Deuteronomy 19:12

19:12 The elders of his own city must send for him and remove him from there to deliver him over to the blood avenger ¹  to die.

Deuteronomy 21:19

21:19 his father and mother must seize him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his city.

Deuteronomy 25:8

25:8 Then the elders of his city must summon him and speak to him. If he persists, saying, “I don’t want to marry her,”

Deuteronomy 21:20-21

21:20 They must declare to the elders ²  of his city, “Our son is stubborn and rebellious and pays no attention to what we say – he is a glutton and drunkard.” 21:21 Then all the men of his city must stone him to death. In this way you will purge out ³  wickedness from among you, and all Israel ⁴  will hear about it and be afraid.

[19:12]  ¹ tn The גֹאֵל הַדָּם (go’el haddam, “avenger of blood”) would ordinarily be a member of the victim’s family who, after due process of law, was invited to initiate the process of execution (cf. Num 35:16-28). See R. Hubbard, NIDOTTE 1:789-94.

[21:20]  ² tc The LXX and Smr read “to the men,” probably to conform to this phrase in v. 21. However, since judicial cases were the responsibility of the elders in such instances (cf. Deut 19:12; 21:3, 6; 25:7-8) the reading of the MT is likely original and correct here.

[21:21]  ³ tn The Hebrew term בִּעַרְתָּה (bi’artah), here and elsewhere in such contexts (cf. Deut 13:5; 17:7, 12; 19:19; 21:9), suggests God’s anger which consumes like fire (thus בָעַר, ba’ar, “to burn”). See H. Ringgren, TDOT 2:203-4.

[21:21]  ⁴ tc Some LXX traditions read הַנִּשְׁאָרִים (hannish’arim, “those who remain”) for the MT’s יִשְׂרָאֵל (yisra’el, “Israel”), understandable in light of Deut 19:20. However, the more difficult reading found in the MT is more likely original.