Deuteronomy 17:4

4 and this is told to thee, and thou hearest (of) it, and inquirest diligently, and thou findest that it is sooth, and that (such an) abomination is done 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 And when a man either a woman, that do evil in the sight of thy Lord God, be found with thee, within one of thy gates which thy Lord God shall give to thee, and they break the covenant of God,

3 that they go and serve alien gods, and worship them, the sun, and the moon, and all the knighthood of heaven, which things I commanded not; (and go and serve foreign, or other, gods, and worship them, or the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, which things I would never command;)

4 and this is told to thee, and thou hearest (of) it, and inquirest diligently, and thou findest that it is sooth, and that (such an) abomination is done in Israel;

5 thou shalt lead out the man and the woman, that did that most cursed thing, to the gates of thy city, and they shall be oppressed with stones (until they die). (thou shalt lead out the man, or the woman, who did this most cursed thing, to the gates of thy city, and they shall be killed with stones.)

6 He that shall be slain, shall perish in the mouth of twain, either of three witnesses; no man be slain, for one man saith witnessing against him. (He who shall be put to death, shall die only after the testimony of two, or three, witnesses; no one shall die because one person saith witnessing against them.)