Deuteronomy 17:18-20

17:18 When he sits on his royal throne he must make a copy of this law ¹  on a scroll ²  given to him by the Levitical priests. 17:19 It must be with him constantly and he must read it as long as he lives, so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and observe all the words of this law and these statutes and carry them out. 17:20 Then he will not exalt himself above his fellow citizens or turn from the commandments to the right or left, and he and his descendants will enjoy many years ruling over his kingdom ³  in Israel.

Jeremiah 13:18

13:18 The Lord told me, ⁴ 

“Tell the king and the queen mother,

‘Surrender your thrones, ⁵ 

for your glorious crowns

will be removed ⁶  from your heads. ⁷ 

Jeremiah 22:1-2

22:1 The Lord told me, ⁸  “Go down ⁹  to the palace of the king of Judah. Give him a message from me there. ¹⁰  22:2 Say: ‘Listen, O king of Judah who follows in David’s succession. ¹¹  You, your officials, and your subjects who pass through the gates of this palace must listen to what the Lord says. ¹² 

¹ tn Or “instruction.” The LXX reads here τὸ δευτερονόμιον τοῦτο (to deuteronomion touto, “this second law”). From this Greek phrase the present name of the book, “Deuteronomy” or “second law” (i.e., the second giving of the law), is derived. However, the MT’s expression מִשְׁנֶה הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת (mishneh hattorah hazzo’t) is better rendered “copy of this law.” Here the term תּוֹרָה (torah) probably refers only to the book of Deuteronomy and not to the whole Pentateuch.

² tn The Hebrew term סֵפֶר (sefer) means a “writing” or “document” and could be translated “book” (so KJV, ASV, TEV). However, since “book” carries the connotation of a modern bound book with pages (an obvious anachronism) it is preferable to render the Hebrew term “scroll” here and elsewhere.

³ tc Heb “upon his kingship.” Smr supplies כִּסֵא (kise’, “throne”) so as to read “upon the throne of his kingship.” This overliteralizes what is a clearly understood figure of speech.

⁴ tn The words “The Lord told me” are not in the text but are implicit in the shift from second plural pronouns in vv. 15-17 to second singular in the Hebrew text of this verse. These words are supplied in the translation for clarity.

⁵ tn Or “You will come down from your thrones”; Heb “Make low! Sit!” This is a case of a construction where two forms in the same case, mood, or tense are joined in such a way that one (usually the first) is intended as an adverbial or adjectival modifier of the other (a figure called hendiadys). This is also probably a case where the imperative is used to express a distinct assurance or promise. See GKC 324 §110.b and compare the usage in Isa 37:30 and Ps 110:2.

⁶ tn Heb “have come down.” The verb here and those in the following verses are further examples of the “as good as done” form of the Hebrew verb (the prophetic perfect).

⁷ tc The translation follows the common emendation of a word normally meaning “place at the head” (מַרְאֲשׁוֹת [mar’ashot] plus pronoun = מַרְאֲוֹשׁתֵיכֶם [mar’aoshtekhem]) to “from your heads” (מֵרָאשֵׁיכֶם, mera’shekhem) following the ancient versions. The meaning “tiara” is nowhere else attested for this word.

⁸ tn The word “me “ is not in the text. It is, however, implicit and is supplied in the translation for clarity.

⁹ sn The allusion here is to going down from the temple to the palace which was on a lower eminence. See 36:12 in its context.

¹⁰ tn Heb “And speak there this word:” The translation is intended to eliminate an awkward and lengthy sentence.

¹¹ tn Heb “who sits on David’s throne.”

¹² tn Heb “Hear the word of the Lord, O king of Judah who sits on the throne of David, you, and your officials and your people who pass through these gates.”