Laws for the King
Deuteronomy 17:14-20
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Deu.17.14 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- כי: CONJ
- תבא: VERB,qal,impf,2,f,sg
- אל: NEG
- הארץ: NOUN,f,sg,def
- אשר: PRON,rel
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- אלהיך: NOUN,m,sg,prsuf-2ms
- נתן: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- לך: PRON,2,m,sg
- וירשתה: VERB,qal,impf,2,m,sg
- וישבתה: VERB,qal,impf,2,m,sg
- בה: PREP+PRON,3,f,sg
- ואמרת: CONJ+VERB,qal,impf,2,m,sg
- אשימה: VERB,qal,impf,1,_,sg
- עלי: PREP+PRON,1,sg
- מלך: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- ככל: PREP
- הגוים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- אשר: PRON,rel
- סביבתי: PREP+PRON,1,_,sg
Parallels
- Deut.17:15-20 (structural): Direct continuation of the law introduced in v.14: prescribes how a king is to be appointed, his limits and duties — the legal framework for having a monarch "like the nations."
- 1 Sam.8:5,20 (verbal): The people's demand for a king uses the same language as Deut 17:14 (“appoint for us a king… like all the nations”), echoing the motive and wording of v.14.
- 1 Sam.12:12-13 (thematic): Samuel recounts that Israel asked for a king and God gave them Saul — a narrative fulfillment and reflection on the situation anticipated in Deut 17:14.
- Judg.17:6 (thematic): “In those days there was no king in Israel” — depicts the pre-monarchic context and decentralized rule that helps explain Israel’s later request for a king in Deut 17:14.
- Judg.21:25 (thematic): Repeats the refrain about absence of a king and every man doing what was right in his own eyes, highlighting the political and social instability that underlies the longing to be "like the nations."
Alternative generated candidates
- When you come into the land that the LORD your God is giving you, and you possess it and live in it, and say, ‘I will set a king over me like all the nations around me,’
- When you come into the land that the LORD your God gives you, and you possess it and dwell in it, and you say, ‘I will set a king over me, like all the nations around me,’
Deu.17.15 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- שום: DET,m,sg
- תשים: VERB,qal,impf,2,m,sg
- עליך: PREP+2ms
- מלך: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- אשר: PRON,rel
- יבחר: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- אלהיך: NOUN,m,sg,prsuf-2ms
- בו: PREP+PRON,3,m,sg
- מקרב: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אחיך: NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,2,m,sg
- תשים: VERB,qal,impf,2,m,sg
- עליך: PREP+2ms
- מלך: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- לא: PART_NEG
- תוכל: VERB,qal,impf,2,m,sg
- לתת: VERB,qal,inf
- עליך: PREP+2ms
- איש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- נכרי: ADJ,m,sg
- אשר: PRON,rel
- לא: PART_NEG
- אחיך: NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,2,m,sg
- הוא: PRON,3,m,sg
Parallels
- Deut.17.14-20 (structural): Immediate legal context prescribing the institution of a king: instructions about when to appoint a king, qualifications, and limits on royal power — the fuller law of which v.15 is the core statement.
- 1 Samuel 8:4-20 (thematic): Israel’s demand for a human king and God’s response/warnings about monarchy — raises the same issue addressed by Deut 17:15 (choosing a king 'like the nations').
- 1 Samuel 10:24 (verbal): Samuel’s declaration to the people 'Do you see him whom the LORD has chosen?' echoes Deut’s emphasis that the king must be one the LORD selects.
- 1 Samuel 16:1-13 (thematic): God’s choice of David from among Jesse’s sons — an example of a king appointed by Yahweh 'from among your brothers,' illustrating Deut 17:15’s criterion.
- Judges 8:22-23 (allusion): The people ask Gideon to rule as king and he refuses, saying 'The LORD shall rule over you' — reflects an early ideological tension about monarchy that Deut 17:15 seeks to regulate.
Alternative generated candidates
- you shall surely set over you a king whom the LORD your God chooses; from among your brothers you shall set a king over you—you must not set over you a foreigner who is not your kinsman.
- you shall surely set over you a king whom the LORD your God chooses; from among your own brothers you shall set a king over you— you shall not set a foreigner over you who is not your brother.
