Christ's body taken down and placed in the tomb signified the removing of the curse from Him and His people for whom He suffered, and redeeming them from the curse of the law.  The Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge by Canne, Browne, Blayney, Scott, etc., made an additional point that being accursed of God proclaimed him "under the curse of God as much as any external punishment can. They that see him thus hanging between heaven and earth, will conclude him abandoned of both, and unworthy of either."  This certainly applied to the death of Christ who was forsaken by God in that moment He took all our sins upon Him, but declared His work finished upon His death.  No more was required to fulfill the law, and of course, He was not left hanging between heaven and earth, but was risen.  More words from the TSK, "...the law was satisfied... It demanded no more. Then he, and those that are his, ceased to be a curse. And as the land of Israel was pure and clean when the body was buried, so the church is washed and cleansed by the complete satisfaction which Christ thus made."  

Once again, I am in awe of how often Jesus Christ appears in the Old Testament!

Rules in Times of War

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Deuteronomy 20:1) “When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them, for the LORD your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt."

Moses had been giving a very long speech in the book of Deuteronomy, mainly reviewing God's Laws.  He now turned to the subject of war.  When the children of Israel went out to battle against their enemies, most assuredly a God-sanctioned war, and they saw all the horses and chariots and people much more numerous than they were, they were not to fear.  Their Lord God was with them, the same God who wrought so many miracles to bring them out of Egypt.

(2) "And it shall be, when you come near to the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people. (3) And shall say to them, 'Hear, O Israel, you approach this day to battle against your enemies; let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be terrified because of them; (4) For the LORD your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’"

Moses told them that when they were on the verge of battle, the priest would come and speak to the people to encourage them, telling them not to fear their enemies, because their Lord was going with them to fight against their enemies, and to save and protect them from those enemies.

(5) "And the officers shall speak to the people, saying, ‘What man is there who has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man dedicate it.'"

The officers would then speak to the people readying for battle.  It seems there were provisions for those indisposed to fight and they could be discharged.  For instance, if there was a man who had just built a new house and had not yet dedicated it, he was to return to his house to do so.  It was customary in Israel to dedicate a new house to God with prayer, praise, and thanksgiving.  This was done in order to secure the Divine presence, protection, and blessing of God.  If a man died in battle without having dedicated his house, another man would take possession of it and dedicate it for himself and his family.

(6) "'And what man is there who has planted a vineyard and has not yet eaten of it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man eat of it.'"

Likewise, the officers would ask if there was any man who had planted a vineyard and had not yet eaten of it.  It was perhaps at great expense that a man had planted a vineyard, tending it for years, for he was forbidden by law to eat of it for the first three years (Leviticus 19:23) as it was "uncircumcised", then it was dedicated to the Lord in the fourth year, and finally he was allowed to eat and share it with friends and family in the fifth year.  It seems the Lord was being generously indulgent to allow His people to be dismissed from battle for what appears to be so trivial a reason.  However, John Wesley, in his Notes on the Whole Bible, pointed out that in the beginning of their settlement in Canaan, the people had been encouraged and charged with the building of houses and planting of vineyards for the benefit of their commonwealth. 

(7) "‘And what man is there who has betrothed a wife and has not taken her? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man take her.’"

Additionally, the officers would ask if any man had been betrothed to a woman, but had not yet married her.  He was encouraged to return home to marry her.  If he should die in battle, his betrothed would probably become the wife of another.  It was deemed a hardship for a person to be obliged to go to battle, who had left a house unfinished, newly purchased land half tilled, or a wife with whom he had just contracted marriage.  It seems God only wanted willing volunteers and not those who might be distracted by unfinished business.

(8) "And the officers shall speak further to the people, and say, ‘What man is there who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go and return to his house, lest his brethren's heart faint as well as his heart.'"

The officers would ask further if there was any man who was too fearful or fainthearted to go into battle.  Those, too, were given leave from battle.  Once again, only the ready and able volunteers were called to battle.  It was both a kindness to the fearful, but also to the men who remained who would have had to contend with useless cowards whose fear might have infected those soldiers around them.

(9) "And it shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking to the people, that they shall make captains of the armies to lead the people."

Once all the men who wanted to be dismissed had been discharged, then they were to assign captains of the armies to lead the soldiers into battle.

(10) “When you come near to a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace to it."

When the Israelite armies came to a city to fight against it, they were first to offer peace.  Some of the commentators I study struggle with the fact that the seven nations the Israelites were dispossessing could not possibly be offered peace, because God had already told them that these nations were to be totally destroyed.  I see no contradiction here.  The nations could be offered peace, but God knew they would not accept it.  Perhaps He hardened their hearts to reject peace just as He had with Pharaoh because their cup of iniquity was now full.  Each time Moses had gone before Pharaoh, he had peaceably asked that Pharaoh let the people go, but Pharaoh refused each time.  In the same way, these nations would refuse to let Israel come into to their nations.

(11) “And it shall be that if they accept your offer of peace, and open to you, then it shall be all the people that are found therein shall be tributaries to you, and they shall serve you."

If the people of the city Israel was approaching accepted their offer of peace and opened up to let them enter, then those people could be allowed to remain and become tributaries to the children of Israel.  By authority of God, the one and only God of the universe, they were to become subject to Israel and would certainly have to renounce idolatry and serve the God of Israel.  Obviously, the seven nations would not accept such terms, although they were to be offered.  The offer would be genuine, for God would have saved any person who gave up his idols and desired to follow Him. 

(12) "And if it will make no peace with you, but will make war against you, then you shall besiege it."

If the city rejected the Israelites' offer of peace, and acted to make war with them, then the Israelites were to besiege the city.

(13) “And when the LORD your God has delivered it into your hands, you shall smite every male in it with the edge of the sword."

When the city was surrendered because the Lord had delivered it into the hands of His people, the Israelite army was to strike down every male in it with the sword.

(14) “But the women, the little ones, the cattle, and all that is in the city, all its spoil, you shall take for yourself; and you shall eat the spoil of your enemies, which the LORD your God has given you."

However, the women and children were to be spared, as well as their cattle.  All the spoil of the city they were allowed to take for themselves, any gold, silver, merchandise, household goods, tools, and whatever was of any worth and value to be found within the cities and the people's homes.  The Lord had delivered their enemy into their hands and it was He who gave them the spoil.

(15) “Thus you shall do to all the cities which are very far from you, which are not of the cities of these nations."

The sparing of the women, children, and cattle, and the spoil of the city, was to be done only in the cities far outside the land of Canaan, outside the seven nations that God had willed destroyed.

(16) “But of the cities of these people which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes."

However, of the cities of the seven nations that the Lord was giving them as their inheritance, they were not to spare any living person or animal.

(17) “But you shall utterly destroy them, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, as the LORD your God has commanded you."

They were to completely destroy the nations the Lord was driving out of the land of Canaan to give it to His people--the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.  Six nations are mentioned here, but in Deuteronomy 7:1-2, the Girgashites are listed as one of the seven nations to be destroyed as commanded by God.

(18) "That they not teach you to do according to all their abominations which they have done for their gods, so should you sin against the LORD your God."

The reason the nations had to be utterly destroyed was so that the children of Israel not be tempted to do any of the abominations the people of those nations had done in their idol worship, and thus sinning against their Lord God.

(19) “When you besiege a city for a long time, in making war against it to take it, you shall not destroy its trees by wielding an ax against them, for you may eat of them, and you shall not cut them down (for the tree of the field is man's life) to employ them in the siege."

If the Israelites were in a city a long time in their effort to overtake it, they were instructed not to cut down the trees of the city to use them in their siege, for those would serve as food for the Israelites.

(20) “Only the trees which you know are not trees for food you may destroy and cut down, and you shall build bulwarks against the city that makes war with you, until it is subdued."

