BSB
Deuteronomy 17-20
Deuteronomy 17
1You shall not sacrifice to the LORD your God an ox or a sheep with any defect or serious flaw, for that is detestable to the LORD your God.
2If a man or woman among you in one of the towns that the LORD your God gives you is found doing evil in the sight of the LORD your God by transgressing His covenant
3and going to worship other gods, bowing down to them or to the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven—which I have forbidden—
4and if it is reported and you hear about it, you must investigate it thoroughly. If the report is true and such an abomination has happened in Israel,
5you must bring out to your gates the man or woman who has done this evil thing, and you must stone that person to death.
6On the testimony of two or three witnesses a man shall be put to death, but he shall not be executed on the testimony of a lone witness.
7The hands of the witnesses shall be the first in putting him to death, and after that, the hands of all the people. So you must purge the evil from among you.
8If a case is too difficult for you to judge, whether the controversy within your gates is regarding bloodshed, lawsuits, or assaults, you must go up to the place the LORD your God will choose.
9You are to go to the Levitical priests and to the judge who presides at that time. Inquire of them, and they will give you a verdict in the case.
10You must abide by the verdict they give you at the place the LORD will choose. Be careful to do everything they instruct you,
11according to the terms of law they give and the verdict they proclaim. Do not turn aside to the right or to the left from the decision they declare to you.
12But the man who acts presumptuously, refusing to listen either to the priest who stands there to serve the LORD your God, or to the judge, must be put to death. You must purge the evil from Israel.
13Then all the people will hear and be afraid, and will no longer behave arrogantly.
14When you enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, “Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,”
15you are to appoint over yourselves the king whom the LORD your God shall choose. Appoint a king from among your brothers; you are not to set over yourselves a foreigner who is not one of your brothers.
16But the king must not acquire many horses for himself or send the people back to Egypt to acquire more horses, for the LORD has said, ‘You are never to go back that way again.’
17He must not take many wives for himself, lest his heart go astray. He must not accumulate for himself large amounts of silver and gold.
18When he is seated on his royal throne, he must write for himself a copy of this instruction on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests.
19It is to remain with him, and he is to read from it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by carefully observing all the words of this instruction and these statutes.
20Then his heart will not be exalted above his countrymen, and he will not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or to the left, in order that he and his sons may reign many years over his kingdom in Israel.
Deuteronomy 18
1The Levitical priests—indeed the whole tribe of Levi—shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They are to eat the food offerings to the LORD; that is their inheritance.
2Although they have no inheritance among their brothers, the LORD is their inheritance, as He promised them.
3This shall be the priests’ share from the people who offer a sacrifice, whether a bull or a sheep: the priests are to be given the shoulder, the jowls, and the stomach.
4You are to give them the firstfruits of your grain, new wine, and oil, and the first wool sheared from your flock.
5For the LORD your God has chosen Levi and his sons out of all your tribes to stand and minister in His name for all time.
6Now if a Levite moves from any town of residence throughout Israel and comes in all earnestness to the place the LORD will choose,
7then he shall serve in the name of the LORD his God like all his fellow Levites who stand there before the LORD.
8They shall eat equal portions, even though he has received money from the sale of his father’s estate.
9When you enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not imitate the detestable ways of the nations there.
10Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, practices divination or conjury, interprets omens, practices sorcery,
11casts spells, consults a medium or spiritist, or inquires of the dead.
12For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD. And because of these detestable things, the LORD your God is driving out the nations before you.
13You must be blameless before the LORD your God.
14Though these nations, which you will dispossess, listen to conjurers and diviners, the LORD your God has not permitted you to do so.
15The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to him.
16This is what you asked of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the LORD our God or see this great fire anymore, so that we will not die!”
17Then the LORD said to me, “They have spoken well.
18I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. I will put My words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.
19And I will hold accountable anyone who does not listen to My words that the prophet speaks in My name.
20But if any prophet dares to speak a message in My name that I have not commanded him to speak, or to speak in the name of other gods, that prophet must be put to death.”
21You may ask in your heart, “How can we recognize a message that the LORD has not spoken?”
22When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD and the message does not come to pass or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.
