Deuteronomy 21 דְּבָרִים פרק כ״א

Masoretic Text, word by word with English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Deuteronomy 21 in the interlinear reader for transliteration, roots and notes.

1. 1

   כִּי־יִמָּצֵאif foundחָלָלone slainבָּאֲדָמָהin the landאֲשֶׁרwhichיְהֹוָהthe LORDאֱלֹהֶיךָyour Godנֹתֵןgivingלְךָfor youלְרִשְׁתָּהּto possess itנֹפֵלlyingבַּשָּׂדֶהin the fieldלֹאnotנוֹדַעit is knownמִיwhoהִכָּהוּ׃did smite him

   If one be found slain in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it, lying in the field, and it be not known who hath slain him:

2. 2

   וְיָצְאוּand shall come forthזְקֵנֶיךָyour eldersוְשֹׁפְטֶיךָand your judgesוּמָדְדוּand they will measureאֶל־הֶעָרִיםto the citiesאֲשֶׁרwhichסְבִיבֹתthat are round aboutהֶחָלָל׃the one slain

   Then thy elders and thy judges shall come forth, and they shall measure unto the cities which are round about him that is slain:

3. 3

   וְהָיָהand beהָעִירthe cityהַקְּרֹבָהwho is nearאֶל־הֶחָלָלto the one slainוְלָקְחוּand they will takeזִקְנֵיthe elders ofהָעִירthe cityהַהִואthatעֶגְלַתa heiferבָּקָרof the herdאֲשֶׁרwhichלֹא־עֻבַּדhas not been wrought withבָּהּin itאֲשֶׁרwhichלֹא־מָשְׁכָהhas not drawnבְּעֹל׃in yoke

   And it shall be, that the city which is next unto the slain man, even the elders of that city shall take an heifer, which hath not been wrought with, and which hath not drawn in the yoke;

4. 4

   וְהוֹרִדוּand they will take downזִקְנֵיthe elders ofהָעִירthe cityהַהִואthatאֶת־הָעֶגְלָהthe heiferאֶל־נַחַלto a valleyאֵיתָןroughאֲשֶׁרwhichלֹא־יֵעָבֵדnot it is tilledבּוֹin itוְלֹאand notיִזָּרֵעַit will be sownוְעָרְפוּ־שָׁםand they will break the neck of thereאֶת־הָעֶגְלָהthe heiferבַּנָּחַל׃in the valley

   And the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto a rough valley, which is neither eared nor sown, and shall strike off the heifer's neck there in the valley:

5. 5

   וְנִגְּשׁוּand will draw nearהַכֹּהֲנִיםthe priestsבְּנֵיthe sons ofלֵוִיLeviכִּיforבָםin themבָּחַרchoseיְהֹוָהthe LORDאֱלֹהֶיךָyour Godלְשׇׁרְתוֹto serve himוּלְבָרֵךְand to blessבְּשֵׁםin the name ofיְהֹוָהthe LORDוְעַל־פִּיהֶםand by their wordיִהְיֶהshall beכׇּל־רִיבall contentionוְכׇל־נָגַע׃and every stroke

   And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near; for them the LORD thy God hath chosen to minister unto him, and to bless in the name of the LORD; and by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried:

6. 6

   וְכֹלand allזִקְנֵיthe elders ofהָעִירthe cityהַהִואthatהַקְּרֹבִיםwho are nearאֶל־הֶחָלָלto the one slainיִרְחֲצוּthey will washאֶת־יְדֵיהֶםtheir handsעַל־הָעֶגְלָהupon the heiferהָעֲרוּפָהthe broken neckedבַנָּחַל׃in the valley

   And all the elders of that city, that are next unto the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley:

7. 7

   וְעָנוּand they will answerוְאָמְרוּshall sayיָדֵינוּour handsלֹאnot(שפכה)[שָׁפְכוּ]have poured outאֶת־הַדָּםthe bloodהַזֶּהthisוְעֵינֵינוּand our eyesלֹאnotרָאוּ׃saw

   And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.

