Deuteronomy 17:13

_AND THOU SHALT COME UNTO THE PRIESTS THE LEVITES, AND UNTO THE JUDGE THAT SHALL BE IN THOSE DAYS, AND INQUIRE; AND THEY SHALL SHEW THEE THE SENTENCE OF JUDGMENT:_ No JFB commentary on these verses....

13._And all the people. _He shews from the object of the enactment why the proud despisers (of the priests) were not to be spared; for punishments have reference to common example, whilst, on the other hand, impunity is a bait to sin, and the nurse of unbridled licentiousness. And, assuredly, when He commands that the whole people should be inspired with terror, it is a hint that, unless presumption should be corrected_, _and the bold and wicked should be restrained by severe discipline, the door would be opened to them to destroy the Church....

8-13 Courts of judgment were to be set up in every city. Though their judgment had not the Divine authority of an oracle, it was the judgment of wise, prudent, experienced men, and had the advantage of a Divine promise....

The cases in question are such as the inferior judges did not feel able to decide satisfactorily, and which accordingly they remitted to their superiors (compare Exodus 18:23). The Supreme court Deuteronomy 17:9 is referred to in very general terms as sitting at the sanctuary Deuteronomy 17:8. “The judge” would no doubt usually be a layman, and thus the court would contain both an ecclesiastical and a civil element. Jehoshaphat 2 Chronicles 19:4 organized his judicial system very closely upon the lines here laid down....

EXPOSITION SACRIFICES TO BE OF ANIMALS UNBLEMISHED. IDOLATERS TO BE SOUGHT OUT, CONVICTED, AND PUT TO DEATH. THE HIGHER JUDICIAL COURT AT THE SANCTUARY. ELECTION DUTY OF A KING. DEUTERONOMY 17:1 Not only was the setting up of idols an offence to be punished by the judge, but also all profanation of the service of Jehovah, such as the offering in sacrifice of any animal, bullock or sheep, tha

AND ALL THE PEOPLE SHALL HEAR, AND FEAR,.... All the people of Israel in their own cities, and particularly the judges in those cities; they shall hear of what is done to the obstinate and disobedient elder, and shall be afraid to commit the like offence, lest they should come into the same punishment: AND DO NO MORE PRESUMPTUOUSLY; after his example; hence, Jarchi says, they wait till the feast comes, and then put him to death; and so it is said k, they bring him up to the great sanhedrim which is at Jerusalem, and there keep him until the feast (the next feast), and put him to death at the feast, as it is said, ALL THE PEOPLE SHALL HEAR, AND FEAR. k Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 10. sect. 4....

13. JUSTICE AND THE CHOICE OF A KING Chapter S 16:18-17:20 _ 1. Appointment of judges and their instruction (Deuteronomy 16:18; Deuteronomy 17:1)_ 2. The higher court at the place He chooses (Deuteronomy 17:8) 3. The choice and right of the king (Deuteronomy 17:14) This chapter leads us upon new ground. The obligations of the religious life of Israel were stated in the first part of chapter 16 and now the government of the people in the land is commanded. “Just as in its religious worship the Israelitish nation was to show itself to be the holy nation of Jehovah,

DEUTERONOMY 16:21- DEUTERONOMY 17:7. LAWS DEMANDING PURE WORSHIP AND SUITABLE SACRIFICES. This breaks the connexion; its proper place is probably between Deuteronomy 12 and Deuteronomy 13. DEUTERONOMY 17:1. See Leviticus 22:17 *. ox: Heb. means any head of large cattle, bull, cow, calf. sheep: Heb. means any head of small cattle, ram, ewe, lamb, goat, kid. Deuteronomy 17:2 probably preceded ch. 13 with which it has close affinities....

Of the Judges of Final Appeal Local cases too hard for the local courts (see Deuteronomy 16:18-20, on which this passage immediately follows) are to be taken before the Priests, the Levites at the Sanctuary, and the Judge of the time (Deuteronomy 17:8 f.), whose decisions must be strictly obeyed (Deuteronomy 17:10 f.); the man who presumptuously refuses to obey shall die (Deuteronomy 17:12 f.). Sg. address. The association of a lay judge with the priests is remarkable. Because of this and because he regards Deu

_VER._ 13. _AND ALL THE PEOPLE SHALL HEAR,_ &C.— This punishment was inflicted for an example and severe warning to those who were yet innocent; as Seneca observes, _nemo prudens punit quia peccatum est, sed ne peccetur;_ a wise man does not so much punish the fault, as furnish a warning to others, that they do not the same. Rabbi Akiba tells us, that offenders of this sort were kept in custody till the nearest great festival, and then executed when the whole nation was present. This, Mr. Selden observes, is the most received opinion: though other Rabbis say, that they did not make the sentence sharper by a long delay, but executed it immediately; and for the further publication of it, they sent letters to all the tribes and cities of Israel, to give notice that such a man was to be executed at such a time for this offence....