Deuteronomy 17 - Introduction
_IDOLATERS ARE TO BE PUT TO DEATH; DIFFICULT CAUSES ARE TO BE REFERRED TO THE PRIESTS, THE LEVITES, AND THE JUDGES; THE ELECTION AND DUTY OF A KING._ _Before Christ 1451._... [ Continue Reading ]
_IDOLATERS ARE TO BE PUT TO DEATH; DIFFICULT CAUSES ARE TO BE REFERRED TO THE PRIESTS, THE LEVITES, AND THE JUDGES; THE ELECTION AND DUTY OF A KING._ _Before Christ 1451._... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 2. _HATH WROUGHT WICKEDNESS_— By _wickedness,_ is here meant idolatry, which was eminently _transgressing the covenant;_ a principal part of which, and that whereupon the whole depended, was, that they should have no other gods but Jehovah, Exodus 20:22. See notes on chap. 13:... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 7. _THE HANDS OF THE WITNESSES SHALL BE FIRST UPON HIM_— As this was an important matter in which life and death were concerned, the clearest and fullest evidence possible is required; at least two or three credible witnesses: and, that these witnesses might have the greater awe upon them, it... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 8, 9. _IF THERE ARISE A MATTER TOO HARD FOR THEE,_ &C.— Moses now returns to speak of the courts of judgment, which he had ordered to be erected in all their cities when they came into the land of Canaan, chap. Deuteronomy 16:18. These words, therefore, are to be considered as directed to the... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 12. _THE MAN THAT—WILL NOT HEARKEN UNTO THE PRIEST,_ &C.— By _priest_ in this place is thought to be meant the high-priest; or it may be put for _priests,_ the enallage of numbers being frequent in the sacred book; and so it means the same as _the priests the Levites_ in the 9th verse. But, h... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 13. _AND ALL THE PEOPLE SHALL HEAR,_ &C.— This punishment was inflicted for an example and severe warning to those who were yet innocent; as Seneca observes, _nemo prudens punit quia peccatum est, sed ne peccetur;_ a wise man does not so much punish the fault, as furnish a warning to others,... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 14. _WHEN THOU ART COME UNTO THE LAND,_ &C.— These words by no means import that God commanded them to make a king when they came to Canaan, as some of the Jews understand it; but only, that if they would needs have a king, he should be one of their brethren: so it was understood by Josephus.... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 15. _WHOM THE LORD—SHALL CHOOSE_— Either by the ministry of his prophets, by Urim and Thummim; or by lot. The king whom the Lord permitted them to choose, was not an absolute monarch, nor did he reign in his own right; but was only the Lord's deputy or viceroy; and on that account he was not... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 16. _HE SHALL NOT MULTIPLY HORSES TO HIMSELF_— The injunction here laid being to prevent all commerce with Egypt, we must conclude that Egypt supplied other nations with horses; but it may give light to the sacred text, to inquire more particularly into the reasons of this prohibition, which... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 17. _NEITHER SHALL HE MULTIPLY WIVES TO HIMSELF_— He shall not indulge himself in a vast number of wives and concubines, especially women of different nations and religions, after the manner of the eastern monarchs. The reason is added, _that his heart turn not away; i.e._ lest his thoughts b... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 18. _WHEN HE SITTETH UPON THE THRONE—HE SHALL WRITE HIM A COPY OF THIS LAW_— Either this book of Deuteronomy, which is an abstract of the law, or, as others think, the whole five books of Moses; and that with his own hand, as a mean to fix it more strongly in his mind; insomuch, that though a... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 19. _IT SHALL BE WITH HIM, AND HE SHALL READ THEREIN,_ &C.— He shall carry it always with him: and, says Maimonides, instead of losing his time in feasting and idle diversions, he shall apply himself to the study of the law of his God. But how these orders were observed, we may judge from the... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 20. _THAT HIS HEART BE NOT LIFTED UP ABOVE HIS BRETHREN_— Not imagining himself to be above all laws, nor slighting his subjects as unworthy of his notice; but taking due care to promote their happiness: for, "as the Scriptures," says Maimonides, "provided that the king should have great hono... [ Continue Reading ]