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Deuteronomy 21:23

His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

KJV

non permanebit cadaver ejus in ligno, sed in eadem die sepelietur : quia maledictus a Deo est qui pendet in ligno : et nequaquam contaminabis terram tuam, quam Dominus Deus tuus dederit tibi in possessionem.

Vulgate

οὐ κοιμηθήσεται τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τοῦ ξύλου, ἀλλὰ ταφῇ θάψετε αὐτὸ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ, ὅτι κεκαταραμένος ὑπὸ θεοῦ πᾶς κρεμάμενος ἐπὶ ξύλου· καὶ οὐ μιανεῖτε τὴν γῆν ἣν Κύριος ὁ θεός σου δίδωσίν σοι ἐν κλήρῳ.

LXX

his body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt surely bury him the same day; for he that is hanged is accursed of God; that thou defile not thy land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

ASV

לֹא תָלִ֨ין נִבְלָת֜/וֹ עַל הָ/עֵ֗ץ כִּֽי קָב֤וֹר תִּקְבְּרֶ֨/נּוּ֙ בַּ/יּ֣וֹם הַ/ה֔וּא כִּֽי קִלְלַ֥ת אֱלֹהִ֖ים תָּל֑וּי וְ/לֹ֤א תְטַמֵּא֙ אֶת אַדְמָ֣תְ/ךָ֔ אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔י/ךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְ/ךָ֖ נַחֲלָֽה

Hebrew

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In the original Hebrew

19 distinct Hebrew words appear in this verse.

אֲדָמָ֔ה
'dmh
noun · 224×
אֲשֶׁר
'shr
particle · 5461×
אֶת
't
pronoun · 10895×
ה֖וּא
hv'
pronoun · 1878×
הוּ
hv
verb · 131×
וֹ
v
noun · 221×
טָמֵ֥א
tm'
verb · 162×
יְהוָ֖ה
yhvh
proper_noun · 6455×
יָלִ֣ין
ylyn
verb · 86×
יּ֣וֹם
yvm
noun · 2285×
ךָ
k
noun · 2564×
כִּֽי
ky
pronoun · 4439×
לֹ֣א
l'
proper_noun · 5171×
ם
m
noun · 48×
ם
m
verb · 1995×
ם
m
verb · 29×
עֵ֣ץ
'ts
noun · 324×
עַל
'l
noun · 5732×
קְלָלָ֔ה
qllh
noun · 33×

Intertextual echoes

Quoted or echoed by 1 later passage.

  • Gal 3:13 · adapted
    "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:"
    Deuteronomy: cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree — Paul adapts

Historic Christian voices

7 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

Continuation of the foregoing argument. Proofs from the writings of St. Paul, and from the words of Our Lord, that Christ and Jesus cannot be considered as distinct beings; neither can it be alleged that the Son of God became man merely in appearance, but that He did so truly and actually. 1. As it has been clearly demonstrated that the Word, who existed in the beginning with G…
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree. This is the chief doctrine of Christianity. Christ took upon Himself all our sins and bore them on the tree of the cross. He was made a curse for us. By this wonderful exchange, Christ takes our sin and gives us His righteousness. Our sins…
'Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.' See Gal. iii. 13 and Deut. xxi. 23. Here Paul speaks of the great exchange: Christ took upon Himself the curse that was ours, and gave us the blessing that was His. This is the doctrine of the atonement. He who knew no sin was made sin f…
25. Why the Cross, of all deaths? (1) He had to bear the curse for us. (2) On it He held out His hands to unite all, Jews and Gentiles, in Himself. (3) He defeated the Prince of the powers of the air in His own region, clearing the way to heaven and opening for us the everlasting doors. And thus much in reply to those without who pile up arguments for themselves. But if any of …
Was it necessary for Christ to suffer for men's deliverance? Was there any other possible means of delivering men? Was this the more suitable means? Was it fitting for Christ to suffer on the cross? The extent of His sufferings Was the pain which He endured the greatest? Did His entire soul suffer? Did His Passion hinder the joy of fruition? The time of the Passion The place Wa…
Q. Is it significant that he was crucified instead of dying some other way? A. Yes. This convinces me that he shouldered the curse which lay on me, since death by crucifixion was accursed by God.

Cross-references

  • 1Cor 12:3 — Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
  • 2Cor 5:21 — For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
  • 2Sam 21:10 — And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water dropped upon them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of the ai
  • Esth 9:13 — Then said Esther, If it please the king, let it be granted to the Jews which are in Shushan to do to morrow also according unto this day’s decree, and let Haman’s ten sons be hanged upon the gallows.
  • Ezek 39:12 — And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land.
  • Gal 3:13 — Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
  • Gal 3:13 — Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
  • John 18:32 — That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die.
  • John 19:31 — The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might b
  • Josh 8:29 — And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase down from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the gate o
  • Josh 10:26 — And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening.
  • Lev 18:25 — And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.
  • Luke 23:33 — And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.
  • Mark 15:24 — And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take.
  • Num 25:4 — And the LORD said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel.
  • Num 25:4 — And the LORD said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel.
  • Num 35:33 — So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.
  • Phil 2:8 — And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
  • Rom 9:3 — For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: