{"meta":{"source":"Prime Bible","sourceUrl":"https://primebible.com","license":"Public domain (translation text); see citation policy at /citation-policy","organization":"501(c)(3) nonprofit — EIN 41-2531951","canonicalUrl":"https://primebible.com/kjv/deuteronomy/21","llmTxt":"https://primebible.com/llms.txt","generatedAt":"2026-05-31T01:38:26.380Z"},"reference":{"translation":"KJV","book":"Deuteronomy","bookSlug":"deuteronomy","chapter":21,"testament":"OLD"},"navigation":{"previousChapter":20,"nextChapter":22,"totalChapters":34,"totalVerses":23},"verses":[{"verseNumber":1,"text":"If <i>one</i> be found slain in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it, lying in the field, <i>and</i> it be not known who hath slain him:"},{"verseNumber":2,"text":"Then thy elders and thy judges shall come forth, and they shall measure unto the cities which <i>are</i> round about him that is slain:"},{"verseNumber":3,"text":"And it shall be, <i>that</i> the city <i>which is</i> next unto the slain man, even the elders of that city shall take an heifer, which hath not been wrought with, <i>and</i> which hath not drawn in the yoke;"},{"verseNumber":4,"text":"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:"},{"verseNumber":5,"text":"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 <i>tried</i>:"},{"verseNumber":6,"text":"And all the elders of that city, <i>that are</i> next unto the slain <i>man</i>, shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley:"},{"verseNumber":7,"text":"And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen <i>it</i>."},{"verseNumber":8,"text":"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."},{"verseNumber":9,"text":"So shalt thou put away the <i>guilt of</i> innocent blood from among you, when thou shalt do <i>that which is</i> right in the sight of the LORD."},{"verseNumber":10,"text":"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,"},{"verseNumber":11,"text":"And seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her, that thou wouldest have her to thy wife;"},{"verseNumber":12,"text":"Then thou shalt bring her home to thine house; and she shall shave her head, and pare her nails;"},{"verseNumber":13,"text":"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."},{"verseNumber":14,"text":"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."},{"verseNumber":15,"text":"If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children, <i>both</i> the beloved and the hated; and <i>if</i> the firstborn son be hers that was hated:"},{"verseNumber":16,"text":"Then it shall be, when he maketh his sons to inherit <i>that</i> which he hath, <i>that</i> he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, <i>which is indeed</i> the firstborn:"},{"verseNumber":17,"text":"But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated <i>for</i> the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he <i>is</i> the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn <i>is</i> his."},{"verseNumber":18,"text":"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 <i>that</i>, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them:"},{"verseNumber":19,"text":"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;"},{"verseNumber":20,"text":"And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son <i>is</i> stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; <i>he is</i> a glutton, and a drunkard."},{"verseNumber":21,"text":"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."},{"verseNumber":22,"text":"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:"},{"verseNumber":23,"text":"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 <i>is</i> accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee <i>for</i> an inheritance."}],"citation":{"inline":"Deuteronomy 21 (KJV)","markdown":"[Deuteronomy 21](https://primebible.com/kjv/deuteronomy/21)","sbl":"Prime Bible. *The Bible.* KJV. https://primebible.com/kjv/deuteronomy/21 (accessed 2026-05-31)."}}