However, if the Israelites knew certain trees were not to be eaten of, those trees they were allowed to cut down to use in protecting them from the people of the city that were warring with them.  The trees that bore fruit would provide food for the Israelites for as long as it took to subdue the city.  This was a sensible rule against waste.  No fruit tree was to be destroyed unless it was barren, but they could make use of the trees that could not be used for food.  This was in accordance with other of God's laws against waste that provided for all, as for the poor and the birds of the field, for example.  In Leviticus 23:22, the people were told not to completely reap to the very edges of their fields or to go back and glean after the harvesting, but to leave that for the poor.  Jesus talked about God providing for the birds.  God's creations are by His design and good, and we should always strive to be good stewards of them.  Dr. John Gill, in his Exposition of the Entire Bible, pointed out that this passage might be seen as an "emblem of the axe being to be laid to fruitless trees in a moral and spiritual sense; and of trees of righteousness, laden with the fruits of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, being preserved and never to be cut down or rooted up..."

Laws About Cities of Refuge, Fraud, and Perjury Reviewed

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Deuteronomy 19:1) “When the LORD your God has cut off the nations whose land the LORD your God gives you, and you succeed them, and dwell in their cities and in their houses, (2) You shall separate three cities for yourself in the midst of your land which the LORD your God gives you to possess."

Throughout the book of Deuteronomy, Moses had been reviewing the Law for the children of Israel before he died and left them.  He now reviewed the law about cities of refuge.  When the people came into their promised land of Canaan after God had driven out the previous inhabitants, and began to dwell there in their cities and houses, they were to set about setting apart three cities in the land.

(3) “You shall prepare yourself a way and divide the coasts of your land, which the LORD your God gives you to inherit, into three parts, to which every slayer may flee."

The people were to create an open way, or perhaps a better translation is a roadway or highway.  They were to divide their entire land into three sections, and in each section would be a place that a man slayer might flee to await judgment.  Moses had already appointed on their current side of the Jordan River three cities of refuge, and he now told them they were to appoint three more, as God had commanded they have six cities of refuge, three on each side of the Jordan (Numbers 35:14). 

(4) “And this is the case of the manslayer who flees there, that he may live: Whoever kills his neighbor ignorantly, whom he did not hate in time past, (5) As when a man goes into the woods with his neighbor to hew wood, and his hand swings a stroke with the ax to cut down the tree, and the head slips from the handle and strikes his neighbor so that he dies, he shall flee to one of these cities and live."

Moses described the case of a man slayer who might flee to a city of refuge.  If a man accidentally or unintentionally killed another, someone he had never shown any hatred toward in the past, he could flee to a city of refuge and live.  He gave an example of a man chopping wood with his neighbor, and his ax slipping and striking his neighbor, and killing him unintentionally.  He could flee to the city of refuge and be safe from the avenger of blood, who was a relative who might take vengeance for the life of his brother.

(6) "Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past."

Verses 3 through 6 represent one long directive by Moses.  Verse 6 is intended to finish the thought started in verse 3 that the people were to provide an open way to three separate cities of refuge for the convenience of the man slayer to run to from the avenger of blood.  If the path was not clear and open and it was a great distance away, an innocent man might be killed by the avenger of the accidentally killed man.  Adam Clarke, in his Commentary on the Bible, wrote, "The Jews inform us that the roads to the cities of refuge were made very broad, thirty-two cubits; and even, so that there should be no impediments in the way; and were constantly kept in good repair."

(7) “Therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall separate three cities for yourself.’"

Moses finished his thought by saying his previous statements established the reason why these three cities of refuge must be provided.

(8) "And if the LORD your God enlarges your coasts, as He has sworn to your fathers, and gives you all the land which He promised to give to your fathers, (9) If you shall keep all these commandments to do them, which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God and to walk always in His ways, then you shall add three more cities for yourself besides these three, (10) That innocent blood be not shed in your land which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance, and blood be upon you."

If the Lord enlarged Israel's territory as He had sworn to their forefathers, conditional on them keeping the Lord's commandments, loving the Lord and always walking in His ways, then they were to add three additional cities of refuge so that innocent blood not be shed in their land because someone who accidentally killed someone else without malice and intention, was killed by a relative avenger of blood, although he was innocent.  The guilt of innocent blood would be upon their land if they did not provide more proper asylums for such people if their territory was enlarged.

(11) "But if any man hates his neighbor, lies in wait for him, rises up against him and strikes him mortally, that he dies, and flees to one of these cities, (12) Then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him from there, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die."

However, if a man hated his neighbor and with malice and premeditation, lay in wait for his neighbor and killed him, and he presumed to flee to a city of refuge, then the elders of his city were to send for him to be delivered to them to be tried before them, to determine whether he was a proper person to receive the benefit of the city of refuge or not, and if not, to pass the sentence of death upon him, at which time he would be delivered into the hands of the avenger of blood, who would be the executioner of that death sentence.

(13) “Your eye shall not pity him, but you shall put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with you."

The people, including the judges in his case, were to have no pity on a person guilty of killing his brother intentionally.  They must execute murderers to put away the guilt of innocent blood upon their land, so that it might go well for them.

(14) “You shall not remove your neighbor’s landmark, which the men of old have set in your inheritance, which you will inherit in the land that the LORD your God gives you to possess."

Before the use of fencing, people marked the boundaries of their property with some sort of landmark.  A landmark might be easily moved, and this was a law against moving such a landmark that had been previously set marking the inherited property of an estate.

(15) “One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin that he sins; at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established."

A single witness was not allowed to give evidence against another so that a sentence was passed.  It must be the testimony of at least two or three witnesses to establish that an iniquity had been performed.

(16) “If a false witness rises against any man to testify against him for wrongdoing, (17) Then both the men in the controversy shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges who will be in those days."

If a false witness rose up to testify against another for wrongdoing, bearing false witness against his neighbor, in direct conflict with one of God's Ten Commandments, then both the one bearing false witness and the one he was accusing with his false statements were to come before the priests and judges who would be serving at that time, and before the Lord, as well.

(18) “And the judges shall make diligent inquisition, and, behold, if the witness is a false witness, and has testified falsely against his brother, (19) Then you shall do to him as he had thought to have done to his brother; so shall you put away the evil from among you."

The judges were to make a thorough examination of the facts, and if they determined that the one bringing the charges was indeed a false witness, then he was to receive the same punishment he had been seeking against the one about whom he had brought false accusation.  Once again, this was to put evil away from their land.  It must be noted that although this was a single witness, and his testimony wouldn't be allowed to pronounce sentence on the one he was accusing anyway, it was so grievous to bear false witness, that it must be lawfully determined if the accuser was a false witness.

(20) “And those who remain shall hear and fear, and henceforth commit no more such evil among you."

All other people would hear about the case and would take care not to commit such false testimony against another, knowing what the outcome would be; thus they would not commit such evil in the land.

(21) "And your eye shall not pity; life shall be for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot."

Again no one, including the judges, was to pity the false witness.  He must be held to account and punished for his false testimony in like manner as he had desired against the one he had falsely accused.  Just laws are necessary for the safety and flourishment of a society.  A Christian may and should act in forgiveness for injuries, but unless wrongdoers are brought to account and punished, and the public see that these wrongdoings will not be tolerated, such evil deeds will only increase in number, and a society will be destroyed.  Once again, we see how wise God's laws are.  I can't help but think of the "wisdom of men" in this present day who want to let prisoners out of jail, or not even bring them to justice in the first place.  As in the case of illegal entry to our country or of rioting that we are experiencing at the time I write this, letting people get away with lawless acts scot-free serves only to embolden the criminals and others to do likewise and more.  Rather than putting evil away from our society, we encourage it.  Sadly, that is what a Godless nation will do.

Prophecy of Christ the Great Prophet

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Deuteronomy 18:1) "The priests the Levites, all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel; they shall eat the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and His inheritance."

Moses continues reviewing the Law.  He now spoke of the priests and all the tribe of Levi; they were to have no portion of land in Canaan as their inheritance as all the other tribes had.  The Levites' inheritance was to eat of the offerings that were the Lord's inheritance, that part that was the Lord's portion or inheritance, which God had reserved to Himself, as tithes and first fruits, and other offerings made by fire.  The Levites, as priests and ministers and servants of God, were given His inheritance.

(2) “Therefore they shall have no inheritance among their brethren; the LORD is their inheritance, as He has said to them."

