Legal Decisions by Priests and Judges

“If any case arises requiring decision between one kind of homicide and another, one kind of legal right and another, or one kind of assault and another, any case within your towns that is too difficult for you, then you shall arise and go up to (A)the place that the Lord your God will choose. (B)And you shall come to the Levitical priests and to the judge who is in office in those days, and you shall consult them, and (C)they shall declare to you the decision. 10 Then you shall do according to what they declare to you from that place that the Lord will choose. And you shall be careful to do according to all that they direct you. 11 According to the instructions that they give you, and according to the decision which they pronounce to you, you shall do. You shall not turn aside from the verdict that they declare to you, either to the right hand or to the left. 12 The man who (D)acts presumptuously by not obeying the priest (E)who stands to minister there before the Lord your God, or the judge, that man shall die. So (F)you shall purge the evil from Israel. 13 And all the people (G)shall hear and fear and not act presumptuously again.

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Deciding Difficult Cases

“If a case is too difficult for you to decide with respect to bloodshed,[a] civil claims,[b] assault and battery,[c] or other matters of dispute within your courts,[d] bring[e] it to the place that the Lord your God will choose. Present the case[f] to the Levitical priest or the judge at that time. When you have inquired and they have announced the verdict, 10 carry out the verdict that was declared to you at the place that the Lord will choose. Carefully observe all of their instructions to you 11 in accordance with what the Law says and in accordance with the verdict that will be handed to you. You must not deviate from the verdict that they declare to you either to the right or to the left. 12 If a man presumptuously disregards the priest who is serving the Lord your God there, or the judge, that person must die so you will purge evil from Israel. 13 Then all the people who hear will be afraid and will not act presumptuously again.”

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Notas al pie

  1. Deuteronomy 17:8 Lit. blood versus blood
  2. Deuteronomy 17:8 Lit. justice versus justice
  3. Deuteronomy 17:8 Lit. wound versus wound
  4. Deuteronomy 17:8 Lit. gates
  5. Deuteronomy 17:8 Lit. stand and go up
  6. Deuteronomy 17:9 The Heb. lacks Present the case