21 Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the Lord thy God, which thou shalt make thee.

22 Neither shalt thou set thee up any image; which the Lord thy God hateth.

17 Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the Lord thy God any bullock, or sheep, wherein is blemish, or any evilfavouredness: for that is an abomination unto the Lord thy God.

If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord thy God, in transgressing his covenant,

And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded;

And it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it, and enquired diligently, and, behold, it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel:

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.

At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.

The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So thou shalt put the evil away from among you.

If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within thy gates: then shalt thou arise, and get thee up into the place which the Lord thy God shall choose;

And thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and enquire; and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgment:

10 And thou shalt do according to the sentence, which they of that place which the Lord shall choose shall shew thee; and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they inform thee:

11 According to the sentence of the law which they shall teach thee, and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, thou shalt do: thou shalt not decline from the sentence which they shall shew thee, to the right hand, nor to the left.

12 And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister there before the Lord thy God, or unto the judge, even that man shall die: and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel.

13 And all the people shall hear, and fear, and do no more presumptuously.

14 When thou art come unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me;

15 Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the Lord thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother.

16 But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the Lord hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.

17 Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

18 And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:

19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:

20 That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.

18 The priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and his inheritance.

Therefore shall they have no inheritance among their brethren: the Lord is their inheritance, as he hath said unto them.

And this shall be the priest's due from the people, from them that offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep; and they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw.

The firstfruit also of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give him.

For the Lord thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the name of the Lord, him and his sons for ever.

And if a Levite come from any of thy gates out of all Israel, where he sojourned, and come with all the desire of his mind unto the place which the Lord shall choose;

Then he shall minister in the name of the Lord his God, as all his brethren the Levites do, which stand there before the Lord.

They shall have like portions to eat, beside that which cometh of the sale of his patrimony.

When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.

10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch.

11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.

12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee.

13 Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God.

14 For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.

15 The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;

16 According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.

17 And the Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.

18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.

19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.

20 But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.

21 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken?

22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

21 (A)“You shall not plant for yourself any tree, as a [a]wooden image, near the altar which you build for yourself to the Lord your God. 22 (B)You shall not set up a sacred pillar, which the Lord your God hates.

Various Instructions

17 “You (C)shall not sacrifice to the Lord your God a bull or sheep which has any [b]blemish or defect, for that is an [c]abomination to the Lord your God.

(D)“If there is found among you, within any of your [d]gates which the Lord your God gives you, a man or a woman who has been wicked in the sight of the Lord your God, (E)in transgressing His covenant, who has gone and served other gods and worshiped them, either (F)the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven, (G)which I have not commanded, (H)and it is told you, and you hear of it, then you shall inquire diligently. And if it is indeed true and certain that such an [e]abomination has been committed in Israel, then you shall bring out to your gates that man or woman who has committed that wicked thing, and (I)shall stone (J)to death that man or woman with stones. Whoever is deserving of death shall be put to death on the testimony of two or three (K)witnesses; he shall not be put to death on the testimony of one witness. The hands of the witnesses shall be the first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So you shall put away the evil from among (L)you.

(M)“If a matter arises which is too hard for you to judge, between degrees of guilt for bloodshed, between one judgment or another, or between one punishment or another, matters of controversy within your gates, then you shall arise and go up to the (N)place which the Lord your God chooses. And (O)you shall come to the priests, the Levites, and (P)to the judge there in those days, and inquire of them; (Q)they shall pronounce upon you the sentence of judgment. 10 You shall do according to the sentence which they pronounce upon you in that place which the Lord chooses. And you shall be careful to do according to all that they order you. 11 According to the sentence of the law in which they instruct you, according to the judgment which they tell you, you shall do; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left from the sentence which they pronounce upon you. 12 Now (R)the man who acts presumptuously and will not heed the priest who stands to minister there before the Lord your God, or the judge, that man shall die. So you shall put away the evil from Israel. 13 (S)And all the people shall hear and fear, and no longer act presumptuously.

Principles Governing Kings

14 “When you come to the land which the Lord your God is giving you, and possess it and dwell in it, and say, (T)‘I will set a king over me like all the nations that are around me,’ 15 you shall surely set a king over you (U)whom the Lord your God chooses; one (V)from among your brethren you shall set as king over you; you may not set a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. 16 But he shall not multiply (W)horses for himself, nor cause the people (X)to return to Egypt to multiply horses, for (Y)the Lord has said to you, (Z)‘You shall not return that way again.’ 17 Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and (AA)gold for himself.

18 “Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one (AB)before the priests, the Levites. 19 And (AC)it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes, 20 that his heart may not [f]be lifted above his brethren, that he (AD)may not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left, and that he may [g]prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children in the midst of Israel.

The Portion of the Priests and Levites

18 “The priests, the Levites—all the tribe of Levi—shall have [h]no part nor (AE)inheritance with Israel; they shall eat the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and His portion. Therefore they shall have no inheritance among their brethren; the Lord is their inheritance, as He said to them.

“And this shall be the priest’s (AF)due[i] from the people, from those who offer a sacrifice, whether it is bull or sheep: they shall give to the priest the shoulder, the cheeks, and the stomach. (AG)The firstfruits of your grain and your new wine and your oil, and the first of the fleece of your sheep, you shall give him. For (AH)the Lord your God has chosen him out of all your tribes (AI)to stand to minister in the name of the Lord, him and his sons forever.

“So if a Levite comes from any of your [j]gates, from where he (AJ)dwells among all Israel, and comes with all the desire of his mind (AK)to the place which the Lord chooses, then he may serve in the name of the Lord his God (AL)as all his brethren the Levites do, who stand there before the Lord. They shall have equal (AM)portions to eat, besides what comes from the sale of his inheritance.

Avoid Wicked Customs

“When you come into the land which the Lord your God is giving you, (AN)you shall not learn to follow the [k]abominations of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter (AO)pass[l] through the fire, (AP)or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, 11 (AQ)or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or (AR)one who calls up the dead. 12 For all who do these things are [m]an abomination to the Lord, and (AS)because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you. 13 You shall be [n]blameless before the Lord your God. 14 For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the Lord your God has not [o]appointed such for you.

A New Prophet Like Moses

15 (AT)“The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear, 16 according to all you desired of the Lord your God in Horeb (AU)in the day of the assembly, saying, (AV)‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, nor let me see this great fire anymore, lest I die.’

17 “And the Lord said to me: (AW)‘What they have spoken is good. 18 (AX)I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and (AY)will put My words in His mouth, (AZ)and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. 19 (BA)And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him. 20 But (BB)the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or (BC)who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’ 21 And if you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?’— 22 (BD)when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, (BE)if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it (BF)presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 16:21 Or Asherah
  2. Deuteronomy 17:1 Lit. evil thing
  3. Deuteronomy 17:1 detestable thing
  4. Deuteronomy 17:2 towns
  5. Deuteronomy 17:4 detestable thing
  6. Deuteronomy 17:20 become proud
  7. Deuteronomy 17:20 continue long in his kingdom
  8. Deuteronomy 18:1 no portion
  9. Deuteronomy 18:3 right
  10. Deuteronomy 18:6 towns
  11. Deuteronomy 18:9 detestable acts
  12. Deuteronomy 18:10 Be burned as an offering to an idol
  13. Deuteronomy 18:12 detestable
  14. Deuteronomy 18:13 Lit. perfect
  15. Deuteronomy 18:14 allowed you to do so