The Levites were to have no inheritance among the other tribes because the Lord was their inheritance; they had no other needs other than Him.  Working in the service of God, they would have a special nearness and communion with Him, but God also provided for their physical needs by giving His portion of the inheritance to them.  The Lord had told Aaron the Levites would have no part in the inheritance among their brethren in Numbers 18:20.

(3) “And this shall be the priest’s due from the people, from those who offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep; and they shall give to the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw."

Moses went on to describe what would be the priests' portion required from the people who gave sacrifices of their cattle or sheep.  We were already told in Leviticus 7:32-34 that the priests were to be given the shoulder and the breast.  Here their portion seems to be increased to include the cheeks and the maw.  This led some commentators to think the breast was meant by maw here, but the original word translated as "maw" was "qebah" meaning "paunch or cavity", from the word "qabab" which means "to scoop out"; it does seem that the stomach was meant.  Additionally, there is the addition of the cheeks.  Albert Barnes, in his Notes on the Bible, noted that as a slain animal might be thought to consist of three main parts, the head, the legs, and the trunk of the body, a portion of each was to be given to the priests, representing the consecration of the whole.  He added that some ancient commentators thought it represented the dedication of words (cheeks), acts (shoulder or legs), and appetites (stomach) of the worshiper to God.

(4) “The firstfruits of your corn, of your wine, and of your oil, and the first of the fleece of your sheep, shall you give him."

Additionally, all the people's firsts of their grains, wine, oil, first fleece, and firstlings, too, were all the Lord's, and He gave His portion to the priests.

(5) “For the LORD your God has chosen him out of all your tribes to stand to minister in the name of the LORD, him and his sons forever."

By law, these were to be given to the priests because God had chosen Levi from among the tribes to minister in His name, Levi and his posterity, forever, at least until Jesus Christ came and was the perfect priest (Hebrews 7:11).

(6) "And if a Levite comes from any of your gates out of all Israel, where he dwells, and comes with all the desire of his mind to the place which the LORD shall choose, (7) Then he shall minister in the name of the LORD his God, as all his brethren the Levites do, who stand there before the LORD."

If one of the Levites who were dispersed all over the country, instructing and teaching the people, came to the place of God's temple that He would choose, with all his heart and soul and eager desire to serve the Lord, then he was permitted to minister at the temple where his Levite brethren ministered.

(8) “They shall have equal portions to eat, besides what comes from the sale of his patrimony."

Although the Levites had no portion of the land divided to them, it does seem by this and suggested by other verses involving Levites (1 Kings 2:26 and Jeremiah 32:7-8), that they were allowed to buy property that might be left to their children (patrimony).  Even though the Levites that came from where they dwelt outside the temple to minister within the temple might have had property, they were still to receive their equal portions as priests ministering in the temple.

(9) “When you come into the land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations."

When the Israelites came into their promised land of Canaan, they were not to follow the traditions of the nations that dwelt before them, practices that were abominations to the Lord.

(10) “There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or who uses divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, (11) Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer."

The people were forbidden to practice the consecrating of their children to the sun god by the passing between two fires.  They were forbidden to use divination, or be an observer of times, astrology.  They were forbidden to be witches, wizards, or mediums who communicated with spirits.  They were forbidden to perform enchantments, spells, or curses; they were to have no part in the dark spirit world, but were to follow only their Lord God and His light.

(12) “For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you."

All who practiced the things above were abominations to the Lord, and it was because of those pagan practices that the Lord was driving out those people from the land that He was then giving the children of Israel.

(13) "You shall be perfect with the Lord your God."

As discussed before, no person is perfect, except Jesus Christ, but God's people were to strive for perfection by adhering to all His laws, sincerely serving and worshiping Him, and walking uprightly before Him to the best of their abilities.

(14) “For these nations which you shall possess hearkened to observers of times, and to diviners; but as for you, the LORD your God has not allowed you to do so."

The people of the nations the children of Israel were dispossessing had listened to fortune-tellers and soothsayers, but the Lord had forbidden His people to do likewise.

(15) “The LORD your God will raise up to you a Prophet from the midst of you, of your brethren, like me; to Him you shall listen."

Here Moses makes a prophetic statement about the coming Messiah.  He told the people that God would raise up a Prophet from the midst of their tribes, a Prophet like him, and to this Prophet they were to listen.  God indeed raised up Jesus from birth from the tribe of Judah, and of course, He was raised up in resurrection.  This Prophet would be like Moses; actually Moses was the antitype or symbol of the coming Jesus Christ.  Moses was a prophet, a teacher, law-giver, and deliverer from bondage in Egypt, certainly symbolic of the coming Messiah.  All the Bible translations seem to suggest that "like me" was meant to be spoken by Moses, as "me" was lower-case and not an upper-case M.  My first thought was that the prophetic words were being spoken as directly from God, and "Me" referred to God.  If that were true, certainly no other prophet would be as like the Lord as would Jesus.  This prophecy was quoted by Peter in Acts 3:22 and by Stephen in Acts 7:37.  In Matthew 17:5 and Luke 9:35, God spoke from a cloud declaring Jesus to be His son and said to "Hear Him."

(16) "According to all that you desired of the LORD your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.'"

According to what the people desired of their Lord that day at Mount Sinai when the Lord had spoken directly to them in fire and thunder, the Lord would send them.  They no longer wanted to hear the direct voice of the Lord in terrible fire and thunder and lightning, fearing they might die in the presence of it, but desired that Moses talk with God and then tell them what God had said (Deuteronomy 5:24-27).

(17) “And the LORD said to me, 'They have well spoken what they have spoken.'"

The Lord had said at the time the people told Moses their desire, that what they suggested was good (Deuteronomy 5:28).

(18) "'I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like to you, and will put My words in His mouth; and He shall speak to them all that I shall command Him.'"

Although it was not stated at the time, it appears from this verse that after the Lord had said the people had well spoken, He told Moses He would raise up a Prophet from among their tribes, someone like him (Moses); it does appear from this verse that one like Moses was intended in verse 15, not one like God.  God would put His words in this Prophet's mouth, and He would speak all that God commanded Him.  Indeed, Jesus said that He didn't speak of Himself, but what God had commanded He speak, that He spoke (John 12:49).

(19) "'And it shall come to pass, that whoever will not hearken to My words, which He shall speak in My name, I will require it of him.'"

Continuing the prophecy that the Lord had given Moses at the time and what he now relayed to the people, he told them that it would be that whoever would not listen to the words of this Prophet that He would speak in God's name, God would "require it of him".  Most of the commentaries I study wrote this just meant they would be punished.  Indeed, we are told in the New Testament that those who believe and accept the Lord Jesus will have everlasting life, but those who don't will have death, even the wrath of God (John 3:36).  Matthew Henry, in his Commentary on the Whole Bible, took it a step further, suggesting the Word itself would require it of the person who would not listen to God's word.  In John 1:1-2, we were told that Jesus Christ was the Word of God, with Him from the beginning.  Mr. Henry pointed out that in John 12:48 Jesus said that whoever rejected Him and did not accept His words, had one that judged him, "...the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day."  The Word would judge him; Jesus Christ, the Word, would judge him in the end.  I, myself, couldn't help but think of the scripture that said every knee would bow to the Lord and every tongue would confess to Him (Romans 14:11).  In the end, it would be required of everyone to profess that Jesus Christ was Lord (Philippians 2:11).

(20) "‘But the prophet who shall presume to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who shall speak in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.'"

However, a prophet who presumed to speak a word in the Lord's name, which the Lord had not told him to speak, or one who spoke in the name of false gods, that was a false prophet who was to die.

(21) “And if you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?’ (22) When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him."

Moses added that if the people wondered how they would know if a prophet spoke the word of the Lord or not, he told them simply to observe whether or not what the prophet spoke came to be or not.  Obviously, if the thing did not come to pass, then the word had not come from the Lord, and the prophet had spoken of himself presumptuously, and was not to be feared.  In the New Testament, John wrote not to believe every spirit because there were many false prophets in the world.  He said to test the spirits to see if they were of God.  When Paul and Silas preached to the Bereans, the Bereans were said to be noble because not only did they listen to them, but they searched the scriptures to see if what they preached was so.  The people in the New Testament times had more knowledge and more resources to test a prophet, but the children of Israel could watch the fruits of a prophet to see if what he said came true, and also they could compare it to what they knew of the law.  God would not contradict His law, so any prophet who suggested the people do what was completely contrary to what God had told them to do, would obviously be a false prophet.

