Deuteronomy 21 – NIV & AKCB

New International Version

Deuteronomy 21:1-23

Atonement for an Unsolved Murder

1If someone is found slain, lying in a field in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess, and it is not known who the killer was, 2your elders and judges shall go out and measure the distance from the body to the neighboring towns. 3Then the elders of the town nearest the body shall take a heifer that has never been worked and has never worn a yoke 4and lead it down to a valley that has not been plowed or planted and where there is a flowing stream. There in the valley they are to break the heifer’s neck. 5The Levitical priests shall step forward, for the Lord your God has chosen them to minister and to pronounce blessings in the name of the Lord and to decide all cases of dispute and assault. 6Then all the elders of the town nearest the body shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley, 7and they shall declare: “Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it done. 8Accept this atonement for your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, Lord, and do not hold your people guilty of the blood of an innocent person.” Then the bloodshed will be atoned for, 9and you will have purged from yourselves the guilt of shedding innocent blood, since you have done what is right in the eyes of the Lord.

Marrying a Captive Woman

10When you go to war against your enemies and the Lord your God delivers them into your hands and you take captives, 11if you notice among the captives a beautiful woman and are attracted to her, you may take her as your wife. 12Bring her into your home and have her shave her head, trim her nails 13and put aside the clothes she was wearing when captured. After she has lived in your house and mourned her father and mother for a full month, then you may go to her and be her husband and she shall be your wife. 14If you are not pleased with her, let her go wherever she wishes. You must not sell her or treat her as a slave, since you have dishonored her.

The Right of the Firstborn

15If a man has two wives, and he loves one but not the other, and both bear him sons but the firstborn is the son of the wife he does not love, 16when he wills his property to his sons, he must not give the rights of the firstborn to the son of the wife he loves in preference to his actual firstborn, the son of the wife he does not love. 17He must acknowledge the son of his unloved wife as the firstborn by giving him a double share of all he has. That son is the first sign of his father’s strength. The right of the firstborn belongs to him.

A Rebellious Son

18If someone has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and will not listen to them when they discipline him, 19his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his town. 20They shall say to the elders, “This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey us. He is a glutton and a drunkard.” 21Then all the men of his town are to stone him to death. You must purge the evil from among you. All Israel will hear of it and be afraid.

Various Laws

22If someone guilty of a capital offense is put to death and their body is exposed on a pole, 23you must not leave the body hanging on the pole overnight. Be sure to bury it that same day, because anyone who is hung on a pole is under God’s curse. You must not desecrate the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.

Akuapem Twi Contemporary Bible

5 Mose 21:1-23

Awudi A Wonnim Owudifo No Ho Mpata

1Sɛ wohu sɛ wɔakum obi da afum wɔ asase a Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn, de rema mo no so, na sɛ munnim owudifo no a, 2mo ntuanofo ne atemmufo no bɛkɔ akosusuw ɔkwan a ɛda nea owufo no da hɔ ne kurow a ɛbɛn no ntam. 3Afei, mpanyimfo a wɔwɔ kurow a ɛbɛn owufo no pɛɛ no mfa nantwi ba a ɔnyɛɛ adwuma da na ɔntwee konnua da 4na wonni nʼanim mfa no nkɔ subon a womfuntumii anaa wonnuaa hwee wɔ hɔ da na nsu sen wɔ mu. Subon no mu na ɛsɛ sɛ wobu nantwi ba no kɔn mu. 5Lewifo asɔfo bɛba hɔ, efisɛ Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn no, paw wɔn sɛ wɔnka asɛm na wonhyira wɔ Awurade din mu. Na wɔn na wosi ntawntaw ne dɛmdi asenni ne asotwe so dua. 6Ɛsɛ sɛ kurow a ɛbɛn funu no mu mpanyimfo no hohoro wɔn nsa gu nantwi ba a wobuu ne kɔn mu no so, 7na wɔaka se, “Ɛnyɛ yɛn nsa na ehwiee mogya yi gui, na yɛn ani anhu nso. 8Awurade, gye saa mpata ma wo man Israel a wugyee wɔn no. Mfa mogya a edi bem yi ho so nto wo nkurɔfo Israel so.” Wowie eyi a, na ɛkyerɛ sɛ, wɔayi ɛso a ɛda wɔn so no afi hɔ. 9Sɛ wodi saa nkyerɛkyerɛ yi so na wɔyɛ nea ɛteɛ wɔ Awurade ani so a, na moayi awudi no ho afɔbu afi mo atenae hɔ.

