Deuteronomy 21:20

Deuteronomy 21:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And they shall say unto 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.
• New International Version (NIV)They 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.”
• New King James Version (NKJV)And they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’
• New Living Translation (NLT)The parents must say to the elders, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious and refuses to obey. He is a glutton and a drunkard.’

Context of Deuteronomy 21:20

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, 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, and 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.' 21Then all the men of the city shall stone him to death with stones. So you shall purge the evil from your midst, and all Israel shall hear, and fear. 22"And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree,

Deuteronomy 21:20 word by word

וְאָמְר֞וּ אֶל־זִקְנֵ֣י עִיר֗וֹ בְּנֵ֤נוּ זֶה֙ סוֹרֵ֣ר וּמֹרֶ֔ה אֵינֶ֥נּוּ שֹׁמֵ֖עַ בְּקֹלֵ֑נוּ זוֹלֵ֖ל וְסֹבֵֽא׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And they shall sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto the eldersזָקֵןzâqên · old: elderH2205
• of his cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• This our sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• stubbornסָרַרsârar · to rebelH5637
• and rebelliousמָרָהmârâh · to rebelH4784
• he will not obeyשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: obeyH8085
• our voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
• a gluttonזָלַלzâlal · be vileH2151
• and a drunkardסָבָאsâbâ' · drunkardsH5433

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 21:20

• Proverbs 29:17Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart.
• Proverbs 19:26He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother is a son who brings shame and reproach.
• Proverbs 20:1Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
• Proverbs 23:19Hear, my son, and be wise, and direct your heart in the way.

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 21:20

• 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
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20Calling someone a glutton and a drunkard was probably a common saying that implied self-indulgence and laziness. Such a person was seen as worthless, rebelling against both parents and the community, as well as God's authority (see Proverbs 23:20–21).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 21:20

• Children
• Church
• Drunkard
• Drunkenness
• Fear of God
• Gluttony
• Government
• Punishment

In the dictionaries

• Controversy
• Crucifixion
• Divers
• Glutton
• Rebellious
• Wrought
• Atonement, Day of
• Child; Children
• Criticism
• Exodus, the Book of

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