Deuteronomy 17:1-20 - Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

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Bible Comments

Deuteronomy 17:3. Either sun or moon. This would be going back to Sabianism, which from the dispersion of Babel became the religion of Asia, as stated in Job 1:15.

Deuteronomy 17:8. A matter too hard for thee in judgment. In cases of capital crimes where evidence was deficient, or not sufficiently clear; as was the case of the two women brought before Solomon.

Deuteronomy 17:18. He shall write him a copy of this law in a book. Being the king's autograph, the leisure of the transcription would make it clear to his understanding, impress it on his memory, and conciliate his esteem for divine truth. So our Alfred employed his leisure.

REFLECTIONS.

Having already spoken of the punishments to be inflicted on the Israelites who should apostatize to idolatry, the first object which strikes us here is, the care that God took to purge his people from crimes where obscurity in the case might supersede justice. He provided seventy judges or rulers, the Urim and Thummim, besides the aid of extraordinary prophets, that no iniquity might be allowed among his people. And he who resisted the sentence, resisted God, and was accounted worthy of death: no nation, and no religious community can be happy, where judgment is not impartially administered.

Moses foresaw in the Spirit, that the age would come when Israel would ask a king, and therefore, in that case, he prescribes him laws of wisdom, temperance and moderation. The people were certainly happy in their theocracy. The interior of the country was regulated by the sanhedrim, and the exterior defended by Joshua and others in succession. But chasms occurred in which Israel had neither general, nor arms, nor force. At such times they became an easy prey to weaker nations, who often invaded their country. Great indeed are the blessings of a regular, wise, permanent government, where the king is beloved as the father of his people. They have protection in the throne; they glory in his glory; they enjoy the fruits of their labour without molestation and rapine. This prince, in whose happiness the happiness of the empire was involved, was not to assume regal dignity, by abusing the trusts of military command: he was to be nominated of God, anointed by the senior prophet, and sanctioned by the people. The prince so elected was the vicegerent of God, and the father of his people. He was to transcribe a copy of the law, and govern the country in conformity to it. A prince whose minority is distinguished by a religious education and religious virtues, is highly auspicious to a nation. The king was not to oppress his people by the accumulation of wealth, and by maintaining a vast force of cavalry. Every man of Israel, within a certain age, being liable to military duty, there was no need of marshal parade. Moses spake from experience, and supported his doctrine by example: and as to riches, the Israelites were liberal when called upon for supplies. A prince in the train of Cyrus expressed his surprise that he should distribute all his wealth, instead of hoarding it up like Crœsus and the kings of the east. Cyrus, to convince the prince of his misguided policy, signified to his friends that he wanted a little money. The sums instantly offered were so abundant as to satisfy the strangers that all the riches of the east were at Cyrus's command. The king of Israel was not to multiply wives. A crowd of jealous women filling his harem would effeminate his soul, and make him forgetful of every duty he owed to God and the people. The slight indulgences of the holy patriarchs in polygamy were derived from the prevalence of custom, and singular circumstances; assuredly not from the laws of God. And if polygamy was to be repressed in a prince, who had pleas of issue for the throne, it is altogether inadmissible in a private person; and Christ has said of divorce for a new marriage, “From the beginning it was not so.” Add to this, that the vengeance of God has often attended the issue of inordinate indulgence. Sixty nine of Jerubbaal's sons were slain by their brother. Judges 9. And Ahab's seventy sons were slain by the elders of Samaria. 2 Kings 10. These are additional motives for the observance of every divine precept, and the fear of the Lord.

Related Commentaries of Deuteronomy 17:1

Deuteronomy 17:1-20

1 Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the LORD thy God any bullock, or sheep,a wherein is blemish, or any evilfavouredness: for that is an abomination unto the LORD thy God.

2 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 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 it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it, and enquired diligently, and, behold, it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel:

5 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 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 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.

8 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 And thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and enquire; and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgment:

10 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 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 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 And all the people shall hear, and fear, and do no more presumptuously.

14 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 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 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 Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

18 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 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 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.