A look at the curse without sin in Deuteronomy 21…
A Translation Surprise in Deuteronomy 21:22
In Galatians 3:13, Paul quotes Deuteronomy 21:23: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.’” The passage he quotes actually starts with verse 22, and there is a surprise there.
A common translation reads, “And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree…,” The translation says “committed a crime”, but the word “committed” just isn’t there. In the King James version, for instance, the word “commit” as in “commit a crime” is a common Hebrew verb (‘asah) that is translated that way 44 times. There is a 45th time where a slightly different Hebrew verb (pa’al) is translated with that sense.
But in verse 22, no such verb appears. Take a look, because it seems verse 22 has as much prophecy in it as verse 23.
Here are the verses, English Standard Version on the left, Hebrew in the middle, and a literal translation on the right:
| ESV | Hebrew (transliterated) | Literal translation |
| (22) And if a man has committed | (22) V’ki yihyeh b’ish | (22) And if there shall be on [or against] a man |
| a crime punishable by death | chet mishpat mavet | sin [or guilt of sin, or punishment of sin] bearing a sentence of death |
| and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, | v’humat v’ talita oto ‘al ‘etz, | and he is put to death and you hang him on a tree |
| (23) His body shall not remain all night on the tree, | (23) Lo talin nivlato ‘al ha-‘etz | (23) His body shall not pass the night on the tree |
| but you shall bury him the same day, | ki qavor tiqb’rennu bayyom hahu | but you shall surely bury him in that day, |
| for a hanged man is cursed by God. | ki qil’lat-Elohim talui | for a curse [or an object of curse] of God is [a] hanged man, |
| You shall not defile your land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance. | v’lo t’tamei et-admatkha asher Adonai Elohekha noten l’kha nachalah | and you shall not defile your ground which the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance. |
Look how precise is the prophetic language of both verses! One reason this doesn’t show up in many translations is that three key meanings are hiding in plain sight.
1. “On” or “against” of verse 22 is the common preposition “b’”—so basic that the lexicon gives 32 distinct meanings, grouped under five main headings, including “in”, “at”, “on”, and “with!” One of them is “upon” or “against” in the sense of “his blood be upon him”…it would mean that the death penalty of sin is exercised against him.
2. The word translated “crime” in verse 22 is actually a very common word for “sin”, but its other two common meanings are “guilt of sin” and “punishment of sin.”
3. In verse 23, a common word for curse, “q’lilah”, is suggested by the lexicon to mean “object of curse” in this specific verse.
To sum up, I believe verse 22 speaks of a Man who comes into an occasion in which the guilt of sin worthy of the death penalty is set against Him, who is put to death, and hung on a tree. The verse reveals that the guilt of our sin was set against Him, the spotless Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, and He was to be put to death and hung upon a tree. Verse 23 continues that such a Man should be taken down from the tree the same day (which is what happened at Calvary), because the hanged One is (was) the object of God’s curse. He should be taken down because leaving him on the tree through the night defiles the ground God has given for an inheritance.
