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

8If 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.

9You 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.

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

11according 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.

12But 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.

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

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 8

Original words

Ifכִּ֣יH3588Conjunctiona caseדָבָ֜רH1697Noun - masculine singularis too difficultיִפָּלֵא֩H6381Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularfor youמִמְּךָ֨H4480Preposition | second person masculine singularto judgeלַמִּשְׁפָּ֗טH4941Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singularwhetherדִּבְרֵ֥יH1697Noun - masculine plural constructthe controversyרִיבֹ֖תH7379Noun - masculine pluralwithin your gatesבִּשְׁעָרֶ֑יךָH8179Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularis regardingבֵּֽין־H996Prepositionbloodshedדָּ֨ם׀H1818Noun - masculine singular. . .לְדָ֜םH1818Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular. . .בֵּֽין־H996Prepositionlawsuitsדִּ֣יןH1779Noun - masculine singular. . .לְדִ֗יןH1779Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular. . .וּבֵ֥יןH996Conjunctive waw | Prepositionor assaultsנֶ֙גַע֙H5061Noun - masculine singular. . .לָנֶ֔גַעH5061Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular. . .וְקַמְתָּ֣H6965Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularyou must go upוְעָלִ֔יתָH5927Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe placeהַמָּק֔וֹםH4725Article | Noun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativethe LORDיְהוָ֥הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהֶ֖יךָH430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular-בּֽוֹ׃Preposition | third person masculine singularwill chooseיִבְחַ֛רH977Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 9

Original words

You are to goוּבָאתָ֗H935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe Leviticalהַלְוִיִּ֔םH3881Article | Noun - proper - masculine pluralpriestsהַכֹּהֲנִים֙H3548Article | Noun - masculine pluraland toוְאֶל־H413Conjunctive waw | Prepositionthe judgeהַשֹּׁפֵ֔טH8199Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularwhoאֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relative. . .יִהְיֶ֖הH1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularpresides at thatהָהֵ֑םH1992Article | Pronoun - third person masculine pluraltimeבַּיָּמִ֣יםH3117Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine pluralInquire of themוְדָרַשְׁתָּ֙H1875Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularand they will giveוְהִגִּ֣ידוּH5046Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person common pluralyouלְךָ֔Preposition | second person masculine singular-אֵ֖תH853Direct object markera verdictדְּבַ֥רH1697Noun - masculine singular constructin the caseהַמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃H4639Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 10

Original words

You must abide byוְעָשִׂ֗יתָH6213Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular. . .עַל־H5921Preposition. . .פִּ֤יH6310Noun - masculine singular constructthe verdictהַדָּבָר֙H1697Article | Noun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativethey giveיַגִּ֣ידֽוּH5046Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralyouלְךָ֔Preposition | second person masculine singularatמִן־H4480Prepositionthe placeהַמָּק֣וֹםH4725Article | Noun - masculine singular. . .הַה֔וּאH1931Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singular-אֲשֶׁ֖רH834Pronoun - relativethe LORDיְהוָ֑הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularwill chooseיִבְחַ֣רH977Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularBe carefulוְשָׁמַרְתָּ֣H8104Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularto doלַעֲשׂ֔וֹתH6213Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructeverythingכְּכֹ֖לH3605Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativethey instruct youיוֹרֽוּךָ׃H3384Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | second person masculine singular
Verse 11

Original words

accordingעַל־H5921Prepositionto the termsפִּ֨יH6310Noun - masculine singular constructof lawהַתּוֹרָ֜הH8451Article | Noun - feminine singular-אֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativethey giveיוֹר֗וּךָH3384Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | second person masculine singular. . .וְעַל־H5921Conjunctive waw | Prepositionand the verdictהַמִּשְׁפָּ֛טH4941Article | Noun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativethey proclaimיֹאמְר֥וּH559Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural-תַּעֲשֶׂ֑הH6213Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularDo notלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particleturn asideתָס֗וּרH5493Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularto the rightיָמִ֥יןH3225Noun - feminine singularor to the leftוּשְׂמֹֽאל׃H8040Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularfromמִן־H4480Prepositionthe decisionהַדָּבָ֛רH1697Article | Noun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativethey declareיַגִּ֥ידֽוּH5046Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralto youלְךָ֖Preposition | second person masculine singular
Verse 12

Original words

But the manוְהָאִ֞ישׁH376Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singularwhoאֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativeactsיַעֲשֶׂ֣הH6213Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularpresumptuouslyבְזָד֗וֹןH2087Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singularrefusingלְבִלְתִּ֨יH1115Preposition-lto listenשְׁמֹ֤עַH8085Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructeither toאֶל־H413Prepositionthe priestהַכֹּהֵן֙H3548Article | Noun - masculine singularwho standsהָעֹמֵ֞דH5975Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularthereשָׁם֙H8033Adverb-אֶת־H853Direct object markerto serveלְשָׁ֤רֶתH8334Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive constructthe LORDיְהוָ֣הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהֶ֔יךָH430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularorא֖וֹH176Conjunctiontoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe judgeהַשֹּׁפֵ֑טH8199Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularmust be put to deathוּמֵת֙H4191Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular. . .הָאִ֣ישׁH376Article | Noun - masculine singular. . .הַה֔וּאH1931Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singularYou must purgeוּבִֽעַרְתָּ֥H1197Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularthe evilהָרָ֖עH7451Article | Adjective - masculine singularfrom Israelמִיִּשְׂרָאֵֽל׃H3478Preposition-m | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 13

Original words

Then allוְכָל־H3605Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructthe peopleהָעָ֖םH5971Article | Noun - masculine singularwill hearיִשְׁמְע֣וּH8085Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluraland be afraidוְיִרָ֑אוּH3372Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine pluraland will noוְלֹ֥אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlelongerעֽוֹד׃סH5750Adverbbehave arrogantlyיְזִיד֖וּןH2102Verb - 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.