Deuteronomy 17:8

Appeal to a Higher Court

17:8 If a matter is too difficult for you to judge – bloodshed, ¹  legal claim, ²  or assault ³  – matters of controversy in your villages ⁴  – you must leave there and go up to the place the Lord your God chooses. ⁵ 

Deuteronomy 17:18

17:18 When he sits on his royal throne he must make a copy of this law ⁶  on a scroll ⁷  given to him by the Levitical priests.

Deuteronomy 17:2

17:2 Suppose a man or woman is discovered among you – in one of your villages ⁸  that the Lord your God is giving you – who sins before the Lord your God ⁹  and breaks his covenant

Deuteronomy 19:8

19:8 If the Lord your God enlarges your borders as he promised your ancestors ¹⁰  and gives you all the land he pledged to them, ¹¹ 

[17:8]  ¹ tn Heb “between blood and blood.”

[17:8]  ² tn Heb “between claim and claim.”

[17:8]  ³ tn Heb “between blow and blow.”

[17:8]  ⁴ tn Heb “gates.”

[17:8]  ⁵ tc Several Greek recensions add “to place his name there,” thus completing the usual formula to describe the central sanctuary (cf. Deut 12:5, 11, 14, 18; 16:6). However, the context suggests that the local Levitical towns, and not the central sanctuary, are in mind.

[17:18]  ⁶ 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.

[17:18]  ⁷ 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.

[17:2]  ⁸ tn Heb “gates.”

[17:2]  ⁹ tn Heb “does the evil in the eyes of the Lord your God.”

[19:8]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “fathers.”

[19:8]  ¹¹ tn Heb “he said to give to your ancestors.” The pronoun has been used in the translation instead for stylistic reasons.