Catholic Commentary on Deuteronomy 17

"When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law. It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life." (Deuteronomy 17:18-19)

The Law of the King

Moses establishes the procedure for serious legal cases too difficult for local courts: bring them to the priests and the judge at the central sanctuary. Their verdict is final; whoever shows contempt for it must die, so that all Israel will hear and be afraid. Then the anticipatory law of the king: when you enter the land, you may say, let us set a king over us like all the nations around us. The LORD will allow it, but the king must be one the LORD chooses, an Israelite. He must not acquire many horses or take many wives or accumulate large amounts of silver and gold. These prohibitions are specifically violated by Solomon, and the consequences the text predicts follow precisely.

Most significantly: When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law. It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees and not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites and not turn from the law to the right or to the left. The king is not above the law but under it, its first servant and student. The Catechism draws from this the principle that governs all legitimate political authority: the leader who governs is not exempt from the moral law but is its first representative (CCC 1903).

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, the king is to read the law all the days of his life, lest he consider himself better than his fellow Israelites. The antidote to the arrogance of authority is the daily reading of the word that places every human leader under the divine sovereign. Those who lead must read. And those who read will lead differently.

Prayer

Lord God, you gave kings the command to write out your law and read it all the days of their lives. Give our leaders the humility to live under your word. And give us citizens who hold them to it. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

17
Detestable Sacrifices
1 You shall not sacrifice to the LORD your God an ox or a sheep with any defect or serious flaw, for that is detestable to the LORD your God.
Purge the Idolater
 
2 If a man or woman among you in one of the towns that the LORD your God gives you is found doing evil in the sight of the LORD your God by transgressing His covenant 3 and going to worship other gods, bowing down to them or to the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven—which I have forbidden— 4 and if it is reported and you hear about it, you must investigate it thoroughly.
 
If the report is true and such an abomination has happened in Israel, 5 you must bring out to your gates the man or woman who has done this evil thing, and you must stone that person to death. 6 On the testimony of two or three witnesses a man shall be put to death, but he shall not be executed on the testimony of a lone witness. 7 The hands of the witnesses shall be the first in putting him to death, and after that, the hands of all the people. So you must purge the evil from among you.* 17:7 Cited in 1 Corinthians 5:13
Courts of Law
 
8 If a case is too difficult for you to judge, whether the controversy within your gates is regarding bloodshed, lawsuits, or assaults, you must go up to the place the LORD your God will choose. 9 You are to go to the Levitical priests and to the judge who presides at that time. Inquire of them, and they will give you a verdict in the case.
 
10 You must abide by the verdict they give you at the place the LORD will choose. Be careful to do everything they instruct you, 11 according to the terms of law they give and the verdict they proclaim. Do not turn aside to the right or to the left from the decision they declare to you.
 
12 But the man who acts presumptuously, refusing to listen either to the priest who stands there to serve the LORD your God, or to the judge, must be put to death. You must purge the evil from Israel. 13 Then all the people will hear and be afraid, and will no longer behave arrogantly.
Guidelines for a King
(1 Samuel 8:1–9)
 
14 When you enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, “Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,” 15 you are to appoint over yourselves the king whom the LORD your God shall choose. Appoint a king from among your brothers; you are not to set over yourselves a foreigner who is not one of your brothers.
 
16 But the king must not acquire many horses for himself or send the people back to Egypt to acquire more horses, for the LORD has said, ‘You are never to go back that way again.’ 17 He must not take many wives for himself, lest his heart go astray. He must not accumulate for himself large amounts of silver and gold.
 
18 When he is seated on his royal throne, he must write for himself a copy of this instruction on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. 19 It is to remain with him, and he is to read from it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by carefully observing all the words of this instruction and these statutes. 20 Then his heart will not be exalted above his countrymen, and he will not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or to the left, in order that he and his sons may reign many years over his kingdom in Israel.

*17:7 17:7 Cited in 1 Corinthians 5:13

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