Deuteronomy 17:1-6

1 Thou shalt offer vnto the Lorde thy God no oxe or shepe where in is any deformyte, what soeuer euell fauerednesse it be: for that is an abhominacion vnto the Lorde thi God.

2 Yf there be founde amonge you in any of thi cities which the Lord thi God geueth the man or woman that hath wrought wekednesse in the sighte of the Lord thi God, that they haue gone beyonde his appoyntment,

3 so that they haue gone and serued strauge goddes ad worshipped the, whether it be the sonne or mone or any thinge contayned in heaue which I forbade,

4 and it was tolde the ad thou hast herde of it: Then thou shalt enquere diligently. And yf it be true and the thinge of a suertye that soch abhomynacion is wrought in Israel

5 the thou shalt bringe forth that ma or that woman whiche haue comytted that weked thinge, vnto thi gates ad shalt stone the with stones ad they shall dye.

6 At the mouth of .ij. or .iij witnesses shal he that is worthy of deeth, dye: but at the mouth of one witnesse he shall not dye.

Deuteronomy 17:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 17

This chapter begins with a caution not to sacrifice anything to the Lord that is blemished or ill favoured, De 17:1, an order is given to put to death men or women guilty of idolatry, where it is clearly proved upon them, De 17:2-7 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 was to be adhered unto on pain of death, De 17:8-13, and rules are given about the choice of a king, and he is informed what he must not do, and what he should do, De 17:14-20.