Deuteronomy 17:2-7

Capital punishment

2 If someone, whether male or female, is found in your community—in one of the cities the LORD your God is giving you—who does evil in the LORD your God's eyes, by breaking God's covenant,

3 by following and serving other gods, and by bowing down to them, to the sun or the moon or any of the heavenly bodies that I haven't permitted—

4 and you hear news about it, then you must look into this situation very carefully. And if it's definitely true that this detestable thing was done in Israel,

5 then you must bring out the man or woman who has done this evil thing to the gates of the city. Stone that person until he or she is dead.

6 Capital punishment must be decided by two or three witnesses. No one may be executed on the basis of only one testimony.

7 In the execution, the hands of the witnesses must be against the guilty person from the start; the hand of all the people will be involved at the end. Remove such evil from your community!

Deuteronomy 17:2-7 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.

Footnotes

• [a] Or burn