Deuteronomy 17

De 17:1.

THINGS

SACRIFICED

MUST

BE

SOUND.

1. Thou shalt not sacrifice . . . any bullock, or sheep, wherein is

blemish--Under the name of bullock were comprehended bulls, cows, and

calves; under that of sheep, rams, lambs, kids, he- and she-goats. An

ox, from mutilation, was inadmissible. The qualifications required in

animals destined for sacrifice are described

(Ex 12:5;

Le 1:3).

De 17:2-7.

IDOLATERS

MUST

BE

SLAIN.

2-7. If there be found among you . . . man or woman, that hath wrought

wickedness--The grand object contemplated in choosing Israel was to

preserve the knowledge and worship of the one true God; and hence

idolatry of any kind, whether of the heavenly bodies or in some grosser

form, is called "a transgression of His covenant." No rank or sex could

palliate this crime. Every reported case, even a flying rumor of the

perpetration of so heinous an offense, was to be judicially examined;

and if proved by the testimony of competent witnesses, the offender was

to be taken without the gates and stoned to death, the witnesses

casting the first stone at him. The object of this special arrangement

was partly to deter the witnesses from making a rash accusation by the

prominent part they had to act as executioners, and partly to give a

public assurance that the crime had met its due punishment.

De 17:8-13.

THE

PRIESTS AND

JUDGES TO

DETERMINE

CONTROVERSIES.

8-13. If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment--In all

civil or criminal cases, where there was any doubt or difficulty in

giving a decision, the local magistrates were to submit them by

reference to the tribunal of the Sanhedrim--the supreme council, which

was composed partly of civil and partly of ecclesiastical persons. "The

priests and Levites," should rather be "the priests--the Levites"; that

is, the Levitical priests, including the high priest, who were members

of the legislative assembly; and who, as forming one body, are called

"the judge." Their sittings were held in the neighborhood of the

sanctuary because in great emergencies the high priest had to consult

God by Urim

(Nu 27:21).

From their judgment there was no appeal; and if a person were so

perverse and refractory as to refuse obedience to their sentences, his

conduct, as inconsistent with the maintenance of order and good

government, was then to be regarded and punished as a capital

crime.

De 17:14-20.

THE

ELECTION AND

DUTY OF A

KING.

14. When thou . . . shalt say, I will set a king over me--In the

following passage Moses prophetically announces a revolution which

should occur at a later period in the national history of Israel. No

sanction or recommendation was indicated; on the contrary, when the

popular clamor had effected that constitutional change on the theocracy

the most unequivocal terms

(1Sa 8:7).

Permission at length was granted, God reserving to Himself the

nomination of the family and the person who should be elevated to the

regal dignity

(1Sa 9:15; 10:24; 16:12;

1Ch 28:4).

In short, Moses foreseeing that his ignorant and fickle countrymen,

insensible to their advantages as a peculiar people, would soon wish to

change their constitution and be like other nations, provides to a

certain extent for such an emergency and lays down the principles on

which a king in Israel must act. He was to possess certain

indispensable requisites. He was to be an Israelite, of the same race

and religion, to preserve the purity of the established worship, as

well as be a type of Christ, a spiritual king, one of their

brethren.

15. thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy

brother--that is, by their free and voluntary choice. But God, in

the retributions of His providence, did allow foreign princes to usurp

the dominion

(Jer 38:17;

Mt 22:17).

16. he shall not multiply horses to himself--The use of these animals

was not absolutely prohibited, nor is there any reason to conclude that

they might not be employed as part of the state equipage. But the

multiplication of horses would inevitably lead to many evils, to

increased intercourse with foreign nations, especially with Egypt, to

the importation of an animal to which the character of the country was

not suited, to the establishment of an Oriental military despotism, to

proud and pompous parade in peace, to a dependence upon Egypt in time

of war, and a consequent withdrawal of trust and confidence in God.

(2Sa 8:4;

1Ki 10:26;

2Ch 1:16; 9:28;

Isa 31:3).

17. Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not

away--There were the strongest reasons for recording an express

prohibition on this point, founded on the practice of neighboring

countries in which polygamy prevailed, and whose kings had numerous

harems; besides, the monarch of Israel was to be absolutely independent

of the people and had nothing but the divine law to restrain his

passions. The mischievous effects resulting from the breach of this

condition were exemplified in the history of Solomon and other princes,

who, by trampling on the restrictive law, corrupted themselves as well

as the nation.

neither shall he greatly multiply . . . silver and gold--that is, the

kings were forbidden to accumulate money for private purposes.

18-20. he shall write him a copy of this law in a book--The original

scroll of the ancient Scriptures was deposited in the sanctuary under

the strict custody of the priests

(see on

De 31:26;

2Ki 22:8).

Each monarch, on his accession, was to be furnished with a true and

faithful copy, which he was to keep constantly beside him, and daily

peruse it, that his character and sentiments being cast into its

sanctifying mould, he might discharge his royal functions in the spirit

of faith and piety, of humility and a love or righteousness.

20. that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his

children--From this it appears that the crown in Israel was to be

hereditary, unless forfeited by personal crime.