Deuteronomy 21 19

Deuteronomy 21:19 kjv

Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place;

Deuteronomy 21:19 nkjv

then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city, to the gate of his city.

Deuteronomy 21:19 niv

his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his town.

Deuteronomy 21:19 esv

then 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,

Deuteronomy 21:19 nlt

In such a case, the father and mother must take the son to the elders as they hold court at the town gate.

Deuteronomy 21 verses

Deuteronomy 21 19 Meaning

Deuteronomy 21:19 outlines the specific legal procedure for parents dealing with a son who is consistently rebellious and defiant. This verse details that the son's father and mother must physically apprehend him and bring him publicly before the city's elders at the gate of their community. This action signals a transition from private family discipline to a communal legal judgment due to the extreme nature of the son's insubordination.

Deuteronomy 21 19 Context

Deuteronomy 21:19 is part of a series of diverse laws given to Israel, reflecting the standards of a holy nation established by God. Specifically, verses 18-21 detail the unique and severe case of the "stubborn and rebellious son." This passage follows laws regarding accidental death (21:1-9) and marriage practices (21:10-17), positioning this unique law on familial rebellion within a broader legal framework for a functioning covenant society. The entire book of Deuteronomy serves as a renewed covenant instruction, emphasizing obedience to God's commands for the people's blessing in the Promised Land. This law underscores the paramount importance of familial order, parental authority, and social stability as foundational elements of a nation in covenant with the Lord, illustrating the grave threat extreme disobedience posed to the fabric of Israelite society. The requirement for both parents to initiate the accusation and for the judgment to occur publicly before the elders highlights the societal implications of such an act and provides legal safeguards against arbitrary parental action.

Deuteronomy 21 19 Word analysis

• Then his father and his mother: This emphasizes the joint consensus and agreement of both parents. Both must agree on the son's incorrigible nature for the accusation to proceed. This also acts as a safeguard against a single parent's potential bias or personal vendetta, underscoring the severity of the offense. It implies that both parents have exhausted all reasonable efforts to discipline and reform their son privately.
• shall take him: Hebrew: w'tafshu בו (w'taf'shu bo) from the root תפש (taphas). Meaning "to grasp," "to lay hold of," "to seize." This is not merely leading or accompanying but implies a forceful apprehension, indicating the son's unwillingness to comply voluntarily. It signifies that the parents' authority has been utterly rejected, requiring intervention to physically present him to public authority.
• and bring him out: Hebrew: w'hotzi'u (w'hotzi'u) from יצא (yatza). This denotes a physical bringing forth from the private dwelling into the public sphere. It signifies the removal of the issue from the internal family domain to the communal justice system, making it a matter of public concern and accountability.
• to the elders of his city: Hebrew: el ziknei iro (el ziknei iro). The "elders" (ziknim) were the recognized leaders, judges, and administrators of the community. They were typically respected men of wisdom and experience. This highlights that justice was dispensed locally by those who knew the community and its people, ensuring a degree of accountability and familiarity with the son's character. Their role was crucial in upholding justice and social order.
• at the gate of his place: Hebrew: v'el sha'ar meqomo (v'el sha'ar meqomo). The "city gate" (sha'ar) was the primary public space in ancient Israelite towns. It functioned as the courthouse, market, social gathering spot, and assembly place. All public business, legal proceedings, and administrative decisions occurred here. Bringing the son to the gate symbolized a public trial, subjecting the matter to communal scrutiny and judgment, underscoring the profound impact of the son's rebellion on the entire community, not just his family. "His place" indicates that the judgment would occur within his own community, among those who knew him.

Deuteronomy 21 19 Bonus section

The "stubborn and rebellious son" law (Deut 21:18-21) is often understood by scholars more as a didactic teaching tool or a theoretical legal construct emphasizing the severe consequences of utter familial and societal rebellion, rather than a frequently implemented capital punishment. Its very specific conditions (requiring joint parental agreement, formal process at the city gate, specific character traits like "glutton and drunkard") made it challenging to fulfill. This suggests its primary purpose was to highlight the supreme importance of filial piety and the disastrous effects of persistent, self-destructive defiance within the covenant community. It underscored that rejection of parental authority was seen as an undermining of God's established order. The law served as a potent symbolic warning that individual rebellion could have public consequences, affirming that community well-being depended on healthy familial relationships and adherence to the law.

Deuteronomy 21 19 Commentary

Deuteronomy 21:19 outlines the critical first step in addressing a "stubborn and rebellious son"—a severe category of filial defiance within Israelite law. This verse is not about typical parental discipline but an extreme measure for an unrepentant, destructive pattern of behavior that threatened the family's integrity and, by extension, the social order. The requirement for both father and mother to initiate the charge before the elders at the city gate is a vital safeguard. It ensured that the accusation was not arbitrary or borne out of personal spite, but a unanimous recognition by both parents of the son's complete and persistent rebellion. This collective parental agreement served as compelling testimony to the gravity and chronic nature of the son's defiance.

The public venue—the city gate—was central to ancient Israelite judicial processes. It meant the matter was transferred from the private, familial domain to the communal, public court, signifying that the son's actions had transcended mere household conflict to become a threat to societal norms and order. The elders, representing the community's judicial and moral authority, would then hear the case, providing a structured and regulated process that prevented summary family justice. This law, though extreme and likely rarely enacted, functioned primarily as a powerful deterrent, emphasizing the absolute necessity of respect for parental authority and the fundamental importance of maintaining social cohesion in God's covenant nation. It underlines that ultimate authority resides in the Lord, and disobedience that fundamentally breaks societal foundations necessitates communal judgment.