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

14 When 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,”

15 you 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.

16 But 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.’

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

18 When 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.

19 It 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.

20 Then 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

When כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction you enter תָבֹ֣א H935 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular . . . אֶל־ H413 Preposition the land הָאָ֗רֶץ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular that אֲשֶׁ֨ר H834 Pronoun - relative the LORD יְהוָ֤ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular is giving נֹתֵ֣ן H5414 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular you לָ֔ךְ Preposition | second person masculine singular and have taken possession of it וִֽירִשְׁתָּ֖הּ H3423 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular | third person feminine singular and settled וְיָשַׁ֣בְתָּה H3427 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular in it בָּ֑הּ Preposition | third person feminine singular and you say וְאָמַרְתָּ֗ H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular Let us set אָשִׂ֤ימָה H7760 Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular a king מֶ֔לֶךְ H4428 Noun - masculine singular over us עָלַי֙ H5921 Preposition | first person common singular like all כְּכָל־ H3605 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct the nations הַגּוֹיִ֖ם H1471 Article | Noun - masculine plural - אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative around us סְבִיבֹתָֽי׃ H5439 Adverb | first person common singular
Verse 15

Original words

you are to appoint שׂ֣וֹם H7760 Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute over yourselves עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ H5921 Preposition | second person masculine singular the king מֶ֔לֶךְ H4428 Noun - masculine singular whom אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative the LORD יְהוָ֥ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular shall choose יִבְחַ֛ר H977 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Appoint תָּשִׂ֤ים H7760 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular a king מֶ֔לֶךְ H4428 Noun - masculine singular from among מִקֶּ֣רֶב H7130 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct your brothers אַחֶ֗יךָ H251 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular . . . תָּשִׂ֤ים H7760 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular you are not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle . . . תוּכַ֗ל H3201 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular to set לָתֵ֤ת H5414 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct . . . עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ H5921 Preposition | second person masculine singular over yourselves עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ H5921 Preposition | second person masculine singular a foreigner אִ֣ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular . . . נָכְרִ֔י H5237 Adjective - masculine singular who אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative is הֽוּא׃ H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular not לֹֽא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle one of your brothers אָחִ֖יךָ H251 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 16

Original words

But רַק֮ H7535 Adverb [the king] must not לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle acquire many יַרְבֶּה־ H7235 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular horses סוּסִים֒ H5483 Noun - masculine plural for himself לּ֣וֹ Preposition | third person masculine singular [or] וְלֹֽא־ H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle send the people הָעָם֙ H5971 Article | Noun - masculine singular back יָשִׁ֤יב H7725 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker to Egypt מִצְרַ֔יְמָה H4714 Noun - proper - feminine singular | third person feminine singular to לְמַ֖עַן H4616 Conjunction acquire more הַרְבּ֣וֹת H7235 Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct horses ס֑וּס H5483 Noun - masculine singular for the LORD וַֽיהוָה֙ H3068 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular has said אָמַ֣ר H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular - לָכֶ֔ם Preposition | second person masculine plural You are תֹסִפ֗וּן H3254 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun never לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle to go back לָשׁ֛וּב H7725 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct that הַזֶּ֖ה H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular way בַּדֶּ֥רֶךְ H1870 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singular again עֽוֹד׃ H5750 Adverb
Verse 17

Original words

He must not וְלֹ֤א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle take many יַרְבֶּה־ H7235 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular wives נָשִׁ֔ים H802 Noun - feminine plural for himself לּוֹ֙ Preposition | third person masculine singular lest וְלֹ֥א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle his heart לְבָב֑וֹ H3824 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular go astray יָס֖וּר H5493 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular He must not לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle accumulate יַרְבֶּה־ H7235 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular for himself לּ֖וֹ Preposition | third person masculine singular large amounts מְאֹֽד׃ H3966 Adverb of silver וְכֶ֣סֶף H3701 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular and gold וְזָהָ֔ב H2091 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 18

Original words

- וְהָיָ֣ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular When he is seated כְשִׁבְתּ֔וֹ H3427 Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular on עַ֖ל H5921 Preposition his royal מַמְלַכְתּ֑וֹ H4467 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular throne כִּסֵּ֣א H3678 Noun - masculine singular construct he must write וְכָ֨תַב H3789 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular for himself ל֜וֹ Preposition | third person masculine singular אֶת־ אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker a copy מִשְׁנֵ֨ה H4932 Noun - masculine singular construct of this הַזֹּאת֙ H2063 Article | Pronoun - feminine singular instruction הַתּוֹרָ֤ה H8451 Article | Noun - feminine singular on עַל־ H5921 Preposition a scroll סֵ֔פֶר H5612 Noun - masculine singular in the presence מִלִּפְנֵ֥י H6440 Preposition-m, Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct of the Levitical הַלְוִיִּֽם׃ H3881 Article | Noun - proper - masculine plural priests הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים H3548 Article | Noun - masculine plural
Verse 19

Original words

It is to remain וְהָיְתָ֣ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular with him עִמּ֔וֹ H5973 Preposition | third person masculine singular and he is to read וְקָ֥רָא H7121 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular from it ב֖וֹ Preposition | third person masculine singular all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct the days יְמֵ֣י H3117 Noun - masculine plural construct of his life חַיָּ֑יו H2416 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular so that לְמַ֣עַן H4616 Conjunction he may learn יִלְמַ֗ד H3925 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular to fear לְיִרְאָה֙ H3372 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular his God אֱלֹהָ֔יו H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular by carefully observing לִ֠שְׁמֹר H8104 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct - אֶֽת־ H853 Direct object marker all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct the words דִּבְרֵ֞י H1697 Noun - masculine plural construct of this הַזֹּ֛את H2063 Article | Pronoun - feminine singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker instruction הַתּוֹרָ֥ה H8451 Article | Noun - feminine singular and these הָאֵ֖לֶּה H428 Article | Pronoun - common plural statutes הַחֻקִּ֥ים H2706 Article | Noun - masculine plural - לַעֲשֹׂתָֽם׃ H6213 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine plural
Verse 20

Original words

Then his heart לְבָבוֹ֙ H3824 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular will not לְבִלְתִּ֤י H1115 Preposition-l be exalted רוּם־ H7311 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct above מִן־ H4480 Preposition his countrymen מֵֽאֶחָ֔יו H251 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular and he will not וּלְבִלְתִּ֛י H1115 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l turn aside ס֥וּר H5493 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct from the commandment הַמִּצְוָ֖ה H4687 Article | Noun - feminine singular to the right יָמִ֣ין H3225 Noun - feminine singular or to the left וּשְׂמֹ֑אול H8040 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular in order that לְמַעַן֩ H4616 Conjunction he ה֥וּא H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular and his sons וּבָנָ֖יו H1121 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular may reign יַאֲרִ֨יךְ H748 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular many years יָמִ֧ים H3117 Noun - masculine plural over עַל־ H5921 Preposition his kingdom מַמְלַכְתּ֛וֹ H4467 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular in בְּקֶ֥רֶב H7130 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct Israel יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ס H3478 Noun - 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.