Deuteronomy 17:6-16

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.
7 And the handes of the witnesses shalbe first vppon him to kyll him, ad afterwarde the handes of all the people: so shalt thou put wekednesse awaye from the.
8 Yf a matter be to harde for the in iudgemet betwene bloud and bloude, plee and plee, plage and plage in maters of strife within thi cities: Then Arise and gett the vpp vnto the place which the Lorde thi God hath chosen,
9 and goo vnto the preastes the leuites and vnto the iudge that shalbe in those dayes, and axe, and they shall shewe the how to iudge.
10 And se that thou doo acordinge to that which they of that place which the Lorde hath chosen shew the and se that thou obserue to doo acordinge to all that they enforme the.
11 Acordinge to the lawe which they teach the and maner of iudgement which they tell the, se that thou doo and that thou bowe not from that which they shewe the, nether to the right hande nor to the lyfte.
12 And that man that will doo presumptuously, so that he will not herken vnto the preast that stondeth there to mynistre vnto the Lorde thi God or vnto the iudge, shall dye: and so thou shalt put awaye euell from Israel.
13 And all the people shall heare and shall feare, and shall doo nomare presumptuosly,
14 When thou art come vnto the lode which the Lorde thi God geueth the and enioyest it and dwellest therin: Yf thou shalt saye, I will sett a kinge ouer me, like vnto all the nacions that are aboute me:
15 Then thou shalt make him kinge ouer the, whom the Lorde thi God shal chose. One of thi brethern must thou make kinge ouer the, and mayst not sett a straunger ouer the which is not of thi brethern.
16 But in ani wyse let hi not holde to many horsses, that he bringe not the people agayne to Egipte thorow the multitude of horsses, for as moch as the Lorde hath sayed vnto you: ye shall hence forth goo no moare agayne that waye.

Deuteronomy 17:6-16 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.

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