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1. Suppose someone is found murdered, lying in a field in the land the Lord your God is giving you as your own, and no one knows who killed the person.
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1. If H3588 one be found H4672 slain H2491 in the land H127 which H834 the LORD H3068 thy God H430 giveth H5414 thee to possess H3423 it, lying H5307 in the field H7704 , and it be not H3808 known H3045 who H4310 hath slain H5221 him:
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2. Your older leaders and judges should go to where the body was found, and they should measure how far it is to the nearby cities.
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2. Then thy elders H2205 and thy judges H8199 shall come forth H3318 , and they shall measure H4058 unto H413 the cities H5892 which H834 are round about H5439 him that is slain H2491 :
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3. The older leaders of the city nearest the body must take a young cow that has never worked or worn a yoke,
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3. And it shall be H1961 , that the city H5892 which is next H7138 unto H413 the slain man H2491 , even the elders H2205 of that H1931 city H5892 shall take H3947 a heifer H5697 H1241 , which H834 hath not H3808 been wrought H5647 with, and which H834 hath not H3808 drawn H4900 in the yoke H5923 ;
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4. and they must lead her down to a valley that has never been plowed or planted, with a stream flowing through it. There they must break the young cow's neck.
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4. And the elders H2205 of that H1931 city H5892 shall bring down H3381 H853 the heifer H5697 unto H413 a rough H386 valley H5158 , which H834 is neither H3808 eared H5647 nor H3808 sown H2232 , and shall strike off H6203 H853 the heifer H5697 's neck H6203 there H8033 in the valley H5158 :
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5. The priests, the sons of Levi, should come forward, because they have been chosen by the Lord your God to serve him and to give blessings in the Lord's name. They are the ones who decide cases of quarreling and attacks.
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5. And the priests H3548 the sons H1121 of Levi H3878 shall come near H5066 ; for H3588 them the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath chosen H977 to minister H8334 unto him , and to bless H1288 in the name H8034 of the LORD H3068 ; and by H5921 their word H6310 shall every H3605 controversy H7379 and every H3605 stroke H5061 be H1961 tried :
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6. Then all the older leaders of the city nearest the murdered person should wash their hands over the young cow whose neck was broken in the valley.
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6. And all H3605 the elders H2205 of that H1931 city H5892 , that are next H7138 unto H413 the slain H2491 man , shall wash H7364 H853 their hands H3027 over H5921 the heifer H5697 that is beheaded H6202 in the valley H5158 :
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7. They should declare: "We did not kill this person, and we did not see it happen.
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7. And they shall answer H6030 and say H559 , Our hands H3027 have not H3808 shed H8210 H853 this H2088 blood H1818 , neither H3808 have our eyes H5869 seen H7200 it .
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8. Lord, remove this sin from your people Israel, whom you have saved. Don't blame your people, the Israelites, for the murder of this innocent person." And so the murder will be paid for.
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8. Be merciful H3722 , O LORD H3068 , unto thy people H5971 Israel H3478 , whom H834 thou hast redeemed H6299 , and lay H5414 not H408 innocent H5355 blood H1818 unto thy people H5971 of Israel H3478 's charge H7130 . And the blood H1818 shall be forgiven H3722 them.
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9. Then you will have removed from yourselves the guilt of murdering an innocent person, because you will be doing what the Lord says is right.
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9. So shalt thou H859 put away H1197 the guilt of innocent H5355 blood H1818 from among H4480 H7130 you, when H3588 thou shalt do H6213 that which is right H3477 in the sight H5869 of the LORD H3068 .
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10. When you go to war against your enemies, the Lord will help you defeat them so that you will take them captive.
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10. When H3588 thou goest forth H3318 to war H4421 against H5921 thine enemies H341 , and the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath delivered H5414 them into thine hands H3027 , and thou hast taken H7617 them captive H7628 ,
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11. If you see a beautiful woman among the captives and are attracted to her, you may take her as your wife.
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11. And seest H7200 among the captives H7633 a beautiful H3033 H8389 woman H802 , and hast a desire H2836 unto her , that thou wouldest have H3947 her to thy wife H802 ;
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12. Bring her into your home, where she must shave her head and cut her nails
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12. Then thou shalt bring H935 her home H8432 to thine house H1004 ; and she shall shave H1548 H853 her head H7218 , and pare H6213 H853 her nails H6856 ;
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13. and change the clothes she was wearing when you captured her. After she has lived in your house and cried for her parents for a month, you may marry her. You will be her husband, and she will be your wife.
