Deuteronomy 17:15
13 Then all the people will hear and be afraid, and will no longer behave arrogantly.
14 When you enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, “Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,”
you are to appoint over yourselves the king whom the LORD your God shall choose. Appoint a king from among your brothers; you are not to set over yourselves a foreigner who is not one of your brothers.
16 But the king must not acquire many horses for himself or send the people back to Egypt to acquire more horses, for the LORD has said, ‘You are never to go back that way again.’
17 He must not take many wives for himself, lest his heart go astray. He must not accumulate for himself large amounts of silver and gold.
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- you are to appoint over yourselves the king whom the LORD your God shall choose. Appoint a king from among your brothers; you are not to set over yourselves a foreigner who is not one of your brothers.
- KJV
- 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.
- WEB
- you shall surely set him whom the LORD your God chooses as king over yourselves. You shall set as king over you one from among your brothers. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother.
- ASV
- thou shalt surely set him king over thee, whom Jehovah thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee; thou mayest not put a foreigner over thee, who is not thy brother.
- DARBY
- thou shalt only set him king over thee whom Jehovah thy God will choose: from among thy brethren shalt thou set a king over thee; thou mayest not set a foreigner over thee, who is not thy brother.
- BLB
- you shall surely set over yourself a king whom YHWH your God chooses; by him from among your brothers you shall set over yourself a king; you may not set over yourself a foreigner, a man who is not your brother.
- ÅB
- da skal du sette den til konge over deg som Herren din Gud utvelger. En av dine brødre skal du sette til konge over deg, du må ikke sette over deg en fremmed mann, en som ikke er din bror.
- OTB
- må du utnevne en konge over deg som Herren din Gud velger. Han må være en av dine medisraelitter. Du må ikke sette en fremmed over deg, en som ikke er din bror.
- B1930
- da skal du sette den til konge over dig som Herren din Gud utvelger. En av dine brødre skal du sette til konge over dig, du må ikke sette over dig en fremmed mann, en som ikke er din bror.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Jeremiah 30:21
Their leader will be one of their own, and their ruler will arise from their midst. And I will bring him near, and he will approach Me, for who would dare on his own to approach Me?” declares the LORD.
Read in context1 Chronicles 22:10
He is the one who will build a house for My Name. He will be My son, and I will be his Father. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’
Read in context1 Samuel 10:24
Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the one the LORD has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.” And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”
Read in context1 Samuel 16:12–13
So Jesse sent for his youngest son and brought him in. He was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him, for he is the one.”
Read in context1 Chronicles 12:23
Now these are the numbers of men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron to turn Saul’s kingdom over to him, in accordance with the word of the LORD:
Read in context1 Samuel 9:15–17
Now on the day before Saul’s arrival, the LORD had revealed to Samuel,
Read in contextPsalms 2:6
“I have installed My King on Zion, upon My holy mountain.”
Read in contextPsalms 2:2
The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together, against the LORD and against His Anointed One:
Read in context