Deuteronomy 17:1

_Ox. By this name all bulls, cows, &c., are designated. For it was not lawful to sacrifice any thing which had lost any member, Exodus xii. 5., and Leviticus i. 3._... [ Continue Reading ]

Deuteronomy 17:3

_The host of heaven. That is, the stars. (Challoner) --- This species of idolatry was the most ancient and common in the East. Job (xxxi. 26, 28) takes notice of the adoration of the sun and of the moon, and calls it a very great iniquity, and a denial against the most high God. He lived in Arabia,... [ Continue Reading ]

Deuteronomy 17:5

_Stoned, not far from the gates, where they received sentence. Thus the sabbath-breaker was stoned without the camp, (Numbers xv. 35,) and St. Stephen out of the city of Jerusalem, Acts vii. 57. When only a few were concerned, the twenty-three judges passed sentence: but if a whole tribe had been gu... [ Continue Reading ]

Deuteronomy 17:6

_Slain. When the action was public, this formality was not requisite, chap. xiii. 9. --- Him. One witness was never admitted to prove any crime; neither would the Jews receive for witnesses, women, infants under thirteen, slaves, publicans, thieves, &c. (Josephus, [Antiquities?] iv. last chapter.) T... [ Continue Reading ]

Deuteronomy 17:7

_Kill him. Thus testifying that they approve the sentence, and are willing that his blood should be required at their hands, if they had accused him falsely. The criminal was hurled down a precipice by one of the witnesses, and, if he survived, he was stoned by the other, and by the whole people. Ma... [ Continue Reading ]

Deuteronomy 17:8

If thou perceive, &c. Here we see what authority God was pleased to give to the church-guides of the Old Testament, in deciding, without appeal, all controversies relating to the law; promising that they should not err therein; and punishing with death such as proudly refused to obey their decisions... [ Continue Reading ]

Deuteronomy 17:9

Judge. Moses does not specify whether the contending parties, or the judges themselves thought proper to have the matter debated before a higher court. The Rabbins observe, that appeals to the Sanhedrim were only the last resort, and that the sentence of that tribunal was to be complied with under p... [ Continue Reading ]

Deuteronomy 17:11

According, &c. This law was to be the rule of the priests, in passing sentence. It was not left to the judgment of individuals to comply or not, according as they might explain the law for themselves. Such a proceeding would be nugatory, as they would thus be themselves the ultimate judges of their... [ Continue Reading ]

Deuteronomy 17:12

_And the decree. Some copies read with Sixtus V ex decreto, by &c., "decree," (Haydock) as if a lay-judge stood ready to put the sentence in execution. (Calmet) --- But there was no necessity of any farther judgment after the high priest had spoken, who is here declared the sovereign judge. (St. Cyp... [ Continue Reading ]

Deuteronomy 17:13

_Pride. Hebrew, "do presumptuously," as the Protestants translate. How will they excuse their leaders, Luther, &c., and themselves, from this grievous charge? If the person, who presumed to assert that the leprosy had not infected some one, whom the priests condemned, (ver. 8,) could not escape deat... [ Continue Reading ]

Deuteronomy 17:14

_King. The Rabbins observe, that one was to be elected before the place for the temple was fixed upon, that the tribes might not contend about that honour. (Grotius) --- God foresees that the people will insist upon having a king, and gives his consent, reserving to himself the choice, and appointin... [ Continue Reading ]

Deuteronomy 17:15

_Choose, as he did Saul, David, and Solomon, who succeeded to the throne of his father, though he was not the eldest son. (Menochius) --- Then the throne began to be hereditary, in virtue of God's promise to David. (Calmet) --- Brother. The Jews neglected this law, when they willingly recognized the... [ Continue Reading ]

Deuteronomy 17:16

Horses. Josue and David rendered the captured horses useless, (Josue xi. 6., and 2 Kings viii. 4,) and the judges rode on asses, Judges x. 4., and xii. 14. Solomon began to keep some, and in his days in Egypt was noted for the traffic of horses; though, after Sesostris had intersected the country wi... [ Continue Reading ]

Deuteronomy 17:17

Mind, and reign in his name. Hebrew, "and his heart turn not away" from the worship of the true God, as it happened to Solomon, and to many other kings, whom Moses seems to have had in view. Too great a number of wives would tend to perplex and enervate the king, and to eat up the treasures of his p... [ Continue Reading ]

Deuteronomy 17:18

Of this law, perhaps from the 14th verse to the end of the chapter (Haydock) or the whole Book of Deuteronomy, which contains an abridgment of the law, (Josue viii. 32.; Menochius) or even the five books, which were formerly written without any division, and went under the name of the law. (Grotius;... [ Continue Reading ]

Deuteronomy 17:19

_Law. Pious Christian emperors and kings have esteemed it their greatest glory and happiness to read and meditate on the holy commandments of God, in order to regulate their conduct, amid the various dangerous occupations of their station. (Haydock) --- Constantine the Great, Charlemagne, St. Stephe... [ Continue Reading ]

Deuteronomy 17:20

_With pride. This is not expressed in Hebrew, but it is clearly (Haydock) implied. Humility is the most difficult virtue for a prince to practice, amid the flattery of his courtiers, and the splendour with which he is environed. See St. Augustine, City of God v. 24. (Calmet) --- His sons. Wicked kin... [ Continue Reading ]

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