Deuteronomy 17:8

Deuteronomy 17:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within thy gates: then shalt thou arise, and get thee up into the place which the Lord thy God shall choose;
• New International Version (NIV)If cases come before your courts that are too difficult for you to judge—whether bloodshed, lawsuits or assaults—take them to the place the Lord your God will choose.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"If any case arises requiring decision between one kind of homicide and another, one kind of legal right and another, or one kind of assault and another, any case within your towns that is too difficult for you, then you shall arise and go up to the place that the Lord your God will choose.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“If a matter arises which is too hard for you to judge, between degrees of guilt for bloodshed, between one judgment or another, or between one punishment or another, matters of controversy within your gates, then you shall arise and go up to the place which the Lord your God chooses.

Context of Deuteronomy 17:8

6By the word of two or three witnesses, the one who is to die is to be put to death. No one is to be put to death by the word of one witness. 7The hand of the witnesses is to be first to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. So you are to purge the evil from your midst. “Suppose a matter arises that is too hard for you to judge—over bloodshed, legal claims or assault—matters of controversy within your gates. Then you should go up to the place Adonai your God chooses, 9and come to the Levitical kohanim and the judge in charge at that time. And you will inquire, and they will tell you the sentence of judgment. 10You are to act according to the sentence they tell you from that place Adonai chooses, and take care to do all that they instruct you.

Deuteronomy 17:8 word by word

כִּ֣י יִפָּלֵא֩ מִמְּךָ֨ דָבָ֜ר לַמִּשְׁפָּ֗ט בֵּֽין־דָּ֨ם׀ לְדָ֜ם בֵּֽין־דִּ֣ין לְדִ֗ין וּבֵ֥ין נֶ֙גַע֙ לָנֶ֔גַע דִּבְרֵ֥י רִיבֹ֖ת בִּשְׁעָרֶ֑יךָ וְקַמְתָּ֣ וְעָלִ֔יתָ אֶל־הַמָּק֔וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִבְחַ֛ר יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ בּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• If there arise a matterדָּבָרdâbâr · word: caseH1697
• too hardפָּלָאpâlâ' · to wonderH6381
• for thee in judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justice: judgementH4941
• between bloodדָּםdâm · bloodH1818
• between pleaדִּיןdîyn dûn · judgmentH1779
• and between strokeנֶ֫גַעnega‛ · plagueH5061
• of controversyרִיבrîyb rib · strifeH7379
• within thy gatesשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gate: townH8179
• then shalt thou ariseקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
• and get thee upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
• into the placeמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
• which the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• thy Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• shall chooseבָּחַרbâchar · to chooseH977

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 17:8

• Deuteronomy 1:17You must not show partiality in judgment —you must hear the small and the great alike. Fear no man, for the judgment is God’s. The case that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me and I will hear it.’
• Exodus 18:26They judged the people all the time. The hard cases they brought to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
• 1 Kings 3:16Later two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him.
• 2 Chronicles 19:8In Jerusalem also, Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites, kohanim and the leading patriarchs of Israel to render the judgment of Adonai and to settle disputes among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
• Haggai 2:11“Thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot: ‘Ask now the kohanim for a ruling.
• Malachi 2:7For a kohen’s lips should guard knowledge, and instruction must be sought from his mouth. For he is a messenger of Adonai-Tzva’ot.
• Deuteronomy 19:4Now this is the case of the one who kills, who may flee there and live—whoever kills his neighbor unintentionally and did not hate him in the past—
• Exodus 21:12“Whoever strikes a man so that he dies must surely be put to death.
• Exodus 22:2But if the sun has risen, there is bloodguilt, and he is to make full restitution. If he has nothing, then he must be sold for his theft.
• Numbers 35:11You are to select cities which will be cities of refuge, to which one might flee if he has killed someone by accident.
• Deuteronomy 12:5Rather you are to seek only the place Adonai your God chooses from all your tribes to put His Name to dwell—there you will come.
• Deuteronomy 19:17Then both people who have the dispute will stand before Adonai, before the kohanim and judges in charge at that time.
• Psalms 122:4There the tribes go up, the tribes of Adonai —as a testimony to Israel— to praise the Name of Adonai.

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 17:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8If there arise a matter too hard for thee - These directions are given to the common magistrates, who might not be able to judge of or apply the law in all cases that might be brought before them. The priests and Levites, who were lawyers by birth and continual practice, were reasonably considered as the best qualified to decide on difficult points.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8-13Verses 8-13 The cases in question are such as the inferior judges did not feel able to decide satisfactorily, and which accordingly they remitted to their superiors (compare Exodus 18:23-27). The Supreme court Deuteronomy 17:9 is referred to in very general terms as sitting at the sanctuary Deuteronomy 17:8. “The judge” would no doubt usually be a layman, and thus the court would contain both an ecclesiastical and a civil element. Jehoshaphat 2 Chronicles…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-13Verses 8-13 Courts of judgment were to be set up in every city. Though their judgment had not the Divine authority of an oracle, it was the judgment of wise, prudent, experienced men, and had the advantage of a Divine promise.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8whether the controversy within your gates is regarding bloodshed: In the Old Testament, as in many legal systems today, murder was intentional, and manslaughter was accidental (compare 19:1–13).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 8-138-13. If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment--In all civil or criminal cases, where there was any doubt or difficulty in giving a decision, the local magistrates were to submit them by reference to the tribunal of the Sanhedrim--the supreme council, which was composed partly of civil and partly of ecclesiastical persons. "The priests and Levites," should rather be "the priests--the Levites"; that is, the Levitical priests, including the…Read the comment

Topics related to Deuteronomy 17:8

• Assault and Battery
• Church
• Court
• Judge
• Pleading
• Priest

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Galilee
• Gate
• Mouth
• Murder
• Priest
• Appeal
• Atonement, Day of
• Controversy

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