Deuteronomy 21:22

Deuteronomy 21:22 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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:
• New International Version (NIV)If someone guilty of a capital offense is put to death and their body is exposed on a pole,
• English Standard Version (ESV)"And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree,
• New King James Version (NKJV)“If a man has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree,

Context of Deuteronomy 21:22

20and say to the elders, “This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious; he does not obey us. He is a glutton and a drunkard.” 21Then all the men of his city will stone him to death. So you must purge the evil from among you, and all Israel will hear and be afraid. If a man has committed a sin worthy of death, and he is executed, and you hang his body on a tree, 23you must not leave the body on the tree overnight, but you must be sure to bury him that day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse. You must not defile the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance.

Deuteronomy 21:22 word by word

וְכִֽי־יִהְיֶ֣ה בְאִ֗ישׁ חֵ֛טְא מִשְׁפַּט־מָ֖וֶת וְהוּמָ֑ת וְתָלִ֥יתָ אֹת֖וֹ עַל־עֵֽץ׃Read the interlinear

• Ifכִּיkîy · forH3588
• a manאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
• has committedהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• a sinחֵטְאchêţ' · sinH2399
• worthyמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justice: judgementH4941
• of deathמָ֫וֶתmâveth · deathH4194
• and he is executedמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• and you hangתָּלָהtâlâh · to hangH8518
• his bodyאֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• onעַל‛al · uponH5921
• a treeעֵץ‛êts · treeH6086

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 21:22

• 2 Samuel 4:12So David commanded his young men, and they killed Rechab and Baanah. They cut off their hands and feet and hung their bodies by the pool in Hebron, but they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in Abner’s tomb in Hebron.
• Joshua 8:29He hung the king of Ai on a tree until evening, and at sunset Joshua commanded that they take down the body from the tree and throw it down at the entrance of the city gate. And over it they raised a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day.
• Joshua 10:26After this, Joshua struck down and killed the kings, and he hung their bodies on five trees and left them there until evening.
• Numbers 25:4Then the LORD said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people and execute them in broad daylight before the LORD, so that His fierce anger may turn away from Israel.”
• Deuteronomy 19:6Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue the manslayer in a rage, overtake him if the distance is great, and strike him dead though he did not deserve to die, since he did not intend any harm.
• Deuteronomy 22:26Do nothing to the young woman, because she has committed no sin worthy of death. This case is just like one in which a man attacks his neighbor and murders him.
• 1 Samuel 26:16This thing you have done is not good. As surely as the LORD lives, all of you deserve to die, since you did not protect your lord, the LORD’s anointed. Now look around. Where are the king’s spear and water jug that were by his head?”
• Matthew 26:66What do you think?” “He deserves to die,” they answered.
• Acts 23:29I found that the accusation involved questions about their own law, but there was no charge worthy of death or imprisonment.
• Acts 25:11If, however, I am guilty of anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is no truth to their accusations against me, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”
• Acts 26:31On their way out, they said to one another, “This man has done nothing worthy of death or imprisonment.”
• 2 Samuel 21:6let seven of his male descendants be delivered to us so that we may hang them before the LORD at Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the LORD.” “I will give them to you,” said the king.
• Luke 23:33When they came to the place called The Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals, one on His right and the other on His left.
• John 19:31It was the day of Preparation, and the next day was a High Sabbath. In order that the bodies would not remain on the cross during the Sabbath, the Jews asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies removed.

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 21:22

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 22There were four methods of execution in use among the ancient Jews; stoning (Exodus 17:4; Deuteronomy 13:10, etc.), burning Leviticus 20:14; Leviticus 21:9, the sword Exodus 32:27, and strangulation. The latter, though not named in Scripture, is regarded by the rabbis as the most common, and the proper one to be adopted when no other is expressly enjoined by the Law. Suspension, whether from cross, stake, or gallows, was not used as a mode of taking life…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-23Verses 22-23 By the law of Moses, the touch of a dead body was defiling, therefore dead bodies must not be left hanging, as that would defile the land. There is one reason here which has reference to Christ; "He that is hanged is accursed of God;" that is, it is the highest degree of disgrace and reproach. Those who see a man thus hanging between heaven and earth, will conclude him abandoned of both, and unworthy of either. Moses, by the Spirit, uses this…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 22hang his body on a tree: This was not the method of execution, at least in this text. It was a shameful display of those already put to death for severe crimes punishable by death. This was probably to show the Lord's hatred of sin. It also warned others about committing similar acts (see also Genesis 40:19, 22; Joshua 10:26; 2 Samuel 4:12; 21:12; Esther 2:23; 7:10).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22-2322-23. if a man have committed a sin ... and thou hang him on a tree--Hanging was not a Hebrew form of execution (gibbeting is meant), but the body was not to be left to rot or be a prey to ravenous birds; it was to be buried "that day," either because the stench in a hot climate would corrupt the air, or the spectacle of an exposed corpse bring ceremonial defilement on the land.Read the comment

Topics related to Deuteronomy 21:22

• Hanging
• Punishment
• Sanitation

In the dictionaries

• Controversy
• Crucifixion
• Divers
• Gallows
• Hanging
• Rebellious
• Wrought
• Atonement, Day of
• Burial
• Criticism

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings