Focused Passage

Deuteronomy 17:8-13

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

8 If a case is too difficult for you to judge, whether the controversy within your gates is regarding bloodshed, lawsuits, or assaults, you must go up to the place the LORD your God will choose.

9 You are to go to the Levitical priests and to the judge who presides at that time. Inquire of them, and they will give you a verdict in the case.

10 You must abide by the verdict they give you at the place the LORD will choose. Be careful to do everything they instruct you,

11 according to the terms of law they give and the verdict they proclaim. Do not turn aside to the right or to the left from the decision they declare to you.

12 But the man who acts presumptuously, refusing to listen either to the priest who stands there to serve the LORD your God, or to the judge, must be put to death. You must purge the evil from Israel.

13 Then all the people will hear and be afraid, and will no longer behave arrogantly.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 8

Original words

If כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction a case דָבָ֜ר H1697 Noun - masculine singular is too difficult יִפָּלֵא֩ H6381 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular for you מִמְּךָ֨ H4480 Preposition | second person masculine singular to judge לַמִּשְׁפָּ֗ט H4941 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular whether דִּבְרֵ֥י H1697 Noun - masculine plural construct the controversy רִיבֹ֖ת H7379 Noun - masculine plural within your gates בִּשְׁעָרֶ֑יךָ H8179 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular is regarding בֵּֽין־ H996 Preposition bloodshed דָּ֨ם׀ H1818 Noun - masculine singular . . . לְדָ֜ם H1818 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular . . . בֵּֽין־ H996 Preposition lawsuits דִּ֣ין H1779 Noun - masculine singular . . . לְדִ֗ין H1779 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular . . . וּבֵ֥ין H996 Conjunctive waw | Preposition or assaults נֶ֙גַע֙ H5061 Noun - masculine singular . . . לָנֶ֔גַע H5061 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular . . . וְקַמְתָּ֣ H6965 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular you must go up וְעָלִ֔יתָ H5927 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition the place הַמָּק֔וֹם H4725 Article | Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative the LORD יְהוָ֥ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular - בּֽוֹ׃ Preposition | third person masculine singular will choose יִבְחַ֛ר H977 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 9

Original words

You are to go וּבָאתָ֗ H935 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition the Levitical הַלְוִיִּ֔ם H3881 Article | Noun - proper - masculine plural priests הַכֹּהֲנִים֙ H3548 Article | Noun - masculine plural and to וְאֶל־ H413 Conjunctive waw | Preposition the judge הַשֹּׁפֵ֔ט H8199 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular who אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative . . . יִהְיֶ֖ה H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular presides at that הָהֵ֑ם H1992 Article | Pronoun - third person masculine plural time בַּיָּמִ֣ים H3117 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural Inquire of them וְדָרַשְׁתָּ֙ H1875 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular and they will give וְהִגִּ֣ידוּ H5046 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural you לְךָ֔ Preposition | second person masculine singular - אֵ֖ת H853 Direct object marker a verdict דְּבַ֥ר H1697 Noun - masculine singular construct in the case הַמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃ H4639 Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 10

Original words

You must abide by וְעָשִׂ֗יתָ H6213 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular . . . עַל־ H5921 Preposition . . . פִּ֤י H6310 Noun - masculine singular construct the verdict הַדָּבָר֙ H1697 Article | Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative they give יַגִּ֣ידֽוּ H5046 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural you לְךָ֔ Preposition | second person masculine singular at מִן־ H4480 Preposition the place הַמָּק֣וֹם H4725 Article | Noun - masculine singular . . . הַה֔וּא H1931 Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singular - אֲשֶׁ֖ר H834 Pronoun - relative the LORD יְהוָ֑ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular will choose יִבְחַ֣ר H977 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Be careful וְשָׁמַרְתָּ֣ H8104 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular to do לַעֲשׂ֔וֹת H6213 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct everything כְּכֹ֖ל H3605 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative they instruct you יוֹרֽוּךָ׃ H3384 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | second person masculine singular
Verse 11

Original words

according עַל־ H5921 Preposition to the terms פִּ֨י H6310 Noun - masculine singular construct of law הַתּוֹרָ֜ה H8451 Article | Noun - feminine singular - אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative they give יוֹר֗וּךָ H3384 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | second person masculine singular . . . וְעַל־ H5921 Conjunctive waw | Preposition and the verdict הַמִּשְׁפָּ֛ט H4941 Article | Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative they proclaim יֹאמְר֥וּ H559 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural - תַּעֲשֶׂ֑ה H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular Do not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle turn aside תָס֗וּר H5493 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular to the right יָמִ֥ין H3225 Noun - feminine singular or to the left וּשְׂמֹֽאל׃ H8040 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular from מִן־ H4480 Preposition the decision הַדָּבָ֛ר H1697 Article | Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative they declare יַגִּ֥ידֽוּ H5046 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural to you לְךָ֖ Preposition | second person masculine singular
Verse 12

Original words

But the man וְהָאִ֞ישׁ H376 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular who אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative acts יַעֲשֶׂ֣ה H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular presumptuously בְזָד֗וֹן H2087 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular refusing לְבִלְתִּ֨י H1115 Preposition-l to listen שְׁמֹ֤עַ H8085 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct either to אֶל־ H413 Preposition the priest הַכֹּהֵן֙ H3548 Article | Noun - masculine singular who stands הָעֹמֵ֞ד H5975 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular there שָׁם֙ H8033 Adverb - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker to serve לְשָׁ֤רֶת H8334 Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct the LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular or א֖וֹ H176 Conjunction to אֶל־ H413 Preposition the judge הַשֹּׁפֵ֑ט H8199 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular must be put to death וּמֵת֙ H4191 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular . . . הָאִ֣ישׁ H376 Article | Noun - masculine singular . . . הַה֔וּא H1931 Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singular You must purge וּבִֽעַרְתָּ֥ H1197 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular the evil הָרָ֖ע H7451 Article | Adjective - masculine singular from Israel מִיִּשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ H3478 Preposition-m | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 13

Original words

Then all וְכָל־ H3605 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct the people הָעָ֖ם H5971 Article | Noun - masculine singular will hear יִשְׁמְע֣וּ H8085 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural and be afraid וְיִרָ֑אוּ H3372 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural and will no וְלֹ֥א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle longer עֽוֹד׃ס H5750 Adverb behave arrogantly יְזִיד֖וּן H2102 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | Paragogic nun

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.