Deuteronomy 17:15

Deuteronomy 17:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the Lord thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother.
• New International Version (NIV)be sure to appoint over you a king the Lord your God chooses. He must be from among your fellow Israelites. Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not an Israelite.
• English Standard Version (ESV)you may indeed set a king over you whom the Lord your God will choose. One from among your brothers you shall set as king over you. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother.
• New King James Version (NKJV)you shall surely set a king over you whom the Lord your God chooses; one from among your brethren you shall set as king over you; you may not set a foreigner over you, who is not your brother.

Context of Deuteronomy 17:15

13Then all the people will hear and be afraid, and will not act presumptuously again. 14“When you enter the land which the Lord your God gives you, and you possess it and live in it, and you say, ‘I will set a king over me like all the nations who are around me,’ you shall surely set a king over you whom the Lord your God chooses, one from among your countrymen you shall set as king over yourselves; you may not put a foreigner over yourselves who is not your countryman. 16Moreover, he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor shall he cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, since the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall never again return that way.’ 17He shall not multiply wives for himself, or else his heart will turn away; nor shall he greatly increase silver and gold for himself.

Deuteronomy 17:15 word by word

שׂ֣וֹם תָּשִׂ֤ים עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ מֶ֔לֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִבְחַ֛ר יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ בּ֑וֹ מִקֶּ֣רֶב אַחֶ֗יךָ תָּשִׂ֤ים עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ מֶ֔לֶךְ לֹ֣א תוּכַ֗ל לָתֵ֤ת עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ אִ֣ישׁ נָכְרִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־אָחִ֖יךָ הֽוּא׃Read the interlinear

• you shall surelyשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: appointH7760
• a kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• overעַל‛al · uponH5921
• you whomאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• your Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• choosesבָּחַרbâchar · to chooseH977
• from amongקֶ֫רֶבqereb · entrails: amongH7130
• countrymenאָח'âch · brother: compatriotH251
• yourselves; you mayיָכֹלyâkôl yâkôl · be ableH3201
• not putנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
• a foreignerנׇכְרִיnokrîy · foreignH5237

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 17:15

• 1 Samuel 9:15Now a day before Saul’s coming, the Lord had revealed this to Samuel saying,
• 1 Samuel 10:24Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the Lord has chosen? Surely there is no one like him among all the people.” So all the people shouted and said, “Long live the king!”
• 1 Samuel 16:12So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is he.”
• 2 Samuel 5:2Previously, when Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out and in. And the Lord said to you, ‘You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be a ruler over Israel.’”
• 1 Chronicles 12:23Now these are the numbers of the divisions equipped for war, who came to David at Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the Lord.
• 1 Chronicles 22:10He shall build a house for My name, and he shall be My son and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’
• 1 Chronicles 28:5Of all my sons (for the Lord has given me many sons), He has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel.
• Psalms 2:2The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,
• Jeremiah 30:21Their leader shall be one of them, And their ruler shall come forth from their midst; And I will bring him near and he shall approach Me; For who would dare to risk his life to approach Me?’ declares the Lord.
• Matthew 22:17Tell us then, what do You think? Is it lawful to give a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?”
• Jeremiah 2:25Keep your feet from being unshod And your throat from thirst; But you said, ‘It is hopeless! No! For I have loved strangers, And after them I will walk.’

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 17:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15One from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee - It was on the ground of this command that the Jews proposed that insidious question to our Lord, Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, Or No? Matthew 22:17; for they were then under the authority of a foreign power. Had Christ said Yes, then they would have condemned him by this law; had he said No, then they would have accused him to Caesar. See this subject discussed in great detail in the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15The king, like the judges and officers (compare Deuteronomy 16:18), is to be chosen by the people; but their choice is to be in accordance with the will of God, and to be made from among “their brethren.” Compare 1 Samuel 9:15; 1 Samuel 10:24; 1 Samuel 16:1; 1 Kings 19:16. Thou mayest not set a stranger over thee - The Jews extended this prohibition to all offices whatsoever (compare Jeremiah 30:21); and naturally attached the greatest importance to it…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
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15the king whom the LORD your God shall choose: Having a human king was not against God’s plan for Israel (compare 1 Samuel 8:6–7). God had promised Abraham and Sarah that their descendants would include kings (Genesis 17:6, 16; see also Genesis 35:11). However, the misuse of kingship was condemned. The Bible also teaches that the Messiah (God's chosen one) would have a kingly role (2 Samuel 7:11–15; Psalms 2; 110; Isaiah 9:6–7). This shows that God’s plan…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother--that is, by their free and voluntary choice. But God, in the retributions of His providence, did allow foreign princes to usurp the dominion (Jr 38:17; Mt 22:17).Read the comment

Topics related to Deuteronomy 17:15

• Aliens
• King
• Solomon
• Strangers

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Mouth
• Atonement, Day of
• Criticism
• Exodus, the Book of
• Foreigner
• 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