Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9
1599 Geneva Bible
18 ¶ [a]Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy cities, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, throughout the tribes: and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.
19 Wrest not thou the Law, nor respect any person, neither take reward: for the reward blindeth the eyes of the wise, and perverteth the words of the just.
20 That which [b]is just and right shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and possess the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
21 ¶ Thou shalt plant thee no grove of any trees near unto the Altar of the Lord thy God, which thou shalt make thee.
22 Thou shalt set thee up no [c]pillar, which thing the Lord thy God hateth.
17 2 The punishment of the idolater. 9 Hard controversies are brought to the Priest and the Judge. 12 The contemner must die. 15 The election of the King, 16 and 17 What things he ought to avoid, etc.
1 Thou shalt offer unto the Lord thy God no bullock nor sheep wherein is (A)[d]a blemish or any evil favored thing: for that is an abomination unto the Lord thy God.
2 ¶ If there be found among you in any of thy cities, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, man or [e]woman that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord thy God, in transgressing his covenant,
3 And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them: as the sun, or the moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not [f]commanded,
4 And it be told unto thee, and thou hast heard it, then shalt thou inquire diligently: and if it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel,
5 Then shalt thou bring forth that man, or that woman (which hath committed that wicked thing) unto thy gates, whether it be man or woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die.
6 (B)At the mouth [g]of two or three witnesses shall he that is worthy of death, die: but at the mouth of one witness, he shall not die.
7 The hands of the [h]witnesses shall be first upon him, to kill him: and afterward the hands of all the [i]people: so thou shalt take the wicked away from among you.
8 ¶ If there rise a matter too hard for thee in judgment between blood and blood, between plea and plea, between plague and plague, in the matter of controversy within thy gates, then shalt thou arise, and go up unto the place which the Lord thy God shall choose,
9 And thou shalt come unto the Priests of the Levites, and unto the [j]Judge that shall be in those days, and ask, and they shall show thee the sentence of judgment,
10 And thou shalt do according to that thing, which they of that place (which the Lord hath chosen) show thee, and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they inform thee.
11 According to the Law, which they shall teach thee, and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, shalt [k]thou do: thou shalt not decline from the thing which they shalt show thee, neither to the right hand, nor the left.
12 And that man that will do presumptuously, not hearkening unto the Priest (that standeth before the Lord thy God to [l]minister there) or unto the Judge, that man shall die, and thou shalt take away evil from Israel.
13 So all the people shall hear and fear, and do no more presumptuously.
14 ¶ When thou shalt come unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and dwell therein, if thou say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me,
15 Then thou shalt make him King over thee, whom the Lord thy God shall choose: from among thy brethren shalt thou make a King over thee: thou [m]shalt not set a [n]stranger over thee which is not thy brother.
16 In any wise he shall not prepare him many horses, nor bring the people again to [o]Egypt, for to increase the number of horses, seeing the Lord hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth go no more again that way.
17 Neither shall he take him many wives, lest his heart [p]turn away, neither shall he gather him much silver and gold.
18 And when he shall sit upon the throne of his Kingdom, then shall he write him this [q]law repeated in a book, by the [r]Priest of the Levites.
19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, and to keep all the words of this Law, and these ordinances to do them:
20 That his heart be not lifted up above his [s]brethren, and that he turn not from the commandment, to the right hand or to the left, but that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his sons in the midst of Israel.
18 3 The portion of the Levites. 6 Of the Levites coming from another place. 9 To avoid the abominations of the Gentiles. 15 God will not leave them without a true Prophet.
1 The Priests of the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi (C)shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel, (D)but shall eat the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and his [t]inheritance.
2 Therefore shall they have no inheritance among their brethren: for the Lord is their inheritance, as he hath said unto them.
3 ¶ And this shall be the Priest’s duty of the people, that they which offer sacrifice, whether it be bullock or sheep, shall give unto the Priest the [u]shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw.
4 The firstfruits also of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep shalt thou give him.
5 For the Lord thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand and minister in the Name of the Lord, him, and his sons forever.
