Focused Passage

Deuteronomy 17:14-20

Perfect Sacrifices, Supreme Courts, and the King Who Reads Torah: The Covenant's Institutional Order

From sacrifice integrity and the prosecution of astral idolatry (vv. 1-7), through the supreme court at the chosen place for hard cases (vv. 8-13), to the law of the king — the LORD's chosen brother who reads Torah daily and whose heart is not lifted above his brothers (vv. 14-20).

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

14When you enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, “Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,”

15you are to appoint over yourselves the king whom the LORD your God shall choose. Appoint a king from among your brothers; you are not to set over yourselves a foreigner who is not one of your brothers.

16But the king must not acquire many horses for himself or send the people back to Egypt to acquire more horses, for the LORD has said, ‘You are never to go back that way again.’

17He must not take many wives for himself, lest his heart go astray. He must not accumulate for himself large amounts of silver and gold.

18When he is seated on his royal throne, he must write for himself a copy of this instruction on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests.

19It is to remain with him, and he is to read from it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by carefully observing all the words of this instruction and these statutes.

20Then his heart will not be exalted above his countrymen, and he will not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or to the left, in order that he and his sons may reign many years over his kingdom in Israel.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 14

Original words

Whenכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionyou enterתָבֹ֣אH935Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular. . .אֶל־H413Prepositionthe landהָאָ֗רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singularthatאֲשֶׁ֨רH834Pronoun - relativethe LORDיְהוָ֤הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙H430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularis givingנֹתֵ֣ןH5414Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularyouלָ֔ךְPreposition | second person masculine singularand have taken possession of itוִֽירִשְׁתָּ֖הּH3423Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular | third person feminine singularand settledוְיָשַׁ֣בְתָּהH3427Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularin itבָּ֑הּPreposition | third person feminine singularand you sayוְאָמַרְתָּ֗H559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularLet us setאָשִׂ֤ימָהH7760Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singulara kingמֶ֔לֶךְH4428Noun - masculine singularover usעָלַי֙H5921Preposition | first person common singularlike allכְּכָל־H3605Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular constructthe nationsהַגּוֹיִ֖םH1471Article | Noun - masculine plural-אֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativearound usסְבִיבֹתָֽי׃H5439Adverb | first person common singular
Verse 15

Original words

you are to appointשׂ֣וֹםH7760Verb - Qal - Infinitive absoluteover yourselvesעָלֶ֙יךָ֙H5921Preposition | second person masculine singularthe kingמֶ֔לֶךְH4428Noun - masculine singularwhomאֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativethe LORDיְהוָ֥הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהֶ֖יךָH430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularshall chooseיִבְחַ֛רH977Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularAppointתָּשִׂ֤יםH7760Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singulara kingמֶ֔לֶךְH4428Noun - masculine singularfrom amongמִקֶּ֣רֶבH7130Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular constructyour brothersאַחֶ֗יךָH251Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular. . .תָּשִׂ֤יםH7760Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularyou are notלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particle. . .תוּכַ֗לH3201Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularto setלָתֵ֤תH5414Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct. . .עָלֶ֙יךָ֙H5921Preposition | second person masculine singularover yourselvesעָלֶ֙יךָ֙H5921Preposition | second person masculine singulara foreignerאִ֣ישׁH376Noun - masculine singular. . .נָכְרִ֔יH5237Adjective - masculine singularwhoאֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativeisהֽוּא׃H1931Pronoun - third person masculine singularnotלֹֽא־H3808Adverb - Negative particleone of your brothersאָחִ֖יךָH251Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 16

Original words

Butרַק֮H7535Adverb[the king] must notלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particleacquire manyיַרְבֶּה־H7235Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singularhorsesסוּסִים֒H5483Noun - masculine pluralfor himselfלּ֣וֹPreposition | third person masculine singular[or]וְלֹֽא־H3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlesend the peopleהָעָם֙H5971Article | Noun - masculine singularbackיָשִׁ֤יבH7725Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerto Egyptמִצְרַ֔יְמָהH4714Noun - proper - feminine singular | third person feminine singulartoלְמַ֖עַןH4616Conjunctionacquire moreהַרְבּ֣וֹתH7235Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructhorsesס֑וּסH5483Noun - masculine singularfor the LORDוַֽיהוָה֙H3068Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singularhas saidאָמַ֣רH559Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular-לָכֶ֔םPreposition | second person masculine pluralYou areתֹסִפ֗וּןH3254Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nunneverלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particleto go backלָשׁ֛וּבH7725Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructthatהַזֶּ֖הH2088Article | Pronoun - masculine singularwayבַּדֶּ֥רֶךְH1870Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singularagainעֽוֹד׃H5750Adverb
Verse 17

