Deuteronomy 17 Footnotes

17:15 Israel was commanded to permit itself no foreign rulers. This is a token of the fact that Israel was a people set apart by the Lord to be—through both declaration and example—his unique representative among the nations. To be ruled by a foreign king would open the door to contamination of Israel’s faith through the influence of pagan religion. Ultimately it would lead to the dissipation of God’s purpose in bringing salvation to all nations through a pure and separated people.

17:16-17 The command to avoid the amassing of horses and wives was clearly disobeyed by all the kings of Israel, beginning with David and epitomized by Solomon (1Kg 4:26; 10:26-29; 11:3-4). This is not an example of contradiction in the Bible. It illustrates the discrepancy between God’s ideal standards and the human incapacity or unwillingness to obey them. Scripture upholds no one as a perfect exemplar of obedience to God’s command, except Jesus Christ (2Co 5:21; Heb 4:14; 1Pt 2:22).