8. 8

   כַּפֵּרmake atonementלְעַמְּךָunto your peopleיִשְׂרָאֵלIsraelאֲשֶׁר־פָּדִיתָwhich you redeemedיְהֹוָהthe LORDוְאַל־תִּתֵּןand do not giveדָּםbloodנָקִיblamelessבְּקֶרֶבamongעַמְּךָyour peopleיִשְׂרָאֵלIsraelוְנִכַּפֵּרand it will be atoned forלָהֶםto themהַדָּם׃the blood

   Be merciful, O LORD, unto thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Israel's charge. And the blood shall be forgiven them.

9. 9

   וְאַתָּהand youתְּבַעֵרyou will removeהַדָּםthe bloodהַנָּקִיthe innocentמִקִּרְבֶּךָfrom your midstכִּי־תַעֲשֶׂהwhen makeהַיָּשָׁרthe rightבְּעֵינֵיin the eyes ofיְהֹוָה׃the LORD

   So shalt thou put away the guilt of innocent blood from among you, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the LORD.

10. 10

    כִּי־תֵצֵאwhen shall proceedלַמִּלְחָמָהto the warעַל־אֹיְבֶיךָupon your enemiesוּנְתָנוֹand delivers themיְהֹוָהthe LORDאֱלֹהֶיךָyour Godבְּיָדֶךָinto your handוְשָׁבִיתָand you will take captiveשִׁבְיוֹ׃them captive

    When thou goest forth to war against thine enemies, and the LORD thy God hath delivered them into thine hands, and thou hast taken them captive,

11. 11

    וְרָאִיתָand you beheldבַּשִּׁבְיָהamong the captivesאֵשֶׁתa womanיְפַת־תֹּאַרfair of formוְחָשַׁקְתָּand you will loveבָהּto herוְלָקַחְתָּand you will takeלְךָfor youלְאִשָּׁה׃for wife

    And seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her, that thou wouldest have her to thy wife;

12. 12

    וַהֲבֵאתָהּand you will bring herאֶל־תּוֹךְdown intoבֵּיתֶךָyour houseוְגִלְּחָהand she will shaveאֶת־רֹאשָׁהּher headוְעָשְׂתָהand pareאֶת־צִפׇּרְנֶיהָ׃her nails

    Then thou shalt bring her home to thine house; and she shall shave her head, and pare her nails;

13. 13

    וְהֵסִירָהand she will removeאֶת־שִׂמְלַתthe clothing ofשִׁבְיָהּher captivityמֵעָלֶיהָfrom on herוְיָשְׁבָהand she will dwellבְּבֵיתֶךָin your houseוּבָכְתָהand she will weep forאֶת־אָבִיהָher fatherוְאֶת־אִמָּהּand her motherיֶרַחa month ofיָמִיםdaysוְאַחַרand thenכֵּןthusתָּבוֹאyou shall go inאֵלֶיהָto herוּבְעַלְתָּהּand be her husbandוְהָיְתָהand it beלְךָfor youלְאִשָּׁה׃for wife

    And she shall put the raiment of her captivity from off her, and shall remain in thine house, and bewail her father and her mother a full month: and after that thou shalt go in unto her, and be her husband, and she shall be thy wife.

14. 14

    וְהָיָהand beאִם־לֹאif notחָפַצְתָּyou desiredבָּהּin herוְשִׁלַּחְתָּהּand you will let go herלְנַפְשָׁהּfor her selfוּמָכֹרand sellingלֹא־תִמְכְּרֶנָּהnot you will sell herבַּכָּסֶףfor the moneyלֹא־תִתְעַמֵּרnot you will treat as a slaveבָּהּin herתַּחַתunderאֲשֶׁרwhichעִנִּיתָהּ׃you have humiliated her

    And it shall be, if thou have no delight in her, then thou shalt let her go whither she will; but thou shalt not sell her at all for money, thou shalt not make merchandise of her, because thou hast humbled her.

