Deuteronomy 17:15 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.
Deuteronomy 17:15 nkjv
you shall surely set a king over you whom the LORD your God chooses; one from among your brethren you shall set as king over you; you may not set a foreigner over you, who is not your brother.
Deuteronomy 17:15 niv
be sure to appoint over you a king the LORD your God chooses. He must be from among your fellow Israelites. Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not an Israelite.
Deuteronomy 17:15 esv
you may indeed set a king over you whom the LORD your God will choose. One from among your brothers you shall set as king over you. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother.
Deuteronomy 17:15 nlt
If this happens, be sure to select as king the man the LORD your God chooses. You must appoint a fellow Israelite; he may not be a foreigner.
Deuteronomy 17 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Dt 1:13 | 'Choose wise, understanding, and experienced men...' | Leadership selection based on character within the community |
| Dt 17:14 | 'When you come to the land... and say, “I will set a king over me”' | Introduction to the law of the king's appointment |
| Dt 17:16 | 'He must not acquire many horses for himself...' | Prohibitions against typical excesses of ancient kings |
| Dt 17:17 | 'Nor shall he acquire many wives... nor shall he acquire great silver' | Further warnings against common kingly temptations |
| Dt 17:18-20 | 'he shall write for himself a copy of this law... keep all the words' | Requirement for the king to study and obey God's law |
| Ex 18:21 | 'Moreover, you shall select from all the people able men...' | Early advice on choosing capable and righteous leaders |
| Lev 19:33-34 | 'You shall not wrong a sojourner... love him as yourself' | Contrast: treatment of general sojourners vs. kingship |
| Num 15:15-16 | 'One law shall be for you and for the stranger...' | Equality under the law, not leadership eligibility |
| 1 Sam 8:5 | 'Now appoint for us a king to govern us like all the nations.' | Israel's later demand for a king, seeking to be "like nations" |
| 1 Sam 8:7 | 'they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me...' | God's response to Israel's demand for a king |
| 1 Sam 9:16 | 'tomorrow about this time I will send you a man... he shall govern' | God's anointing of Saul, an Israelite |
| 1 Sam 16:12 | 'Send and bring him, for he is handsome.' And David was from Jesse | God's choice of David, an Israelite "man after His heart" |
| 2 Sam 7:16 | 'Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me...' | Promise of an eternal dynasty through an Israelite king |
| Ps 2:6 | '“As for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”' | God's appointed King, fulfilled in Christ (an Israelite) |
| Jer 30:21 | 'His ruler will be one of them; His governor will come from their midst.' | Prophecy of an ideal future leader from within Israel |
| Ez 9:1-2 | 'The people of Israel... have not separated themselves from the peoples...' | Violation of separation (not related to kingship, but purity) |
| Neh 13:1-3 | 'Ammonite or Moabite should not enter the assembly of God forever.' | Excluding specific foreigners from God's assembly (based on Dt 23:3-6) |
| Mk 10:42-43 | 'You know that those who are recognized as rulers... lord it over them' | Jesus contrasts Gentile rulers with humble servant-leadership |
| Jn 18:36 | 'My kingdom is not of this world.' | Christ's kingdom, contrasting worldly rule with divine truth |
| Eph 2:19-20 | 'So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners...' | Spiritual inclusion of Gentiles into God's family (in Christ) |
| Heb 7:14 | 'For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah...' | Christ's Israelite lineage, fulfilling the "brother" requirement |
| Rev 5:5 | 'the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah...' | Jesus as the ultimate King, fulfilling the promised Israelite line |
Deuteronomy 17 verses
Deuteronomy 17 15 Meaning
Deuteronomy 17:15 prohibits the people of Israel from appointing a king who is not one of their own "brothers" or kinsmen. This divine directive ensures that the chosen monarch shares in the covenant, identity, and shared heritage of the Israelites. It mandates that leadership reflects and upholds the nation's unique relationship with God, guarding against potential foreign loyalties, idolatry, or oppressive rule by an outsider. The command establishes a foundational principle for national governance rooted in community and divine election.
