In this passage, many laws are lifted up as a needful. For instance, if a criminal is hanged on a tree, he must be taken down the same day in order not to defile the land. Second, each person must be responsible to return your brother’s livestock if you find it wandering about. If someone’s animal falls down, you must help him life it up.
An additional law says that men and women must not wear clothes from the opposite gender. You cannot take a bird and its young at the same time. Every house must have a parapet to prevent people from falling off the roof. Do not plant mixed seeds, and do not plow with an ox and donkey together. Do not wear a garment with mixed cloth, and you must make tassels on the four corners of your clothing.
If a man takes a wife and then does not love her, he shall be truthful in his assessment of the situation. If he accuses her of not being a virgin, she may have an opportunity to prove her virginity. If she can, then he must pay reparations and remain married to her. If she cannot, then she must be stoned.
If a man is found sleeping with a woman married to another man, then they must both be stoned. If a man finds a virgin bethrothed to another man and lies with her, then they will both be stoned if she did not cry out. If a man finds a bethrothed woman in the countryside and forces her to have sex, then the man will be stoned, for she was raped. If a man forces a virgin to have sex, then he will be required to give the father fifty shekels of silver and marry her with no opportunity for divorce. Finally a man shall not take his father’s wife.
These laws are extremely broad in scope. However, the principles are still applicable for today. Do not have extramarital sex, do not rape, do not refuse to help your neighbor, do not cross-dress. Wow, a lot of these laws still have a lot to inform us today.
Devoted To You 