Bible Commentaries
Deuteronomy 17

Verses 1-20

Deuteronomy 17:9 And thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and enquire; and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgment:

Deuteronomy 17:9 “and unto the judge that shall be in those days” - Comments - Hence, the judges are raised up in the book of Judges with the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Where did the office and anointing for these judges originate? We have numerous references to judges being appointed during the time of Moses.

Exodus 18:1-27 - Jethro advises Moses to appoint judges.

Numbers 11:16-30 - God anoints seventy elders.

Deuteronomy 16:18, “Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.”

Deuteronomy 17:9, “And thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and enquire; and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgment: “

Deuteronomy 17:12, “And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister there before the LORD thy God, or unto the judge, even that man shall die: and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel.”

Deuteronomy 25:1, “If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.”

Deuteronomy 17:14 When thou art come unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me;

Deuteronomy 17:15 Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother.

Deuteronomy 17:14-15 Comments Israel’s Cry for a King - The Lord predicted Israel’s cry for a king in Deuteronomy 17:14-15. This took place during the time that Samuel was judging Israel (1 Samuel 8:5-6; 1 Samuel 10:19).

1 Samuel 8:5-6, “And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.”

1 Samuel 10:19, “And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes, and by your thousands.”

Deuteronomy 17:19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:

Deuteronomy 17:19 Comments - Proverbs 2:1-5 says that fear comes by knowing God’s word, and thus, knowing God.