Deuteronomy 25

Comments
In verse one^[1] we see " come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them".
The Original Word for judgment 04941 MemShemPieTet מִשְׁפָּט has 50 different variations and appears some 400 times and is from the three letter word ShemPieTet ^טפשׁ^ shaphat, 08199 translated to judge hundreds of times. But the word here is hammishpat HeyMemShemPieTet הַמִּשְׁפָּ֖ט which only appears 14 times and may mean a place or group where testimony may be heard from which judgement flows.
The root word is ShemPeiTet can form the Hebrew word ū-šə-p̄ā-ṭūm VavShemPeiTetVavMem וּשְׁפָט֑וּם which appears only once and is translated "that the judges may judge". We see a similar form in Deuteronomy 1:16 where the second Vav is to a Tav VavShemPeiTetTavMem ū-šə-p̄aṭ-tem וּשְׁפַטְתֶּ֣ם but is only translated and judge. What is the significance of the extra Hebrew letters like Vav, Tav and Mem? Both seem to be talking about a designated place or group from which faith in the flow of righteously judging may take place.
We also see in Deuteronomy 1:16 the root word for justify or righteous TzadikDelatKuf 06663 ṣe-ḏeq, צֶ֔דֶק as a noun with thirty variation. The words "the righteous" are transated from HeyTzadikDelatYodKuf haṣ-ṣad-dîq, הַצַּדִּ֔יק as an adjective. In Deuteronomy 25:1 we also see this same arrangement enclosed in two Vav's VavHeyTzadikDelatYodKufVav wə·hiṣ·dî·qū וְהִצְדִּ֙יקוּ֙ translated "then they shall justify". So what is the significance of the extra Hebrew letters Vav, Hey and Yod and their location?
The next verse^[2] seems to say that someone should be made to lie down and be beaten. Is that actually what God wanted the people to do to each other when there is simply a "controversy" and commonly translated cause, strife, controversy, even just plead, contend or debate?^[3]
The phrase "shall cause him to lie down" is from the root word naphal ^[4] or NunPeiLamed but only appears once in this form as wə·hip·pî·lōw וְהִפִּיל֤וֹ or VavHeyPeiYodLamedVav The phrase "to be beaten" is translated from the Hebrew word NunKafHey ^הכנ^ nakah^[5] which appear some 500 times in the Bible in some 50 different forms. Here we see the word HeyKafVavTav hak-kō-wṯ הַכּ֖וֹת in the text which is considerably different than NunKafHey and only appears 4 times in the Old Testament.
The Jewish Bible translate the verses differently.^[6] and the Rashi commentaries talk about Scripture teaches us, “and it shall be, if the guilty one has incurred [the penalty] of lashes…”. But is this more of the vengeful heart of men falsely interpreting through sophistry the metaphor of the Hebrew language as seen with the Altars of Clay and Stone and the true nature of stoning?
We see it in Genesis 4:15 where God marked Cain so that no one would HeyKafVavTav (should kill) Cain. We see it in Exodus 7:25 where the Lord had HeyKafVavTav (had struck)the Nile with a plague. and in 2 Samuel 21:12 where it was said that the Philistines had HeyKafVavTav (had slain) Saul, but he had fallen on his own sword. None of these has to do with flogging anyone.
The preposition kə-ḏê כְּדֵ֥י ^[7] only means "sufficient or enough" but is translated "of stripes according".
In verse three^[8] we see the words "stripes he may give him" Translated from 5221 yak-ken-nū YodKafNunVav יַכֶּ֖נּוּ again one of 500 variations of nakah^[5] which only appears three times and is commonly translated "kill".




Does the 4th verse really talking about muzzling the ox?

[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.

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.^[9]

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.

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:

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.^[10]

14 Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small.^[10]

15 But thou shalt have a perfect^[11] and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have^[10]: 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.^[10]

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

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.

