Deuteronomy 17:14-20

Deuteronomy 17:14-20

[14] When thou art come  unto the land  which the LORD  thy God  giveth  thee, and shalt possess  it, and shalt dwell  therein, and shalt say,  I will set  a king  over me, like as all the nations  that are about  me; [15] Thou shalt in any wise  him king  over thee, whom the LORD  thy God  shall choose:  one from among  thy brethren  shalt thou set  king  over thee: thou mayest  not set  a stranger  over thee, which is not thy brother.  [16] But he shall not multiply  horses  to himself, nor cause the people  to return  to Egypt,  to the end that he should multiply  horses:  forasmuch as the LORD  hath said  unto you, Ye shall henceforth  return  no more that way.  [17] Neither shall he multiply  wives  to himself, that his heart  turn  not away: neither shall he greatly  multiply  to himself silver  and gold.  [18] And it shall be, when he sitteth  upon the throne  of his kingdom,  that he shall write  him a copy  of this law  in a book  out of that which is before  the priests  the Levites:  [19] And it shall be with him, and he shall read  therein all the days  of his life:  that he may learn  to fear  the LORD  his God,  to keep  all the words  of this law  and these statutes,  to do  them: [20] That his heart  be not lifted up  above his brethren,  and that he turn not aside  from the commandment,  to the right hand,  or to the left:  to the end that he may prolong  his days  in his kingdom,  he, and his children,  in the midst  of Israel. 

What does Deuteronomy 17:14-20 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Moses recognized that when Israel settled in Canaan and took on the characteristics of other nations (e.g, a homeland, political organization, etc.) her people would desire a king. As he revealed the mind of God here, a king was permissible, but he had to qualify in certain respects. [1]
1.He had to be an Israelite ( Deuteronomy 17:15). This was essential since Israel"s king would be the vice-regent of Yahweh. The king therefore had to be a member of the covenant community.
2.He must not build up a large military organization by multiplying horses ( Deuteronomy 17:16). This would lead to a false sense of security and power. Egypt was a major horse market in the ancient Near East, and horses were military machines. [2]
3.He was not to multiply wives ( Deuteronomy 17:17) since these women would tend to turn his heart away from devotion to, and concentration on, Yahweh. Furthermore God"s standard for marriage has always been monogamy (cf. 1 Kings 11:1-13).
4.He was not to amass a large personal fortune ( Deuteronomy 17:17). This too would lead to a false sense of security and a divided allegiance (cf. Luke 16:13).
"A richly furnished harem, and the accumulation of silver and gold, were inseparably connected with the luxury of Oriental monarchs generally; so that the fear was a very natural one, that the future king of Israel might follow the general customs of the heathen in these respects." [3]
5.He was to transcribe a copy of the law of God (the covenant text of Deuteronomy [1]9 [5] ) personally ( Deuteronomy 17:18). This would encourage his thoughtful mental interaction with God"s revealed will for Israel.
6.He was to read this law throughout his lifetime. Note that this and the preceding command assume that the king could read and write. This would normally produce two conditions. First, he would get to know God personally and thus fear Him. Second, he would be able to obey God"s will ( Deuteronomy 17:19-20).
"Three conclusions may be drawn from these admonitions. There Isaiah , first, a clear limitation on power, to avoid tyranny and the danger of the king"s assuming the Lord"s rule of the people. ...
"Second, these restrictions and injunctions serve the main purpose of Deuteronomy , to enjoin a full and undivided allegiance to the Lord. ...
"Finally, the law of the king places upon that figure the obligations incumbent upon every Israelite. In that sense, Deuteronomy"s primary concern was that the king be the model Israelite." [6]
"It is a remarkable fact that nowhere in the Old Testament is the king represented as having anything to do with the making of laws." [7]
Yahweh, Israel"s true King, made Israel"s laws and was to make the choice of Israel"s kings. The people were not to select a monarch without God"s approval. He would be Yahweh"s vice-regent. In some of Israel"s neighbor nations, the king was regarded as a god, but in Israel, God was the true King.
"It is noteworthy that in the secular suzerainty treaties, a similar oversight of the vassal"s choice of king is exercised." [8]
When Israel entered the land and requested a king, Samuel the prophet became greatly distressed ( 1 Samuel 8:6). His reaction was evidently not due to the request itself but to the motive behind the request. The people were turning away from their real King to a human king ( 1 Samuel 8:7-8). God granted the people"s request even though it sprang from the wrong motive, but He disciplined them in the years following through the king they requested, Saul. Similarly, God conceded to the Israelites' request for meat in the wilderness, but He disciplined them for their choice by allowing them to get sick from it ( Numbers 11; Psalm 106:15).
This pericope makes very clear that in civil life God wants justice for all ( Deuteronomy 16:18-20) and His people"s wholehearted devotion to Himself ( Deuteronomy 16:21 to Deuteronomy 17:7; cf. Philippians 3:20). Submission to civil authority ( Deuteronomy 17:8-13; cf. Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-15) and leaders who follow Him ( Deuteronomy 17:4-20; cf. 1 Timothy 2:1-7) are also important to God. [9]