Deuteronomy 17:4

4 look at the evidence and investigate carefully. If you find that it is true, that, in fact, an abomination has been committed in Israel,

Deuteronomy 17:4 Meaning and 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] the thing certain;
upon examining the witnesses the case is plain and out of all question:

that such abomination is wrought in Israel;
to do it in any country was abominable, but much more so in the land of Israel, among the professing people of God, who had the knowledge of the true God, and had had so many proofs of his deity, his power and providence, as well as received so many favours and blessings from him, and had such laws and statutes given them as no other people had.

Deuteronomy 17:4 In-Context

2 If you find anyone within the towns that God, your God, is giving you doing what is wrong in God's eyes, breaking his covenant

3 by going off to worship other gods, bowing down to them - the sun, say, or the moon, or any rebel sky-gods -

4 look at the evidence and investigate carefully. If you find that it is true, that, in fact, an abomination has been committed in Israel,

5 then you are to take the man or woman who did this evil thing outside your city gates and stone the man or the woman. Hurl stones at the person until dead.

6 But only on the testimony of two or three witnesses may a person be put to death. No one may be put to death on the testimony of one witness.