Deuteronomy 17:1
Bullock or sheep — Either greater or smaller sacrifices, all being comprehended under the two most eminent kinds.... [ Continue Reading ]
Bullock or sheep — Either greater or smaller sacrifices, all being comprehended under the two most eminent kinds.... [ Continue Reading ]
ln transressing his covenant — That is, in idolatry, as it is explained Deuteronomy 17:3, which is called a transgression of God's covenant made with Israel, both because it is a breach of their faith given to God and of that law which they covenanted to keep; and because it is a dissolution of that... [ Continue Reading ]
The host of heaven — Those glorious creatures, which are to be admired as the wonderful works of God, but not to be set up in God's stead. By condemning the most specious of all idolaters, he intimates, how absurd a thing it is to worship stocks and stones, the works of men's hands. I have not comma... [ Continue Reading ]
Witnesses — Namely, credible and competent witnesses. The Jews rejected the testimonies of children, women, servants, familiar friends or enemies, persons of dissolute lives or evil fame.... [ Continue Reading ]
First upon him — God thus ordered it, for the caution of witnesses, that, if they had thro' malice or wrath accused him falsely, they might now be afraid to imbrue their hands in innocent blood; and for the security and satisfaction of the people in the execution of this punishment.... [ Continue Reading ]
For thee — He speaks to the inferior magistrates, who were erected in several cities. If thou hast not skill to determine, between blood and blood — That is, in capital causes. Between plea and plea — In civil causes, about words or estates. Between stroke and stroke — In criminal causes, concerning... [ Continue Reading ]
Unto the priests — That is, unto the great council, which consisted chiefly of the priests and Levites, as being the best expositors of the laws of God, by which all those controversies were to be decided. And the high — priest was commonly one of that number, understood here under the priests, wher... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou — Thou shalt pass sentence: he speaks to the inferior magistrates; who were to give sentence, and came hither to be advised about it.... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou shalt do — In particular suits between man and man, altho' the judge be hereby confined to his rule in giving the sentence, yet it seems but fit and reasonable that people should be bound simply to acquiesce in the sentence of their last and highest judge, or else there would have been no end o... [ Continue Reading ]
Do presumptuously — That will proudly and obstinately oppose the sentence given against him. The evil — The evil thing, that scandal, that pernicious example.... [ Continue Reading ]
When thou shalt — He only foresees and foretells what they would do, but doth not approve of it. Yea when they did this thing for this very reason, he declares his utter dislike of it, 1 Samuel 8:7.... [ Continue Reading ]
Thy God shall chuse — Approve of, or appoint. So it was in Saul and David. God reserved to himself the nomination both of the family, and of the person. Thy brethren — Of the same nation and religion; because such a person was most likely to maintain true religion, and to rule with righteousness, ge... [ Continue Reading ]
He shall not multiply horses — Tho' he might have horses for his own use, yet he was not to have many horses for his officers and guard, much less for war, lest he should trust in them. The multiplying horses is also forbidden, lest it should raise too great a correspondence with Egypt which furnish... [ Continue Reading ]
Turn away — From God and his law.... [ Continue Reading ]
He shall write — With his own hand, as the Jews say. Out of that — Out of the original, which was carefully kept by the priests in the sanctuary, that it might be a perfect copy, and that it might have the greater influence upon him, coming to him as from the hand and presence of God.... [ Continue Reading ]
All the days of his life — 'Tis not enough to have Bibles, but we must use them, yea, use them daily. Our souls must have constant meals of that manna, which if well digested, will afford them true nourishment and strength.... [ Continue Reading ]
If his heart be not lifted up — He intimates, that the scriptures diligently read, are a powerful means to keep him humble, because they shew him in that, tho' a king, he is subject to an higher monarch, to whom he must give an account of all his administrations, and receive from him his sentence ag... [ Continue Reading ]