Deuteronomy 18-21

Deuteronomy 18

Priests can relocate voluntarily. They also get a portion of the animal sacrifices as meat, plus share in the first harvest.

God lists out the bad things the local nations do - sorcery, witchcraft, child sacrifice, and communicating with the dead. Don't do any of these.

False prophets must be put to death. False prophets say things in another god's name or make predictions that do not come true. They also are Baltimore Ravens fans.

Deuteronomy 19

Make 3 cities of refuge when they cross over. Make 3 more if they obey God and their territory increases. Here, we see a reference to the promises to the patriarchs plus the potential that God sees in the Israelites, that their geographic scope would enlarge.

Priests vet out accusations of one witness, for non capital offenses. False accusations by someone would warrant the same penalty of the crime that the person accuses of another.

Deuteronomy 20

The chapter covers the laws of war.

Army officers must send away people who are afraid, are engaged, or have not dedicated their homes.

Kill all the entire population of the cities of the idolatrous nations of the land. For other cities, they to spare the entire population if the city surrenders, or spare the women and children if they lay siege.

Trees are not your enemy, so don't destroy the food trees while laying siege.

Deuteronomy 21

Unsolved murders need to be cleansed by breaking a cow's neck.

You can marry women of captured cities. Yay. You can't sell them as slaves if they displease you. Boo.

If a man has two sons with different wives, the son of the first wife is considered the firstborn and gets the firstborn privileges. This was Abraham's situation, but the outcome was different.

Rebellious kids are stoned to death by the community, but first the parents must take them to the priest court. So, parents cannot act on their own.

People who are hung from trees must be buried that day.