Deu.17.16 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- רק: PRT
- לא: PART_NEG
- ירבה: VERB,qal,impf,3,ms
- לו: PRON,3,m,sg
- סוסים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- ולא: CONJ
- ישיב: VERB,hifil,imperfect,3,m,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- העם: NOUN,m,sg,def
- מצרימה: NOUN,prop,pl,m,abs
- למען: PREP
- הרבות: NOUN,f,sg,def
- סוס: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ויהוה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- לכם: PREP,2,m,pl
- לא: PART_NEG
- תספון: VERB,qal,impf,2,m,pl
- לשוב: INF,qal
- בדרך: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- הזה: DEM,m,sg
- עוד: ADV
Parallels
- Exodus 13:17 (verbal): God refuses to lead Israel by the shorter route 'lest the people change their minds and return to Egypt' — language and concern about returning to Egypt echoes Deut 17:16.
- Isaiah 31:1 (thematic): Condemns reliance on Egypt and on horses/chariots for help — thematically mirrors the prohibition against multiplying horses and returning to Egypt.
- Psalm 20:7 (thematic): Contrasts trust in chariots and horses with trust in the LORD, reflecting the same theological warning found in Deut 17:16.
- 1 Kings 10:28-29 (allusion): Reports Solomon's accumulation of horses and chariots and importation from Egypt — a historical example that runs counter to the Deuteronomic injunction.
- 1 Samuel 8:11-12 (thematic): Samuel's warning about a king taking chariots and horses as part of royal abuses resonates with Deut 17:16's restrictions on a monarch's military accoutrements.
Alternative generated candidates
- Only he must not multiply horses for himself, nor make the people return to Egypt to multiply horses, for the LORD has said to you, ‘You shall never again return that way.’
- Only he must not multiply horses for himself, nor let the people return to Egypt to multiply horses, for the LORD has said to you, ‘You shall never return that way again.’
Deu.17.17 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ולא: CONJ
- ירבה: VERB,qal,impf,3,ms
- לו: PRON,3,m,sg
- נשים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- ולא: CONJ
- יסור: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- לבבו: NOUN,m,sg,abs,poss:3,m,sg
- וכסף: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- וזהב: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לא: PART_NEG
- ירבה: VERB,qal,impf,3,ms
- לו: PRON,3,m,sg
- מאד: ADV
Parallels
- 1 Kings 11:1-4 (thematic): Solomon multiplies wives (including foreign wives) and his heart is led astray — a narrative example of the prohibition against many wives.
- Proverbs 30:8-9 (thematic): Prayer for neither poverty nor riches to avoid the moral dangers of abundance — echoes the warning against greatly increasing silver and gold.
- Luke 12:15 (thematic): Jesus warns that life does not consist in the abundance of possessions, paralleling the Deuteronomic restraint on accumulating wealth.
- 1 Samuel 8:10-18 (thematic): Samuel’s description of the king’s oppressive demands (taking sons, daughters, produce) functions as a broader caution about royal excess and abuse associated with monarchy.
- Deuteronomy 17:16-20 (structural): Adjacent instructions about limitations on a king (no many horses, no excessive wealth, plus requirements for law-reading and humility) — the immediate legal context for v.17.
Alternative generated candidates
- Nor shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly increase silver and gold for himself.
- He must not multiply wives for himself, so that his heart does not turn away; nor shall he greatly increase silver and gold for himself.
Deu.17.18 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- והיה: VERB,qal,imperfect,3,m,sg
- כשבתו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- על: PREP
- כסא: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ממלכתו: NOUN,f,sg,cons+3,m
- וכתב: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- לו: PRON,3,m,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- משנה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- התורה: NOUN,f,sg,def
- הזאת: DEM,f,sg,def
- על: PREP
- ספר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מלפני: PREP
- הכהנים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- הלוים: NOUN,m,pl,def
Parallels
- Deut.17.19 (structural): Immediate continuation of the king’s obligation — after writing the law he is to keep it with him and read it all his life (directly linked instruction).
- Deut.31:24-26 (structural): Moses himself wrote the book of the law and commanded it to be placed beside the ark—parallels the writing and custodial concern for the law.
- Joshua 8:34-35 (thematic): Public reading of 'all the words of the law' to the assembly of Israel—echoes the theme of preserving, reading, and promulgating the book of the law for the people and leaders.
- Jeremiah 36:2-4 (thematic): Jeremiah instructs Baruch to write the prophet’s words in a book to be read publicly (and presented to the king), paralleling the practice of inscribing authoritative words in a scroll/book for official use and proclamation.
- 2 Chronicles 17:7-9 (thematic): Jehoshaphat’s sending of Levites and priests with the book of the law to teach Judah reflects the role of written law in royal instruction and the king’s responsibility to ensure its teaching and observance.
