Deuteronomy 21

Deuteronomy 21:2

THy Elders] It seemes we ought to understand his word for some of the great councell, Num. 11 16. or some of their deputies.

Deuteronomy 21:3

The Elders] These were the Magistrates of each particular communalty, Of that City] For it being the next city, the suspicion of the misdeed was likeliest to fall upon it.

Deuteronomy 21:4

A rough valley] The Italian, A desert valley] Hebrew, harsh, rough, and hard, that is to say, which hath not been manured: Strike off] for a signe that hlikewise ought to be slaine, who in some solitary place had committed the murther, if he came to be discovered.

Deuteronomy 21:5

By their word] As Expounders of Gods Law, in any thing that might be thereby decided, not that they had any absolute or arbitrary power of themselvs, Stroke] See upon Deuteronomy 17:8

Deuteronomy 21:6

Shall wash] To protost of their innocencies; see Matthew 27:24.

Deuteronomy 21:8

O Lord] It is likely that this prayer was spoken by the Priests; And lay not] The Italian, And suffer not, &c.] Preserve thy people from any such misdeed, impute not that unto them, which hath beene done unknown to them, and lay not the punishment thereof upon them: Forgiven them] they being guiltlesse of it, and therefore not punishable for it; but the man-slayer is not thereby forgiven, if he come to light:

Deuteronomy 21:9

When] Keeping his ceremony according to my appointment; or because thou shalt, &c.

Deuteronomy 21:10

Thine enemies] Other nations besides the Amorites, with which it was not lawfull to contract any alliance by marriage, Exodus 34:16. Deuteron. 7. 3.

Deuteronomy 21:12

She shall shave] In token that she was to cut and cast off all pagan corruptions, vices, and superstitions, to become as it were a new creature, and in this manner be engrafted into the blessed nation, by means of marriage which was sanctified.

Deuteronomy 21:13

And bewaile]〈…〉her once satisfie the duties of nature, for to forget all these affections, and bestow all her love upon her husband, and heartily passe over into the communion of the Church: See Psalme 45. 11.

Deuteronomy 21:14

L〈…〉 her go] The Italian, Send her away] seeing that conjunction was a true and lawfull marriage, this sending away again must be understood to be after the manner of other divorces, Deuteronomy 24:1. reproved by God in regard of the conscience, Mala. 2 16. Matth. 198. Yet tolerated in regard of the civill order, by reason of the peoples hard hearts; Thou shalt not make] some understand this of publick prostitution.

Deuteronomy 21:15

Hated] Lesse beloved than the other, as Genesis 29:31. 1 Samuel 1:5.

Deuteronomy 21:16

Before the son] The Italian, Preserring him before, &c.] Heb. before his son, which some do expound, during his life, as Genesis 11:28.

Deuteronomy 21:17

A double portion] Which was one of the first bornes prerogatives, see 1 Chronicles 5:1 The beginning] See Genesis 49:3.

Deuteronomy 21:19

The gate] To the court of justice.

Deuteronomy 21:22

Ha〈…〉] This punishment was not inflicted, but only upon great and publick offences, which did provoke the wrath of God upon all the people, which offences were to be purged by the punishment of the uilty, or of those persons which God himselfe had pointed out, Nm. 25. 4. Joshua 10:26. 〈◊〉 Sam. 21 6. & the bodies of such ought to be taken away out of the sight of men, as execrable and blasted with the lightning of Gods judgement. Now all this was a figure of Christ, made a curse for us, that we might be freed from the curse of the Law, Galatians 3:13. who therefore made choice of this kind of expiatory death, and was also buried the same day, Matth. 27. 57. after hee had yeelded satisfaction to Gods justice, John 19:30.

Deuteronomy 21:23

Is accursed] In regard of the misdeed which is punished by this death, not in regard of the punishment it self, nor absolutely in regard of him that is punished, towards God, if he truely convert and repent, Luke 23:42 That thy land be not defiled] leaving in publick view an accursed object, and displeasing to God, seeing that all which is pleasing to him is pure and cleane, and contrariwise, all that which is displeasing unto him is uncleane.