Deuteronomy 17:12 NIV

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Deuteronomy 17:8-13

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 19:4-11 organized his judicial system very closely... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Deuteronomy 17:10-12

Deuteronomy 17:10-12. Thou shalt do according to the sentence He speaks, 1st, To the inferior magistrates, who, in the suits here referred to between man and man, were to give sentence in their lower courts, according to the decision of the great council, or of the supreme judge, and were to take care that that sentence should be carried into execution; and, 2d, To private persons, who, in such cases, are required to acquiesce in the judgment of those whom God had made the supreme... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 17:1-20

Justice and government (16:18-17:20)A collection of miscellaneous laws deals with a variety of civil and religious matters. The courts had to administer justice impartially (18-20); the worship of Yahweh was not to involve any symbols or sacred objects taken from other religions (21-22); people were not to offer sick or lame animals in sacrifice (17:1); the testimony of at least two witnesses had to be in agreement before an accused person could be punished (2-7); and when local judges found a... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Deuteronomy 17:12

Ver. 12. The man that—will not hearken unto the priest, &c.— By priest in this place is thought to be meant the high-priest; or it may be put for priests, the enallage of numbers being frequent in the sacred book; and so it means the same as the priests the Levites in the 9th verse. But, however the word be interpreted, the crime here mentioned was contumacy, in not submitting to the sentence of the highest authority, whereby the government was in danger of being broken; and therefore God... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Deuteronomy 17:8-13

Deuteronomy 17:2 through 7 explain a specific example of how the judges were to deal with a particular type of case. In these verses we see the legal procedure they were to follow in general.When the priests would set up the tabernacle in the land, the nation was to establish a supreme court to provide judgment in cases too difficult for the local judges. The location of this legal center may have been at the tabernacle [Note: Craigie, The Book . . ., p. 252] , or it may have been at some other... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 17:1-20

The Punishment of Idolatry. Controversies to be Settled by Priests and Judges. Election and Duties of a King1. Cp. Leviticus 22:17-25. 2. Wickedness] idolatry, as in Deuteronomy 4:25. 5. Unto thy gates] see on Genesis 19:1.7. The hands of the witnesses] This regulation, by throwing the responsibility of the execution upon the witnesses, would act as a safeguard against false evidence: see on Leviticus 24:14.8-13. Difficult cases are to be referred to a supreme court of judicature, consisting of... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Deuteronomy 17:8-12

Deuteronomy 17:8-20. THE SUPREMACY IN ISRAEL OF THE WRITTEN LAW OF GOD.(8) If there arise a matter too hard for thee.—Literally, too wonderful.Between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke.—The “blood” and the “plea” seem to indicate criminal and civil cases. The word “stroke” is the common word for “plague” in the Pentateuch and elsewhere. It may possibly refer to cases of ceremonial purity or impurity, especially in reference to disease. There is an evident... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Deuteronomy 17:1-20

13. Justice and the Choice of a King CHAPTERS 16:18-17:20 1. Appointment of judges and their instruction (Deuteronomy 16:18-22 ; Deuteronomy 17:1 ) 2. The higher court at the place He chooses (Deuteronomy 17:8-13 ) 3. The choice and right of the king (Deuteronomy 17:14-20 ) This chapter leads us upon new ground. The obligations of the religious life of Israel were stated in the first part of chapter 16 and now the government of the people in the land is commanded. “Just as in its... read more

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - Deuteronomy 17:12

17:12 And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to {h} minister there before the LORD thy God, or unto the judge, even that man shall die: and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel.(h) So long as he is the true minister of God, and pronounces according to his word. read more

L.M. Grant

L. M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 17:1-20

RIGHTEOUS GOVERNMENT (This Continues the subject of) (chap.16:13 to 17:11) This continues the subject of righteous government. The guilt of offering a blemished sacrifice to the Lord must incur severe judgment (vs.1-2) for transgressing God's covenant, as was true in the case of any who worship other gods, whether the sun or moon or the stars which may seem to men on such a high level that worshiping them would be permissible. If a report came of any such abuses, then Israel was to inquire... read more