Deuteronomy 17:14-20

Why must a king remain under the law rather than above his fellow Israelites?

Berean Standard Bible

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,” 15 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. 18 When he is seated on his royal throne, he must write for himself a copy of this instruction on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. 19 It is to remain with him, and he is to read from it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by carefully observing all the words of this instruction and these statutes. 20 Then his heart will not be exalted above his countrymen, and he will not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or to the left, in order that he and his sons may reign many years over his kingdom in Israel.

What is the context?

When Israel asks for a king, the ruler must be the Lord’s choice and one of the people. He must not accumulate horses through renewed dependence on Egypt, multiply wives so his heart turns away, or amass great silver and gold for himself.

He must keep and read a copy of the instruction throughout life, learning to fear the Lord and obey. The stated aim includes preventing him from lifting his heart above his countrymen. Royal office does not exempt him from the same Lord and commands.

How is this passage commonly understood?

Wesley reads the law as anticipating and regulating Israel’s request for monarchy without approving its desire to be like other nations. Maimonides, Kings and Wars 1:1, instead counts appointing a king as a command given upon entering the land. These readings differ over the command’s relation to monarchy itself; both retain the limits placed on the king.

The USCCB notes connect the restrictions with royal excess and describe the king’s positive duty as modeling adherence to the law. Possessing a scroll without reading and following it would not fulfill that duty.

What is our position?

We don't have a position on this passage yet. When our study reaches a conclusion the text supports, it will appear here.

Where can I study this further?

No deeper study linked yet.

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