God’s Word Translation
Deuteronomy 21:18
18Parents might have a stubborn and rebellious son who doesn’t obey them. Even though they punish him, he still won’t 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,
- English Standard Version (ESV)"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,
- 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,
Context of Deuteronomy 21:18
16When the day comes for the father to give his sons their inheritance, he can’t treat the son of the wife he loves as if that son were the firstborn. This would show a total disregard for the real firstborn (the son of the wife he doesn’t love). 17Instead, he must recognize the son of the wife he doesn’t love as the firstborn. He must give that son a double portion of whatever he owns. That son is the very first son he had. The rights of the firstborn son are his. Parents might have a stubborn and rebellious son who doesn’t obey them. Even though they punish him, he still won’t listen to them. 19His father and mother must take him to the leaders of the city at the city gate. 20They will say to the leaders of the city, “This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He won’t obey us. He eats too much and is a drunk.”
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 28:24The one who robs his father or his mother and says, “It isn’t wrong!” is a companion to a vandal.
- Proverbs 30:11A certain kind of person curses his father and does not bless his mother.
- Isaiah 1:2Listen, heaven, and pay attention, earth! The Lord has spoken, “I raised ⌞my⌟ children and helped them grow, but they have rebelled against me.
- Deuteronomy 27:16“Whoever curses his father or mother will himself be cursed.” Then all the people will say amen.
- Exodus 20:12“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live for a long time in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
- Exodus 21:15“Whoever hits his father or mother must be put to death.
- Leviticus 19:3“Respect your mother and father. Observe my days of rest as holy days. I am the Lord your God.
- Leviticus 21:9When a priest’s daughter dishonors herself by becoming a prostitute, she dishonors her father. She must be burned.
- Proverbs 15:5A stubborn fool despises his father’s discipline, but whoever appreciates a warning shows good sense.
- Proverbs 20:20The lamp of the person who curses his father and mother will be snuffed out in total darkness.
- Ezekiel 22:7People in you hate their fathers and mothers. They oppress foreigners in you. They oppress orphans and widows in you.
- Deuteronomy 8:5Learn this lesson by heart: The Lord your God was disciplining you as parents discipline their children.
- 2 Samuel 7:14I will be his Father, and he will be my Son. If he sins, I will punish him with a rod and with blows inflicted by people.
- Proverbs 13:24Whoever refuses to spank his son hates him, but whoever loves his son disciplines him from early on.
- Proverbs 19:18Discipline your son while there is still hope. Do not be the one responsible for his death.
- Proverbs 22:15Foolishness is firmly attached to a child’s heart. Spanking will remove 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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