(A)If a case is too difficult for you to decide, between [a]one kind of homicide or another, between [b]one kind of lawsuit or another, and between [c]one kind of assault or another, that are cases of dispute in your [d]courts, then you shall arise and go up to (B)the place which the Lord your God chooses. So you shall come to (C)the Levitical priests or the judge who is in office in those days, and you shall inquire of them and they will declare to you the [e]verdict. 10 Then you shall act in accordance with the [f]terms of the verdict which they declare to you from that place which the Lord chooses; and you shall be careful to act in accordance with everything that they instruct you to do. 11 (D)In accordance with the [g]terms of the law about which they instruct you, and in accordance with the verdict which they tell you, you shall act; you shall not turn aside from the word which they declare to you, to the right or the left. 12 But the person who acts (E)insolently by not listening to the priest who stands there to serve the Lord your God, nor to the judge, that person shall die; so you shall eliminate the evil from Israel. 13 Then all the people will hear and be afraid, and will not act (F)insolently again.

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 17:8 Lit blood to blood
  2. Deuteronomy 17:8 Lit lawsuit to lawsuit
  3. Deuteronomy 17:8 Lit blow to blow
  4. Deuteronomy 17:8 Lit gates
  5. Deuteronomy 17:9 Lit word of decision
  6. Deuteronomy 17:10 Lit mouth
  7. Deuteronomy 17:11 Lit mouth

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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Footnotes

  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