Deuteronomy 21

If one be found slain in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it, lying in the field, and it be not known who hath slain him:

If a life is tragically taken in the land God has gifted you, and the perpetrator remains unknown, it's a sorrowful mystery.

Then thy elders and thy judges shall come forth, and they shall measure unto the cities which are round about him that is slain:

Your leaders and judges will step forward, assessing the nearby cities around the victim's location.

And it shall be, that the city which is next unto the slain man, even the elders of that city shall take an heifer, which hath not been wrought with, and which hath not drawn in the yoke;

In the city closest to where the man was killed, the city's elders must take a young cow that has never worked or worn a yoke.

And the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto a rough valley, which is neither eared nor sown, and shall strike off the heifer’s neck there in the valley:

The city's leaders will lead the young cow to a barren, untamed valley. There, in the wild solitude, they will end its life.

And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near; for them the LORD thy God hath chosen to minister unto him, and to bless in the name of the LORD; and by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried:

The priests, God's chosen sons of Levi, will step forward. They are selected by God to serve Him and to bestow blessings in His name. Their words will resolve every dispute and judge every offense.

And all the elders of that city, that are next unto the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley:

The city's senior leaders, closest to the deceased, must cleanse their hands over the sacrificed heifer in the valley, signifying their innocence.

And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.

They will respond with conviction, "We did not cause this harm, nor did we witness it."

Be merciful, O LORD, unto thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Israel’s charge. And the blood shall be forgiven them.

Lord, please show your mercy to your people, Israel, whom you've saved. Don't blame them for innocent bloodshed. Let them be forgiven.

So shalt thou put away the guilt of innocent blood from among you, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the LORD.

By doing what's right in God's eyes, you'll cleanse yourself of any blame for harming the innocent.

When thou goest forth to war against thine enemies, and the LORD thy God hath delivered them into thine hands, and thou hast taken them captive,

When you bravely face your battles, and God, in His mercy, grants you victory, entrusting your enemies to you as captives.

And seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her, that thou wouldest have her to thy wife;

When you spot a stunning woman among the prisoners and your heart yearns for her, wishing she could be your wife.

Then thou shalt bring her home to thine house, and she shall shave her head, and pare her nails;

Then you shall bring her into your home, where she must shave her head and trim her nails.

And she shall put the raiment of her captivity from off her, and shall remain in thine house, and bewail her father and her mother a full month: and after that thou shalt go in unto her, and be her husband, and she shall be thy wife.

She will shed her captive's clothes and stay in your home, mourning her parents for a month. After that, you may approach her, become her husband, and she will be your wife.

And it shall be, if thou have no delight in her, then thou shalt let her go whither she will; but thou shalt not sell her at all for money, thou shalt not make merchandise of her, because thou hast humbled her.

If you no longer love her, let her go freely. Never exploit her for money or treat her as an object, because you've already hurt her.

If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated:

If a man has two wives, one he loves and one he dislikes, and both have given him children. If the first child is from the wife he dislikes:

Then it shall be, when he maketh his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, which is indeed the firstborn:

When a man passes his inheritance to his sons, he must not favor the son of the wife he loves over the son of the wife he doesn't, if the latter is indeed his firstborn.

But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.

But he must recognize the son of the wife he doesn't love as his firstborn, giving him a double share of everything he has. For this son is the first sign of his strength; the right of the firstborn belongs to him.

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:

If a son is stubborn and defiant, refusing to listen to his parents' guidance and discipline, ignoring their pleas:

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;

His parents, filled with concern, will take him to the respected elders of their town, right at the city gate.

And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.

They'll tell their town's leaders, "Our son is defiant and wild, he ignores us; he's overindulgent and addicted to alcohol."

And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.

Every man in his town must cast stones at him until he breathes his last. This is how you purge the wickedness from your midst. Let all of Israel learn of this and tremble.

And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree:

If a man has committed a grave sin deserving death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree:

His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

Do not leave a body hanging on a tree overnight. Ensure it is buried before the day ends. For anyone hung is seen as cursed by God. Keep your land pure, the land that God has graciously given you as your inheritance.