Though it seems that these appointments, were of a civil and political kind, and therefore make a digression from what went before, yet they serve to show the gracious attention of GOD toward his people. Romans 13:1 . read more
Magistrates, ( magistros, ) "masters;" people learned in the law, who may assist the judges with their counsel in any emergency. Hebrew shotrim, "officers, heralds, lictors," &c., chap. i. 15. (Haydock) --- Bonfrere (in Exodus xviii. 25,) thinks that these were the judges set over each tribe, or else the assessors of the judges. (Menochius) --- The Rabbins mention three tribunals of the Jews: 1. The Sanhedrim, consisting of seventy judges, with a prince at the head of them; 2. the... read more
Just. Avarice is like a cloud, (Calmet) which darkens the understanding. Oppression troubleth the wise, and (Hebrew) "a present destroyeth the heart. " A timid or interested judge is unfit for his office. Sir Thomas More was very careful not to receive presents, while he was high chancellor of England. (Haydock) --- If even the just are in danger of being perverted by presents, what must we think of others? (Du Hamel) read more
18-22 Care is taken for the due administration of justice. All personal regards must be laid aside, so that right is done to all, and wrong to none. Care is taken to prevent following the idolatrous customs of the heathen. Nothing belies God more, or tends more to corrupt the minds of men, than representing and worshipping, by an image, that God, who is an almighty and eternal Spirit, present every where. Alas! even in gospel days, and under a better dispensation, established upon better... read more
Precepts of Right Judgment v. 18. Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, in all cities and towns, which the Lord, thy God, giveth thee, throughout thy tribes, Deuteronomy 1:12-Job :. So the judges were to have assistants, not only for clerical work, but also as counselors and as keepers of the genealogical records; and they shall judge the people with just judgment, with a strict regard for righteousness and justice. v. 19. Thou shalt not wrest judgment, stretch the... read more
The Fifth CommandDeuteronomy 16:18 to Deuteronomy 18:22Deuteronomy 16:18-2218Judges and officers shalt thou make [give] thee in all thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment. 19Thou shalt not wrest [bend, turn aside] judgment; thou shalt not respect persons [the face] neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous. 20That which is altogether just, [Justice,... read more
As the section dealing with the statutes commenced with the place of worship, it closed with the restatement of the importance of the great feasts which by their annual recurrence set the whole year in relation to worship. The year commenced with the Passover. Thus at the beginning the Hebrews were reminded of how their true national existence resulted from their deliverance by God out of Egypt's bondage. The Passover feast must be maintained in the land and observed at the proper center of... read more
The Need To Appoint Satisfactory Judges (Deuteronomy 16:18-20 ). Crucial to enjoying blessing in the land was the establishing of a satisfactory system of justice. There can be no question that a fair and effective justice system produces the maximum benefit for everyone, even though some prefer to be without it because they are greedy and in their hearts godless. To distort justice is to dishonour God, and He will eventually call to account all who do so. As we have already noted, in... read more
Deuteronomy 16. The Deuteronomic Laws of the Three Annual Pilgrimage Feasts.— These are adaptations of the older laws in Exodus 23:18 *, Exodus 34:18-Proverbs :; Exodus 34:22 f. (general regulations); Deuteronomy 12:21-Daniel : (Passover); Deuteronomy 13:3-2 Samuel : (Unleavened Bread), all J or E (see also Leviticus 23* (H) and Numbers 28 f., Numbers 9:1-:, Exodus 12:1-Proverbs : *, Exodus 12:43-Ephesians : *, (all P), also pp. 102– 104. D in the present chapter lays stress upon the... read more
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The People's Bible by Joseph Parker - Deuteronomy 16:1-22
Conditions of Worship Deuteronomy 16:0 The time is specified, and the reason is given. This is the law, rather than a mere accident. The law is: that every month has a memory, every day has a story, every night has a star all its own. Selected instances help us to ascertain general principles. Acting upon those instances, we become familiar with their spirit and moral genius, so much so that we begin to ask, Are there not other memorable events? Are there not other times of deliverance? Have... read more