Deuteronomy 19
1When the LORD your God has cut off the nations whose land He is giving you, and when you have driven them out and settled in their cities and houses,
2then you are to set apart for yourselves three cities within the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.
3You are to build roads for yourselves and divide into three regions the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, so that any manslayer can flee to these cities.
4Now this is the situation regarding the manslayer who flees to one of these cities to save his life, having killed his neighbor accidentally, without intending to harm him:
5If he goes into the forest with his neighbor to cut timber and swings his axe to chop down a tree, but the blade flies off the handle and strikes and kills his neighbor, he may flee to one of these cities to save his life.
6Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue the manslayer in a rage, overtake him if the distance is great, and strike him dead though he did not deserve to die, since he did not intend any harm.
7This is why I am commanding you to set apart for yourselves three cities.
8And if the LORD your God enlarges your territory, as He swore to your fathers, and gives you all the land He promised them,
9and if you carefully keep all these commandments I am giving you today, loving the LORD your God and walking in His ways at all times, then you are to add three more cities to these three.
10Thus innocent blood will not be shed in the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, so that you will not be guilty of bloodshed.
11If, however, a man hates his neighbor and lies in wait, attacks him and kills him, and then flees to one of these cities,
12the elders of his city must send for him, bring him back, and hand him over to the avenger of blood to die.
13You must show him no pity. You are to purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood, that it may go well with you.
14You must not move your neighbor’s boundary marker, which was set up by your ancestors to mark the inheritance you shall receive in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.
15A lone witness is not sufficient to establish any wrongdoing or sin against a man, regardless of what offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
16If a false witness testifies against someone, accusing him of a crime,
17both parties to the dispute must stand in the presence of the LORD, before the priests and judges who are in office at that time.
18The judges shall investigate thoroughly, and if the witness is proven to be a liar who has falsely accused his brother,
19you must do to him as he intended to do to his brother. So you must purge the evil from among you.
20Then the rest of the people will hear and be afraid, and they will never again do anything so evil among you.
21You must show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, and foot for foot.
Deuteronomy 20
1When you go out to war against your enemies and see horses, chariots, and an army larger than yours, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, is with you.
2When you are about to go into battle, the priest is to come forward and address the army,
3saying to them, “Hear, O Israel, today you are going into battle with your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not be alarmed or terrified because of them.
4For the LORD your God goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.”
5Furthermore, the officers are to address the army, saying, “Has any man built a new house and not dedicated it? Let him return home, or he may die in battle and another man dedicate it.
6Has any man planted a vineyard and not begun to enjoy its fruit? Let him return home, or he may die in battle and another man enjoy its fruit.
7Has any man become pledged to a woman and not married her? Let him return home, or he may die in battle and another man marry her.”
8Then the officers shall speak further to the army, saying, “Is any man afraid or fainthearted? Let him return home, so that the hearts of his brothers will not melt like his own.”
9When the officers have finished addressing the army, they are to appoint commanders to lead it.
10When you approach a city to fight against it, you are to make an offer of peace.
11If they accept your offer of peace and open their gates, all the people there will become forced laborers to serve you.
12But if they refuse to make peace with you and wage war against you, lay siege to that city.
13When the LORD your God has delivered it into your hand, you must put every male to the sword.
14But the women, children, livestock, and whatever else is in the city—all its spoil—you may take as plunder, and you shall use the spoil of your enemies that the LORD your God gives you.
15This is how you are to treat all the cities that are far away from you and do not belong to the nations nearby.
16However, in the cities of the nations that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, you must not leave alive anything that breathes.
17For you must devote them to complete destruction—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—as the LORD your God has commanded you,
18so that they cannot teach you to do all the detestable things they do for their gods, and so cause you to sin against the LORD your God.
19When you lay siege to a city for an extended time while fighting against it to capture it, you must not destroy its trees by putting an axe to them, because you can eat their fruit. You must not cut them down. Are the trees of the field human, that you should besiege them?
20But you may destroy the trees that you know do not produce fruit. Use them to build siege works against the city that is waging war against you, until it falls.
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Abomination to God: Offering Children in Sacrifice Deuteronomy 18:10
Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, practices divination or conjury, interprets omens, practices sorcery,
Abomination to God: Sorcery and Necromancy Deuteronomy 18:10, 11
Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, practices divination or conjury, interprets omens, practices sorcery, / casts spells, consults a medium or spiritist, or inquires of the dead.
