English Standard Version
Deuteronomy 21:18
18"If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and, though they discipline him, will not listen to them,
Deuteronomy 21:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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:
- New International Version (NIV)If 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,
- New King James Version (NKJV)“If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and who, when they have chastened him, will not heed them,
- New Living Translation (NLT)“Suppose a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey his father or mother, even though they discipline him.
Context of Deuteronomy 21:18
16then on the day when he assigns his possessions as an inheritance to his sons, he may not treat the son of the loved as the firstborn in preference to the son of the unloved, who is the firstborn, 17but he shall acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the unloved, by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the firstfruits of his strength. The right of the firstborn is his. "If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and, though they discipline him, will not listen to them, 19then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gate of the place where he lives, 20and they shall say to 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.'
Read all of Deuteronomy 21Deuteronomy 21:18 word by word
כִּֽי־יִהְיֶ֣ה לְאִ֗ישׁ בֵּ֚ן סוֹרֵ֣ר וּמוֹרֶ֔ה אֵינֶ֣נּוּ שֹׁמֵ֔עַ בְּק֥וֹל אָבִ֖יו וּבְק֣וֹל אִמּ֑וֹ וְיסְּר֣וּ אֹת֔וֹ וְלֹ֥א יִשְׁמַ֖ע אֲלֵיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- If a manאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
- have a stubbornסָרַרsârar · to rebelH5637
- and rebelliousמָרָהmârâh · to rebelH4784
- sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- which will not obeyשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: obeyH8085
- the voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
- of his fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
- of his motherאֵם'êm · motherH517
- when they have chastenedיָסַרyâsar · to disciplineH3256
- him, will not hearkenשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 21:18
- Proverbs 28:24Whoever robs his father or his mother and says, "That is no transgression," is a companion to a man who destroys.
- Proverbs 30:11There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.
- Isaiah 1:2Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord has spoken: "Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me.
- Deuteronomy 27:16"'Cursed be anyone who dishonors his father or his mother.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'
- Exodus 20:12"Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
- Exodus 21:15"Whoever strikes his father or his mother shall be put to death.
- Leviticus 19:3Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and you shall keep my Sabbaths: I am the Lord your God.
- Leviticus 21:9And the daughter of any priest, if she profanes herself by whoring, profanes her father; she shall be burned with fire.
- Proverbs 15:5A fool despises his father's instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is prudent.
- Proverbs 20:20If one curses his father or his mother, his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.
- Ezekiel 22:7Father and mother are treated with contempt in you; the sojourner suffers extortion in your midst; the fatherless and the widow are wronged in you.
- Deuteronomy 8:5Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the Lord your God disciplines you.
- 2 Samuel 7:14I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men,
- Proverbs 13:24Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.
- Proverbs 19:18Discipline your son, for there is hope; do not set your heart on putting him to death.
- Proverbs 22:15Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 21:18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18The stubborn, rebellious, gluttonous, and drunken son is to be stoned to death - This law, severe as it may seem, must have acted as a powerful preventive of crime. If such a law were in force now, and duly executed, how many deaths of disobedient and profligate children would there be in all corners of the land!Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18-21Verses 18-21 The formal accusation of parents against a child was to be received without inquiry, as being its own proof. Thus the just authority of the parents is recognized and effectually upheld (compare Exodus 20:12; Exodus 21:15, Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9); but the extreme and irresponsible power of life and death, conceded by the law of Rome and other pagan nations, is withheld from the Israelite father. In this, as in the last law, provision is…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-21Verses 18-21 Observe how the criminal is here described. He is a stubborn and rebellious son. No child was to fare the worse for weakness of capacity, slowness, or dulness, but for wilfulness and obstinacy. Nothing draws men into all manner of wickedness, and hardens them in it more certainly and fatally, than drunkenness. When men take to drinking, they forget the law of honouring parents. His own father and mother must complain of him to the elders of…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-2118-21. If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son--A severe law was enacted in this case. But the consent of both parents was required as a prevention of any abuse of it; for it was reasonable to suppose that they would not both agree to a criminal information against their son except from absolute necessity, arising from his inveterate and hopeless wickedness; and, in that view, the law was wise and salutary, as such a person would be a pest and…Read the comment
Topics related to Deuteronomy 21:18
In the dictionaries
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
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Commentaries