Font Size
Deuteronomy 17:8-20
New International Version
Deuteronomy 17:8-20
New International Version
Law Courts
8 If cases come before your courts that are too difficult for you to judge(A)—whether bloodshed, lawsuits or assaults(B)—take them to the place the Lord your God will choose.(C) 9 Go to the Levitical(D) priests and to the judge(E) who is in office at that time. Inquire of them and they will give you the verdict.(F) 10 You must act according to the decisions they give you at the place the Lord will choose. Be careful to do everything they instruct you to do. 11 Act according to whatever they teach you and the decisions they give you. Do not turn aside from what they tell you, to the right or to the left.(G) 12 Anyone who shows contempt(H) for the judge or for the priest who stands ministering(I) there to the Lord your God is to be put to death.(J) You must purge the evil from Israel.(K) 13 All the people will hear and be afraid, and will not be contemptuous again.(L)
The King
14 When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you and have taken possession(M) of it and settled in it,(N) and you say, “Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,”(O) 15 be sure to appoint(P) over you a king the Lord your God chooses. He must be from among your fellow Israelites.(Q) Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not an Israelite. 16 The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses(R) for himself(S) or make the people return to Egypt(T) to get more of them,(U) for the Lord has told you, “You are not to go back that way again.”(V) 17 He must not take many wives,(W) or his heart will be led astray.(X) He must not accumulate(Y) large amounts of silver and gold.(Z)
18 When he takes the throne(AA) of his kingdom, he is to write(AB) for himself on a scroll a copy(AC) of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests. 19 It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life(AD) so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees(AE) 20 and not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites and turn from the law(AF) to the right or to the left.(AG) Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.(AH)
Deuteronomy 17:8-20
King James Version
Deuteronomy 17:8-20
King James Version
8 If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within thy gates: then shalt thou arise, and get thee up into the place which the Lord thy God shall choose;
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:
10 And thou shalt do according to the sentence, which they of that place which the Lord shall choose shall shew thee; and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they inform thee:
11 According to the sentence of the law which they shall teach thee, and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, thou shalt do: thou shalt not decline from the sentence which they shall shew thee, to the right hand, nor to the left.
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.
13 And all the people shall hear, and fear, and do no more presumptuously.
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;
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.
16 But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the Lord hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.
17 Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.
18 And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:
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:
20 That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.
Read full chapter
Deuteronomy 17:8-20
New King James Version
Deuteronomy 17:8-20
New King James Version
8 (A)“If a matter arises which is too hard for you to judge, between degrees of guilt for bloodshed, between one judgment or another, or between one punishment or another, matters of controversy within your gates, then you shall arise and go up to the (B)place which the Lord your God chooses. 9 And (C)you shall come to the priests, the Levites, and (D)to the judge there in those days, and inquire of them; (E)they shall pronounce upon you the sentence of judgment. 10 You shall do according to the sentence which they pronounce upon you in that place which the Lord chooses. And you shall be careful to do according to all that they order you. 11 According to the sentence of the law in which they instruct you, according to the judgment which they tell you, you shall do; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left from the sentence which they pronounce upon you. 12 Now (F)the man who acts presumptuously and will not heed the priest who stands to minister there before the Lord your God, or the judge, that man shall die. So you shall put away the evil from Israel. 13 (G)And all the people shall hear and fear, and no longer act presumptuously.
Principles Governing Kings
14 “When you come to the land which the Lord your God is giving you, and possess it and dwell in it, and say, (H)‘I will set a king over me like all the nations that are around me,’ 15 you shall surely set a king over you (I)whom the Lord your God chooses; one (J)from among your brethren you shall set as king over you; you may not set a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. 16 But he shall not multiply (K)horses for himself, nor cause the people (L)to return to Egypt to multiply horses, for (M)the Lord has said to you, (N)‘You shall not return that way again.’ 17 Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and (O)gold for himself.