Agriculture or Farming: Enactments to Protect: Not to Move Landmarks Deuteronomy 19:14
You must not move your neighbor’s boundary marker, which was set up by your ancestors to mark the inheritance you shall receive in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.
Agriculture: Planters of Vineyards, Exempted from Military Service Deuteronomy 20:6
Has any man planted a vineyard and not begun to enjoy its fruit? Let him return home, or he may die in battle and another man enjoy its fruit.
Aliens: Jews not Permitted to Make Kings of Deuteronomy 17:15
you are to appoint over yourselves the king whom the LORD your God shall choose. Appoint a king from among your brothers; you are not to set over yourselves a foreigner who is not one of your brothers.
Amorites: Judgments Denounced Against Deuteronomy 20:17, 18
For you must devote them to complete destruction—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—as the LORD your God has commanded you, / so that they cannot teach you to do all the detestable things they do for their gods, and so cause you to sin against the LORD your God.
Armies: Employed in Besieging Cities Deuteronomy 20:12
But if they refuse to make peace with you and wage war against you, lay siege to that city.
Armies: March in Ranks: Exhorted Before Battle Deuteronomy 20:1–9
When you go out to war against your enemies and see horses, chariots, and an army larger than yours, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, is with you. / When you are about to go into battle, the priest is to come forward and address the army, / saying to them, “Hear, O Israel, today you are going into battle with your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not be alarmed or terrified because of them.
Armies: Who Were Exempt from Service In Deuteronomy 20:5–9
Furthermore, the officers are to address the army, saying, “Has any man built a new house and not dedicated it? Let him return home, or he may die in battle and another man dedicate it. / Has any man planted a vineyard and not begun to enjoy its fruit? Let him return home, or he may die in battle and another man enjoy its fruit. / Has any man become pledged to a woman and not married her? Let him return home, or he may die in battle and another man marry her.”
Assault and Battery: Laws Concerning Deuteronomy 17:8–12
If a case is too difficult for you to judge, whether the controversy within your gates is regarding bloodshed, lawsuits, or assaults, you must go up to the place the LORD your God will choose. / You are to go to the Levitical priests and to the judge who presides at that time. Inquire of them, and they will give you a verdict in the case. / You must abide by the verdict they give you at the place the LORD will choose. Be careful to do everything they instruct you,
Assumption Deuteronomy 17:13
Then all the people will hear and be afraid, and will no longer behave arrogantly.
Avenger of Blood: Scriptures Relating To Deuteronomy 19:4–13
Now this is the situation regarding the manslayer who flees to one of these cities to save his life, having killed his neighbor accidentally, without intending to harm him: / If he goes into the forest with his neighbor to cut timber and swings his axe to chop down a tree, but the blade flies off the handle and strikes and kills his neighbor, he may flee to one of these cities to save his life. / Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue the manslayer in a rage, overtake him if the distance is great, and strike him dead though he did not deserve to die, since he did not intend any harm.
Ax: An Implement Deuteronomy 19:5
If he goes into the forest with his neighbor to cut timber and swings his axe to chop down a tree, but the blade flies off the handle and strikes and kills his neighbor, he may flee to one of these cities to save his life.
Betrothal: Exempts from Military Duty Deuteronomy 20:7
Has any man become pledged to a woman and not married her? Let him return home, or he may die in battle and another man marry her.”
Bigamy Deuteronomy 17:17
He must not take many wives for himself, lest his heart go astray. He must not accumulate for himself large amounts of silver and gold.
Bulwark: General Scriptures Concerning Deuteronomy 20:20
But you may destroy the trees that you know do not produce fruit. Use them to build siege works against the city that is waging war against you, until it falls.
Canaanites: To be Destroyed Deuteronomy 19:1
When the LORD your God has cut off the nations whose land He is giving you, and when you have driven them out and settled in their cities and houses,
Captain: Commander-In-Chief of an Army Deuteronomy 20:9
When the officers have finished addressing the army, they are to appoint commanders to lead it.
