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 not act presumptuously again. 14“When you come to the land that Adonai your God is giving you, possess it and dwell in it, and you say, ‘I will set a king over me, like all the nations around me,’ you will indeed set over yourselves a king, whom Adonai your God chooses. One from among your brothers will be appointed as king over you—you may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. 16Only he should not multiply horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to multiply horses, because Adonai has said to you, “You must never go back that way again.” 17Nor should he multiply wives for himself, so that his heart does not turn aside, nor multiply much 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thou shalt in any wiseשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: appointH7760
• kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• over thee, whom the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• thy Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• shall chooseבָּחַרbâchar · to chooseH977
• from amongקֶ֫רֶבqereb · entrails: amongH7130
• thy brethrenאָח'âch · brother: compatriotH251
• over thee: thou mayestיָכֹלyâkôl yâkôl · be ableH3201
• not setנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
• a strangerאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• a strangerנׇכְרִיnokrîy · foreignH5237

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 17:15

• 1 Samuel 9:15One day before Saul came, Adonai had revealed to Samuel saying:
• 1 Samuel 10:24Then Samuel announced to all the people, “Do you see the one Adonai has chosen? Surely there is no one like him among all the people!” Then all the people shouted and said, “Long live the king!”
• 1 Samuel 16:12So he sent word and had him come. Now he was ruddy-cheeked, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. Then Adonai said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is the one.”
• 2 Samuel 5:2Even before, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led Israel out and back. Also Adonai said to you, ‘You will shepherd My people Israel and be ruler over Israel.’”
• 1 Chronicles 12:23Day by day men came to David to help him until there was a great army like the army of God.
• 1 Chronicles 22:10He will build a House for My name; he will be My son and I will be His Father. I will establish his royal throne over Israel forever.’
• 1 Chronicles 28:5Moreover, of all my sons—for Adonai has given me many sons—He has chosen Solomon my son to sit on the throne of the kingdom of Adonai over Israel.
• Psalms 2:2The kings of earth set themselves up and rulers conspire together against Adonai and against His Anointed One :
• Jeremiah 30:21His noble one will be one of His own. His ruler will come forth from among His own. I will bring Him near, and He will approach Me. For who is he who will pledge his heart to approach Me?” It is a declaration of Adonai.
• Matthew 22:17Tell us therefore, what do You think? Is it permitted to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”
• Jeremiah 2:25Do not run while your feet are bare and your throat is thirsty. But you said ‘There is no hope! No! For I have loved foreign gods and I will go after them.’

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