Chapter 17:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 Numbers Joshua
Deuteronomy 17
A charge, concerning sacrifices, ver. 1. Concerning putting
idolaters to death, ver. 2-7. Concerning the decision of cases by
the sanhedrim, ver. 8-13. Concerning the choice and duty of a
king, ver. 14-20.
Verse 1. Bullock or sheep - Either greater or smaller sacrifices, all being
comprehended under the two most eminent kinds.
Verse 2. ln transressing his covenant - That is, in idolatry, as it is
explained ver. 3, which is called a transgression of God's covenant
made with Israel, both because it is a breach of their faith given to
God and of that law which they covenanted to keep; and because
it is a dissolution of that matrimonial covenant with God, a
renouncing of God and his worship, and a chusing other Gods.
Verse 3. The host of heaven - Those glorious creatures, which are to be
admired as the wonderful works of God, but not to be set up in
God's stead. By condemning the most specious of all idolaters, he
intimates, how absurd a thing it is to worship stocks and stones,
the works of men's hands. I have not commanded - That is, I have
forbidden. Such negative expressions are emphatical.
Verse 6. Witnesses - Namely, credible and competent witnesses. The
Jews rejected the testimonies of children, women, servants,
familiar friends or enemies, persons of dissolute lives or evil
fame.
Verse 7. First upon him - God thus ordered it, for the caution of
witnesses, that, if they had thro' malice or wrath accused him
falsely, they might now be afraid to imbrue their hands in
innocent blood; and for the security and satisfaction of the people
in the execution of this punishment.
Verse 8. For thee - He speaks to the inferior magistrates, who were
erected in several cities. If thou hast not skill to determine,
between blood and blood - That is, in capital causes. Between plea
and plea - In civil causes, about words or estates. Between stroke
and stroke - In criminal causes, concerning blows, or wounds
inflicted by one man upon another. Matters of controversy - That
is, such things being doubtful, and the magistrates divided in their
opinions about it. Chuse - Namely to set up his tabernacle, or
temple there; because there was the abode, both of their
sanhedrim, which was constituted of priests and civil magistrates,
and of the high-priests, who were to consult God by Urim, in
matters which could not be decided otherwise.
Verse 9. Unto the priests - That is, unto the great council, which
consisted chiefly of the priests and Levites, as being the best
expositors of the laws of God, by which all those controversies
were to be decided. And the high-priest was commonly one of
that number, understood here under the priests, whereof be was
the chief. The judge - Probably the high-priest, to whom it
belonged to determine, some at least, of those controversies, and
to expound the law of God. And he may be distinctly named, tho'
he be one of the priests, because of his eminency, and to shew that
amongst the priests, he especially was to be consulted in such
cases. The sentence of judgment - Hebrew. The word, or matter of
judgement, that is, the true state of the cause, and what judgment
or sentence ought to be given in it.
Verse 10. Thou - Thou shalt pass sentence: he speaks to the inferior
magistrates; who were to give sentence, and came hither to be
advised about it.
Verse 11. Thou shalt do - In particular suits between man and man,
altho' the judge be hereby confined to his rule in giving the
sentence, yet it seems but fit and reasonable that people should be
bound simply to acquiesce in the sentence of their last and highest
judge, or else there would have been no end of strife.
Verse 12. Do presumptuously - That will proudly and obstinately oppose
the sentence given against him. The evil - The evil thing, that
scandal, that pernicious example.
Verse 13. When thou shalt - He only foresees and foretells what they
would do, but doth not approve of it. Yea when they did this thing
for this very reason, he declares his utter dislike of it, 1 Sam. viii,
7.
Verse 15. Thy God shall chuse - Approve of, or appoint. So it was in
Saul and David. God reserved to himself the nomination both of
the family, and of the person. Thy brethren - Of the same nation
and religion; because such a person was most likely to maintain
true religion, and to rule with righteousness, gentleness, and
kindness to his subjects; and that he might be a fit type of Christ
their supreme king, who was to be one of their brethren.
Verse 16. He shall not multiply horses - Tho' he might have horses for
his own use, yet he was not to have many horses for his officers
and guard, much less for war, lest he should trust in them. The
multiplying horses is also forbidden, lest it should raise too great a
correspondence with Egypt which furnished Canaan with them.
The Lord hath said - The Lord hath now said to me, and I by his
command declare it to you. Ye shall no more return that way -
Into Egypt, lest ye be again infected with her idolatries.
Verse 17. Turn away - From God and his law.
Verse 18. He shall write - With his own hand, as the Jews say. Out of
that - Out of the original, which was carefully kept by the priests
in the sanctuary, that it might be a perfect copy, and that it might
have the greater influence upon him, coming to him as from the
hand and presence of God.
Verse 19. All the days of his life - 'Tis not enough to have Bibles, but we
must use them, yea, use them daily. Our souls must have constant
meals of that manna, which if well digested, will afford them true
nourishment and strength.
Verse 20. If his heart be not lifted up - He intimates, that the scriptures
diligently read, are a powerful means to keep him humble,
because they shew him in that, tho' a king, he is subject to an
higher monarch, to whom he must give an account of all his
administrations, and receive from him his sentence agreeable to
their quality, which is sufficient to abate the pride of the
haughtiest person in the world.
Chapter 17:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 Numbers Joshua
This version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible is a derivative of an electronic version, Copyright 1997, by Sulu D. Kelley. All rights reserved. Used by permission. It may not be modified or used commercially without permission of Wesleyan Heritage Publishing and Sulu Kelley. A special thanks to Mr. Kelley and Wesleyan Heritage Publishing for permission to create and post this version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible.
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