Captive: Cruelty to Enslaved Deuteronomy 20:14
But the women, children, livestock, and whatever else is in the city—all its spoil—you may take as plunder, and you shall use the spoil of your enemies that the LORD your God gives you.
Captive: Cruelty to Putting to Death Deuteronomy 20:13
When the LORD your God has delivered it into your hand, you must put every male to the sword.
Celebrating Christmas Deuteronomy 18:9
When you enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not imitate the detestable ways of the nations there.
Charmers and Charming: Prohibited Deuteronomy 18:11
casts spells, consults a medium or spiritist, or inquires of the dead.
Child Sacrifice Deuteronomy 18:10
Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, practices divination or conjury, interprets omens, practices sorcery,
Christian Minister: Emoluments (Benefits) of Deuteronomy 18:1, 2
The Levitical priests—indeed the whole tribe of Levi—shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They are to eat the offerings made by fire to the LORD; that is their inheritance. / Although they have no inheritance among their brothers, the LORD is their inheritance, as He promised them.
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Deuteronomy 17:1-7 Verses 1-7
No creature which had any blemish was to be offered in sacrifice to God. We are thus called to remember the perfect, pure, and spotless sacrifice of Christ, and reminded to serve God with the best of our abilities, time, and possession, or our pretended obedience will be hateful to him. So great a punishment as death, so remarkable a death as stoning, must be inflicted on the Jewish idolater. Let all who in our day set up idols in their hearts, remember how God punished this crime in Israel.
Deuteronomy 17:8-13 Verses 8-13
Courts of judgment were to be set up in every city. Though their judgment had not the Divine authority of an oracle, it was the judgment of wise, prudent, experienced men, and had the advantage of a Divine promise.
Deuteronomy 17:14-20 Verses 14-20
God himself was in a particular manner Israel's King; and if they set another over them, it was necessary that he should choose the person. Accordingly, when the people desired a king, they applied to Samuel, a prophet of the Lord. In all cases, God's choice, if we can but know it, should direct, determine, and overrule ours. Laws are given for the prince that should be elected. He must carefully avoid every thing that would turn him from God and religion. Riches, honours, and pleasures, are three great hinderances of godliness, (the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eye, and the pride of life,) especially to those in high stations; against these the king is here warned. The king must carefully study the law of God, and make that his rule; and having a copy of the Scriptures of his own writing, must read therein all the days of his life. It is not enough to have Bibles, but we must use them, use them daily, as long as we live. Christ's scholars never learn above their Bibles, but will have constant occasion for them, till they come to that world where knowledge and love will be made perfect. The king's writing and reading were as nothing, if he did not practise what he wrote and read. And those who fear God and keep his commandments, will fare the better for it even in this world.
Deuteronomy 18:1-8 Verses 1-8
Care is taken that the priests entangle not themselves with the affairs of this life, nor enrich themselves with the wealth of this world; they have better things to mind. Care is likewise taken that they want not the comforts and conveniences of this life. The people must provide for them. He that has the benefit of solemn religious assemblies, ought to give help for the comfortable support of those that minister in such assemblies.
Deuteronomy 18:9-14 Verses 9-14
Was it possible that a people so blessed with Divine institutions, should ever be in any danger of making those their teachers whom God had made their captives? They were in danger; therefore, after many like cautions, they are charged not to do after the abominations of the nations of Canaan. All reckoning of lucky or unlucky days, all charms for diseases, all amulets or spells to prevent evil, fortune-telling, &c. are here forbidden. These are so wicked as to be a chief cause of the rooting out of the Canaanites. It is amazing to think that there should be any pretenders of this kind in such a land, and day of light, as we live in. They are mere impostors who blind and cheat their followers.
