Consequences When an Israelite Worships False Gods |
Deuteronomy 17:1-20 Deuteronomy the Fifth Book of Moses |
You shall not sacrifice to the Lord your God any [bull] or sheep [that has any kind] of blemish [or defect]: for that is an abomination to the Lord your God. |
If any man or woman is found within your gates [that] the Lord your God gives you & [has done] wickedness in the sight of the Lord your God, [by sinning against] His covenant [contract,] |
And [they have] gone & served other gods & worshiped them, either the sun or moon or any [stars] of heaven, [that I have forbidden]; And you [are] told & [hear] of it & diligently [question] & find it [to be] true & certain, that [this] abomination [was done] in Israel: |
Then, you shall bring that man or woman [who] committed this wicked thing into your gates & you shall stone them [to death.] At the [testimony] of 2 or 3 witnesses, shall [someone] worthy of death, be put to death, but [they] shall not be put to death by the [testimony] of 1 witness. |
The hands of the witnesses shall be first on him to put him to death & afterwards the hands of all the people [of Israel.] So, you shall put the evil away from among you. |
If a matter of controversy arises that is too [difficult] for you [to judge] within your gates, [regarding bloodshed, opposing pleas, lawsuits & assaults, go] to the place the Lord your God shall choose; |
And you shall [go] to the priests, the Levites & to the judge, in those days & [inquire.] They shall [show] you the sentence for [justice.] You shall do according to the sentence they [show] you [at] the place the Lord [chooses] & do according to all that they [instruct] you. |
You shall not decline to the right hand, nor the left [to do] the sentence they have [shown] you. The man [who presumes not to pay attention] to the priest [who ministers] there before the Lord your God, or to the judge, even that man shall die, [so] you put away evil from Israel. |
And all the people shall hear & be afraid & no [longer disregard the priest or the judge this way.] When you come into the land [that] the Lord your God gives you & shall possess it & [live in] it & say, I will [put] a king over me like all the nations [around] me; |
You shall [only put] a king, whom the Lord your God shall choose. One from among your [Israelite] brethren, shall you [put] as king over you. You may not [put] a stranger, [who isn’t] your [brethren.] |
But [the king] shall not multiply horses [for] himself, nor cause the people [of Israel] to return to Egypt to [get more horses, since,] the Lord has said to you, You shall [not] return that way [any] more.] Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, [so] his heart [isn’t led astray.] |
Neither shall he multiply gold or silver to himself. It shall be, when [the king] sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write a copy of the law [for] him in a book [that] is before the priests, the Levites. |
It shall be with him & he shall read [what’s in it] all the days of his life, [so] he may learn to fear [respect] the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law & these [mandates] & do them. |
[So, the king’s] heart isn’t lifted up above his brethren & [so] he [isn’t led astray] from the commandment, to the right hand or the left. [So] he might prolong his life & his [children’s [lives] in his kingdom, in the midst of Israel. |