Feb. 27 - Deuteronomy 20-23 Feb. 28 - Deuteronomy 24-27

Today was a continuation of rules for the new land.  Some of them seemed reasonable to me, some of them didn't.  Several of them seemed very harsh.  Ones like:

Deuteronomy 21:18-21  If you have a rebellious son you can take him to the elders of the town and they will have him stoned to death.  

Deuteronomy 22:23-27  If a man rapes an engaged girl in town and she doesn't scream for help they are both to be stoned to death, but if it's done in the country the girl is not to be punished b/c nobody would hear her.  

Deuteronomy 22:28-29  If a man rapes a single girl he is then to pay her father and marry her.  (That would be a treat for the women.....forced to marry her rapist?)

Things like that leave me thinking.....WHAT WAS GOD THINKING?  

In Deuteronomy 24:1-4 It discusses divorce.  It doesn't discuss it as if it's detestable in the eyes of God.  It just says a women can't come back and marry husband #1 if husband #2 doesn't fulfill her dreams.  

I wonder again....all these rules.  Are the Israelites taking notes?  I can keep most of them straight.....but I think there are some I would have to write down.  -nic