The Meaning of Deuteronomy 17:8 Explained

Deuteronomy 17:8

KJV: If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within thy gates: then shalt thou arise, and get thee up into the place which the LORD thy God shall choose;

YLT: When anything is too hard for thee for judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke -- matters of strife within thy gates -- then thou hast risen, and gone up unto the place on which Jehovah thy God doth fix,

Darby: If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between cause and cause, and between stroke and stroke, matters of controversy within thy gates, then shalt thou arise, and go up to the place which Jehovah thy God will choose.

ASV: If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within thy gates; then shalt thou arise, and get thee up unto the place which Jehovah thy God shall choose;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

If there arise a matter  too hard  for thee in judgment,  between blood  and blood,  between plea  and plea,  and between stroke  and stroke,  [being] matters  of controversy  within thy gates:  then shalt thou arise,  and get thee up  into the place  which the LORD  thy God  shall choose; 

What does Deuteronomy 17:8 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 17:8 mean?

If arises for you a matter which is too hard to judge between [degrees of] guilt for bloodshed one judgment or another or between one punishment or another matters of controversy within your gates then you shall arise and go up to the place which chooses Yahweh your God in it
כִּ֣י יִפָּלֵא֩ מִמְּךָ֨ דָבָ֜ר לַמִּשְׁפָּ֗ט בֵּֽין־ דָּ֨ם ׀ לְדָ֜ם דִּ֣ין לְדִ֗ין וּבֵ֥ין נֶ֙גַע֙ לָנֶ֔גַע דִּבְרֵ֥י רִיבֹ֖ת בִּשְׁעָרֶ֑יךָ וְקַמְתָּ֣ וְעָלִ֔יתָ אֶל־ הַמָּק֔וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִבְחַ֛ר יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ בּֽוֹ

יִפָּלֵא֩  arises 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פָּלָא  
Sense: to be marvellous, be wonderful, be surpassing, be extraordinary, separate by distinguishing action.
מִמְּךָ֨  for  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
דָבָ֜ר  a  matter  which  is  too  hard 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
לַמִּשְׁפָּ֗ט  to  judge 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
בֵּֽין־  between 
Parse: Preposition
Root: בַּיִן 
Sense: between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between.
דָּ֨ם ׀  [degrees  of]  guilt 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּם  
Sense: blood.
לְדָ֜ם  for  bloodshed 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּם  
Sense: blood.
דִּ֣ין  one  judgment 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דִּין 
Sense: judgment.
לְדִ֗ין  or  another 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דִּין 
Sense: judgment.
וּבֵ֥ין  or  between 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: בַּיִן 
Sense: between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between.
נֶ֙גַע֙  one  punishment  or 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: נֶגַע  
Sense: stroke, plague, disease, mark, plague spot.
לָנֶ֔גַע  another 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נֶגַע  
Sense: stroke, plague, disease, mark, plague spot.
דִּבְרֵ֥י  matters 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
רִיבֹ֖ת  of  controversy 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: רִיב 
Sense: strife, controversy, dispute.
בִּשְׁעָרֶ֑יךָ  within  your  gates 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: שַׁעַר  
Sense: gate.
וְקַמְתָּ֣  then  you  shall  arise 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
וְעָלִ֔יתָ  and  go  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
הַמָּק֔וֹם  the  place 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָקֹום  
Sense: standing place, place.
יִבְחַ֛ר  chooses 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּחוּר 
Sense: to choose, elect, decide for.
יְהוָ֥ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
בּֽוֹ  in  it 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular