HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 549
DEUTER ONOM Y 22
page 179
anything else your neighbor loses. Don’t ignore
your responsibility.
4 “If you see that your neighbor’s donkey or
ox has collapsed on the road, do not look the
other way. Go and help your neighbor get it back
on its feet!
5 “A woman must not put on men’s clothing,
and a man must not wear women’s clothing.
Anyone who does this is detestable in the sight
of the Lord your God.
6 “If you happen to find a bird’s nest in a tree
or on the ground, and there are young ones or
eggs in it with the mother sitting in the nest, do
not take the mother with the young. 7 You may
take the young, but let the mother go, so that
you may prosper and enjoy a long life.
8 “When you build a new house, you must
build a railing around the edge of its flat roof.
That way you will not be considered guilty of
murder if someone falls from the roof.
9 “You must not plant any other crop between
the rows of your vineyard. If you do, you are forbidden to use either the grapes from the vineyard or the other crop.
10 “You must not plow with an ox and a donkey harnessed together.
11 “You must not wear clothing made of wool
and linen woven together.
12 “You must put four tassels on the hem of
the cloak with which you cover yourself—on the
front, back, and sides.
Regulations for Sexual Purity
13 “Suppose a man marries a woman, but after
sleeping with her, he turns against her 14 and
publicly accuses her of shameful conduct, saying, ‘When I married this woman, I discovered
she was not a virgin.’ 15 Then the woman’s father
and mother must bring the proof of her virginity to the elders as they hold court at the town
gate. 16 Her father must say to them, ‘I gave my
daughter to this man to be his wife, and now
he has turned against her. 17 He has accused
her of shameful conduct, saying, “I discovered
that your daughter was not a virgin.” But here is
the proof of my daughter’s virginity.’ Then they
must spread her bed sheet before the elders.
18 The elders must then take the man and punish
him. 19 They must also fine him 100 pieces of silver,* which he must pay to the woman’s father
because he publicly accused a virgin of Israel of
shameful conduct. The woman will then remain
the man’s wife, and he may never divorce her.
20 “But suppose the man’s accusations are
true, and he can show that she was not a virgin.
21 The woman must be taken to the door of her father’s home, and there the men of the town must
stone her to death, for she has committed a disgraceful crime in Israel by being promiscuous
22:19 Hebrew 100 [shekels] of silver, about 2.5 pounds or
1.1 kilograms in weight.
while living in her parents’ home. In this way,
you will purge this evil from among you.
22 “If a man is discovered committing adultery, both he and the woman must die. In this
way, you will purge Israel of such evil.
23 “Suppose a man meets a young woman,
a virgin who is engaged to be married, and he
has sexual intercourse with her. If this happens
within a town, 24 you must take both of them to
the gates of that town and stone them to death.
The woman is guilty because she did not scream
for help. The man must die because he violated
• Unity &
Teamwork
DE U TE R ON OM Y 22:10-11
An ox and a donkey work at different
speeds. Harnessed together, they will
pull a plow unevenly. When two members
of any team pull in opposite directions,
they nullify each other’s efforts. The Bible
warns believers about forming unhealthy
alliances with unbelievers (2 Corinthians
6:14-16), especially in areas where
their integrity and values might be
compromised.
Are you working on a team? Are you
responsible for supervising others who
work together? Utilize this basic principle:
Teamwork involves more than the work
assigned; it requires certain similarities
of purpose and method among the team
members.
• Sexuality
DE U TE R ON OM Y 22:13-30
Why does God have so many laws
about sexual behavior? This would
be vital for three million people on a
forty-year camping trip. But standards
for sexuality would be equally important
when the people entered the Promised
Land and settled down as a nation.
Paul, in Colossians 3:5-8, recognized
the importance of firm rules about sex,
because sexual sins have the power to
disrupt and destroy the church. Sins
involving sex are not simply innocent
dabblings in forbidden pleasures as
they are so often portrayed but powerful
destroyers of relationships. They bring
confusion and tear down the climate of
respect, trust, and credibility so essential
to solid marriages and secure children.