6 ¶ Also when a Levite shall come out of any of thy cities of all Israel, where he remained, and come with [v]all the desire of his heart unto the place, which the Lord shall choose,
7 He shall then minister in the Name of the Lord his God, as all his brethren the Levites, which remain there before the Lord.
8 They shall have like portions to eat [w]beside that which cometh of the sale of his patrimony.
9 When thou shalt come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.
10 Let none be found among you that maketh his son or his daughter to [x](E)go thorough the fire, or that useth witchcraft, or a regarder of times, or a marker of the flying of fowls, or a sorcerer,
11 Or (F)a charmer, or that counseleth with spirits, or a soothsayer, or that (G)asketh counsel at the dead.
12 For all that do such things are abomination unto the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth cast them out before thee.
13 Thou shalt be [y]upright therefore with the Lord thy God.
14 For these nations which thou shalt possess, hearken unto those that regard the times, and unto sorcerers: [z]as for thee, the Lord thy God hath not [aa]suffered thee so.
15 ¶ (H)The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a [ab]Prophet like unto me, from among you, even of thy brethren: unto him ye shall hearken.
16 According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb, in the day of the assembly, when thou saidest, (I)Let me hear the voice of my Lord God no more, nor see this great fire anymore, that I die not.
17 And the Lord said unto me, They have well spoken.
18 (J)I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren like unto thee, and will put my words in his [ac]mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
19 And whosoever will not hearken unto my words, which he shall speak in my Name, I will [ad]require it of him.
20 But the Prophet that shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that speaketh in the name of other gods, even the same Prophet shall die.
21 And if thou think in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken?
22 When a Prophet speaketh in the Name of the Lord, if the thing [ae]follow not nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the Prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not therefore be afraid of him.
19 2 The franchised towns. 14 Not to remove thy neighbor’s bounds. 16 The punishment of him that beareth false witness.
1 When the Lord thy God (K)shall root out the nations, whose land the Lord thy God giveth thee, and thou shalt possess them, and dwell in their cities, and in their houses,
2 (L)Thou shalt separate three cities for thee, in the midst of thy land which the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it.
3 Thou shalt [af]prepare thee the way, and divide the coasts of the land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every [ag]manslayer may flee thither.
4 ¶ This also is the cause wherefore the manslayer shall flee thither, and live: who so killeth his neighbor ignorantly, and hated him not in time passed:
5 As he that goeth unto the wood with his neighbor to hew wood, and his hand striketh with the axe to cut down the tree, if the head slip from the helve, and hit his neighbor that he dieth, the same [ah]shall flee unto one of the cities, and live,
6 Lest the (M)avenger of the blood follow after the manslayer while his heart is chafed, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him, although he be not [ai]worthy of death, because he hated him not in time passed.
7 Wherefore I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt appoint out three cities for thee.
8 And when the Lord thy God [aj]enlargeth thy coasts (as he hath sworn unto thy fathers) and giveth thee all the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers.
9 (If thou keep all these commandments to do them, which I command thee this day: to wit, that thou love the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways forever) (N)then thou shalt add three cities more for thee besides those three,
10 That no innocent blood be shed within thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee to inherit, [ak]lest blood be upon thee.
11 ¶ But if a man hate his neighbor, and lay wait for him, and rise against him, and smite any man that he die, and flee unto any of these cities,
12 Then the [al]Elders of his city shall send and fet him thence, and deliver him to the hands of the avenger of the blood, that he may die.
13 Thine [am]eye shall not spare him, but thou shalt put away the cry of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with thee.
14 ¶ Thou shalt not remove thy neighbor’s mark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance, that thou shalt inherit in the land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it.
15 ¶ (O)One witness shall not rise against a man for any trespass, or for any sin, or for any fault that he offendeth in, (P)but at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be stablished.
16 ¶ If a false witness rise up against a man to accuse him of trespass,
17 Then both the men which strive together, shall stand before the [an]Lord, even before the Priests and the Judges, which shall be in those days.
18 And the Judges shall make diligent inquisition: and if the witness be found false, and hath given false witness against his brother,
19 (Q)Then shall ye do unto him as he had thought to do unto his brother: so thou shalt take evil away forth of the midst of thee.
