5. And the priests the sons of Levi shall approach, those whom the Lord your God has chosen to minister to him, and to bless in his name, and to decide every controversy by their word, and to judge which things are clean and which are unclean.
Deuteronomy 21 deals with legal and social issues related to crimes, death, marriage and inheritance. The chapter begins with instructions on how to deal with an unresolved murder, establishing a ritual to purify the earth and find the culprit. Then guidelines are given to choose a war wife, including a period of mourning and the possibility of divorce. The chapter continues with the rules on the birthright and inheritance, and ends with the punishment of a disobedient and rebellious son.
Leviticus 24:17-18: "He who kills any man will surely be killed. And he who kills an animal shall restore; but he who kills a man will be killed." This verse establishes the law of retribution, which is mentioned in Deuteronomy 21:1-9. If an unresolved murder occurred, the community should perform a ritual to purify the earth and find the culprit, otherwise it would be assigned to the whole community.
Judges 21:10-12: "Then they gathered against that place twelve thousand men of the children of Israel, and sent men to check the matter, who, returning, brought the news that no person in that city had escaped." This verse talks about the punishment of an entire city because of an individual's sin, which is mentioned in Deuteronomy 21:10-14. If a prisoner of war was chosen as a wife, but her husband no longer wanted her, she should be released, but could not be sold or mistreated.
2 Kings 9:26: "You see here the blood of Naboth and the blood of your children, says the Lord; I will pay you in this same piece of land, says the Lord. Now, then, take it and throw it in that field , according to the word of the Lord. " This verse talks about the punishment of a killer, which is mentioned in Deuteronomy 21:1-9. If an unresolved murder occurred, the community should perform a ritual to purify the earth and find the culprit, otherwise it would be assigned to the whole community.
Proverbs 13:24: "What makes no use of the stick hates his son, but what he loves, disciplines him early on." This verse talks about the punishment of a disobedient and rebellious son, which is mentioned in Deuteronomy 21:18-21. If a son were disobedient and rebellious, his parents should take him to the city's leaders to punish him.
“Deus ama quem segue o caminho da virtude.” São Padre Pio de Pietrelcina