18 “Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one (P)before the priests, the Levites. 19 And (Q)it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes, 20 that his heart may not [a]be lifted above his brethren, that he (R)may not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left, and that he may [b]prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children in the midst of Israel.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Deuteronomy 17:20 become proud
- Deuteronomy 17:20 continue long in his kingdom
Deuteronomy 17:8-20
English Standard Version
Deuteronomy 17:8-20
English Standard Version
Legal Decisions by Priests and Judges
8 “If any case arises requiring decision between one kind of homicide and another, one kind of legal right and another, or one kind of assault and another, any case within your towns that is too difficult for you, then you shall arise and go up to (A)the place that the Lord your God will choose. 9 (B)And you shall come to the Levitical priests and to the judge who is in office in those days, and you shall consult them, and (C)they shall declare to you the decision. 10 Then you shall do according to what they declare to you from that place that the Lord will choose. And you shall be careful to do according to all that they direct you. 11 According to the instructions that they give you, and according to the decision which they pronounce to you, you shall do. You shall not turn aside from the verdict that they declare to you, either to the right hand or to the left. 12 The man who (D)acts presumptuously by not obeying the priest (E)who stands to minister there before the Lord your God, or the judge, that man shall die. So (F)you shall purge the evil from Israel. 13 And all the people (G)shall hear and fear and not act presumptuously again.
Laws Concerning Israel's Kings
14 “When you come to the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you possess it and dwell in it and then say, (H)‘I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me,’ 15 you may indeed set a king over you (I)whom the Lord your God will choose. One (J)from among your brothers you shall set as king over you. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. 16 Only he must not acquire many (K)horses for himself or cause the people (L)to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, since the Lord has said to you, (M)‘You shall never return that way again.’ 17 And he (N)shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, (O)nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold.
18 “And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, (P)he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, (Q)approved by[a] the Levitical priests. 19 And (R)it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, (S)that he may learn to fear the Lord his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, 20 that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he (T)may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, (U)so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Deuteronomy 17:18 Hebrew from before
Deuteronomy 17:8-20
New American Standard Bible
Deuteronomy 17:8-20
New American Standard Bible
8 “(A)If a case is too difficult for you to decide, between [a]one kind of homicide or another, between [b]one kind of lawsuit or another, and between [c]one kind of assault or another, that are cases of dispute in your [d]courts, then you shall arise and go up to (B)the place which the Lord your God chooses. 9 So you shall come to (C)the Levitical priests or the judge who is in office in those days, and you shall inquire of them and they will declare to you the [e]verdict. 10 Then you shall act in accordance with the [f]terms of the verdict which they declare to you from that place which the Lord chooses; and you shall be careful to act in accordance with everything that they instruct you to do. 11 (D)In accordance with the [g]terms of the law about which they instruct you, and in accordance with the verdict which they tell you, you shall act; you shall not turn aside from the word which they declare to you, to the right or the left. 12 But the person who acts (E)insolently by not listening to the priest who stands there to serve the Lord your God, nor to the judge, that person shall die; so you shall eliminate the evil from Israel. 13 Then all the people will hear and be afraid, and will not act (F)insolently again.
14 “When you enter the land which the Lord your God is giving you, and you (G)take possession of it and live in it, and you say, ‘(H)I will appoint a king over me like all the nations who are around me,’ 15 you shall in fact appoint a king over you whom the Lord your God chooses. One (I)from among your countrymen you shall appoint as king over yourselves; you may not put a foreigner over yourselves, anyone who is not your countryman. 16 (J)In any case, he is not to acquire many horses for himself, nor shall he (K)make the people return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, since (L)the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall never again return that way.’ 17 And (M)he shall not acquire many wives for himself, so that his heart does not turn away; nor shall he greatly increase silver and gold for himself.
18 “Now it shall come about, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this Law on a scroll [h](N)in the presence of the Levitical priests. 19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read it (O)all the days of his life, so that he will learn to fear the Lord his God, [i]by carefully following all the words of this Law and these statutes, 20 so that his heart will not be haughty toward his countrymen, (P)and that he will not turn away from the commandment to the right or the left, so that he and his sons may [j]live long in his kingdom in the midst of Israel.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Deuteronomy 17:8 Lit blood to blood
- Deuteronomy 17:8 Lit lawsuit to lawsuit
- Deuteronomy 17:8 Lit blow to blow
- Deuteronomy 17:8 Lit gates
- Deuteronomy 17:9 Lit word of decision
- Deuteronomy 17:10 Lit mouth
- Deuteronomy 17:11 Lit mouth
- Deuteronomy 17:18 Lit from before
- Deuteronomy 17:19 Lit to keep all...to do them,
- Deuteronomy 17:20 Lit prolong days
Exodus 22:28
New International Version
Exodus 22:28
New International Version
Read full chapter
Footnotes
- Exodus 22:28 Or Do not revile the judges
Exodus 22:28
King James Version
Exodus 22:28
King James Version
28 Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.
