Read today’s scripture.

What do you learn about God’s goodness?

Who can you share that with today?

Deuteronomy 21.

This chapter seems to point to having respect for all humanity. 

A dead body is found, and no one knows anything. Nevertheless his body is atoned for by the priest and nearest neighbors.  A female captive is allowed to grieve her parents and home for a month before consummating her marriage to an Israeli.  The firstborn son of an unloved wife still inherits the birthright. The parents of an recalcine rebellious son have a way out by bringing him before the elders who judge him.  And even a criminal hanged on a tree shall be taken down and buried the same day.

Deuteronomy 22.

Neighborliness seems prominent in this chapter, as well as sexual purity.

If you find a neighbor’s animal, return it.  If you don’t know whom it belongs to, keep it safe to you find out.  If you see your neighbor’s animal fallen into a ditch, help to get it out.  If you find a nest of eggs with a bird on it, you must let the mother go free. You should build a parapet (short wall) around your roof (where sleeping and dining often happened) so that no one would accidently fall off it.

Don’t plant two kinds of seeds together; don’t yoke an ox and a donkey together, and don’t wear clothes made of two fabrics. All these point to purity and fairness.  Also, women are not to wear men’s clothing, nor men, women’s.

A husband has the right to have his wife’s previous virginity proved.  Adultery is punished by death of them both. Rape is only considered a crime punishable by death, if the girl does not scream (in the city) or if she is taken in the country where no one can hear her scream. 

Deuteronomy 23.

This chapter covers who can and cannot worship with or become a citizen of Israel. Those who are castrated, born of a forbidden union, an Ammonite or Moabite, and children of an Edomite or Egyptian until after the third generation. 

Uncleanness here is normal but should be taken care of, such as having bowel movements “outside the camp and covering it up” and nocturnal emissions (wash up).

There are some miscellaneous laws about accepting and helping a slave who has run away from his master (one assumes a cruel one?), allowing none of their daughters or sons to become prostitutes, never charging interest on loans to their brothers (foreigners CAN be charged), and fulfilling vows made to God. 

You were allowed to pick grapes and grain from their neighbor’s fields IF YOU ATE IT THEN. But they could not carry a basket to COLLECT the produce to bring home.

All details to be sure, but Moses wanted the people to know and remember the little things too as they entered the Promised Land … without him.