Deuteronomy 17 15 Context
Deuteronomy 17:14-20 outlines the divine law for Israel's future king, providing instructions before a monarchy was even established among them. This section immediately follows laws concerning justice and religious matters, underscoring that even the highest office in Israel was subject to God's ultimate authority. Historically, Israel had no king during the time Moses gave this law; leadership was by judges. However, other surrounding nations, like Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Canaanite city-states, already had well-established monarchies, often with despotic or idolatrous kings. This prohibition against a foreigner king stands as a polemic against the typical pagan monarchies where a king's authority often stemmed from self-glorification, divine claims (for himself), or foreign alliances, contrasting sharply with the divinely appointed, covenant-bound leader God intended for Israel.
Deuteronomy 17 15 Word analysis
- You may not: (לֹא - lo - a strong negative, meaning "no" or "not"). This conveys an absolute prohibition, not merely a suggestion. It underscores the severity and non-negotiable nature of the command, a fundamental principle for the future governance of Israel.
- set: (תָּשִׂים - tasim - from שׂוּם, sum, meaning "to put, place, appoint, establish"). This verb indicates the active role of the people in choosing and instituting their king, but under divine strictures. It highlights the process of installation rather than an inherent claim to authority.
- a foreigner: (נָכְרִי - nokri - meaning "stranger, alien, non-Israelite, outsider"). This term specifically designates someone not native to the land or not belonging to the Israelite community by birth and covenant. Its use here excludes not only foreign-born individuals but those who do not share the distinct religious and ethnic identity tied to the covenant with God.
- over you: This phrase signifies authority and governance. The king is to rule and guide the people of Israel.
- who is not: (אֲשֶׁר לֹא - asher lo - "that not," emphasizing the specific characteristic that disqualifies a candidate). It further reinforces the strict criterion.
- your brother: (אָחִיךָ - achicha - meaning "your brother, your kinsman, your fellow Israelite"). This crucial term establishes the essential qualification for the king. It implies shared heritage, faith, and loyalty to the covenant with God, indicating that the king must be one within the divinely constituted nation, aligned with their spiritual and national identity.
- You may not set a foreigner over you: This clause forms the primary injunction, strictly forbidding the appointment of any non-Israelite to the position of king. It speaks to the integrity of Israel's national and religious identity under God's covenant.
- who is not your brother: This descriptive phrase clarifies and emphatically defines "foreigner" in this specific context—someone outside the communal and spiritual brotherhood of Israel. It emphasizes shared ethnicity and, by extension, shared covenant commitment and loyalty as critical requirements for the highest office.
Deuteronomy 17 15 Bonus section
This verse implies a subtle but profound rejection of the concept of "divine right" as understood by surrounding pagan nations, where the king was often considered a god or directly descended from gods. By mandating an Israelite "brother" king, Deuteronomy asserts that even the highest human ruler is chosen from among the people, subject to the same covenant laws as all other Israelites, and ultimately under the sole authority of the true God. This also reflects the communal and tribal nature of Israel's initial organization, emphasizing shared identity over centralized, foreign-imposed authority. Furthermore, this law can be seen as a safeguard for spiritual purity; a foreign king would likely introduce foreign deities and customs, corrupting the covenant relationship between Israel and Yahweh.
Deuteronomy 17 15 Commentary
Deuteronomy 17:15 serves as a foundational constitutional principle for the future monarchy in Israel. It preemptively guards against several potential dangers: dilution of theocratic principles through foreign influence, the introduction of idolatry via a king loyal to other gods, and political instability due to conflicting allegiances. The command ensures that the king remains accountable to the shared covenant, rather than to external powers or personal ambitions independent of God's law. By stipulating that the king must be an Israelite, it reinforces Israel's distinctiveness as a holy nation, separate from the surrounding peoples and their pagan practices. The ideal Israelite king would embody humility and covenant faithfulness, contrasting sharply with the often oppressive, self-serving, and divinizing monarchs of other nations. This verse anticipates a lineage of kings, ultimately finding its fulfillment in the ultimate "brother" and perfect King, Jesus Christ, who descended from the tribe of Judah, thus fulfilling this divine requirement.