The most significant part of this chapter and post is the prophecy of Jesus Christ.  Once again I am in awe of how often Jesus is found in the Old Testament!  Think of God's love and mercy for His people.  He had chosen Israel to be His own people, but when His own people failed miserably to keep His commandments, and even said they didn't want to hear from Him directly for fear they would die from the awesome terror of it, God agreed to send a prophet to speak for Him.  This wasn't any prophet; it was the Lord Himself!  The people were terrified by the awesome God of the universe, so He came to earth in the flesh, completely man with all the earthly temptations of man, but perfect as God, to be the perfect sacrifice for us sinners.  Where John 1:1 told us that the Word was with God and the Word was God, John 1:2-3 went on to say that the Word was there from the beginning and all things were made by Him.  Then in John 1:14, we are told, "...the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us."  The Word WAS God and the Word was made flesh!  God Himself came to save the world!  That fleshly man would be the Prophet who would speak God's words because He was God's Word!  He was called His only begotten son as that was the way He was brought into the world, as a son born to an earthly mother, but there is no doubt He was God Himself!  It's a hard concept for our feeble minds to grasp, but then we are not capable of totally comprehending God.  If we were capable, then we would have a pretty small god.  Jesus prayed to God in heaven; did He pray to Himself?  God in the flesh prayed to God in heaven; He was after all bound in the flesh with all the earthly feelings and temptations.  A hard concept, perhaps, but what a beautiful one!  God so loved us that He came down to suffer on this earth to save us!  No greater love than this!  He suffered terrible pain and laid down His fleshly life for us.

Laws About Judges and Sentencing and the Election of a King

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Deuteronomy 17:1) “You shall not sacrifice to the LORD your God a bull or sheep which has any blemish or defect, for that is an abomination to the LORD your God."

In the book of Deuteronomy Moses had been giving the people a review of God's laws before his death.  God had told him he would die before stepping foot into the promised land, so he was preparing the people for life without his leadership.  He continued now with the command that no sacrifice of any animal was to be offered that had a blemish or defect in it.  The sacrifice was a symbol of the perfect blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot (1 Peter 1:19).

(2) “If there be found among you, within any of your gates which the LORD your God gives you, a man or a woman who has wrought wickedness in the sight of the LORD your God, in transgressing His covenant, (3) And has gone and served other gods and worshiped them, either the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded, (4) And it be told you, and you have heard of it, and enquired diligently, and, behold, it be true and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel-- (5) Then you shall bring forth to your gates that man or that woman who has committed that wicked thing, and shall stone that man or woman with stones till they die."

Moses had previously reviewed the law that it was a capital crime to seduce others to idolatry (ch. 13), and here made the point it was no less a crime to be seduced.  Whether he or she initiated the crime or was seduced by it, if any person was found to have gone off and served and worshiped other gods, he or she was guilty of that wicked crime and was to be put to death.  Note that it had to be a sure and certain fact.  A person who heard the rumor of the crime had to inquire diligently to determine if it was true and certain.  When a person was found to be guilty, he or she was to be brought to the gate of the city where there was a public stoning.  I believe the reason capital punishment was in the form of stoning was so that all people participated indicating their desire to rid their land of such wickedness.  Also most noteworthy in this passage is the commandment against astrology.  It is as clear as day that God condemned astrology which is the interpretation of the influence of the heavenly bodies on human affairs.  Only God determines the fate of His creation; although they can make poor choices that steer their fate, God knows all and is in total charge of all.  Looking to any other source for answers is idolatry and a wicked abomination in His sight.

(6) "At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death."

Time and time again we are told in scripture that a thing is established to be true if it is confirmed by at least two or three witnesses.  For all capital crimes, including the aforementioned one, a person was not to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.  How wise this is!  When it is a case of "he said, she said", how can one know for certain the truth?  Even before I knew this scripture, I recall being on an attempted murder trial jury in my twenties, and how I felt very uncomfortable condemning the defendant based on the word of only the victim, whose back was turned at the time of the attempt.  There was really no other corroborating evidence, but there were those on the jury who believed the testimony of the victim was all that was needed.  It was a very long deliberation for a week, and we were finally determined a hung jury.  I remember being very upset about the whole ordeal because the prosecution never asked the right questions to get the truth!  I felt if we the jury had asked some pertinent questions, we might have been able to determine the truth, but that's a whole 'nother story.  However, as I type this now, I realize that that could have been intentional by the prosecutor.  But why didn't the defense attorney ask those questions to positively clear his client?  Either one or both were inept, or one was inept and the other wise to not to bring it up, but either way, I feel confident now in knowing how God would have judged this case, and I did the best I could.  However, I do wish I had known scripture enough back then to quote to the Baptist preacher on our jury that we needed more than just the one witness to condemn that man.

(7) “The hands of the witnesses shall be the first upon him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So you shall put the evil away from among you."

In the stoning of the condemned person, the witnesses were to cast the first stones, followed by all the people, signifying the common condemnation of the wickedness against God.

(8) "If there arise a matter too hard for you in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, matters of controversy within your gates, then you shall arise and go up to the place which the LORD your God chooses."

This was spoken about what would be considered lower court judges.  If there was a matter too difficult for them to judge, be it a capital case, a civil matter, or a criminal one, or any other matter within their gates or jurisdiction, then they were to bring their case to the place where the Lord would choose for His tabernacle.

(9) “And you shall come to the priests, the Levites, and to the judge who shall be in those days, and enquire; and they shall show you the sentence of judgment."

The case was to be brought to the priests, the Levites, and to the judge who would be there in the day when the Lord had chosen where to place His name and have the cases of the people judged.  The inferior judges bringing the cases would seek advice from the priests and the supreme court, if you will, and that court would advise how to sentence according to the law of God.

(10) "And you shall do according to the sentence which they of that place which the LORD shall choose shall show you; and you shall observe to do according to all that they inform you."

The inferior court judges were required to pass sentence according to what the priests and the judge in God's appointed place directed.  They were not only to observe what the supreme court said, but were to put it in practice, and not in certain things or circumstances only, but in everything they had told them relating to the case in question.

(11) “According to the sentence of the law in which they shall teach you, and according to the judgment which they shall tell you, you shall do; you shall not decline from the sentence which they shall show you, to the right hand, nor to the left."

The inferior judges were commanded to pronounce the sentence and follow through with what they were advised and taught by the priests and the higher court judge to do.  The priests and that superior judge ruled and taught according to the law of God and His will and thus their rulings were to be carefully observed.  The lower court judges were not to alter the judgment in preference to either side.

(12) "And the man who will do presumptuously, and will not hearken to the priest who stands to minister there before the LORD your God, or to the judge, even that man shall die; and you shall put away the evil from Israel."

The man who acted presumptuously, the lower court judge, and was conceited in his own opinion and did not listen to the higher court that had been chosen to minister and represent the people's Lord God, that lower court judge was to be put to death to rid Israel of the evil rebellion against the law of God.

(13) “And all the people shall hear and fear, and do no more presumptuously."

All the people would hear what had happened to the presumptuous lower court judge and they would fear and respect the supreme court of God, and would not act as presumptuously.

(14) “When you come to the land which the LORD your God gives you, and shall possess it and shall dwell in it, and shall say, ‘I will set a king over me like all the nations that are around me,’ (15) You shall in any way set him king over you, whom the LORD your God shall choose; one from among your brethren you shall set as king over you; you may not set a foreigner over you, who is not your brother."

When the people had come into their promised land of Canaan and were in full possession of it and dwelling in it, and they decided they wanted a king to rule over them as other nations had, it was permissible by the Lord.  However, the Lord was to choose their king from among their brethren; the people were not to have a king who was not from their nation and religion.  How wise!  It reminds me of our country choosing Muslims to be leaders whose ideals are in direct contrast to the country's laws they are supposed to uphold.  I am not being racist against Muslims and suggesting they could never hold office here, but they would have to swear allegiance to our country and our laws; none of this swearing in on a Koran which makes no sense whatsoever.  It's no particular prejudice against Muslims; it would be the same with a Communist Chinese or any such foreigner who would not uphold our laws.  To be an American, and especially to lead America, one should pledge allegiance to America and denounce previous citizenship.  Of course, all are free to practice their chosen religion, but they must assimilate and conform to our country's laws.  That flies in the face of the universal one world order that so many desire these days, but that is why it can never work.  Too many cultures are in direct conflict with others.  God knows that, and the wisdom of the world is foolishness to Him (1 Corinthians 3:19).

(16) “But he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to the end that he should multiply horses, forasmuch as the LORD has said to you, ‘You shall not return that way again.’"

The chosen king was not to multiply horses for himself.  It was not that he could not have a few horses, but generally horses were not routinely used for travel or agriculture, but mainly for chariots of war or for pride and grandeur.  Neither reason was acceptable to the Lord.  Multiplying horses for war might make a king put too much confidence in those outward things, or he might be tempted to use them to tyrannize his subjects.  If he multiplied horses for the love of honor and splendor, that was prideful and again putting too much faith in things other than the Lord.  Egypt abounded with horses, and was the principle source of them at that time.  A king was never to send his people back to Egypt to help him multiply horses, for the Lord had told them they were not to go back to Egypt.  It's not that the people were forbidden to ever go back to Egypt; the idea here is that they were not to return to the old pagan ways of Egypt.  A regular trade and alliance with Egypt might cause the people to once again be tempted to engage in the idolatries of Egypt.

(17) “Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, that his heart turn not away; neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold."

A king was not to multiply wives as the lust of the flesh and the eye might cause his heart to turn away from God; also the love of money and riches would cause him to put faith in his wealth and might puff himself up with pride in himself.

(18) "And it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites."

When the king was settled on his throne, he was to write for himself a copy of the law in a book, from the original that was kept by the priests, the Levites.  If this is to be taken literally, and he was to write it himself and not have a scribe do it, that would better imprint the law on his mind, which would seem the purpose of this instruction.

(19) “And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them, (20) That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment to the right hand, or to the left, to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel."

That copy of the law the king had made for himself was to remain with him always, and he was to read it all the days of his life, that he would know in his heart all the words of the law and perform them.  He was to learn to fear and respect his Lord God that his heart not be puffed with pride and he feel superior to his brethren.  He was to know the law and the commandments as given by God and he was not to twist them into more severe laws or more lenient ones, in order that he might prolong his days in his kingdom, and his children also, in the midst of Israel.  I like the way John Wesley wrote of this in his Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible:

"...the scriptures diligently read, are a powerful means to keep him humble, because they shew him in that, tho' a king, he is subject to an higher monarch, to whom he must give an account of all his administrations, and receive from him his sentence agreeable to their quality, which is sufficient to abate the pride of the haughtiest person in the world."

Moses Reviews Yearly Feasts and Appointment of Judges

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Deuteronomy 16:1) “Observe the month of Abib, and keep the Passover to the LORD your God, for in the month of Abib the LORD your God brought you forth out of Egypt by night."

Moses continued his repetition of God's laws.  He told the people now to observe the month of Abib, sometimes called Nissan, because it was in that month that the Lord brought them out of bondage from Egypt.  Abib translates into something like "new fruits", and was considered the first month of their year.  It falls in our March or April.  Moses told them to keep the Passover to the Lord which occurred in Abib.  The Passover was so called because the destroying angel had passed over the children of Israel who had sprinkled the blood of their sacrifice on their doorposts, and killed only the firstborn of the Egyptians.  The commentaries I study pointed out that the Israelites actually did not come out of Egypt at night, but morning, as they had been expressly told not to come out of their doors till morning.  However, it was at night that the Lord had done such a wonder that finally made Pharaoh let His people go.  Additionally, another meaning of the word that was translated as "night", "layil", is "adversity" or "gloom", and the people were definitely brought out from that.

(2) "You shall therefore sacrifice the Passover to the LORD your God, from the flock and the herd, in the place which the LORD shall choose to place His name there."

The people were to sacrifice their Passover feast animals from their flocks and herds in the place the Lord would later choose to put His name.

(3) “You shall eat no leavened bread with it; seven days you shall eat unleavened bread with it, the bread of affliction (for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste), that you may remember the day when you came out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life."

The people were commanded not to eat leavened bread with their Passover feast.  For seven days they were to eat only unleavened bread, called the bread of affliction, a reminder of the time they came out of Egypt in haste and had no time to leaven their dough.  This was to be a reminder all the days of their lives.

(4) "And there shall be no leavened bread seen with you in all your borders for seven days; neither shall any of the flesh which you sacrifice the first day at evening remain all night until the morning."

There was to be no leavened bread even among them in their territory for the seven day period.  Moses also reminded them of the command that none of the Passover meat that was sacrificed the first evening was to remain all night until morning.  Exodus 12:10 told us that if any of it did remain till morning, it must be burned with fire.

(5) “You may not sacrifice the Passover within any of your gates which the LORD your God gives you, (6) But at the place which the LORD your God shall choose to place His name in, there you shall sacrifice the Passover at evening at the going down of the sun, at the season that you came forth out of Egypt."

The Passover sacrifice was not to be sacrificed at home or in private or within any of their cities that the Lord had given them, but was only to be sacrificed in the place the Lord would choose to place His name.  Only there would they sacrifice the Passover in the evening, at the going down of the sun, at the same season they had come out of Egypt.

(7) “And you shall roast and eat it in the place which the LORD your God shall choose, and you shall turn in the morning, and go to your tents."

The people were to roast and eat their Passover sacrifices in the place the Lord would choose, but when the solemnity was over, they might turn and go back to their tents.

(8) “Six days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a solemn assembly to the LORD your God; you shall do no work in it."

The meaning must be either six more days, or for six days and also on the seventh day, when there was also a solemn assembly to the Lord.  We were told in Exodus 12:15 (and verse 3 above) that the people were to eat unleavened bread for seven days.  On the day of the solemn assembly, they were commanded to do no work.

(9) "Seven weeks shall you number to yourself; begin to number the seven weeks from such time as you begin to put the sickle to the corn."

According to Leviticus 23:15, this began the morning after the Passover.  The people were to number seven weeks, and that would be the time that they had begun to reap their grains. 

(10) "And you shall keep the Feast of Weeks to the LORD your God with a tribute of a freewill offering from your hand, which you shall give as the LORD your God has blessed you."

These seven weeks were called the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost.  The people were to keep this feast with freewill offerings from their hands which they were to give as the Lord had blessed them.  Although it was called a freewill offering, the people were required to pay this tribute to their Lord God from whom they received all their blessings.  However, it was not mandated what they should offer.  It was left to each person to determine what to offer in grateful acknowledgment and thanksgiving for that which the Lord had blessed him.

(11) "And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God, you and your son and your daughter, your manservant and your maidservant, and the Levite who is within your gates, and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are among you, in the place where the LORD your God has chosen to place His name there."

The people were to make a liberal feast and cheerfully rejoice before their Lord with their families, their servants, the neighboring Levites, and the poor and needy like orphans and widows, and strangers.  They were to celebrate this feast in the place the Lord would choose to place His name.

(12) “And you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and you shall observe and do these statutes."

The people were exhorted to always remember that they had once been slaves in Egypt, and therefore they should observe to cheerfully do these things, first in thanksgiving to their Lord who freed them, and in mercy and love to those less fortunate as they would have surely appreciated having done to them in their bondage.

(13) “You shall observe the Feast of Tabernacles seven days, after you have gathered in your corn and your wine."

The people were also to observe the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days after they had gathered in their corn and wine.  We were told in Leviticus 23:34 that was the fifteenth day of the seventh month, Tisri, about our September.

(14) “And you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, and your manservant and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your gates."

