Deuteronomy 17-18

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 17

The charge of this chapter is, I. Concerning the purity and perfection of all those animals that were offered in sacrifice, Deut. 17:1. II. Concerning the punishment of those that worshipped idols, Deut. 17:2-7. III. Concerning appeals from the inferior courts to the great sanhedrim, Deut. 17:8-13. IV. Concerning the choice and duty of a king, Deut. 17:14-20 read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 17:1-7

Here is, I. A law for preserving the honour of God's worship, by providing that no creature that had any blemish should be offered in sacrifice to him, Deut. 17:1. This caveat we have often met with: Thou shalt not sacrifice that which has any blemish, which renders it unsightly, or any evil matter or thing (as the following word night better be rendered), any sickness or weakness, though not discernible at first view; it is an abomination to God. God is the best of beings, and therefore... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 17:8-13

Courts of judgment were ordered to be erected in every city (Deut. 16:18), and they were empowered to hear and determine causes according to law, both those which we call pleas of the crown and those between party and party; and we may suppose that ordinarily they ended the matters that were brought before them, and their sentence was definitive; but, 1. It is here taken for granted that sometimes a case might come into their court too difficult for those inferior judges to determine, who... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 17:14-20

After the laws which concerned subjects fitly followed the laws which concern kings; for those that rule others must themselves remember that they are under command. Here are laws given, I. To the electors of the empire, what rules they must go by in making their choice, Deut. 17:14, 15. 1. It is here supposed that the people would, in process of time, be desirous of a king, whose royal pomp and power would be thought to make their nation look great among their neighbours. Their having a king... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 17

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 17 This chapter begins with a caution not to sacrifice anything to the Lord that is blemished or ill favoured, Deuteronomy 17:1 , an order is given to put to death men or women guilty of idolatry, where it is clearly proved upon them, Deuteronomy 17:2 and it is directed that when cases are too hard for inferior judges to determine, they should be brought to Jerusalem to the priests, Levites, and judges, which formed the great consistory there, whose sentence... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 17:1

Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the Lord thy God any bullock or sheep wherein is blemish ,.... No sacrifice of any sort, whether burnt offering, sin offering, or peace offering, was to have any blemish in it; typical of the unblemished and immaculate Lamb of God, who, being without sin, offered himself without spot to God, and so could take away the sins of others by the sacrifice of himself; see Leviticus 22:18 , or any evilfavouredness ; any sickness or disease upon it of any sort,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 17:2

If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee ,.... In any of their cities in the land of Canaan: man or woman that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord thy God : as all that is wrought is in the sight of the omniscient God; here it means not any kind of wickedness, for there is none lives without committing sin of one sort or another, all which is known to God the searcher of hearts, but such wickedness as is after described: in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 17:3

And hath gone ,.... The Targum of Jonathan adds, after the evil imagination or concupiscence, lusting after other lovers, and forsaking the true God, and departing from his worship: and served other gods ; strange gods, the idols of the people, other gods besides the true God; the creature besides the Creator: and worshipped them ; by bowing down before them, praying to them, or ascribing their mercies and blessings to them, and giving them the glory of them: either the sun, or... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 17:4

And it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it, and inquired diligently ,.... A report of this kind was not to be neglected; though it was not to be concluded upon as certain by hearsay, it was to be looked into, and the persons that brought it thoroughly examined; so the Targum of Jonathan,"and inquired the witnesses well,'what proof and evidence they could give of the fact, who the persons were, when and where, and in what manner the sin was committed: and, behold, it be true, and ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 17:5

Thou shall bring forth that man or that woman which have committed the wicked thing ,.... Idolatry in any of the above instances: this must be supposed to be done after he or she have been had before a court of judicature, and have been tried and found guilty, and sentence passed on them, then they were to be brought forth to execution: unto thy gates ; the Targum of Jonathan says, unto the gates of your sanhedrim, or court of judicature; but Jarchi observes, that this is a mistake of... read more

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