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Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents
16:18-18:22 Leaders. These laws mainly concern various leaders for the people of Israel: judges, priests, kings, and prophets. As in the NT, all leaders of God's people are under the authority of God's word. Leaders, like parents, exercise God's authority toward those under them, so again the sequence of the Ten Commandments is observable, as this section reflects the fifth commandment, "Honor your father and your mother" (5:16).
16:18 The appointment of judges in towns for judicial purposes recognizes the size of the population and the spread of the land (cf. 1:9-18).
16:19 You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality, and you shall not accept a bribe. Justice derives from the character of God. See 1:17 and note on 1:16-17; 10:17; Ex. 23:3, 6-8.
16:21-22 tree as an Asherah . . . pillar. See note on 7:5. Canaanite worship items were to be destroyed (7:5; 12:3). This law prohibits syncretistic practices at the central place. Cf. Manasseh in 2 Kings 21:7.
17:1 sacrifice . . . blemish. See Lev. 22:17-25; Mal. 1:6-8; and note on Deut. 15:19-23. abomination. See note on 7:25-26.
17:4-5 inquire diligently. Cf. 13:14. In 13:12-18, the city has been enticed to idolatry; here, it is a person. In 13:15 the city is put to the sword; here the person is stoned (see 13:10). Because idolatry breaks the first commandment, it is a capital offense. out to your gates. Capital punishment, as in the case of Jesus' crucifixion, was usually outside the walls or camp (Lev. 24:14; Num. 15:35; Heb. 13:11-13).
17:6-7 On the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses. The standard biblical requirement to find someone guilty of a capital offense is two witnesses (Num. 35:30; cf. 1 Kings 21:13; Heb. 10:28). In the case of one witness, the situation becomes one person's word against another and thus no conviction can be made. See Deut. 19:16-21 on penalties for false witnesses. Insisting that the hand of the witnesses shall be first to stone the guilty helps prevent false witness and adds seriousness to their testimony (cf. 13:9). purge the evil. See 13:5 and note.
17:8-9 Straightforward judicial cases are dealt with in local courts. The difficult cases are to be taken to the central sanctuary. The place that the Lord your God will choose indicates the integration of worship with justice, deriving from the character of God as just and implying that ultimately God himself is the judge (see note on 12:5-6).
17:10-11 These verses are the emphasis of this section. The decision of the central sanctuary court is final.
17:12-13 that man shall die. To ignore or pervert justice is a capital offense, for it is a rejection of God's justice and rule. purge the evil. See 13:5 and note. hear and fear and not act presumptuously again. See 13:11 and note.
17:14-15 I will set a king over me, like all the nations. See 1 Sam. 8:5, 20. Even though it will be several centuries before Israel has a king, Deuteronomy provides legislation for that eventuality, in language that suggests time elapsing: you possess it and dwell in it and then say. Kings descended from Abraham were anticipated in Gen. 17:6. whom the Lord your God will choose. To counter the people's request to have a king like the nations, God insists that their king will be his choice. Yet God seems to allow the people some role in setting up a king. The king must be from among your brothers, that is, a fellow Israelite.
17:16-17 The warnings about too many horses and wives and too much wealth--which reflect the standard prerogatives of ancient kings in military, personal, and economic spheres--are precisely the pitfalls of Solomon (1 Kings 4:26; 10:14; 11:3-4). Here God is warning that governmental leaders will constantly face the temptation to abuse their power for the sake of personal gain, which is contrary to his will. Since Egypt was the place of slavery from which the Lord had just rescued Israel, it was prohibited for Israel to return to Egypt for help (e.g., Isa. 31:1; cf. Deut. 28:68).
17:18-20 a copy of this law. This refers probably to chs. 1-30 (see 31:9). Even the king is to be under the authority of God's word or law (see Josh. 1:7-9). Reading and obeying the word of God trains people to fear the Lord (see note on Deut. 6:1-2). heart. See notes on 4:37-39; 6:5; 6:6. to the right hand or to the left. See Josh. 1:7 and note on Deut. 5:32-33.
18:1-2 The Levitical priests are the adult males within the tribe of Levi as a whole. shall have no portion or inheritance. See 12:12 and note. the Lord is their inheritance. See Num. 18:20. This indicates the privilege of serving the Lord in the central sanctuary, with the implied blessing of perpetual nearness to the Lord's presence.
18:3-4 Parts of the sacrifices and firstfruits are for the upkeep of the Levites. Cf. Lev. 7:28-34 and Num. 18:9-24, where the portions for the priests are slightly different.
18:5 The Levites are chosen by the Lord, just like the central sanctuary (e.g., 12:5), the king (17:15), and Israel itself (7:6).
18:6-8 Levites who minister in the country have the right to come from time to time to minister in the central sanctuary. sale of his patrimony. Apart from their share of offerings, Levites may also make money from their personal property.
18:9-11 the abominable practices of those nations. Cf. notes on 7:5; 12:2-3. burns his son or his daughter as an offering. See 12:31 and note. A thorough list is given of people and practices seeking divine help, guidance, or revelation apart from the Lord. No such practices are to be tolerated (e.g., Lev. 19:26; 1 Samuel 28; 2 Kings 17:17; Isa. 2:6; 21:6; Mic. 5:12). All are abominable (Deut. 18:9, 12). Even child sacrifice was for some pagan religions an act of seeking divine guidance or help (2 Kings 3:26-27). Deliberately juxtaposed with this section are instructions about God's prophets (Deut. 18:15-19), the avenue for true revelation.
18:12 because of these abominations the Lord your God is driving them out. The destruction of the Canaanites is not an attack on an innocent people. It is God's judgment against abominable sin (Gen. 15:16; see note on Deut. 7:2).
18:15-19 God promises a line of prophets who will speak to Israel on his behalf (cf. Jer. 1:7, 9, pertaining to Jeremiah's ministry). Moses speaks of himself as a prophet, the instrument of communicating God's word to Israel (cf. Deut. 18:19; Ex. 7:1). Nations listen (Deut. 18:14) to magicians, etc.; Israel is to listen to God's prophet (vv. 15, 19) rather than pagan means of revelation and guidance. On the voice of the Lord, see 5:23-28. a prophet like you. Now God speaks of Moses as a prophet and promises a future prophet like him for Israel. In the , Jews expected a final prophet, whom NT writers identified as Jesus (Acts 3:22-24; 7:37; cf. John 1:21).
18:20-22 False prophets, whether speaking in God's name or the name of other gods, are to be put to death (13:1-5). One test of false prophecy is, if a prophet's words do not come to pass, then they are not the Lord's words. However, if a prophet's words do come to pass, that does not automatically mean that person is God's prophet (see 13:1-5 and notes).