Once again the people were told to rejoice and liberally share in their feasts with their families, their servants, Levites, strangers, and the poor and needy.

(15) “Seven days you shall keep a solemn feast to the LORD your God in the place which the LORD shall choose, because the LORD your God shall bless you in all your increase and in all the works of your hands; therefore you shall surely rejoice."

For seven days the people were to keep the Feast of Tabernacles to the Lord in the place He would choose, because their Lord would bless them in the increase of their fields and vineyards, etc., and also in the works of their hands in their trades and occupations, and therefore they should surely, heartily and sincerely, rejoice and celebrate and share with family, servants, friends, and others.

(16) “Three times a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God in the place which He shall choose, at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the LORD empty. (17) Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you."

Three times a year the men were to appear before the Lord for feasts in the place the Lord Himself would designate, at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles.  They were not to appear before the Lord empty-handed, but were to bring offerings of whatever they were able, according to the blessings they had received from their Lord.

(18) "Judges and officers shall you make you in all your gates, which the LORD your God gives you, throughout your tribes; and they shall judge the people with just judgment."

During Moses's lifetime, he had been the main judge of the people through inspiration by God, with the help of subordinates, but now Moses was leaving, and instructed the people that they would have to choose their own leaders to maintain order.  Throughout all the land the Lord was giving them, in each of their tribes, they were to select judges and officers who would judge the people justly.  Judges judged the cases brought before them; officers were akin to our police who moved among the people and brought cases to the judges.

(19) "You shall not wrest judgment; you shall not respect persons, neither take a gift, for a gift blinds the eyes of the wise, and perverts the words of the righteous."

The people were commanded not to twist or pervert justice.  They were to judge all people with equal justice, and not consider the statuses of people.  They were commanded to never accept gifts or bribes because that biased their minds and therefore perverted righteous judgment.

(20) "That which is altogether just shall you follow, that you may live and inherit the land which the LORD your God gives you."

Moses exhorted the people to do only what was completely just and right that they might live and continue in the land that the Lord was giving them.

(21) "You shall not plant yourself a grove of any trees near to the altar of the LORD your God, which you shall make you."

The word translated as "grove" is "asherah".  Groves of trees, or asherah poles, were planted and the trees stripped of their boughs and carved with emblems, in heathen worship of false gods.  God commanded no such groves near any altar that was built for Him.

(22) "Neither shall you set you up any image, which the LORD your God hates."

Statues or carved or engraved figures to honor God were forbidden.  The Lord hated such things because nothing in man's imagination could come close to God's perfection and glory, and man would be reduced to worshiping worthless idols of his own imagination.

Year of Release and Sanctifying the Firstborn of Herds and Flocks

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Deuteronomy 15:1) “At the end of every seven years you shall make a release."

In the book of Deuteronomy Moses reviewed the laws of God.  Here he began the subject of the year of release, which was to occur at the end of every seven years.

(2) "And this is the manner of the release: every creditor who has lent anything to his neighbor shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbor or his brother, because it is called the LORD’s release."

Moses went on to explain the form of the release.  Every creditor who had lent anything to his neighbor was to release or forgive the debt, freeing him from any obligation to pay it.  The creditor must not demand payment from the debtor or his brother because it was the Lord's release, appointed and commanded by Him, to show mercy to the poor.  There is much discussion among the commentaries I study about exactly what this release meant.  Some say it was only a release of debts for that seventh year, since it was also a rest for the land and there was no plowing or sowing, and a poor man would have no means to pay.  Some said it only referred to loans lent because of poverty.  Some said the act of "exacting" meant suing or recovering by law.  That was what was forbidden, but if the debtor was able, he was afterwards bound in conscience to repay it.  It does seem like debtors could take advantage of this release, knowing that if they wait seven years, they need not pay, but then again, I suppose it's not unlike a statute of limitations on a debt.

(3) “Of a foreigner you may exact it, but that which is yours with your brother your hand shall release."

The children of Israel were allowed to demand payment from foreigners to whom they had made loans, but not from fellow Israelites.  Dr. John Gill, in his Exposition of the Entire Bible, pointed out this was illustrative of God's forgiveness of sins to those who are His own, those who have been redeemed by the blood of Christ.  Those who reject Christ and are not redeemed have no share in His blessing of grace, and owe their debt for their sins.

(4) "Save when there shall be no poor among you, for the LORD shall greatly bless you in the land which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance to possess it."

The word translated as "save" here, "ephes", means "cessation" or "end".  The verse could therefore read something like, "Except when there are no longer any poor..."  The law of release was only meant for the poor who were unable to pay their debts.  It was never intended to release a person of means from a debt.  Some commentators read it as "To the end that there be no more poor among you..."  By observing this law, all debts being released at the end of seven years, it would prevent people from falling into extreme poverty.  Either way you understand it, the purpose was to help the poor.  Likewise the meaning of the second part of the verse could be either because the Lord would greatly bless them in their promised land, that there would be no poor; or they could so easily afford to release the debts of the poor because they were so greatly blessed in their inherited land.

(5) "Only if you carefully hearken to the voice of the LORD your God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command you this day."

The previous promise that there would either be no more poor or that they were so greatly blessed in their promised land they could generously help the poor, was conditional upon their obedience to the Lord's commandments.

(6) “For the LORD your God blesses you as He promised you; and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; and you shall reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over you."

The previous verse 5 could also serve as a preface to this one, that only if the people obeyed their Lord's commandments, would the Lord so bless them that they would be able to lend to other nations and they would, in fact, reign over many nations, and those nations would not ever reign over them.  They could lend, but they could not borrow from other nations.  This promise was conditional upon the people holding up their side of the covenant and following their Lord's commandments.

(7) “If there is among you a poor man of one of your brethren within any of your gates in your land which the Lord your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother."

The Israelites were commanded not to harden their hearts nor refuse to lend to their poor brethren.  It could be that knowing that debts were forgiven at the end of seven years, they might decide it was better not to lend.  However, their Lord commanded them not to forsake the poor.  He once again reminded them that He was giving them this great land, and they should be willing to give, as well.

(8) “But you shall open your hand wide to him and shall surely lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he wants."

The people were commanded to give liberally and lend whatever was needed.  I can't help but think of lending institutions that often won't lend as much as one needs, ensuring failure.  God's people are commanded to give as much as one needs if in his ability to do so.

(9) “Beware that there be not a thought in your wicked heart, saying, ‘The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand,’ and your eye be evil against your poor brother and you give him nothing, and he cry to the LORD against you, and it be sin to you."

Indeed, the Lord, through Moses, warned the people not to consider the year of release being at hand and refuse to lend because of that.  If a person was not compassionate toward his poor brother and refused to give him anything to the point he cried out to the Lord in prayer for his need, that would be considered a sin against the one who refused to lend.

(10) “You shall surely give to him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the LORD your God will bless you in all your works and in all to which you put your hand."

The people were commanded to lend or give to a poor brother, and not be grieved at parting with money they had little hope of seeing again.  They were to give liberally and cheerfully, and the Lord would bless them mightily for their acts of generosity.

(11) "For the poor shall never cease out of the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor, and to your needy, in your land.’"

There would always be some need in the land.  Some question whether this is a contradiction to verse 4.  I don't think so at all, any way you look at verse 4.  The law of release was meant for the poor.  If there were no poor, it would not be needed.  It was not intended for the rich to borrow and then not have to repay.  The practice of lending and then releasing a debt to the poor would prevent the poor from falling into extreme poverty.  The reason the people were to do this was to strive to prevent poverty in their land of plenty, but there would always be a need.  The Lord wanted His people to be proactive in their generosity, giving liberally to the poor or needy in their land.  It's like the scripture in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, that "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect..."  In perceived contradiction, there are countless verses that suggest no man is perfect or without sin.  But perfection in the ways of the Lord is that for which we should always strive, just as the people in this passage in Deuteronomy were to strive to eradicate the poor by always being generous with the blessings that had been given them.

(12) “If your brother, a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you and serves you six years, then in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you."

