16:18-22

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Justice and government

(Deut 16:18-17:20)

A collection of miscellaneous laws deals with a variety of civil and religious matters.

The courts had to administer justice impartially (Deut 16:18-20); the worship of Yahweh was not to involve any symbols or sacred objects taken from other religions (Deut 16:21-22); people were not to offer sick or lame animals in sacrifice (Deut 17:1); the testimony of at least two witnesses had to be in agreement before an accused person could be punished (Deut 16:2-7); and when local judges found a case too difficult to decide, they had to take it to the central place of worship where a higher court of judges and priests could decide it (Deut 16:8-13).

God foresaw that the people would later want a king like other nations, so he gave them in advance some of the qualifications and duties of an Israelite king (Deut 16:14-17).

The man who became king was to make his own copy of God’s law and study it constantly, so that he might govern the people according to God’s standards (Deut 16:18-20).