Deuteronomy 17 5

Deuteronomy 17:5 kjv

Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die.

Deuteronomy 17:5 nkjv

then you shall bring out to your gates that man or woman who has committed that wicked thing, and shall stone to death that man or woman with stones.

Deuteronomy 17:5 niv

take the man or woman who has done this evil deed to your city gate and stone that person to death.

Deuteronomy 17:5 esv

then you shall bring out to your gates that man or woman who has done this evil thing, and you shall stone that man or woman to death with stones.

Deuteronomy 17:5 nlt

then the man or woman who has committed such an evil act must be taken to the gates of the town and stoned to death.

Deuteronomy 17 verses

Deuteronomy 17 5 Meaning

Deuteronomy 17:5 prescribes the judicial punishment for individuals in Israel found guilty of apostasy or idolatry. It mandates that if a man or woman is proven to have committed this grave offense—serving other gods or celestial bodies, an act considered "wicked"—they must be publicly brought to the city gates, the site of ancient Israelite judicial proceedings. There, they are to be executed by stoning, a communal act signifying the purification of the covenant community from this grievous sin. The verse underscores the absolute nature of God's covenant demands for exclusive worship.

Deuteronomy 17 5 Context

Deuteronomy chapter 17 focuses on laws pertaining to leadership, judicial integrity, and the purity of the worship of Yahweh. Verses 2-7 specifically address the severe consequences of apostasy, i.e., worshiping other gods. This follows preceding chapters that stress loyalty to the covenant (Deut 12) and warn against various forms of idolatry and false prophets (Deut 13). Verse 5, therefore, details the prescribed execution for an individual convicted of the capital crime of idolatry, an act that threatened the very foundation of Israel's covenant relationship with God. This legal prescription reinforces the singular nature of Israel's God and the stringent demands for exclusive worship. Historically, city gates were common public forums for legal proceedings in the ancient Near East, symbolizing public justice and communal involvement in its execution.

Deuteronomy 17 5 Word Analysis

• then you shall bring out (וְהוֹצֵאתָ – vehotzeta): The Hebrew verb יָצָא (yatsa) means "to go out," or in the causative stem here, "to bring out" or "cause to go out." This implies a formal, public process, not a clandestine execution. It emphasizes that the judgment and punishment are carried out openly before the community, highlighting transparency and communal witness.
• to your gates (אֶל שְׁעָרֶיךָ – el sh'arekha): The Hebrew term שַׁעַר (sha'ar) refers to the city gate. In ancient Israelite cities, the gate area served as the primary place for legal courts, business transactions, and public assemblies. This location was chosen for the execution to signify that justice was dispensed publicly by the community and its leaders, serving as a powerful deterrent and demonstrating the collective abhorrence of the crime.
• that man or woman (הָאִישׁ אוֹ הָאִשָּׁה – ha'ish o ha'ishah): This specific phrasing (ish or ishshah) emphasizes the universality of the law across gender. There is no discrimination based on gender regarding accountability for idolatry. It underlines that this severe transgression warrants the same ultimate penalty for all covenant members.
• who has committed this wicked thing (אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אֶת הַדָּבָר הָרַע הַזֶּה – asher asah et ha'davar hara hazzēh): The phrase "wicked thing" (דָּבָר הָרַע – davar hara) refers directly back to the acts of idolatry described in verses 2-4: serving other gods, worshipping the sun, moon, or stars. "Wicked" (רָע – ra) indicates moral evil and a severe transgression against God and His covenant. This act was seen not just as a sin, but as treason against the divine King.
• and you shall stone to death (וּסְקַלְתֶּם אֹתוֹ בָאֲבָנִים וָמֵת – usqaltem oto ba'avanim va'met): The verb סָקַל (saqal) specifically means "to stone." It's one of the prescribed methods of capital punishment in the Mosaic Law for certain severe religious or moral offenses. This method often involved the entire community participating (beginning with the witnesses, as in Deut 17:7), underscoring collective responsibility for maintaining covenant purity and demonstrating corporate rejection of the sin. "To death" (וָמֵת – va'met) explicitly states the fatal outcome.
• that man or woman (הָאִישׁ הַהוּא אוֹ הָאִשָּׁה הַהִיא – ha'ish hahu o ha'ishah hahi): The repetition of "that man or woman" at the end reinforces the clear object of the judgment and finality of the sentence. It highlights the direct consequence for the specific individual convicted of this crime.

Deuteronomy 17 5 Bonus Section

• Corporate Responsibility: The communal aspect of stoning, where the witnesses cast the first stones (Deut 17:7) and then the rest of the people, highlighted the collective responsibility of Israel for upholding God's covenant and removing sin from their midst. It was not merely the responsibility of the judiciary, but of the entire community to guard against apostasy.
• Deterrence: The public nature and severe outcome of the penalty were intended to instill fear and deter others from contemplating similar acts of disloyalty to Yahweh. "All the people shall hear and fear and no longer act presumptuously" (Deut 17:13).
• Purging Evil: The recurring phrase "so you shall purge the evil from your midst" (Deut 17:7, also Deut 13:5, 19:19, 21:21, 22:21, 22:24, 24:7) is central to understanding these capital statutes. It indicates a theological aim: to remove spiritual and moral contagion from the covenant community, ensuring its holiness and preventing God's judgment from falling on the nation as a whole. This principle is later reflected in New Testament teachings on church discipline for the purity of the Christian community (e.g., 1 Cor 5:13).
• God's Sovereignty: This law underscores the exclusive and sovereign nature of God as the sole object of worship. In a world full of polytheistic beliefs and practices, Israel's God demanded absolute and undivided loyalty, an essential aspect of their unique identity as His chosen people.

Deuteronomy 17 5 Commentary

Deuteronomy 17:5 details the judicial process and penalty for apostasy, emphasizing God's absolute demand for exclusive worship within the Israelite covenant. The prescribed punishment, stoning at the city gates, served multiple crucial purposes: It ensured public accountability and transparency, involving the community in the administration of justice; it purged moral and spiritual defilement from the nation, vital for maintaining the purity of God's dwelling among His people; and its severity served as a potent deterrent against the heinous sin of idolatry. This law underlined that loyalty to Yahweh was paramount, considering idolatry not merely a theological error but an act of high treason against the divine sovereign, demanding the ultimate sacrifice to cleanse the community from its pervasive evil. It reflects God's zeal for His own glory and the holiness He required of His covenant people.