See in Reader
10 KiB
Deuteronomy 17
Deuteronomy 17:1
General Information:
Moses is still speaking to the people of Israel.
in which is any blemish
"that has a blemish" or "that has something wrong with it." The animal is to appear healthy without any deformity.
that would be an abomination to Yahweh
"that would be disgusting to Yahweh"
Deuteronomy 17:2
If there is found
This may be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "If you find someone" or "If there is anyone" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
within any of your city gates
Here "city gates" represents cities or towns. Alternate translation: "living in one of your cities" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-synecdoche)
what is evil in the sight of Yahweh your God
The sight of Yahweh represents Yahweh's judgment or evaluation. Alternate translation: "something that Yahweh your God thinks is evil" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
transgresses his covenant
"disobeys his covenant"
Deuteronomy 17:3
any of the host of heaven
"any of the army of heaven." Here this refers to the lights we see in the sky, including the sun, moon, stars. They are called the host because there are so many of them, just as armies have many soldiers. Alternate translation: "any of the multitude of things in the sky" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Deuteronomy 17:4
if you are told about this
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "if someone tells you about this disobedient act" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
you must make a careful investigation
The abstract noun "investigation" can be stated as a verb. Alternate translation: "you must carefully investigate what happened" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-abstractnouns)
such an abomination has been done in Israel
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "someone has done such a horrible thing in Israel" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
Deuteronomy 17:5
General Information:
This page has intentionally been left blank.
Deuteronomy 17:6
At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, will he who must die be put to death
Here "the mouth" represents the testimony of a witness. This can be translated in active form. Alternate translation: "If two or three witnesses speak against the person, then you must execute him" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive and rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-numbers)
but at the mouth of only one witness he must not be put to death
Here "the mouth" represents the testimony of a witness. This can be translated in active form. Alternate translation: "but if only one person speaks against him, then you must not execute him" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
Deuteronomy 17:7
The hand of the witnesses must be the first to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people
Here "hand" represents the entire group of witnesses. Alternate translation: "The witnesses themselves must be the first ones to throw stones. Then all the people will execute the person by throwing stones at him" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-synecdoche)
you will remove the evil from among you
The nominal adjective "the evil" can be stated as an adjective. Alternate translation: "you must remove from among the Israelites this person who does this evil thing" or "you must execute this evil person" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-nominaladj)
Deuteronomy 17:8
General Information:
Moses continues speaking to the people of Israel.
If a matter arises
"If there is a matter" or "If there is a situation"
one person's right and another person's right
A "right" is a person's legal authority to do something or to possess something.
Deuteronomy 17:9
you will seek their advice
The abstract noun "advice" can be stated as a verb. Alternate translation: "you will ask them to advise you" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-abstractnouns)
they will give you the verdict
The abstract noun "verdict" can be stated as a verb. Alternate translation: "they will decide on the matter" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-abstractnouns)
Deuteronomy 17:10
General Information:
This page has intentionally been left blank.
Deuteronomy 17:11
Follow the law they teach you
A person obeying what the priests and judge decide is spoken of as if the person were physically following behind the law. This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "You must obey what the judge and priests decide about the matter" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
Do not turn aside from what they tell you, to the right hand or to the left
A person not doing exactly what the judge and priests say is spoken of as if he were turning off the correct path. This can be stated in positive form. Alternate translation: "Do not disobey anything they tell you" or "Do everything they say" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Deuteronomy 17:12
in not listening to the priest ... or in not listening to the judge
"and does not obey the priest ... or does not obey the judge"
you will put away the evil from Israel
The nominal adjective "the evil" can be translated as an adjective. Alternate translation: "you must remove from among the Israelites the person who does this evil thing" or "you must execute this evil person" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-nominaladj)
Deuteronomy 17:13
All the people must hear and fear, and act arrogantly no more
It is implied that when the people hear about the person who was executed for acting arrogantly, they will be afraid and not act arrogantly themselves. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-explicit)
Deuteronomy 17:14
General Information:
Moses continues speaking to the people of Israel.
When you have come to the land
The word "come to" can be translated as "gone to" or "entered." (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-go)
then you say, 'I will set a king over myself, like all the nations that are round about me,'
This has a quotation within a quotation. A direct quotation can be stated as an indirect quotation. Alternate translation: "then you decide that you want a king just like the peoples of the nations that surround you have kings," (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-quotesinquotes and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-quotations)
I will set a king over myself ... round about me
Moses has the people speaking as if they were one person. It may be more natural to translate this with plural pronouns. Alternate translation: "We will set over ourselves ... round about us" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-pronouns)
set a king over myself
Giving someone the authority to rule as king in Israel is spoken of as if the people were setting the person in a place above them. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
all the nations that are round about me
"all the surrounding nations"
all the nations
Here "nations" represent the people who live in the nations. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
Deuteronomy 17:15
someone from among your brothers
"one of your fellow Israelites"
a foreigner, who is not your brother, over yourself
Both of these phrases mean the same thing. They both refer to a person who is not an Israelite. Yahweh is emphasizing that the people of Israel should not let a foreigner rule over them. Alternate translation: "a foreigner over yourself" or "a non-Israelite over yourself" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-doublet)
Deuteronomy 17:16
for Yahweh had said to you, 'You will never return that way again.'
This has a quotation within a quotation. A direct quotation can be stated as an indirect quotation. Alternate translation: "for Yahweh had said that you must never return to Egypt again." (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-quotesinquotes and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-quotations)
Deuteronomy 17:17
so that his heart does not turn away
Here "heart" refers to the whole person. An Israelite king who marries foreign wives and starts to worship their false gods is spoken of as if his heart were to turn away from Yahweh. Alternate translation: "so that they do not cause him to stop honoring Yahweh and start worshiping false gods" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-synecdoche and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Deuteronomy 17:18
When he sits on the throne of his kingdom
Here "throne" represents the person's power and authority as king. To sit on the throne means to become king. Alternate translation: "When he becomes king" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
he must write for himself in a scroll a copy of this law
Possible meanings are 1) "he must personally write in a scroll a copy of this law for himself" or 2) "he must appoint someone to write in a scroll a copy of this law for him"
from the law that is before the priests, who are Levites
"from the copy of the law that the Levitical priests keep"
Deuteronomy 17:19
so as to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to observe them
These two phrases mean basically the same thing and emphasize that the king must obey all of God's law. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-parallelism)
Deuteronomy 17:20
so that his heart is not lifted up above his brothers
Here "his heart" refers to the whole person. A king becoming arrogant is spoken of as if his heart were lifted up. Alternate translation: "so that he does not become arrogant" or "so that he does not think he is better than his fellow Israelites" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-synecdoche and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
so that he does not turn away from the commandments, to the right hand or to the left
A king disobeying God's commands is spoken of as if a person were to turn off the correct path. This can be stated in positive form. Alternate translation: "so that he does not disobey any of the commandments" or "so that he obeys all of the commandments" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-litotes)
prolong his days
Long days is a metaphor for a long life. See how you translated a similar phrase "prolong your days" in Deuteronomy 4:26. Alternate translation: "be able to live a long time" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)