Deuteronomy 21:18-21 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

Reader Related Verse
Bible Comments

Peculiar to D. Here respect for both parents is enforced (see Exodus 20:12; Exodus 21:15); cf. CH. § 195, The son's hand which has smitten his father shall be cut off (see Deuteronomy 15:12-18 *).

Deuteronomy 21:22 f. This law (peculiar to D) rests upon the early belief that the soul of a dead person wanders about, often working mischief.

Deuteronomy 21:22. hang: render impale, a common form of punishment in the ancient East. In the present case the criminal would be first stoned, the only Hebrew mode of capital punishment his body being then spiked and exposed as a disgrace and a warning (see Deuteronomy 13:10 *, Galatians 3:13, and Cent.B on Ezra 6:11).

Related Commentaries of Deuteronomy 21:18

Deuteronomy 21:18-21

18 If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them:

19 Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place;

20 And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.

21 And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.