15. 15

    כִּי־תִהְיֶיןָif they will belongלְאִישׁfor a manשְׁתֵּיtwoנָשִׁיםwomenהָאַחַתthe oneאֲהוּבָהis lovedוְהָאַחַתand the oneשְׂנוּאָהwas hatedוְיָלְדוּ־לוֹand they have borne himבָנִיםsonsהָאֲהוּבָהthe loved oneוְהַשְּׂנוּאָהand the hated oneוְהָיָהand beהַבֵּןthe sonהַבְּכֹרthe firstbornלַשְּׂנִיאָה׃hers that was hated

    If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated:

16. 16

    וְהָיָהand beבְּיוֹםin the day ofהַנְחִילוֹhe makes to inheritאֶת־בָּנָיוhis sonsאֵת־אֲשֶׁר־יִהְיֶהthat which he shall beלוֹto himלֹאnotיוּכַלcanלְבַכֵּרto treat as firstbornאֶת־בֶּן־הָאֲהוּבָהson of the loved oneעַל־פְּנֵיupon the face ofבֶן־הַשְּׂנוּאָהson of the hated oneהַבְּכֹר׃the firstborn

    Then it shall be, when he maketh his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, which is indeed the firstborn:

17. 17

    כִּיbutאֶת־הַבְּכֹרthe firstbornבֶּן־הַשְּׂנוּאָהson of the hated oneיַכִּירhe will acknowledgeלָתֶתto giveלוֹto himפִּיa portion ofשְׁנַיִםtwoבְּכֹלin allאֲשֶׁר־יִמָּצֵאwhich foundלוֹto himכִּי־הוּאfor he isרֵאשִׁיתthe beginning ofאֹנוֹhis manly vigorלוֹto himמִשְׁפַּטthe right ofהַבְּכֹרָה׃the birthright

    But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.

18. 18

    כִּי־יִהְיֶהif he shall beלְאִישׁfor a manבֵּןa sonסוֹרֵרstubbornוּמוֹרֶהand rebelliousאֵינֶנּוּhe does notשֹׁמֵעַhearkenבְּקוֹלthe voice ofאָבִיוhis fatherוּבְקוֹלor the voice ofאִמּוֹhis motherוְיִסְּרוּand they will punishאֹתוֹhimוְלֹאand notיִשְׁמַעhearkenאֲלֵיהֶם׃to them

    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. 19

    וְתָפְשׂוּand they will seizeבוֹon himאָבִיוhis fatherוְאִמּוֹand his motherוְהוֹצִיאוּand they will bring outאֹתוֹhimאֶל־זִקְנֵיto the elders ofעִירוֹhis cityוְאֶל־שַׁעַרand unto the gate ofמְקֹמוֹ׃its place

    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. 20

    וְאָמְרוּshall sayאֶל־זִקְנֵיto the elders ofעִירוֹhis cityבְּנֵנוּour sonזֶהthisסוֹרֵרstubbornוּמֹרֶהand rebelliousאֵינֶנּוּhe does notשֹׁמֵעַhearkenבְּקֹלֵנוּto our voiceזוֹלֵלa gluttonוְסֹבֵא׃and a drunkard

    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. 21

    וּרְגָמֻהוּand they will stone himכׇּל־אַנְשֵׁיall the men ofעִירוֹhis cityבָאֲבָנִיםwith stonesוָמֵתthat he dieוּבִעַרְתָּand you will removeהָרָעthat which is evilמִקִּרְבֶּךָfrom your midstוְכׇל־יִשְׂרָאֵלand all Israelיִשְׁמְעוּthey hearkenוְיִרָאוּ׃and they may fear

    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.

22. 22

    וְכִי־יִהְיֶהand if there beבְאִישׁin a manחֵטְאsinמִשְׁפַּט־מָוֶתjudgment of deathוְהוּמָתand he will be put to deathוְתָלִיתָand you will hangאֹתוֹhimעַל־עֵץ׃upon a tree

    And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree:

23. 23

    לֹא־תָלִיןnot it will remain overnightנִבְלָתוֹhis corpseעַל־הָעֵץupon the treeכִּי־קָבוֹרbut surelyתִּקְבְּרֶנּוּyou will bury himבַּיּוֹםin the dayהַהוּאthatכִּי־קִלְלַתfor a curse ofאֱלֹהִיםGodתָּלוּיone who is hangedוְלֹאand notתְטַמֵּאyou will make uncleanאֶת־אַדְמָתְךָyour landאֲשֶׁרwhichיְהֹוָהthe LORDאֱלֹהֶיךָyour Godנֹתֵןgivingלְךָfor youנַחֲלָה׃inheritance

    His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.