Deuteronomy 17:20

Deuteronomy 17:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.
• New International Version (NIV)and not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.
• English Standard Version (ESV)that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel.
• New King James Version (NKJV)that his heart may not be lifted above his brethren, that he may not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left, and that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children in the midst of Israel.

Context of Deuteronomy 17:20

18When anyone starts to rule as king, he must copy this Law of God on a scroll. The scroll will be a copy of the one that belongs to the Levite priests. 19He must keep this scroll with him all the time. He must continue to read it every day of his life. If he does that, he will learn to respect the Lord his God. He will learn to obey all the rules and commands of this Law. If he does that, he will not become proud. He will not think that he is better than other Israelites. He will continue to obey the Lord's commands. Then he and his descendants will rule Israel as kings for many years.

Deuteronomy 17:20 word by word

לְבִלְתִּ֤י רוּם־לְבָבוֹ֙ מֵֽאֶחָ֔יו וּלְבִלְתִּ֛י ס֥וּר מִן־הַמִּצְוָ֖ה יָמִ֣ין וּשְׂמֹ֑אול לְמַעַן֩ יַאֲרִ֨יךְ יָמִ֧ים עַל־מַמְלַכְתּ֛וֹ ה֥וּא וּבָנָ֖יו בְּקֶ֥רֶב יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• That his heartלֵבָבlêbâb · heartH3824
• be not lifted upרוּםrûm · to exaltH7311
• above his brethrenאָח'âch · brother: compatriotH251
• and that he turn not asideסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: turn asideH5493
• from the commandmentמִצְוָהmitsvâh · commandmentH4687
• the right handיָמִיןyâmîyn · rightH3225
• the leftשְׂמֹאלώemô'l ώem'ôl · leftH8040
• to the end that he may prolongאָרַךְ'ârak · to prolongH748
• daysיוֹםyôm · day: alwaysH3117
• in his kingdomמַמְלָכָהmamlâkâh · kingdomH4467
• he, and his childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• in the midstקֶ֫רֶבqereb · entrails: amongH7130
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 17:20

• Deuteronomy 8:2Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way across the desert. He took care of you for 40 years. He caused many troubles to come and to test you. He did that to see if you would trust him. He wanted to know whether you would continue to obey his commands.
• 2 Kings 14:10Yes! You have won the fight against Edom. But do not boast about your power! You may be very happy, but stay at home! Do not try to fight against us. If you do that, you will cause trouble that destroys both you and your kingdom, Judah.’
• 2 Chronicles 25:19You are proud that you have won the fight against Edom. But do not boast about your power! You may be very happy, but stay at home! Do not try to fight against us. If you do that, you will cause trouble that destroys both you and your kingdom, Judah.’
• 2 Chronicles 26:16Uzziah was so powerful that he became proud. That caused him to lose his power. He began to turn away from the Lord his God. He went into the Lord's temple to burn incense on the special altar there.
• 2 Chronicles 32:25But Hezekiah did not thank the Lord for the kind thing that he had done for him. The king was too proud to do that. So the Lord became angry with him, and with the people of Judah and Jerusalem.
• 2 Chronicles 33:12This gave Manasseh a lot of pain. He asked the Lord his God to be kind to him. He made himself humble and he prayed for help to the Lord, the God of his ancestors.
• 2 Chronicles 34:27When you heard the message that I had spoken, you were very upset. You made yourself humble to respect me. You tore your clothes and you wept. You did that when you heard how I would punish this place and the people who live here. Because you became so upset, I have heard your prayer.
• Psalms 131:1Lord, I am not proud. I do not think that I am a great person. I do not try to do great things. I do not worry about things that are too hard for me to understand.
• Isaiah 2:12Yes! The Lord Almighty will choose his great day. On that day, he will judge all the proud people who think that they are great. He will bring them all down very low.
• Daniel 5:20But he became very proud and he boasted about his power. So God took away his kingdom. People did not respect him any longer as king.
• Habakkuk 2:4Look now! The enemy is very proud. They do not want to do what is right. But righteous people will live because of their faith in God.
• 2 Corinthians 12:7Yes, God did show me many things that were very special. But he did not want me to be proud because of that. So he gave me a pain in my body, like a sharp thorn. Satan uses that pain to give me much trouble. It is like Satan's angel that he sends to hurt me. That certainly stops me from being proud of myself!
• 1 Peter 5:5I want to say the same thing to you who are young men. You must respect the authority of the leaders. All of you who are believers must respect one another. Do not think that you are more important than other people. The Bible says: ‘God is against proud people. But he is kind to humble people.’
• Deuteronomy 4:2Do not add anything to these rules. Do not remove anything from them. You must obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving to you.
• Deuteronomy 5:32So you must be careful to do everything that the Lord your God has commanded you to do. You must not refuse to obey any of his laws.
• Deuteronomy 12:25Do not eat it! Then you will be doing what the Lord says is right. You will enjoy a happy life and so will your children.

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 17:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20He, and his children, in the midst of Israel - From this verse it has been inferred that the crown of Israel was designed to be hereditary, and this is very probable; for long experience has proved to almost all the nations of the world that hereditary succession in the regal government is, on the whole, the safest, and best calculated to secure the public tranquillity.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-20Verses 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…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-2018-20. he shall write him a copy of this law in a book--The original scroll of the ancient Scriptures was deposited in the sanctuary under the strict custody of the priests (see on De 31:26; 2Ki 22:8). Each monarch, on his accession, was to be furnished with a true and faithful copy, which he was to keep constantly beside him, and daily peruse it, that his character and sentiments being cast into its sanctifying mould, he might discharge his royal…Read the comment

Topics related to Deuteronomy 17:20

• Constitution
• King
• Law
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Mouth
• Atonement, Day of
• Criticism
• Exodus, the Book of
• Genesis
• King; Kingdom
• Law, Judicial

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings