INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 17 This chapter begins with a caution not to sacrifice anything to the Lord that is blemished or ill favoured, Deuteronomy 17:1, an order is given to put to death men or women guilty of idolatry, where it is clearly proved upon them, Deuteronomy 17:2 and it is directed t... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT NOT SACRIFICE UNTO THE LORD THY GOD ANY BULLOCK OR SHEEP WHEREIN IS BLEMISH,.... No sacrifice of any sort, whether burnt offering, sin offering, or peace offering, was to have any blemish in it; typical of the unblemished and immaculate Lamb of God, who, being without sin, offered himself... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THERE BE FOUND AMONG YOU, WITHIN ANY OF THY GATES WHICH THE LORD THY GOD GIVETH THEE,.... In any of their cities in the land of Canaan: MAN OR WOMAN THAT HATH WROUGHT WICKEDNESS IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD THY GOD: as all that is wrought is in the sight of the omniscient God; here it means not any... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HATH GONE,.... The Targum of Jonathan adds, after the evil imagination or concupiscence, lusting after other lovers, and forsaking the true God, and departing from his worship: AND SERVED OTHER GODS; strange gods, the idols of the people, other gods besides the true God; the creature besides th... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT BE TOLD THEE, AND THOU HAST HEARD OF IT, AND INQUIRED DILIGENTLY,.... A report of this kind was not to be neglected; though it was not to be concluded upon as certain by hearsay, it was to be looked into, and the persons that brought it thoroughly examined; so the Targum of Jonathan, "and in... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALL BRING FORTH THAT MAN OR THAT WOMAN WHICH HAVE COMMITTED THE WICKED THING,.... Idolatry in any of the above instances: this must be supposed to be done after he or she have been had before a court of judicature, and have been tried and found guilty, and sentence passed on them, then they w... [ Continue Reading ]
AT THE MOUTH OF TWO WITNESSES, OR THREE WITNESSES, SHALL HE THAT IS WORTHY OF DEATH BE PUT TO DEATH,.... The idolater found guilty was to be stoned; two witnesses were sufficient to prove a fact, if three the better, but, on the testimony of one, sentence might not be pronounced. Aben Ezra observes,... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HANDS OF THE WITNESSES SHALL BE FIRST UPON HIM TO PUT HIM TO DEATH,.... Of everyone of them, as Aben Ezra; they were to cast the first stone at him, which would be a further trial and confirmation of their testimony; for if they readily and without reluctance first began the stoning of the idola... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THERE ARISE A MATTER TOO HARD FOR THEE IN JUDGMENT,.... This is spoken to inferior judges in cities in the country, who sometimes might have cases too wonderful and mysterious, as the word signifies, or secret and hidden, such as were out of their reach and beyond their capacity, and so be very d... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT COME UNTO THE PRIESTS, THE LEVITES,.... The priests that are of the tribe of Levi, as the Targum of Jonathan, and so Jarchi; for Aben Ezra says there are priests that are not of the genealogy of Levi; such there were indeed in Jeroboam's time, 1 Kings 12:31. Maimonides f observes, that it... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THOU SHALT DO ACCORDING TO THE SENTENCE WHICH THEY OF THAT PLACE WHICH THE LORD SHALL CHOOSE SHALL SHOW THEE,.... The judges of the inferior courts were to return and proceed on the difficult case according to the judgment of the great court at Jerusalem, and follow the directions and instructio... [ Continue Reading ]
ACCORDING TO THE SENTENCE OF THE LAW WHICH THEY SHALL TEACH THEE,.... For they were not to make any new law, but to teach the law of God, and so far as their sense and opinion of things agreed with that law they were to be regarded: AND ACCORDING TO THE JUDGMENT WHICH THEY SHALL TELL THEE, THOU SHA... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 12 AND THE MAN THAT WILL DO PRESUMPTUOUSLY,.... The judge of the country court that makes his application to that at Jerusalem for information and direction; if, after all, he is conceited in his own opinion, and rejects theirs, and is obstinate, and will not be guided and directed, but will ta... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ALL THE PEOPLE SHALL HEAR, AND FEAR,.... All the people of Israel in their own cities, and particularly the judges in those cities; they shall hear of what is done to the obstinate and disobedient elder, and shall be afraid to commit the like offence, lest they should come into the same punishme... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THOU ART COME UNTO THE LAND WHICH THE LORD THY GOD GIVETH THEE,.... The land of Canaan: AND SHALT POSSESS IT, AND SHALT DWELL THEREIN; be entirely in the possession of it, and settled in it; it seems to denote some time of continuance in it, as it was, before they thought of setting a king ove... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT IN ANY WISE SET [HIM] KING OVER THEE WHOM THE LORD THY GOD SHALL CHOOSE,.... The Jews take this to be a command to set a king over them: whereas it is only a permission in case they should desire and determine on having one, as God foresaw they would; and this with a limitation and restri... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT HE SHALL NOT MULTIPLY HORSES TO HIMSELF,.... That he might not put his trust and confidence in outward things, as some are apt to trust in horses and chariots; and that he might not tyrannise over and distress his subjects by keeping a number of horses and chariots as a standing army, and chiefl... [ Continue Reading ]
NEITHER SHALL HE MULTIPLY WIVES TO HIMSELF, THAT HIS HEART TURN NOT AWAY,.... From attending to the duty of his office, the care and government of his people, and from serious religion; and particularly from the worship of the true God, as the heart of Solomon was turned away from it by his numerous... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL BE, WHEN HE SITTETH UPON THE THRONE OF HIS KINGDOM,.... When he is settled on it, and is even amidst all the pomp and glory of it: that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book; which copy the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions interpret of this book of Deuteronomy, which is a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL BE WITH HIM,.... Always, when at home or abroad, sitting on his throne or lying down, or wherever he went, unless in such places where it was not proper to read it, as the Jews observe o: and he shall read therein all the days of his life; every day of his life; meditate on it night and... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT HIS HEART BE NOT LIFTED UP ABOVE HIS BRETHREN,.... On account of his office, the dignity of it, considering that he was subject to the law of God, and accountable to the Lord for all his actions: AND THAT HE TURN NOT ASIDE FROM THE COMMANDMENT, TO THE RIGHT HAND OR TO THE LEFT; not in the leas... [ Continue Reading ]