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13. And she shall put H5493 H853 the raiment H8071 of her captivity H7628 from off H4480 H5921 her , and shall remain H3427 in thine house H1004 , and bewail H1058 H853 her father H1 and her mother H517 a full H3117 month H3391 : and after H310 that H3651 thou shalt go in H935 unto H413 her , and be her husband H1167 , and she shall be H1961 thy wife H802 .
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14. But if you are not pleased with her, you must let her go anywhere she wants. You must not sell her for money or make her a slave, because you have taken away her honor.
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14. And it shall be H1961 , if H518 thou have no delight H2654 H3808 in her , then thou shalt let her go H7971 whither she will H5315 ; but thou shalt not H3808 sell her at all H4376 H4376 for money H3701 , thou shalt not H3808 make merchandise H6014 of her, because H8478 H834 thou hast humbled H6031 her.
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15. A man might have two wives, one he loves and one he doesn't. Both wives might have sons by him. If the older son belongs to the wife he does not love,
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15. If H3588 a man H376 have H1961 two H8147 wives H802 , one H259 beloved H157 , and another H259 hated H8130 , and they have born H3205 him children H1121 , both the beloved H157 and the hated H8130 ; and if the firstborn H1060 son H1121 be H1961 hers that was hated H8146 :
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16. when that man wills his property to his sons he must not give the son of the wife he loves what belongs to the older son, the son of the wife he does not love.
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16. Then it shall be H1961 , when H3117 he maketh H853 his sons H1121 to inherit H5157 H853 that which H834 he hath H1961 , that he may H3201 not H3808 make H1069 H853 the son H1121 of the beloved H157 firstborn H1069 before H5921 H6440 the son H1121 of the hated H8130 , which is indeed the firstborn H1060 :
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17. He must agree to give the older son two shares of everything he owns, even though the older son is from the wife he does not love. That son was the first to prove his father could have children, so he has the rights that belong to the older son.
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17. But H3588 he shall acknowledge H5234 the son H1121 of the hated H8130 H853 for the firstborn H1060 , by giving H5414 him a double H8147 portion H6310 of all H3605 that H834 he hath H4672 : for H3588 he H1931 is the beginning H7225 of his strength H202 ; the right H4941 of the firstborn H1062 is his.
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18. If someone has a son who is stubborn, who turns against his father and mother and doesn't obey them or listen when they correct him,
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18. If H3588 a man H376 have H1961 a stubborn H5637 and rebellious H4784 son H1121 , which will not H369 obey H8085 the voice H6963 of his father H1 , or the voice H6963 of his mother H517 , and that , when they have chastened H3256 him , will not H3808 hearken H8085 unto H413 them:
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19. his parents must take him to the older leaders at the city gate.
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19. Then shall his father H1 and his mother H517 lay hold H8610 on him , and bring him out H3318 H853 unto H413 the elders H2205 of his city H5892 , and unto H413 the gate H8179 of his place H4725 ;
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20. They will say to the leaders, "Our son is stubborn and turns against us. He will not obey us. He eats too much, and he is always drunk."
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20. And they shall say H559 unto H413 the elders H2205 of his city H5892 , This H2088 our son H1121 is stubborn H5637 and rebellious H4784 , he will not H369 obey H8085 our voice H6963 ; he is a glutton H2151 , and a drunkard H5433 .
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21. Then all the men in his town must throw stones at him until he dies. Get rid of the evil among you, because then all the people of Israel will hear about this and be afraid.
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21. And all H3605 the men H376 of his city H5892 shall stone H7275 him with stones H68 , that he die H4191 : so shalt thou put evil away H1197 H7451 from among H4480 H7130 you ; and all H3605 Israel H3478 shall hear H8085 , and fear H3372 .
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22. If someone is guilty of a sin worthy of death, he must be put to death and his body displayed on a tree.
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22. And if H3588 a man H376 have committed H1961 a sin H2399 worthy H4941 of death H4194 , and he be to be put to death H4191 , and thou hang H8518 him on H5921 a tree H6086 :
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23. But don't leave his body hanging on the tree overnight; be sure to bury him that same day, because anyone whose body is displayed on a tree is cursed by God. You must not ruin the land the Lord your God is giving you as your own.
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23. His body H5038 shall not H3808 remain all night H3885 upon H5921 the tree H6086 , but H3588 thou shalt in any wise bury H6912 H6912 him that H1931 day H3117 ; ( for H3588 he that is hanged H8518 is accursed H7045 of God;) H430 that H853 thy land H127 be not H3808 defiled H2930 , which H834 the LORD H3068 thy God H430 giveth H5414 thee for an inheritance H5159 .
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