Reading: Deuteronomy 21-23, Psalm 60
Well, we’ve come to the weird little applied laws. Some of these make more sense to us than others, but many of them seem incredibly specific to the time and place- parapet around your roof, anyone? Tassels on your coat? What are these doing in the Bible, and what do they contribute to our story? Well, as usual, I believe they do contribute, and that they tell us something about how God is using Israel to fulfill his covenant promise to Abraham. In some cases, I have opinions as to what’s going on. In some, I don’t. (Tassels. Sorry, no idea.)
The first situation dealt with here is less difficult: an unsolved murder. The people of Israel know from the purity laws in Leviticus that death is a serious issue, and that it causes separation from God. They know what to do with a murderer, but what about if they don’t know who it is? God gives them a way to make atonement even when they cannot execute justice for lack of knowledge, and he gives them a way to determine who is responsible for carrying out the atonement. The point here is that death itself creates a separation from God, not just for the murderer but for the people and the land, and must be dealt with somehow. This sacrifice is the way.
Another issue that comes up in a few places here are marriage rights. In the ancient world, victory in war often involved capturing the women of the enemy, who were then taken as, often second, wives by the victorious soldiers. Before we get anachronistically upset about this, understand that God is not saying this is good or suggesting they do it. But, in the event it happens, there are some ground rules being laid out. Before she can be married, she is to be allowed to mourn the end of her old life for a month while being supported by the man who wants to marry her. If at the end of the month, the man still wants to marry her, he can. And if he ever stops wanting to be married to her, she is free to go wherever she wants. Bear in mind that this woman is a foreign slave. But once an Israelite man has accepted responsibility for her, if he discharges that responsibility, she is free.
Other things on the same topic involve the responsibility of both men and women in illicit sexual relationships. That there is not a really clear line drawn between rape and consensual relationships is awkward for us, but we should remember that such legal distinctions are pretty recent. In any event, the same underlying rule of responsibility applies here, and as we will see, carries forward to other laws about marriage and divorce. God takes a very dim view of sexual immorality, as it distorts the original image of God seen in the relationship between man and woman. Adultery and prostitution are punishable by death, for both the man and woman. Rape is punishable by death for the man. If a man has sex with an unmarried woman he becomes responsible for her as her husband whether that was his intent or not- and he can never divorce her. He is now responsible for her for the rest of her life. While these were extremely progressive for the ancient world as far as the rights of women are concerned, it is important to note that the reasons for these laws are not exactly justice and equality.
These commands exist for one stated purpose: to purge the evil from among you. The people of Israel were to stand as a kingdom of priests, representatives to the nations of God’s holiness. These commands about sexual purity aren’t idealized, they are selectively targeted: people and practices that jeopardize that are to be removed. This is the same reasoning for some of the other really difficult commands. Repeatedly disobedient sons were to be executed. Disobedience is a big deal in a society that exists to bear witness to obedience to God. Eunuchs, children of illicit and foreign relationships, and descendants of the Moabites or Ammonites are banned from entering the “assembly,” which defines the people of Israel.
All these laws exist, as we learned in Leviticus, to make a distinction between the common and the holy. Other laws continue along these lines: Escaped slaves are adopted into the people of Israel. Israelites carried trowels around to relieve themselves outside the camp and bury it. The attendant sanitary benefits were not the point, holiness was. They built their houses with a barrier around the roof. Reasonable safety precautions weren’t the point, though I’m sure they were beneficial, holiness was. They made tassels on their garments. Not sure why, other than holiness. Mixed garments. Fields sown with two kinds of grain. All the difficult and awkward laws Israel were to follow. They were all for the distinction between the common and the holy. To purge the evil among them. To create a people obedient to their creator.
One last thing from today’s reading. At the end of chapter 21, there is a restriction on the methods of capital punishment. In general, the Israel is instructed to stone to death people convicted of crimes deserving death. The community is called together to execute judgment. However, one of the more ancient practices of capital punishment is hanging. The body could be left up so it served as a warning to others. God allows the possibility of using hanging, but forbids leaving the body up overnight. Having a dead body at the entrance to the town would be defiling, as death was supposed to be separated as much as possible from Israel. Everything adds up so far. But then God makes a strange pronouncement that does not get an explanation for a really, really long time. He says anyone hung on a tree is “cursed by God” or “in God’s curse” or “a curse from God” or something along those lines. This made being hung on a tree the worst kind of death imaginable to an Israelite. It was the ultimate violation of the distinction between the common and the holy.