I.     One case of societal justice is given.     (1-9)

	A.     What about unsolved murders?   (1)

		1. The example is given in verse 1 of a person found dead in a field.
		2. The person has obviously been  “slain”, but the murderer is unknown.
		3. This poses a problem under the Law because innocent blood that was 
		    shed in such a manner corrupted the entire land.
			see Genesis 4:10, and Jeremiah 19:3-4
			Justice was a goal of the Law, and a demand of God.

	B.  The investigation is to be carried out by the nearest city to which the corpse 
	      was found.   (2-3)

	C.  The elders of the city were to kill an innocent “heifer” (3), and it was to be 
	      sacrificed by the priests (5).

		1. The elders of the city are to wash their hands over the heifer’s body (6).
		2. While washing their hands, they are to say out loud: 
		   “Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.”  (7).
		3. They are then to plead for mercy that God will not charge this 
		    innocent blood to them, or the people that they represent (8).

	D. This ritual would pacify God’s justice, and prevent God’s wrath.

****There are two cases of Domestic Justice given in verses 10-17 and 18-23.

II.	First, a Gentile wife taken in war:

	A.  Gentile woman could be married by a Jewish man if:

		1. She shave her head and pare her nails (12) to separate herself from 
		    false idols.
		2. She put off the pagan clothing (13).
		3. All of this was the casting off of all outward allegiance to false gods.

	B. If the marriage does not take place the Gentile woman is to be set free.   (14)

	C. The problem of two wives enters the picture when it comes to children (15-17).

		1. Preferences are not to be carried over to the children.
		2. If the first-born is the child of the less loved woman, the first-born 
		    is still the first-born.   (17)

	D. The emphasis of verses 15-17 is on the children.

		- Whatever differences exists between the parents, 
		 the children are not to be mistreated or treated unfairly.

III.	The second case of Domestic Justice: Dealing with a Prodigal Son.   (18-21).

	A. What is the definition of a “Prodigal Son” under the Law?

		- “Stubborn and rebellious…will not obey the voice of his father, 
		  or the voice of his mother….” And will not respond to punishment (18).
		- Also, a glutton and a drunkard (20)

	B. What were parents to do with a Prodigal Son?

		1. He was to be brought before the elders of the city for a public display (19).
		2. The parents were to tell the elders that their son was a “glutton and a drunkard.”
		3. The Prodigal Son was to be stoned to death (21).
		4. Remember: Under the Law, rebellion was equal to witchcraft, (I Samuel 15:23).

IV.	The bodies of executed criminals were to be disposed of quickly (22-23).

	- dead bodies corrupted the land (23).



Conclusion:     Please read Deuteronomy 22 for next Sunday.