Mmea Nnommumfo Aware

10Sɛ mokɔ ɔko tia mo atamfo na Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn no, dan wɔn hyɛ mo nsa na mofa wɔn nnommum, 11na sɛ muhu ɔbea hoɔfɛfo bi wɔ wɔn mu na, mopɛ sɛ mofa no sɛ ɔyere a, mutumi ware no. 12Momfa no mmra mo fi na munyi ne ti, mmubu ne werɛw, 13na munyi ntade a na ɔhyɛ wɔ bere a mokyeree no no ngu hɔ. Na ɔntena mo fi nsu nʼagya ne ne na ɔsram akyi ansa na, moatumi akɔ ne ho sɛ ɔyere na wo nso woayɛ no okunu. 14Sɛ mo ani nnye ne ho a, momma no nkɔ baabiara a ɔpɛ sɛ ɔkɔ. Monntɔn no na monnyɛ no sɛ afenaa, efisɛ moagu nʼanim ase.

Abakan Ho Asɛm

15Sɛ ɔbarima wɔ yerenom baanu na ɔdɔ ɔbaako kyɛn nea ɔka ho no, na wɔn baanu no mu biara ne no wɔ ɔbabarima, nanso nʼabakan no yɛ ɔbea a ɔmpɛ nʼasɛm no babarima, 16na sɛ ɔhyɛ nsamansew de ma ne mmabarima a, ɛnsɛ sɛ ɔde kyɛfa kɛse no ma ɔbabarima kumaa a ɔyɛ ne yere a ɔdɔ no no babarima no. 17Ɔbɛfa ne babarima a ɔyɛ ɔyere a ɔmpɛ nʼasɛm no sɛ nʼabakan no anam so ama no nʼagyapade no mmɔho abien. Saa ɔbabarima no yɛ nʼagya no ahoɔden nsɛnkyerɛnne a edi kan. Ɛno nti, abakan kyɛfa yɛ ne dea.

Ɔbabarima A Ɔtew Atua

18Sɛ ɔbarima bi wɔ ɔbabarima a ɔyɛ asoɔden ne otuatewfo a ontie nʼagya ne ne na asɛm wɔ bere a wɔteɛ no so a, 19nea ɛsɛ sɛ ɛba ara ne sɛ, agya no ne ɛna no de wɔn babarima no bɛkɔ mpanyimfo a wɔwɔ kurow no pon ano no anim. 20Wɔbɛpae mu aka akyerɛ mpanyimfo no se, “Yɛn babarima yi yɛ ɔsoɔdenfo ne otuatewfo a ontie yɛn asɛm. Ɔyɛ odidifo ne ɔkɔwensani.” 21Ɛba saa a, ɛsɛ sɛ mmarima a wɔwɔ kurow no mu nyinaa siw no abo kum no. Ɛsɛ sɛ mutu bɔne ase fi mo mu. Israel nyinaa bɛte na wɔabɔ hu.

Mmara Ahorow

22Sɛ obi yɛ amumɔyɛsɛm bi a ɛfata owu na enti wokum no na wɔde no sɛn dua so a, 23ɛnsɛ sɛ nʼamu no sɛn dua no so ma ade kye so. Ɛsɛ sɛ da no ara, musie amu no, efisɛ obiara a wɔsɛn no wɔ dua so no wɔ Onyankopɔn nnome ase. Munngu asase a Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn no, de rema mo sɛ agyapade no ho fi.