Revised Webster's Bible
Deuteronomy 17:17
17Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart may turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.
Deuteronomy 17:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.
- New International Version (NIV)He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself.
Context of Deuteronomy 17:17
15Thou shalt surely 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, who is not thy brother. 16But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said to you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way. Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart may turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold. 18And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: 19And 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, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:
Read all of Deuteronomy 17Deuteronomy 17:17 word by word
וְלֹ֤א יַרְבֶּה־לּוֹ֙ נָשִׁ֔ים וְלֹ֥א יָס֖וּר לְבָב֑וֹ וְכֶ֣סֶף וְזָהָ֔ב לֹ֥א יַרְבֶּה־לּ֖וֹ מְאֹֽד׃Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 17:17
- Genesis 2:24Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
- 2 Samuel 3:2And to David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;
- 1 Kings 11:1But king Solomon loved many foreign women, in addition to the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;
- Nehemiah 13:26Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did foreign women cause to sin.
- Malachi 2:15And did he not make one? Yet had he the remnant of the spirit. And why one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.
- Matthew 19:5And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they two shall be one flesh?
- 1 Kings 10:21And all king Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; none were of silver: it was not considered as any thing in the days of Solomon.
- Psalms 62:10Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them .
- Proverbs 30:8Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:
- Matthew 6:19Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
- Matthew 13:22He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
- Matthew 19:23Then said Jesus to his disciples, Verily I say to you, That it is hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven.
- Luke 12:15And he said to them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
- 1 Timothy 6:9But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 17:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Neither shall he multiply wives - For this would necessarily lead to foreign alliances, and be the means of introducing the manners and customs of other nations, and their idolatry also. Solomon sinned against this precept, and brought ruin on himself and on the land by it; see 1 Kings 11:4.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17Multiplication of wives would lead to sensuality, and so to an apostasy no less fatal in effect than downright idolatry (compare Exodus 34:16). This rule, like the others, abridges to the ruler of Israel liberties usually enjoyed without stint by the kings of the East. The restriction was in the days of Moses unprecedented; and demanded a higher standard in the king of Israel than was looked for among his equals in other nations. Neither shall he greatly…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. 17many wives: Here God does not ban or support polygamy (having more than one wife). This principle intends to control and manage the practice. In ancient times, kings married many wives to form political alliances with other kingdoms. This showed they relied on human power instead of God's provision. Kings David and Solomon ignored this warning, causing great harm to themselves and the nation (2 Samuel 5:13; 12:11; 1 Kings 11:3–4). must not accumulate…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away--There were the strongest reasons for recording an express prohibition on this point, founded on the practice of neighboring countries in which polygamy prevailed, and whose kings had numerous harems; besides, the monarch of Israel was to be absolutely independent of the people and had nothing but the divine law to restrain his passions. The mischievous effects resulting from the…Read the comment
Topics related to Deuteronomy 17:17
In the dictionaries
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
Revised Webster's Bible — 1833 — Public Domain
Commentaries