Alternative generated candidates
- And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the priests, the Levites.
- When he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, taken from before the Levitical priests.
Deu.17.19 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- והיתה: VERB,qal,perf,3,f,sg
- עמו: PREP+PRON,3,m,sg
- וקרא: CONJ+VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- בו: PREP+PRON,3,m,sg
- כל: DET
- ימי: NOUN,m,pl,cs
- חייו: NOUN,m,pl,abs+PRON,3,m,sg
- למען: PREP
- ילמד: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- ליראה: VERB,qal,inf
- את: PRT,acc
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- אלהיו: NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,3,m,sg
- לשמר: VERB,qal,inf
- את: PRT,acc
- כל: DET
- דברי: NOUN,m,pl,abs+PRON,1,c,sg
- התורה: NOUN,f,sg,def
- הזאת: DEM,f,sg,def
- ואת: CONJ
- החקים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- האלה: DEM,pl
- לעשתם: PREP+VERB,qal,inf,3,m,pl
Parallels
- Deut.17:18 (structural): Immediate context: the king is commanded to write a copy of the law and keep it with him—ties directly to reading the law all his life.
- Joshua 1:8 (verbal): Commands meditating on the book of the law day and night and careful observance of it—parallels the lifelong reading and keeping of the law so the leader may act rightly.
- Psalm 1:2 (thematic): The righteous person delights in and meditates on the law of the LORD—echoes the theme of continual engagement with Scripture to shape life and fear of God.
- Psalm 119:11 (thematic): The psalmist stores God's word in the heart to avoid sin—resonates with keeping the words of the law through continual reading and obedience.
- Nehemiah 8:1-8 (thematic): Public reading and explanation of the Book of the Law leads the people to fear the LORD and understand how to observe it—parallels the reading-for-obedience motif in Deut 17:19.
Alternative generated candidates
- It shall be with him and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God and keep all the words of this law and these decrees to do them.
- It shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God and to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them.
Deu.17.20 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- לבלתי: PART,neg
- רום: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- לבבו: NOUN,m,sg,abs,poss:3,m,sg
- מאחיו: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,3,m,sg
- ולבלתי: CONJ+PART,inf+neg
- סור: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- מן: PREP
- המצוה: NOUN,f,sg,def
- ימין: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ושמאול: CONJ+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- למען: PREP
- יאריך: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- ימים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- על: PREP
- ממלכתו: NOUN,f,sg,abs+PRON,3,m,sg
- הוא: PRON,3,m,sg
- ובניו: CONJ+NOUN,m,pl,abs+PRON,3,m,sg
- בקרב: PREP
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Deut.17.18-19 (structural): Immediate context: instructions that the king write and read a copy of the law and not exalt his heart; 17:20 concludes this unit with the same commands and promised outcome.
- Joshua 1:8 (verbal): Both command persistent engagement with the book of the law (read/meditate) and link obedience to success/prosperity for the leader and people.
- 2 Kings 22:11-13 (thematic): King Josiah's response to finding the law—he humbles himself and reforms the kingdom—illustrates the principle that a king's submission to the law brings covenantal blessing.
- 1 Samuel 8:11-18 (thematic): Samuel's warning about the dangers and abuses of monarchy highlights why Deut.'s regulations (restraining pride and ensuring obedience) are necessary for a stable kingship.
- Proverbs 16:18 (thematic): Proverb warns that pride precedes ruin; thematically parallels Deut.'s injunction against a king 'exalting his heart' and the implied consequence of turning from the law.
Alternative generated candidates
- So that his heart may not be exalted above his brothers, and so that he may not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or to the left; and that he may long rule in his kingdom—he and his sons—among Israel.
- So that his heart be not exalted above his brothers, and that he not turn aside from the commandment, to the right hand or to the left; that he may prolong his days in his kingdom— he and his children— in the midst of Israel.
When you come into the land that the LORD your God is giving you, and you possess it and settle in it, and you say, ‘I will set a king over me like all the nations around me,’
you shall set over you a king whom the LORD your God chooses; from among your own brothers shall you set a king over you—you must not place over you a foreigner who is not your brother.
Only he must not multiply horses for himself, nor send the people back to Egypt to multiply horses; for the LORD has said to you, ‘You shall never again return that way.’
Nor shall he multiply wives for himself, that his heart not turn; nor shall he greatly increase silver and gold for himself. And when he sits upon the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book before the Levitical priests.
It shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God and keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them.
That his heart may not be exalted above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment to the right or to the left, so that he and his sons may long reign over the throne of Israel.