Leave Not the Hanged, Hanging

Reading:   Deuteronomy 21

I find it fascinating that the Israelites were given a sort of etiquette in regards to the hanging of evil-doers.  Keep in mind that hanging was not used as the tool of execution but as a reminder, post execution.  The primary method was, of course, the ever-popular stoning; but, for extra heinous crimes (blasphemy, etc.), the judges would require the citizens to hang the body of the executed as a reminder to all...

DEUTERONOMY 21:22-23

22 And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: 

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. 

Go ahead and leave the body exemplar hanging about whilst eyes can see but when the night falleth remove the accursed from the sight of God and man.  The mortal punishment has been fulfilled and what God does with the tainted soul is not of our concern.  Furthermore, The Lord blessed and delivered unto the Israelites a most precious inheritance in the gift of the promised land and it would have been a most egregious affront to defile that land with the open presence and display of an accursed body any longer than was necessary.

There is also some significant symbolism regarding the crucifixion of Jesus but I'm not going to try and tackle that today...sorry.

~Kipling