Deutéronome 21:18

18 Quand un homme aura un enfant pervers et rebelle, qui n'obéira point à la voix de son père, ni à la voix de sa mère, et qui, bien qu'ils l'aient châtié, ne veuille point les écouter,

Deutéronome 21:18 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 21:18

If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son
It is observed F23 that this law quickly follows, and is subjoined to that which relates to the marriage of a woman taken captive, because often from such marriages wicked and refractory children have sprung, and which they exemplify in the case of Absalom, whose mother they say David took in war and married: the character of such a son follows, and by which it may be known that he is stubborn and rebellious; stubborn in his nature, and rebellious in his actions; behaves contrary to the laws of God, and the instructions of his parents; what he should do, that he does not; and what he should not do, that he does; will not do what is commanded him, and will do what is forbidden him, notwithstanding all counsels, admonitions, and corrections given him;

which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his
mother;
is disobedient to the commands of either of them; see ( Proverbs 30:17 ) and, when they have chastened him, will not hearken to them; when they have reproved him by words, and corrected him with blows; the Jews understand this of scourging or beating by the order of the sanhedrim, after admonition given; it is said F24,

``they admonish him before three (a court of judicature consisting of three judges), and they beat him; but it seems rather to respect private corrections of their own by words and stripes, which having no effect, they were to proceed as follows.''


FOOTNOTES:

F23 Moses Kotensis Mitzvot Torah, pr. affirm. 122. Kimchi in 2 Sam. 3. 3.
F24 Misn. Sandedrin, c. 8. sect. 4.

Deutéronome 21:18 In-Context

16 Lorsqu'il partagera à ses enfants ce qu'il aura, il ne pourra pas faire aîné le fils de celle qui est aimée, à la place du fils né le premier de celle qui est haïe.
17 Mais il reconnaîtra le fils de celle qui est haïe pour le premier-né, en lui donnant une double portion de tout ce qui se trouvera lui appartenir; car il est les prémices de sa vigueur; le droit d'aînesse lui appartient.
18 Quand un homme aura un enfant pervers et rebelle, qui n'obéira point à la voix de son père, ni à la voix de sa mère, et qui, bien qu'ils l'aient châtié, ne veuille point les écouter,
19 Son père et sa mère le prendront, et le mèneront aux anciens de sa ville, et à la porte du lieu de sa demeure;
20 Et ils diront aux anciens de sa ville: Voici notre fils qui est pervers et rebelle; il n'obéit point à notre voix; il est dissolu et ivrogne.
The Ostervald translation is in the public domain.