Deuteronomy 18:15-22 Verses 15-22
It is here promised concerning Christ, that there should come a Prophet, great above all the prophets; by whom God would make known himself and his will to the children of men, more fully and clearly than he had ever done before. He is the Light of the world, Joh 8:12. He is the World by whom God speaks to us, Joh 1:1; Heb 1:2. In his birth he should be one of their nation. In his resurrection he should be raised up at Jerusalem, and from thence his doctrine should go forth to all the world. Thus God, having raised up his Son Christ Jesus, sent him to bless us. He should be like unto Moses, only above him. This prophet is come, even JESUS; and is "He that should come," and we are to look for no other. The view of God which he gives, will not terrify or overwhelm, but encourages us. He speaks with fatherly affection and Divine authority united. Whoever refuses to listen to Jesus Christ, shall find it is at his peril; the same that is the Prophet is to be his Judge, Joh 12:48. Woe then to those who refuse to hearken to His voice, to accept His salvation, or yield obedience to His sway! But happy they who trust in Him, and obey Him. He will lead them in the paths of safety and peace, until He brings them to the land of perfect light, purity, and happiness. Here is a caution against false prophets. It highly concerns us to have a right touchstone wherewith to try the word we hear, that we may know what that word is which the Lord has not spoken. Whatever is against the plain sense of the written word, or which gives countenance or encouragement to sin, we may be sure is not that which the Lord has spoken.
Deuteronomy 19:1-13 Verses 1-13
Here is the law settled between the blood of the murdered, and the blood of the murderer; provision is made, that the cities of refuge should be a protection, so that a man should not die for that as a crime, which was not his willing act. In Christ, the Lord our Righteousness, refuge is provided for those who by faith flee unto him. But there is no refuge in Jesus Christ for presumptuous sinners, who go on still in their trespasses. Those who flee to Christ from their sins, shall be safe in him, but not those who expect to be sheltered by him in their sins.
Deuteronomy 19:14 Verse 14
Direction is given to fix landmarks in Canaan. It is the will of God that every one should know his own; and that means should be used to hinder the doing and suffering of wrong. This, without doubt, is a moral precept, and still binding. Let every man be content with his own lot, and be just to his neighbours in all things.
Deuteronomy 19:15-21 Verses 15-21
Sentence should never be passed upon the testimony of one witness alone. A false witness should suffer the same punishment which he sought to have inflicted upon the person he accused. Nor could any law be more just. Let all Christians not only be cautious in bearing witness in public, but be careful not to join in private slanders; and let all whose consciences accuse them of crime, without delay flee for refuge to the hope set before them in Jesus Christ.
Deuteronomy 20:1-9 Verses 1-9
In the wars wherein Israel engaged according to the will of God, they might expect the Divine assistance. The Lord was to be their only confidence. In these respects they were types of the Christian's warfare. Those unwilling to fight, must be sent away. The unwillingness might arise from a man's outward condition. God would not be served by men forced against their will. Thy people shall be willing, Ps 110:3. In running the Christian race, and fighting the good fight of faith, we must lay aside all that would make us unwilling. If a man's unwillingness rose from weakness and fear, he had leave to return from the war. The reason here given is, lest his brethren's heart fail as well as his heart. We must take heed that we fear not with the fear of them that are afraid, Isa 8:12.
Deuteronomy 20:10-12 Verses 10-12
The Israelites are here directed about the nations on whom they made war. Let this show God's grace in dealing with sinners. He proclaims peace, and beseeches them to be reconciled. Let it also show us our duty in dealing with our brethren. Whoever are for war, we must be for peace. Of the cities given to Israel, none of their inhabitants must be left. Since it could not be expected that they should be cured of their idolatry, they would hurt Israel. These regulations are not the rules of our conduct, but Christ's law of love. The horrors of war must fill the feeling heart with anguish upon every recollection; and are proofs of the wickedness of man, the power of Satan, and the just vengeance of God, who thus scourges a guilty world. But how dreadful their case who are engaged in unequal conflict with their Maker, who will not submit to render him the easy tribute of worship and praise! Certain ruin awaits them. Let neither the number nor the power of the enemies of our souls dismay us; nor let even our own weakness cause us to tremble or to faint. The Lord will save us; but in this war let none engage whose hearts are fond of the world, or afraid of the cross and the conflict. Care is here taken that in besieging cities the fruit-trees should not be destroyed. God is a better friend to man than he is to himself; and God's law consults our interests and comforts; while our own appetites and passions, which we indulge, are enemies to our welfare. Many of the Divine precepts restrain us from destroying that which is for our life and food. The Jews understand this as forbidding all wilful waste upon any account whatsoever. Every creature of God is good; as nothing is to be refused, so nothing is to be abused. We may live to want what we carelessly waste.