Footnotes

↑
Deuteronomy 25:1 Hebrew OT: WLC (Consonants Only)
- כי־יהיה ריב בין אנשים ונגשו אל־המשפט ושפטום והצדיקו את־הצדיק והרשיעו את־הרשע׃
↑
25:2 Hebrew OT: WLC (Consonants Only)
- והיה אם־בן הכות הרשע והפילו השפט והכהו לפניו כדי רשעתו במספר׃
↑ 07379 ^ביר^ ReishYodBeit (rîḇ רִיב֙) riyb \@reeb\@ or ^בר^ rib \@reeb\@ from 07378; n m; AV-cause 24, strife 16, controversy 13, contention 2, misc 7; 62
1) strife, controversy, dispute
1a) strife, quarrel

1b) dispute, controversy, case at law
↑ 05307 ^לפנ^ naphal \@naw-fal’\@ a primitive root; v; {See TWOT on 1392} AV-fail 318, fall down 25, cast 18, cast down 9, fall away 5, divide 5, overthrow 5, present 5, lay 3, rot 3, accepted 2, lie down 2, inferior 2, lighted 2, lost 2, misc 22; 434
1) to fall, lie, be cast down, fail
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to fall

1a2) to fall (of violent death)

1a3) to fall prostrate, prostrate oneself before

1a4) to fall upon, attack, desert, fall away to, go away to, fall into the hand of

1a5) to fall short, fail, fall out, turn out, result

1a6) to settle, waste away, be offered, be inferior to

1a7) to lie, lie prostrate

1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to cause to fall, fell, throw down, knock out, lay prostrate

1b2) to overthrow

1b3) to make the lot fall, assign by lot, apportion by lot

1b4) to let drop, cause to fail (fig.)

1b5) to cause to fall

1c) (Hithpael)
1c1) to throw or prostrate oneself, throw oneself upon

1c2) to lie prostrate, prostrate oneself

1d) (Pilel) to fall
↑ ^5.0 ^5.1 05221 ^הכנ^ nakah \@naw-kaw’\@ a primitive root NunKafHey; v; {See TWOT on 1364} AV-smite 348, slay 92, kill 20, beat 9, slaughter 5, stricken 3, given 3, wounded 3, strike 2, stripes 2, misc 13; 500
1) to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill
1a) (Niphal) to be stricken or smitten

1b) (Pual) to be stricken or smitten

1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to smite, strike, beat, scourge, clap, applaud, give a thrust

1c2) to smite, kill, slay (man or beast)

1c3) to smite, attack, attack and destroy, conquer, subjugate, ravage

1c4) to smite, chastise, send judgment upon, punish, destroy

1d) (Hophal) to be smitten
1d1) to receive a blow

1d2) to be wounded

1d3) to be beaten

1d4) to be (fatally) smitten, be killed, be slain

1d5) to be attacked and captured

1d6) to be smitten (with disease)

1d7) to be blighted (of plants)
This term in its original meaning may be similar to the Greek term 1605 ekplesso [ἐκπλήσσω] from 1537 and 4141 and translated "be astonished" but is said to mean "to strike out, expel by a blow, drive out or away" for other synonyms see 5841 for the Greek and The TWOT for commentaries on The Hebrew naka.
↑ Devarim - Deuteronomy - Chapter 25 of the Jews see this first three verses translated "1. If there is a quarrel between men, and they approach the tribunal, and they [the judges] judge them, and they acquit the innocent one and condemn the guilty one 2 and it shall be, if the guilty one has incurred [the penalty of] lashes, that the judge shall make him lean over and flog him in front of him, commensurate with his crime, in number.3 He shall flog him with forty [lashes]; he shall not exceed, lest he give him a much more severe flogging than these [forty lashes], and your brother will be degraded before your eyes.
↑ 1767 ~ἐννέα~ ennea \@en-neh’-ah\@ a primary number; ; n indecl AV-nine 1; 1
1) nine
↑
25:3 Hebrew OT: WLC (Consonants Only)
- ארבעים יכנו לא יסיף פן־יסיף להכתו על־אלה מכה רבה ונקלה אחיך לעיניך׃ ס
↑ Ministers may eat
Numbers 18:31 And ye shall eat it in every place, ye and your households: for it is your reward for your service in the tabernacle of the congregation.

Deuteronomy 12:12 "And ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God, ye, and your sons, and your daughters, and your menservants, and your maidservants, and the Levite that [is] within your gates; forasmuch as he hath no part nor inheritance with you.

Deuteronomy 25:4 "Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out [the corn]."

Matthew 10:10 "Nor scrip for [your] journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat. 11 And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence."

Luke 10:7 "And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house."

1 Corinthians 9:10 "Or saith he [it] altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, [this] is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. 11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, [is it] a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? 12 If others be partakers of [this] power over you, [are] not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. 13 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live [of the things] of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? 14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel."

2 Corinthians 12:13 "For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except [it be] that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong."

1 Timothy 5:17 ¶ "Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. 18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer [is] worthy of his reward.
↑ ^10.0 ^10.1 ^10.2 ^10.3 {jmeasure}}
↑ Perfected
Genesis 17:1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I [am] the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.

Leviticus 22:21 And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD to accomplish [his] vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein.

Deuteronomy 18:13 Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.

Deuteronomy 25:15 [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.

1 Kings 8:61 Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.

Psalms 101:6 Mine eyes [shall be] upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me.

Matthew 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Matthew 19:21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go [and] sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come [and] follow me.

Luke 6:40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world<165>: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and [that] there be no divisions among you; but [that] ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

1 Corinthians 13:10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

Philippians 3:15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

2 Timothy 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth [therein], he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

[1] Deuteronomy 25:1 Hebrew OT: WLC (Consonants Only)
כי־יהיה ריב בין אנשים ונגשו אל־המשפט ושפטום והצדיקו את־הצדיק והרשיעו את־הרשע׃

[2] כי־יהיה ריב בין אנשים ונגשו אל־המשפט ושפטום והצדיקו את־הצדיק והרשיעו את־הרשע׃

[2] 25:2 Hebrew OT: WLC (Consonants Only)
והיה אם־בן הכות הרשע והפילו השפט והכהו לפניו כדי רשעתו במספר׃

[4] והיה אם־בן הכות הרשע והפילו השפט והכהו לפניו כדי רשעתו במספר׃

[3] 07379 ^ביר^ ReishYodBeit (rîḇ רִיב֙) riyb \@reeb\@ or ^בר^ rib \@reeb\@ from 07378; n m; AV-cause 24, strife 16, controversy 13, contention 2, misc 7; 62
1) strife, controversy, dispute
1a) strife, quarrel

1b) dispute, controversy, case at law

[4] 05307 ^לפנ^ naphal \@naw-fal’\@ a primitive root; v; {See TWOT on 1392} AV-fail 318, fall down 25, cast 18, cast down 9, fall away 5, divide 5, overthrow 5, present 5, lay 3, rot 3, accepted 2, lie down 2, inferior 2, lighted 2, lost 2, misc 22; 434
1) to fall, lie, be cast down, fail
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to fall

1a2) to fall (of violent death)

1a3) to fall prostrate, prostrate oneself before

1a4) to fall upon, attack, desert, fall away to, go away to, fall into the hand of

1a5) to fall short, fail, fall out, turn out, result

1a6) to settle, waste away, be offered, be inferior to

1a7) to lie, lie prostrate

1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to cause to fall, fell, throw down, knock out, lay prostrate

1b2) to overthrow

1b3) to make the lot fall, assign by lot, apportion by lot

1b4) to let drop, cause to fail (fig.)

1b5) to cause to fall

1c) (Hithpael)
1c1) to throw or prostrate oneself, throw oneself upon

1c2) to lie prostrate, prostrate oneself

1d) (Pilel) to fall

[nakah-5] 5.0 ^5.1 05221 ^הכנ^ nakah \@naw-kaw’\@ a primitive root NunKafHey; v; {See TWOT on 1364} AV-smite 348, slay 92, kill 20, beat 9, slaughter 5, stricken 3, given 3, wounded 3, strike 2, stripes 2, misc 13; 500
1) to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill
1a) (Niphal) to be stricken or smitten

1b) (Pual) to be stricken or smitten

1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to smite, strike, beat, scourge, clap, applaud, give a thrust

1c2) to smite, kill, slay (man or beast)

1c3) to smite, attack, attack and destroy, conquer, subjugate, ravage

1c4) to smite, chastise, send judgment upon, punish, destroy

1d) (Hophal) to be smitten
1d1) to receive a blow

1d2) to be wounded

1d3) to be beaten

1d4) to be (fatally) smitten, be killed, be slain

1d5) to be attacked and captured

1d6) to be smitten (with disease)

1d7) to be blighted (of plants)
This term in its original meaning may be similar to the Greek term 1605 ekplesso [ἐκπλήσσω] from 1537 and 4141 and translated "be astonished" but is said to mean "to strike out, expel by a blow, drive out or away" for other synonyms see 5841 for the Greek and The TWOT for commentaries on The Hebrew naka.

[6] Devarim - Deuteronomy - Chapter 25 of the Jews see this first three verses translated "1. If there is a quarrel between men, and they approach the tribunal, and they [the judges] judge them, and they acquit the innocent one and condemn the guilty one 2 and it shall be, if the guilty one has incurred [the penalty of] lashes, that the judge shall make him lean over and flog him in front of him, commensurate with his crime, in number.3 He shall flog him with forty [lashes]; he shall not exceed, lest he give him a much more severe flogging than these [forty lashes], and your brother will be degraded before your eyes.

[7] 1767 ~ἐννέα~ ennea \@en-neh’-ah\@ a primary number; ; n indecl AV-nine 1; 1
1) nine

[8] 25:3 Hebrew OT: WLC (Consonants Only)
ארבעים יכנו לא יסיף פן־יסיף להכתו על־אלה מכה רבה ונקלה אחיך לעיניך׃ ס

[11] ארבעים יכנו לא יסיף פן־יסיף להכתו על־אלה מכה רבה ונקלה אחיך לעיניך׃ ס

[eattithe-9] Ministers may eat
Numbers 18:31 And ye shall eat it in every place, ye and your households: for it is your reward for your service in the tabernacle of the congregation.

Deuteronomy 12:12 "And ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God, ye, and your sons, and your daughters, and your menservants, and your maidservants, and the Levite that [is] within your gates; forasmuch as he hath no part nor inheritance with you.

Deuteronomy 25:4 "Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out [the corn]."

Matthew 10:10 "Nor scrip for [your] journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat. 11 And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence."

Luke 10:7 "And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house."

1 Corinthians 9:10 "Or saith he [it] altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, [this] is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. 11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, [is it] a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? 12 If others be partakers of [this] power over you, [are] not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. 13 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live [of the things] of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? 14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel."

2 Corinthians 12:13 "For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except [it be] that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong."

1 Timothy 5:17 ¶ "Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. 18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer [is] worthy of his reward.

[jmeasure-10] 10.0 ^10.1 ^10.2 ^10.3 {jmeasure}}

[Perfectq-11] Perfected
Genesis 17:1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I [am] the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.

Leviticus 22:21 And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD to accomplish [his] vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein.

Deuteronomy 18:13 Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.

Deuteronomy 25:15 [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.

1 Kings 8:61 Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.

Psalms 101:6 Mine eyes [shall be] upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me.

Matthew 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Matthew 19:21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go [and] sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come [and] follow me.

Luke 6:40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world<165>: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and [that] there be no divisions among you; but [that] ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

1 Corinthians 13:10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

Philippians 3:15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

2 Timothy 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth [therein], he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

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[9]

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Deuteronomy 25

Footnotes

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