Deuteronomy

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Deuteronomy 25 – Skeptic's Annotated Bible answered

A response and reply to the notes on Deuteronomy 25 in the Skeptic's Annotated Bible (SAB).

King James Version

SAB comment

My comment

1 If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.

(25:1-3) "If there be a controversy between men ... if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten, ... the judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten... Forty stripes he may give him."
Legal disputes are settled by a judge who determines guilt or innocence. No lawyers or jury are needed. Those found guilty will be beaten with 40 stripes.
What the Bible says about torture

The author of the SAB finds a section about judges, and suddenly screams that NO LAWYERS are mentioned! And there's NO JURY! Many countries do not have juries in fact, so if that is any kind of argument for injustice and cruelty, he'll have a long way to go.
But this section is just penalties judges may give, it's not a description of the entire legal system. From other parts we know that something far more important than lawyers was needed, namely two or three witnesses, see for example chapter 19:15.
The next complaint seems to be that 40 stripes is torture. I would suggest that's in the eye of the beholder. Is locking up someone for 20 years so he has to spent his time inside a few square metres not torture?

2 And it shall be, if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten before his face, according to his fault, by a certain number.

3 Forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed: lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee.

4 Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.

(25:4) "Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn."
Let the animal eat while it works.

5 If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband’s brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband’s brother unto her.

6 And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel.

7 And if the man like not to take his brother’s wife, then let his brother’s wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband’s brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband’s brother.

8 Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her;

9 Then shall his brother’s wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother’s house.

(25:5-10) "Then shall his brother's wife ... loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face."
If a man dies before his wife has a child, then the widow must marry her husband's brother -- whether she likes him or not, and whether she wants to or not. If the he refuses to "go in unto" his dead brother's wife, the she must loosen his shoe and spit in his face.

Given the fact that this law explicitly discusses what to do when “you like it not,” I fail to understand the objection of the author of the SAB on that point.
Note that this law is only applicable for the eldest brother, and only if he was unmarried, else the law would require polygamy.
The Bible mentions as reason that his name be not put out, and John Gill explains that as:

This law was designed to keep families distinct, and inheritances in them, until the Messiah came, and that it might appear from what family he came.

10 And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed.

11 When men strive together one with another, and the wife of the one draweth near for to deliver her husband out of the hand of him that smiteth him, and putteth forth her hand, and taketh him by the secrets:

(25:11-12) "When men strive together one with another, and the wife of the one draweth near for to deliver her husband out of the hand of him that smiteth him, and putteth forth her hand, and taketh him by the secrets: Then thou shalt cut off her hand, thine eye shall not pity her."
If two men fight and the wife of one grabs the "secrets" of the other, "then thou shalt cut off her hand" and "thine eye shall not pity her."
What the Bible says about amputation and fighting

What kind of punishment would the author of the SAB find more palatable?

12 Then thou shalt cut off her hand, thine eye shall not pity her.

13 Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small.

(25:13-15) "Thou shalt have a perfect and just weight."
Be honest when you deal with others. Don't cheat.

The thumbs up is a bit rich coming from someone who has made it his life's work to give a dishonest representation on what the Bible says.

14 Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small.

15 But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

16 For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the LORD thy God.

17 Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt;

(24:17-19) God hates Amalekites
God tells the Israelites to "remember what Amalek did unto thee" and to "blot out the rembrance of Amalek from under heaven." A few hundred years later God orders Saul to kill of the Amalekites "both man and woman, infant and suckling." (1 Sam.15:2-3)

God does not forget sin. What punishment the author of the SAB thinks should be meted out to Amalek for murdering the feeble, women, infants and children, at the end of the trail?
This put a blot upon that nation, which they could have repented for, but did not. They went on in their sin, until the measure of their sins was full, see 1 Sam. 15:2.

18 How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.

19 Therefore it shall be, when the LORD thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it.