Original words

He must notוְלֹ֤אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particletake manyיַרְבֶּה־H7235Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singularwivesנָשִׁ֔יםH802Noun - feminine pluralfor himselfלּוֹ֙Preposition | third person masculine singularlestוְלֹ֥אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlehis heartלְבָב֑וֹH3824Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singulargo astrayיָס֖וּרH5493Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularHe must notלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particleaccumulateיַרְבֶּה־H7235Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singularfor himselfלּ֖וֹPreposition | third person masculine singularlarge amountsמְאֹֽד׃H3966Adverbof silverוְכֶ֣סֶףH3701Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularand goldוְזָהָ֔בH2091Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 18

Original words

-וְהָיָ֣הH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularWhen he is seatedכְשִׁבְתּ֔וֹH3427Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singularonעַ֖לH5921Prepositionhis royalמַמְלַכְתּ֑וֹH4467Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularthroneכִּסֵּ֣אH3678Noun - masculine singular constructhe must writeוְכָ֨תַבH3789Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularfor himselfל֜וֹPreposition | third person masculine singularאֶת־אֶת־H853Direct object markera copyמִשְׁנֵ֨הH4932Noun - masculine singular constructof thisהַזֹּאת֙H2063Article | Pronoun - feminine singularinstructionהַתּוֹרָ֤הH8451Article | Noun - feminine singularonעַל־H5921Prepositiona scrollסֵ֔פֶרH5612Noun - masculine singularin the presenceמִלִּפְנֵ֥יH6440Preposition-m, Preposition-l | Noun - common plural constructof the Leviticalהַלְוִיִּֽם׃H3881Article | Noun - proper - masculine pluralpriestsהַכֹּהֲנִ֖יםH3548Article | Noun - masculine plural
Verse 19

Original words

It is to remainוְהָיְתָ֣הH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singularwith himעִמּ֔וֹH5973Preposition | third person masculine singularand he is to readוְקָ֥רָאH7121Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularfrom itב֖וֹPreposition | third person masculine singularallכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructthe daysיְמֵ֣יH3117Noun - masculine plural constructof his lifeחַיָּ֑יוH2416Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singularso thatלְמַ֣עַןH4616Conjunctionhe may learnיִלְמַ֗דH3925Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularto fearלְיִרְאָה֙H3372Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe LORDיְהוָ֣הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularhis Godאֱלֹהָ֔יוH430Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singularby carefully observingלִ֠שְׁמֹרH8104Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct-אֶֽת־H853Direct object markerallכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructthe wordsדִּבְרֵ֞יH1697Noun - masculine plural constructof thisהַזֹּ֛אתH2063Article | Pronoun - feminine singular-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerinstructionהַתּוֹרָ֥הH8451Article | Noun - feminine singularand theseהָאֵ֖לֶּהH428Article | Pronoun - common pluralstatutesהַחֻקִּ֥יםH2706Article | Noun - masculine plural-לַעֲשֹׂתָֽם׃H6213Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine plural
Verse 20

Original words

Then his heartלְבָבוֹ֙H3824Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularwill notלְבִלְתִּ֤יH1115Preposition-lbe exaltedרוּם־H7311Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructaboveמִן־H4480Prepositionhis countrymenמֵֽאֶחָ֔יוH251Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singularand he will notוּלְבִלְתִּ֛יH1115Conjunctive waw, Preposition-lturn asideס֥וּרH5493Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructfrom the commandmentהַמִּצְוָ֖הH4687Article | Noun - feminine singularto the rightיָמִ֣יןH3225Noun - feminine singularor to the leftוּשְׂמֹ֑אולH8040Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularin order thatלְמַעַן֩H4616Conjunctionheה֥וּאH1931Pronoun - third person masculine singularand his sonsוּבָנָ֖יוH1121Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singularmay reignיַאֲרִ֨יךְH748Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singularmany yearsיָמִ֧יםH3117Noun - masculine pluraloverעַל־H5921Prepositionhis kingdomמַמְלַכְתּ֛וֹH4467Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularinבְּקֶ֥רֶבH7130Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃סH3478Noun - proper - masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.