The Meaning of Deuteronomy 17:20 Explained

Deuteronomy 17:20

KJV: 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.

YLT: so that his heart is not high above his brethren, and so as not to turn aside from the command, right or left, so that he prolongeth days over his kingdom, he and his sons, in the midst of Israel.

Darby: 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; that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his sons, in the midst of Israel.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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 17:20 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 17:20 mean?

That not may be lifted his heart above his brothers and not that he may turn aside from the commandment [to] the right hand or [to] the left that he may prolong [his] days in his kingdom he and his children in the midst of Israel -
לְבִלְתִּ֤י רוּם־ לְבָבוֹ֙ מֵֽאֶחָ֔יו וּלְבִלְתִּ֛י ס֥וּר מִן־ הַמִּצְוָ֖ה יָמִ֣ין וּשְׂמֹ֑אול לְמַעַן֩ יַאֲרִ֨יךְ יָמִ֧ים עַל־ מַמְלַכְתּ֛וֹ ה֥וּא וּבָנָ֖יו בְּקֶ֥רֶב יִשְׂרָאֵֽל ס

לְבִלְתִּ֤י  That  not 
Parse: Preposition-l
Root: בִּלְתִּי  
Sense: not, except adv.
רוּם־  may  be  lifted 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: יָרוּם 
Sense: to rise, rise up, be high, be lofty, be exalted.
לְבָבוֹ֙  his  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לֵבָב  
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, understanding.
מֵֽאֶחָ֔יו  above  his  brothers 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
וּלְבִלְתִּ֛י  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l
Root: בִּלְתִּי  
Sense: not, except adv.
ס֥וּר  that  he  may  turn  aside 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: סוּר 
Sense: to turn aside, depart.
הַמִּצְוָ֖ה  the  commandment 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְוָה  
Sense: commandment.
יָמִ֣ין  [to]  the  right  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: יָמִין  
Sense: right, right hand, right side.
וּשְׂמֹ֑אול  or  [to]  the  left 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שְׂמֹאל  
Sense: the left, the left hand, the left side.
לְמַעַן֩  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
יַאֲרִ֨יךְ  he  may  prolong 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָרַךְ 
Sense: to be long, prolong.
יָמִ֧ים  [his]  days 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
מַמְלַכְתּ֛וֹ  his  kingdom 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מַמְלָכָה  
Sense: kingdom, dominion, reign, sovereignty.
וּבָנָ֖יו  and  his  children 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
בְּקֶ֥רֶב  in  the  midst 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קֶרֶב  
Sense: midst, among, inner part, middle.
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation