💎 [Deuteronomy 17] Things the King Must Not Do… Did They Follow as Commanded?

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📖 Deuteronomy 17 Core Summary

① Offerings to God must be without blemish (v. 1)

God commands that no ox or sheep with defect or serious flaw should be offered to Him.

→ For such an offering is detestable to the Lord your God.

② Righteous judgment on idolatry (vv. 2–7)

If someone is found serving other gods or worshipping the sun, moon, or stars:

A thorough investigation must be conducted before making a judgment.

Execution requires the testimony of two or three witnesses; no one may be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.

The witnesses must lay hands on the transgressor first to purge the evil from among the community.

→ It is recorded that this too is detestable to God. (v. 4)

③ Difficult cases must be judged at [the place the Lord will choose] (vv. 8–13)

Cases too difficult to resolve locally must be brought to the place chosen by the Lord.

People must follow the verdict delivered by the priests and judges according to God’s will.

Anyone who acts presumptuously and rejects the judgment shall be put to death, purging the evil from Israel.

→ Then all the people will hear and be afraid, and will not act presumptuously again. (v. 13)

✔️ The goal is not harsh punishment itself, but God’s intention to instill a healthy fear of Him so that the people will not repeat the same sin. 💎

④ Regulations for appointing a king (vv. 14–20)

When Israel enters Canaan and decides to appoint a king...

The king must:

• Be chosen by God.

• Be appointed from among their fellow Israelites.

Things the king must NOT do:

• Must not acquire a great number of horses for himself.

• Must not send the people back to Egypt to get more horses...

  → For the Lord said, "You are not to go back that way again."

• Must not take many wives.

• Must not accumulate excessive silver and gold (wealth).

Things the king MUST do:

• Personally write down a copy of the law in a book.

• Read it all the days of his life and learn to fear the Lord.

• Not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites.

• Keep God’s commands without turning aside to the right or to the left.

Closing Thoughts

As I read the Bible and see the things God commands them not to do, why does it feel as though He was foreseeing the very actions and sins the Israelites would eventually commit?

Looking at the prohibitions for the king in Deuteronomy 17... not a single king of Israel kept every one of these commands. It makes me realize that these very commandments ended up describing the very sins they would commit... 💎

In particular, despite the command never to return to Egypt, they eventually went back to Egypt in the end.