The Meaning of Deuteronomy 17:16 Explained

Deuteronomy 17:16

KJV: 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.

YLT: 'Only, he doth not multiply to himself horses, nor cause the people to turn back to Egypt, so as to multiply horses, seeing Jehovah hath said to you, Ye do not add to turn back in this way any more.

Darby: Only he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor lead back the people to Egypt, to multiply horses; for Jehovah hath said unto you, Ye shall not return again any more that way.

ASV: Only he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he may multiply horses; forasmuch as Jehovah hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Deuteronomy 17:16 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 17

1  The things sacrificed must be sound
2  Idolaters must be slain
8  Hard controversies are to be determined by the priests and judges
12  The one who shows contempt for the judge must die
14  The election
16  and duty of a king

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 17:16 mean?

But not he shall multiply for himself horses nor cause to return - the people to Egypt to multiply horses for Yahweh has said to you not You shall return way this again
רַק֮ לֹא־ יַרְבֶּה־ לּ֣וֹ סוּסִים֒ וְלֹֽא־ יָשִׁ֤יב אֶת־ הָעָם֙ מִצְרַ֔יְמָה לְמַ֖עַן הַרְבּ֣וֹת ס֑וּס וַֽיהוָה֙ אָמַ֣ר לָכֶ֔ם לֹ֣א תֹסִפ֗וּן לָשׁ֛וּב בַּדֶּ֥רֶךְ הַזֶּ֖ה עֽוֹד

יַרְבֶּה־  he  shall  multiply 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הַרְבָּה 
Sense: be or become great, be or become many, be or become much, be or become numerous.
לּ֣וֹ  for  himself 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
סוּסִים֒  horses 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: סוּס 
Sense: swallow, swift.
וְלֹֽא־  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יָשִׁ֤יב  cause  to  return 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָעָם֙  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
מִצְרַ֔יְמָה  to  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
הַרְבּ֣וֹת  multiply 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: הַרְבָּה 
Sense: be or become great, be or become many, be or become much, be or become numerous.
ס֑וּס  horses 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: סוּס 
Sense: swallow, swift.
וַֽיהוָה֙  for  Yahweh 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אָמַ֣ר  has  said 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לָכֶ֔ם  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
תֹסִפ֗וּן  You  shall 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine plural, Paragogic nun
Root: יָסַף 
Sense: to add, increase, do again.
לָשׁ֛וּב  return 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
בַּדֶּ֥רֶךְ  way 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
הַזֶּ֖ה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
עֽוֹד  again 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עֹוד  
Sense: a going round, continuance adv.