CLARITY EDITION · OLD TESTAMENT
Deuteronomy 17
Chapter 17 of 34
Chapter Overview
What happens in Deuteronomy 17
Moses gives laws about sacrifices, dealing with idol worshippers, the court system, and rules for future kings. The king must read God's law every day to stay humble.
Scripture
Deuteronomy 17
No Defective Sacrifices
Study note
Any animal offered to God must be without defects. Offering a flawed animal showed disrespect to God.
1 "Never sacrifice an ox or sheep to the Lord your God if it has any flaw or defect. The Lord your God finds that revolting. Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the LORD thy God any bullock, or sheep, wherein is blemish, or any evilfavouredness: for that is an abomination unto the LORD thy God.
Dealing with Idol Worship
Study note
If someone in Israel was found worshipping the sun, moon, or stars, a thorough investigation was required. Two or three witnesses were needed for a death sentence. The witnesses had to throw the first stones, taking personal responsibility for the verdict.
2 "A man or woman in any town the Lord gives you might be caught. They might do evil and break his covenant. If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the LORD thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the LORD thy God, in transgressing his covenant,
3 by running off to worship other gods and bowing down to them — the sun, the moon, or anything else in the sky. This is something I have strictly forbidden. And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded;
4 and someone reports it to you, then you must look into it carefully. If it turns out to be true and provable that something this disgusting has happened in Israel, And it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it, and inquired diligently, and, behold, it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel:
5 bring that man or woman to the town gates and have them stoned to death. Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die.
6 Nobody can be executed based on just one person's word. It takes two or three witnesses to put someone to death. At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.
7 The witnesses must throw the first stones, and then the whole community joins in. This is how you root out evil from your midst. The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So thou shalt put the evil away from among you.
The Highest Court
Study note
When local judges could not settle a difficult case, it was to be brought to the central place of worship. The priests and the judge there would make the final decision, and the people had to accept it without question.
8 "A court case might come up that is too hard for you. It might be about a killing, a legal fight, or a violent attack. Take it to the place the Lord your God picks. If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within thy gates: then shalt thou arise, and get thee up into the place which the LORD thy God shall choose;
9 Go to the Levitical priests and the judge on duty at that time. Present your case and they will give you their ruling. And thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and inquire; and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgment:
10 You must carry out exactly what they say at the place the Lord selects. Follow their instructions carefully. And thou shalt do according to the sentence, which they of that place which the LORD shall choose shall shew thee; and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they inform thee:
11 Do what the law they teach you requires and follow the decision they give you. Do not deviate from their ruling in any direction. According to the sentence of the law which they shall teach thee, and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, thou shalt do: thou shalt not decline from the sentence which they shall shew thee, to the right hand, nor to the left.
12 Anyone who refuses to respect the priest serving the Lord your God or the judge must be put to death. Root out this evil from Israel. And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister there before the LORD thy God, or unto the judge, even that man shall die: and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel.
13 When the rest of the people hear about it, they will be afraid and will never show such disrespect again. And all the people shall hear, and fear, and do no more presumptuously.
Rules for Kings
Study note
Moses foresaw that Israel would one day want a king. The king must be an Israelite chosen by God. He must not accumulate horses, wives, or excessive wealth. Most importantly, the king must write out a personal copy of God's law and read it every day, so he would stay humble and obedient.
14 "You will arrive in the land the Lord your God gives you. You will take it over and get settled. You might say, 'We should appoint a king. All the countries around us have one.' When thou art come unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me;
15 If you do, make sure you appoint the king the Lord your God picks. He must come from your own people -- never put a foreigner in charge who is not an Israelite. Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother.
16 The king must not collect a great number of horses. He must not send people back to Egypt to buy more. The Lord said, 'You must never go back that way.' But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.
17 He must not marry too many wives, or they will lead his heart in the wrong direction. He also must not stockpile enormous amounts of silver and gold. Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.
18 When he takes the throne, he must write out his own copy of this law on a scroll. He must use the original kept by the Levitical priests as his guide. And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:
19 He must keep that scroll with him and read from it every day of his life. This will teach him to honor the Lord his God by carefully following every word of this law and every one of these rules. And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:
20 Reading it every day will keep him from thinking he is better than everyone else. It will keep him from turning away from the commands in any way. Then he and his children will rule over Israel for many years." That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.
Key Themes
Themes in Deuteronomy 17
Only the best for GodThe highest court for the hardest casesA king under God's lawLeadership shaped by Scripture
Prophetic Connections
How this chapter points to Christ
Deuteronomy 17:14-20 John 18:36
The humble king who does not accumulate power for himself foreshadows Jesus, who declared that his kingdom is not of this world and who led by serving rather than dominating.
Apply This Today
Living Deuteronomy 17
The law of the king is remarkable: the king must write a personal copy of God's law and read it every day. Power was to be shaped by Scripture, not the other way around. A leader who stays grounded in God's word will not elevate himself above others. This principle applies to anyone in authority today.
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