There were three different ways an Israelite could be sold to another.  In extreme poverty, he could sell himself; parents in extreme poverty might sell their daughter to be a handmaiden, or because of a criminal activity, one might be sold to pay off his debt.  However he or she came to be owned by another, he was only to serve six years, and must be released in the seventh year.  There was never to be perpetual slavery.

(13) “And when you send him out free from you, you shall not let him go away empty. (14) You shall furnish him liberally out of your flock, and out of your threshing floor, and out of your winepress; of that which the LORD your God has blessed you, you shall give to him."

Whenever a servant was released, he was not to be sent away empty-handed.  The people were commanded to give generously out of what God had blessed them with, from their livestock, from their harvested grains, and from their wine.  This was in keeping with giving liberally to the poor.  A servant was not to be sent out into extreme poverty, but rather with adequate provisions.

(15) "And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this thing today."

The people were never to forget that they had once been slaves in Egypt, how it had felt to be in terrible bondage and hardship.  They were to show compassion to their fellow Israelites because God had shown mercy to them in delivering them out of bondage and bringing them to this land of great promise and blessing; they were likewise to release their brethren from servitude and furnish them with plenty of good things with which to start their lives again.

(16) "And it shall be, if he says to you, ‘I will not go away from you,’ because he loves you and your house, because he is well with you, (17) Then you shall take an awl and thrust it through his ear to the door, and he shall be your servant forever. Also to your female servant you shall do likewise."

If at the time of his release, a servant said that he did not want to leave because he had come to love his master and his family and household, and because he was quite content in his position in the household, then his master was to thrust an awl through the servant's ear to the door.  According to Exodus 21:6, he was brought to the judges to declare his desire to remain with his master.  Boring the ear to the doorpost was a ceremonial symbol of permanent servitude with his intention to always hear his master's orders and obey them forever, that is, for the rest of his life or until the year of Jubilee when all servants were released.  Likewise, a maidservant was to be treated in the same way as a manservant.

(18) “It shall not seem hard to you when you send him away free from you, for he has been worth a double hired servant in serving you six years; and the LORD your God will bless you in all that you do."

The people were commanded not to begrudge their servants their liberty when they released them after six years, nor were they to begrudge all with which they sent them away.  Their servants had been worth double hired servants because if their servants had been hired, they would have been required to pay them wages, as well as food and housing.  Additionally, there is a verse in Isaiah that speaks of the days of a hireling being three years.  The meaning in verse 18 might also mean that they had had their servants double the time as usual hired servants.  Once again is the promise that the Lord would bless them in all that they did if they would follow His commands, in this instance, treating their servants as He commanded.

(19) “All the firstborn males that come from your herd and your flock you shall sanctify to the LORD your God; you shall do no work with the firstborn of your bulls, nor shear the firstborn of your flock."

Moses reviewed the law concerning the firstborn of the people's herds and flocks.  All the firstborn males were to be sanctified to the Lord in remembrance of, and in thankfulness for, sparing the firstborn of Israel, when the firstborn of the Egyptians, both of man and beast, were slain by the destroying angel.  No work was to be done with the firstborn male of cattle, and no wool could be sheared from the firstborn of sheep; they were the Lord's.

(20) "You shall eat it before the LORD your God year by year in the place which the LORD chooses, you and your household."

Dr. Gill wrote that if this referred to the firstborn males from verse 19, then only the priests were allowed to eat of those animals sanctified to the Lord.  However, if verse 20 referred to all Israelites, then they must be firstborn females or "second" firstlings which the people voluntarily separated every year; they were not to eat them in their own houses, but before the Lord in the place that He would choose to put His name.

(21) "And if there be any blemish in it, if it is lame or blind or has any ill blemish, you shall not sacrifice it to the LORD your God."

However, if there was any blemish or defect in the firstborn, if it was blind or lame or had any other defect, it was not to be sacrificed to their Lord God.  It would not be fit to honor God with, nor to typify Christ, who was the perfect Lamb without blemish.

(22) “You shall eat it within your gates; the unclean and the clean alike shall eat it, as the roebuck and as the hart."

The firstborn animals with defects were allowed to be eaten within their own households, and the ceremonially clean and unclean alike might eat of them, just as was allowed with the roebuck and the hart, which were not offered as sacrifices, but were clean animals that were allowed to be eaten.

(23) “Only you shall not eat its blood; you shall pour it on the ground as water."

The only prohibition was that the people not eat the blood of the firstborn animal that had a defect; they were to pour its blood out on the ground.  Matthew Henry, in his Commentary on the Whole Bible, commented that although we were no longer under this law of the firstborn, making no difference between a first calf or lamb or whether or not it had a defect, we should be mindful that it is all God's.  We owe Him the first of our time and strength, "as a kind of first-fruits of his creatures, and using all our comforts and enjoyments to his praise and under the direction of his law, as we have them all by his gift."

Clean and Unclean Meats, and Tithes Eaten Before the Lord

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Deuteronomy 14:1) “You are the children of the LORD your God; you shall not cut yourselves nor shave the front of your head for the dead."

In the last chapter and post, Moses gave the people dire warnings against idolatry.  Now he began describing some of the customs of the pagans that would be around them.  There was a practice among them of cutting themselves or shaving the front of their heads in lamentations for their dead.  These same practices were performed for their deities, consecrating their hair for them, or making incisions in their flesh to honor their gods.  The children of Israel were children of the one true God of the universe, and He was not to be disparaged by the common and grotesque practices the heathens performed for their worthless idols.

(2) “For you are a holy people to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a treasured people to Himself, above all the nations that are on the earth."

The children of Israel were a holy people, set apart by the Lord from all other people, chosen by Him to be His special treasure, to be His special servants and worshipers, above all the other nations on the earth.

(3) "You shall not eat any abominable thing."

The children of Israel were not to eat anything unclean and forbidden by the Lord, which would therefore be abominable to Him, so should be likewise to His people.

(4) "These are the beasts which you shall eat: the ox, the sheep, and the goat, (5) The hart, the roebuck, the fallow deer, the wild goat, the pygarg, the wild ox, and the chamois."

Moses then gave the people a list of the animals whose flesh they were allowed to eat per their Lord.  I did not try to translate or alter the names of these animals as given in the King James Version.  The first three are obvious, then there are any of a number of deer varieties, wild goats and wild oxen, and there are various opinions on what is meant by the pygarg and the chamois.  I don't see that it really matters; we know they were clean animals.  Additionally, the next verse tells us how to distinguish a clean animal from an unclean one.

(6) "And every beast that parts the hoof, and cleaves the cleft into two claws, and chews the cud among the beasts, that you shall eat."

Every animal with cloven hooves and that chewed the cud were allowed to be eaten.  It must be stressed that it had to be both.  Camels apparently chewed the cud, but did not have cloven hooves, and therefore could not be eaten.  Swine have cloven hooves, but do not chew the cud, so they were considered unclean and not to be eaten.

(7) "Nevertheless, these you shall not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the cloven hoof:  the camel, the hare, and the coney, for they chew the cud, but do not divide the hoof, they are unclean to you.  (8) And the swine, because it divides the hoof, yet does not chew the cud, is unclean to you; you shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcasses."

Indeed, Moses did go on to explain that the animals had to have both cloven hooves and the practice of chewing the cud.  Those that had just one or the other trait were considered unclean.  The people were not to eat of their flesh, nor even touch their dead carcasses.  As always, God's laws are not arbitrary and tyrannical, but are made for our good.  Animals that chew the cud, ruminants, have multiple stomachs and digest their food in stages.  The more fibrous portion of their food, the cud, is regurgitated and chewed again.  This mixes the cud with saliva and continues to break it down into more easily absorbed nutrients.  This method of nutrient absorption extracts the ultimate benefit from nutrient-poor vegetation like grass and leaves.  Animals that chew the cud have better nutrition!  Additionally, the unclean animals include all scavengers that eat decaying flesh.  Even the animals that are predatory generally prey on the weakest animals, which can often be because they are diseased.  Likewise, the sea creatures that do not have fins and scales, described as the unclean of the species, such as lobsters and crabs and shellfish, scavenge for dead animals and decaying matter (including waste) on the sea floor.  These unclean animals routinely eat what would sicken or even kill humans.