20 And the rest shall hear this, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such wickedness among you.
21 Therefore thine eye shall have no compassion, but (R)life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
20 3 The exhortation of the Priest when the Israelites go to battle. 5 The exhortation of the officers showing who should go to battle. 10 Peace must be first proclaimed. 19 The trees that bear fruit must not be destroyed.
1 When [ao]thou shalt go forth to war against thine enemies, and shalt see horses and chariots, and people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the Lord thy God is with thee, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt.
2 And when ye are come near unto the battle, then the Priest shall come forth to speak unto the people,
3 And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye are come this day unto battle against your enemies: (S)let not your hearts faint, neither fear, nor be amazed, nor a dread of them.
4 For the Lord your God [ap]goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, and to save you.
5 ¶ And let the officers speak unto the people, saying, What man is there that hath built a new house, and hath not [aq]dedicated it, let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it.
6 ¶ And what man is there that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not [ar]eaten of the fruit? let him go to return again unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another eat the fruit.
7 And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let him go and return again unto his house, lest he die in battle, and another man take her.
8 And let the officers speak further unto the people, and say, (T)Whosoever is afraid and faint hearted, let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren’s heart faint like his heart.
9 And after that the officers have made an end of speaking unto the people, they shall make captains of the army to govern the people.
10 ¶ When thou comest near unto a city to fight against it, (U)thou shalt offer it peace.
11 And if it answer thee again [as]peaceably, and open unto thee, then let all the people that is found therein, be tributaries unto thee, and serve thee.
12 But if it will make no peace with thee, but make war against thee, then shalt thou besiege it.
13 And the Lord thy God shall deliver it into thine hands, and thou shalt smite all the males thereof with the edge of the sword.
14 Only the women, and the children, (V)and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof shalt thou take unto thyself, and shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which the Lord thy God hath given thee.
15 Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities, which are a great way off from thee, which are not of the cities of these [at]nations here.
16 But of the cities of this people, which the Lord thy God shall give thee to inherit, thou shalt save no person alive,
17 But shalt utterly destroy them, to wit, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee,
18 That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods, and so ye should sin against the Lord your God.
19 ¶ When thou hast besieged a city long time, and made war against it to take it, destroy not the trees thereof, by smiting an axe into them: for thou mayest eat of them: therefore thou shalt not cut them down to further thee in the siege, (for the [au]tree of the field is man’s life).
20 Only those trees which thou knowest are not for meat, those shalt thou destroy and cut down, and make forts against the city that maketh war with thee until thou subdue it.
21 2 Inquisition for murder. 11 Of the woman taken in war. 15 The birthright cannot be changed for affection. 18 The disobedient child. 23 The body may not hang all night.
1 If one be found [av]slain in the land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it, lying in the field, and it is not known who hath slain him,
2 Then thine Elders and thy Judges shall come forth, and measure unto the cities that are round about him that is slain:
3 And let the Elders of that city, which is next unto the slain man, take out of the drove an heifer that hath not been put to labor, nor hath drawn in the yoke.
4 And let the Elders of that city bring the heifer unto a [aw]stony [ax]valley, which is neither eared, nor sown, and strike off the heifer’s neck there in the valley.
5 Also the Priests the sons of Levi (whom the Lord thy God hath chosen to minister, and to bless in the Name of the Lord) shall come forth, and by their word shall all strife and plague be tried.
6 And all the Elders of that city that came near to the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley:
7 And shall testify, and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.
8 [ay]O Lord, be merciful unto thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and lay no innocent blood to the charge of thy people Israel, and the blood shall be forgiven them.
9 So shalt thou take away the cry of innocent blood from thee, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the Lord.
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 16:18 He gave authority to that people for a time to choose themselves magistrates.
- Deuteronomy 16:20 The magistrate must constantly follow the tenor of the Law, and in nothing decline from justice.
- Deuteronomy 16:22 Or, image
- Deuteronomy 17:1 Thou shalt not serve God for fashion’s sake, as hypocrites do.