Read full chapter
Exodus 22:28
New King James Version
Exodus 22:28
New King James Version
28 (A)“You shall not revile God, nor curse a (B)ruler of your people.
Read full chapter
Exodus 22:28
English Standard Version
Exodus 22:28
English Standard Version
28 (A)“You shall not revile God, nor (B)curse a ruler of your people.
Read full chapter
Exodus 22:28
New American Standard Bible
Exodus 22:28
New American Standard Bible
28 “You shall not [a](A)curse God, (B)nor curse a ruler of your people.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Exodus 22:28 Or revile
Deuteronomy 16:18
New International Version
Deuteronomy 16:18
New International Version
Judges
18 Appoint judges(A) and officials for each of your tribes in every town the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly.(B)
Deuteronomy 16:18
King James Version
Deuteronomy 16:18
King James Version
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.
Read full chapter
Deuteronomy 16:18
New King James Version
Deuteronomy 16:18
New King James Version
Justice Must Be Administered
18 “You shall appoint (A)judges and officers in all your [a]gates, which the Lord your God gives you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgment.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Deuteronomy 16:18 towns
Deuteronomy 16:18
English Standard Version
Deuteronomy 16:18
English Standard Version
Justice
18 “You shall appoint (A)judges and officers in all your towns that the Lord your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.
Read full chapter
Deuteronomy 16:18
New American Standard Bible
Deuteronomy 16:18
New American Standard Bible
18 “You shall appoint for yourself judges and officers in all your [a]towns which the Lord your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Deuteronomy 16:18 Lit gates
Exodus 23:1-2
New International Version
Exodus 23:1-2
New International Version
Laws of Justice and Mercy
23 “Do not spread false reports.(A) Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness.(B)
2 “Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice(C) by siding with the crowd,(D)
Exodus 23:1-2
King James Version
Exodus 23:1-2
King James Version
23 Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.
2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:
Read full chapter
Exodus 23:1-2
New King James Version
Exodus 23:1-2
New King James Version
Justice for All
23 “You (A)shall not circulate a false report. Do not put your hand with the wicked to be an (B)unrighteous witness. 2 (C)You shall not follow a crowd to do evil; (D)nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after many to pervert justice.
Read full chapter
Exodus 23:1-2
English Standard Version
Exodus 23:1-2
English Standard Version
23 (A)“You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a (B)malicious witness. 2 You shall not fall in with the many to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with the many, so as to pervert justice,
Read full chapter
Exodus 23:1-2
New American Standard Bible
Exodus 23:1-2
New American Standard Bible
Various Laws
23 “(A)You shall not give a false report; do not join your hand with a wicked person to be a (B)malicious witness. 2 You shall not follow [a]the crowd in doing evil, nor shall you [b]testify in a dispute so as to join together with [c]a crowd in order to (C)pervert justice;
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Exodus 23:2 Lit many
- Exodus 23:2 Or answer
- Exodus 23:2 Lit many
Exodus 23:7-8
King James Version
Exodus 23:7-8
King James Version
7 Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.
8 And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.
Read full chapter
Exodus 23:7-8
New King James Version
Exodus 23:7-8
New King James Version
7 (A)Keep yourself far from a false matter; (B)do not kill the innocent and righteous. For (C)I will not justify the wicked. 8 And (D)you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the discerning and perverts the words of the righteous.
Read full chapter
Exodus 23:7-8
English Standard Version
Exodus 23:7-8
English Standard Version
7 (A)Keep far from a false charge, and (B)do not kill the innocent and righteous, for (C)I will not acquit the wicked. 8 (D)And you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of those who are in the right.
Read full chapter
Exodus 23:7-8
New American Standard Bible
Exodus 23:7-8
New American Standard Bible
7 (A)Keep far from a false charge, and (B)do not kill the innocent or the righteous, for (C)I will not acquit the guilty.
8 “(D)You shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and [a]subverts the cause of the just.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Exodus 23:8 Or distorts the words
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.