Please read through the remaining chapters of Deuteronomy. Cite here one law you think is particularly good--part of what makes Deuteronomy a fine law code. Cite also one law that you find disturbing, difficult or hard to understand--something that one might *not* (at least at first) think of as part of a particularly good law code.Remember that there is an exam coming up next Tuesday! I may be revising the study guide slightly. Be sure to check the online study guide as you prepare for the exams.
Deuteronomy 22 is filled with laws and punishments regarding men/women relationships. One in particular caught my attention:
ReplyDeleteDeuteronomy 22:28-29
"If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not pledged to be married and rapes her and they are discovered, he shall pay her father fifty shekels of silver. He must marry the young woman, for he has violated her. He can never divorce her as long as he lives."
This is disturbing to me for obvious reasons. I don't see how forcing a rape victim to marry her attacker sets the foundation for a healthy marriage. Interesting, though, how the male can never divorce her.
I immediately thought of an article I read 3 days ago about this sort of thing happening today. An Austrian citizen was in United Arab Emirates who reported being raped was jailed and accused of consuming alcohol and having sex outside of marriage. Dubai authorities then said she has to marry her attacker, and she is not the first foreigner to have this happen. Of course, there was a huge outcry and she was able to fly home after outside intervention. I don't see how this was acceptable in the days of the Old Testament and absolutely not acceptable today.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2549707/Austrian-rape-victim-arrested-having-sex-outside-marriage-UAE-reported-crime-told-MARRY-attacker.html
Be sure to bring that rebellious child question up in class. It will make for good discussion!
ReplyDeleteArt
Here too, many good questions! Bring these up in class.
ReplyDeleteDeuteronomy 15: 1-3
ReplyDeleteAt the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release.And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbour, or of his brother; because it is called the Lord's release. Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again: but that which is thine with thy brother thine hand shall release;
I find this passage a bit disturbing in that I'm not sure how it would work. Perhaps I'm reading it wrong but I find this system of debts and loans to be easy to make into something unjust by waiting the allotted seven days.
Deuteronomy 23: 10-12
If there be among you any man, that is not clean by reason of uncleanness that chanceth him by night, then shall he go abroad out of the camp, he shall not come within the camp: But it shall be, when evening cometh on, he shall wash himself with water: and when the sun is down, he shall come into the camp again. Thou shalt have a place also without the camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad:
I find this passage to be far ahead of its time! The issue of cleanliness is one that I not only find makes sense but I also find it revolutionary that such things should be taken into law. The simple act of bathing can provide many benefits including getting rid of diseases!
Deuteronomy 25: 5 “If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the widow of the dead man shall not be married to a stranger outside the family; her husband’s brother shall go in to her, take her as his wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I care much for this law, but I can see the reason of it in ancient times. It just seems to be a bit weird to take your brothers wife. What if she wants to marry someone else? Or if you really can't stand her?
Deuteronomy 25: 11-12
11 “If two men fight together, and the wife of one draws near to rescue her husband from the hand of the one attacking him, and puts out her hand and seizes him by the genitals, 12 then you shall cut off her hand; your eye shall not pity her.
This one seemed really strange to me. I mean I'm not sure what the motivation behind this was, but I'm sure there were no genital grabbers umungst the women of this time period. I guess their saying that it's never cool to mess with a mans genitals even if some guy breaks into your home to rape and kill your kids and your husband is trying to defend them. Well you could go for his manhood, but you know that your hand it going to be forfeit.
I thought I had already posted this so, my apologies for not getting in on the discussion. The first thing that I found after exploring Deuteronomy further was in the first chapter I cherry picked. Chapter 15 starts by talking about debt. I was immediately drawn to the fact debts were forgiven after 7 years. This is an exact parallel to today's credit standards. Most negative things to hit your credit report are erased after 7 years. Even your driving record for insurance purposes is reset every 7 years. Now, I'm sure that in today's day and age there has to be some other reason credit/insurance corporations have chose 7 years, but It's just too much of a coincidence for me to overlook. Blue laws are starting to become a thing of the past, but there just seems to be a correlation here. I don't know, I'm not in finance.
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