- Deuteronomy 17:2 Showing that the crime cannot be excused by the frailty of the person.
- Deuteronomy 17:3 Whereby he condemneth all religion and serving of God which God hath not commanded.
- Deuteronomy 17:6 Hebrew, of two witnesses or three witnesses.
- Deuteronomy 17:7 Whereby they declared that they testifieth the truth.
- Deuteronomy 17:7 To signify a common consent to maintain God’s honor and true religion.
- Deuteronomy 17:9 Who shall give sentence as the Priests counsel him by the Law of God.
- Deuteronomy 17:11 Thou shalt obey their sentence that the controversy may have an end.
- Deuteronomy 17:12 So long as he is the true minister of God, and pronounceth according to his word.
- Deuteronomy 17:15 Or, mayest not.
- Deuteronomy 17:15 Who is not of thy nation, lest he change true religion into idolatry, and bring thee to slavery.
- Deuteronomy 17:16 To revenge their injuries, and to take them of their best horses, 1 Kings 10:28.
- Deuteronomy 17:17 From the Law of God.
- Deuteronomy 17:18 Meaning, the Deuteronomy.
- Deuteronomy 17:18 He shall cause it to be written by them, or he shall write it by their example.
- Deuteronomy 17:20 Whereby is meant, that Kings ought so to love their subjects as nature bindeth one brother to love another.
- Deuteronomy 18:1 That is, the Lord’s part of his inheritance.
- Deuteronomy 18:3 The right shoulder, Num. 28:18.
- Deuteronomy 18:6 Meaning, to serve God unfainedly, and not to seek ease.
- Deuteronomy 18:8 Not constrained to live of himself.
- Deuteronomy 18:10 Signifying they were purged by this ceremony of passing between two fires.
- Deuteronomy 18:13 Without hypocrisy or mixture or false religion.
- Deuteronomy 18:14 Hebrew, but thou not so.
- Deuteronomy 18:14 Hebrew, given or appointed.
- Deuteronomy 18:15 Meaning, a continual succession of Prophets, till Christ the end of all Prophets come.
- Deuteronomy 18:18 Which promise is not only made to Christ, but to all that teach in his name, Isa. 59:21.
- Deuteronomy 18:19 By executing punishment upon him.
- Deuteronomy 18:22 Under this sure note he compriseth all the other tokens.
- Deuteronomy 19:3 Make an open and ready way.
- Deuteronomy 19:3 Which killeth against his will, and bare no hatred in his heart.
- Deuteronomy 19:5 That murder be not committed upon murder.
- Deuteronomy 19:6 Or, cannot be judged to death.
- Deuteronomy 19:8 When thou goest over Jordan to possess the whole land of Canaan.
- Deuteronomy 19:10 Lest thou be punished for innocent blood.
- Deuteronomy 19:12 The Magistrates.
- Deuteronomy 19:13 Then whosoever pardoneth murder, offendeth against the word of God.
- Deuteronomy 19:17 God’s presence is where his true ministers are assembled.
- Deuteronomy 20:1 Meaning, upon just occasion: for God permitteth not his people to fight when it seemeth good to them.
- Deuteronomy 20:4 Is present to defend you with his grace and power.
- Deuteronomy 20:5 For when they entered first to dwell in an house, they gave thanks to God, acknowledging that they had that benefit by his grace.
- Deuteronomy 20:6 The Hebrew word signifieth to make common or profane, Lev. 19:25.
- Deuteronomy 20:11 If it accept peace.
- Deuteronomy 20:15 For God had appointed that the Canaanites should be destroyed, and made the Israelites executors of his will, Deut. 7:1.
- Deuteronomy 20:19 Some read, For man shall be instead of the tree of the field, to come out in the siege against thee.
- Deuteronomy 21:1 This law declareth how horrible a thing murder is, seeing that for one man whole country shall be punished, except remedy be found.
- Deuteronomy 21:4 Or, rough.
- Deuteronomy 21:4 That the blood shed of the innocent beasts in a solitary place, might make them abhor the fact.
- Deuteronomy 21:8 This was the prayer, which the Priests made in the audience of the people.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
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