Deuteronomy 17

1You shall notH3808 sacrificeH2076 to the LORDH3068 your GodH430 an oxH7794 or a sheepH7716 with any defectH3971 or seriousH7451 flawH1697, forH3588 thatH1931 is detestableH8441 to the LORDH3068 your GodH430.

Purge the Idolater

2IfH3588 a manH376 orH176 womanH802 among youH7130 in oneH259 of the townsH8179 thatH834 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 givesH5414 you is foundH4672 doingH6213 evilH7451 in the sightH5869 of the LORDH3068 your GodH430 by transgressingH5674 His covenantH1285 3and goingH1980 to worshipH5647 otherH312 godsH430, bowing downH7812 to them or to the sunH8121 orH176 moonH3394 orH176 anyH3605 of the hostH6635 of heavenH8064—whichH834 I have forbiddenH3808H6680— 4and if it is reportedH5046 and you hear about itH8085, you must investigate itH1875 thoroughlyH3190.

IfH2009 the reportH1697 isH6213 trueH571H3559 and suchH2063 an abominationH8441 has happened in IsraelH3478, 5you must bring outH3318 toH413 your gatesH8179 the manH376 orH176 womanH802H1931 whoH834 has doneH6213 thisH2088 evilH7451 thingH1697, and you must stone that personH5619H68 to deathH4191. 6OnH5921 the testimonyH6310 of twoH8147 orH176 threeH7969 witnessesH5707 a man shall be put to deathH4191, but he shall notH3808 be executedH4191 onH5921 the testimonyH6310H5707 of a loneH259 witnessH5707. 7The handsH3027 of the witnessesH5707 shall beH1961 the firstH7223 in putting him to deathH4191, and after thatH314, the handsH3027 of allH3605 the peopleH5971. So you must purgeH1197 the evilH7451 from among youH7130.1

Courts of Law

8IfH3588 a caseH1697 is too difficultH6381 for youH4480 to judgeH4941, whetherH1697 the controversyH7379 within your gatesH8179 is regardingH996 bloodshedH1818H996, lawsuitsH1779H996, or assaultsH5061H6965, you must go upH5927 toH413 the placeH4725 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 will chooseH977. 9You are to goH935 toH413 the LeviticalH3881 priestsH3548 and toH413 the judgeH8199 whoH834H1961 presides at thatH1992 timeH3117. Inquire of themH1875, and they will giveH5046 you a verdictH1697 in the caseH4639.

10You must abide byH6213H5921H6310 the verdictH1697 they giveH5046 you atH4480 the placeH4725H1931 the LORDH3068 will chooseH977. Be carefulH8104 to doH6213 everythingH3605 they instruct youH3384, 11accordingH5921 to the termsH6310 of lawH8451 they giveH3384H5921 and the verdictH4941 they proclaimH559. Do notH3808 turn asideH5493 to the rightH3225 or to the leftH8040 fromH4480 the decisionH1697 they declareH5046 to you.

12But the manH376 whoH834 actsH6213 presumptuouslyH2087, refusingH1115 to listenH8085 either toH413 the priestH3548 who standsH5975 thereH8033 to serveH8334 the LORDH3068 your GodH430, orH176 toH413 the judgeH8199, must be put to deathH4191H376H1931. You must purgeH1197 the evilH7451 from IsraelH3478. 13Then allH3605 the peopleH5971 will hearH8085 and be afraidH3372, and will noH3808 longerH5750 behave arrogantlyH2102.

Guidelines for a King

(1 Samuel 8:1–9)

14WhenH3588 you enterH935H413 the landH776 thatH834 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 is givingH5414 you and have taken possession of itH3423 and settledH3427 in it, and you sayH559, “Let us setH7760 a kingH4428 over usH5921 like allH3605 the nationsH1471 around usH5439,” 15you are to appointH7760 over yourselvesH5921 the kingH4428 whomH834 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 shall chooseH977. AppointH7760 a kingH4428 from amongH7130 your brothersH251H7760; you are notH3808H3201 to setH5414H5921 over yourselvesH5921 a foreignerH376H5237 whoH834 isH1931 notH3808 one of your brothersH251.

16ButH7535 the king must notH3808 acquire manyH7235 horsesH5483 for himself or send the peopleH5971 backH7725 to EgyptH4714 toH4616 acquire moreH7235 horsesH5483, for the LORDH3068 has saidH559, ‘You areH3254 neverH3808 to go backH7725 thatH2088 wayH1870 againH5750.’ 17He must notH3808 take manyH7235 wivesH802 for himself, lestH3808 his heartH3824 go astrayH5493. He must notH3808 accumulateH7235 for himself large amountsH3966 of silverH3701 and goldH2091.

18

When he is seatedH3427 onH5921 his royalH4467 throneH3678, he must writeH3789 for himself a copyH4932 of thisH2063 instructionH8451 onH5921 a scrollH5612 in the presenceH6440 of the LeviticalH3881 priestsH3548. 19It is to remainH1961 with himH5973, and he is to readH7121 from it allH3605 the daysH3117 of his lifeH2416, so thatH4616 he may learnH3925 to fearH3372 the LORDH3068 his GodH430 by carefully observingH8104 allH3605 the wordsH1697 of thisH2063 instructionH8451 and theseH428 statutesH2706. 20Then his heartH3824 will notH1115 be exaltedH7311 aboveH4480 his countrymenH251, and he will notH1115 turn asideH5493 from the commandmentH4687, to the rightH3225 or to the leftH8040, in order thatH4616 heH1931 and his sonsH1121 may reignH748 many yearsH3117 overH5921 his kingdomH4467 inH7130 IsraelH3478.