(9) “These you may eat of all that are in the waters: you shall eat all that have fins and scales. (10) And whatever does not have fins and scales you may not eat; it is unclean to you."

Indeed, Moses went on to describe what fishes could be eaten, only those with fins and scales.

(11) “All clean birds you shall eat."

Moses then went to the subject of fowl.  The people were allowed to eat all clean birds.

(12) “But these you shall not eat: the eagle, the ossifrage, and the ospray, (13) And the glede, the kite, and the vulture after its kind, (14) And every raven after its kind, (15) And the owl, the night hawk, the cuckow, and the hawk after its kind, (16) The little owl, the great owl, and the swan, (17) And the pelican, the gier eagle, and the cormorant, (18) And the stork, the heron after its kind, the lapwing, and the bat."

Once again we have a list of animals with the meaning of many names in dispute.  I listed them just as the KJV did.  Since there was no general rule given as with the cud-chewing cloven hoofed animals and the fish with fins and scales, one would assume that all birds could be eaten that were not on the list of forbidden ones.  That makes that list and its correct translation more important.  The original word for "ossifrage" was "peres" from a word meaning "claw", so it appears to be a bird of prey.  The meaning of "ospray" is unknown.  "Glede" means "sharp sight" so is thought to be a bird of prey.  I believe the same rule about animals could be applied to birds; scavengers like vultures eat dead flesh; birds of prey like hawks and eagles could prey on slower diseased animals; and some of the birds that appear to just eat fish like the pelican, the cormorant, the heron, the lapwing, and I believe would include the seagull, are sea birds of prey.

(19) "And every creeping thing that flies is unclean to you; they shall not be eaten. (20) All clean fowls you may eat."

The original word translated as "creeping things", "sherets", comes from a word meaning "wriggle" or "swarm", indicating insects.  The point in verse 19 is that even though some insects fly as birds do, they are considered unclean.  However, clean birds that fly may be eaten.

(21) “You shall not eat anything that dies of itself; you shall give it to the stranger who is within your gates, that he may eat it, or you may sell it to an alien, for you are a holy people to the LORD your God. You shall not boil a kid in its mother’s milk."

God's people were forbidden to eat the flesh of any animal that had died on its own.  However, they were allowed to give it to the stranger within their gates, which would have been someone not of their Jewish religion, or they might even sell it to a foreigner.  Albert Barnes, in his Notes on the Bible, gave a good explanation for this, and pointed out something I had not before realized.  Although this law was repeated from Leviticus, the permissions now granted were only at this time being granted.  To have forbidden the people to allow to be eaten what had died among their herds would have involved loss of property.  In the wilderness, they had had little opportunity to sell any animal that had died on its own.  Now there was opportunity, so the people could remain a holy people to the Lord and not eat an animal that had died on its own or had been killed by wild beasts (Leviticus 22:8), but could give it to a guest or sell it to a foreigner. 

This is the third time that the prohibition against boiling a kid in its mother's milk had been given.  The reasons for the prohibition have been unclear.  It could have been seen as cruel to take a baby before its time when it was supposed to be left with its mother and then boil it in its own mother's milk which was designed for its life and nourishment.  Apparently, there was also a heathen custom at the time of boiling a kid in its mother's milk at the end of harvest and sprinkling that milk on the fields to make them more fruitful the next year.  For the first time, I saw a simple reason given in the 1599 Geneva Bible Translation Notes, "Because their blood was not shed, but remains in them."  Whatever the reason, it had been given three times, surely indicating how important it was, if only for the reason that God said.

(22) “You shall truly tithe all the increase of your grain that the field brings forth year by year."

All the commentaries I study say this is speaking of a second tithe.  The first tenth or tithe was given wholly to the Levites who had no inheritance in the land.  However, as this tithe was eaten by the owners themselves, as we'll see in the following verses, it must be a second tithe.  Matthew Henry, in his Commentary on the Whole Bible, pointed out that although the people's produce was tithed twice, meaning 20% instead of only 10%, the second could hardly be seen as a hardship, since they themselves would receive the benefit of it.  It surely would have been a reminder that all belonged to the Lord, as they brought their tithe as recognition of God's blessings and in thanksgiving to Him.  The people were instructed to separate the tithes themselves and were to do so truly and honestly, taking care that God's part might not be diminished either by design or by oversight.

(23) “And you shall eat before the LORD your God, in the place where He shall choose to place His name there, the tithe of your corn, of your wine, and of your oil, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks; that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always."

The people would be allowed to eat of those tithes before the Lord in the place where He would later choose to place His name, the tithe of their grains, of their wine, of their oil, and of the firstborn of their herds and flocks.  This was said to be done so that they might learn to fear their Lord God always.  As was stated before, the people learned to be mindful that everything they had was given them by their Lord God, and without Him, they might have nothing.

(24) "And if the way be too long for you, so that you are not able to carry it, if the place is too far from you, where the LORD your God shall choose to put His name, when the LORD your God has blessed you, (25) Then shall you turn it into money, take the money in your hand, and go to the place which the LORD your God shall choose."

If the place where the Lord was going to choose to be His place where He would have His name, was too far that the people were not able to carry their tithes of all with which the Lord had blessed them, then they were allowed to turn it into money, the value of their tithes, and take that to the Lord's place of His choosing.

(26) “And you shall bestow that money for whatever your heart desires, for oxen or sheep, for wine or strong drink, for whatever your heart desires; and you shall eat there before the LORD your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household."

Just as the people who brought their tithes would be allowed to feast upon them before the Lord, so would the people who brought money be allowed to buy whatever they desired with regard to food or drink to feast before the Lord.  And yes, it does appear that strong drink was allowed.  I get amused at all the commentators who go to great links to suggest this passage does not mean what it says.  "Strong drink" would have meant any fermented beverage, as wine was fermented grape juice.  It is very clear that the Bible condemns drunkenness, but it is equally clear that wine and other fermented drinks were allowed.  Psalm 104:15 considers wine a gift from God that gladdens the heart.  There is a huge difference in having a glass of wine or even beer with a meal that lightened the heart and allowed more rejoicing before the Lord, or going into a bar and getting drunk, or even getting drunk at home, although done privately, is certainly not healthy or edifying before the Lord.  I believe we all know in our hearts, and isn't that what God judges, when we are rejoicing in God's gifts, or indulging to excess.  That would include all manner of activities, including the eating of food.  God's gifts that He wished people to enjoy in His presence included all manner of food which when taken to the extreme of gluttony is certainly condemned (Proverbs 23:20-21).

(27) "And the Levite who is within your gates, you shall not forsake him, for he has no part nor inheritance with you."

Once again is the reminder to never forget the Levites, and always include them in their feasts before the Lord, as they did not have their own part in the inheritance of the other tribes.

(28) "At the end of three years you shall bring forth the tithe of your increase the same year, and shall lay it up within your gates."

Every third year the tithe of the increase from that same year was to be stored up for the poor.

(29) “And the Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are within your gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied, that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do."

Once again, the Levites who had no other portion in the inheritance of God's people, could come, eat, and be satisfied, as well as the poor and needy (strangers, orphans, widows, etc.).  Their Lord God would bless them in all the work of their hands, when His commands, including this one respecting the tithes were obeyed.

Once again, we can marvel at the wise laws of God that provide for all.  If we would only adhere to these laws!  It's not for government to provide all the needs of the poor (unless it would be a Godly government), for government requires we taxpayers pay for many ungodly things.  If the churches and ministries for the poor and needy were their only providers, the poor would receive a much more Godly message than the one given by the government.  Unfortunately, government gives the message that it is the only provider of needs and makes people dependent on it, and believe that only by more government, can they survive.  Our current laws encourage laziness and broken families.  They are completely antithetical to God's word, which says that an idle hand becomes poor, but a diligent hand gets rich (Proverbs 10:4).  For those who cannot work, God provides for them through the promises of blessings to those who generously support them.  He even encourages that His very tithes be given to their support.  Oh, that we would totally trust God for our needs!  "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want..." and His grace is sufficient for me (2 Corinthians 12:9)!