1You must not sacrifice to him a bull or sheep that has a blemish or any other defect, because that is considered offensive to the
2Suppose a man or woman is discovered among you – in one of your villages that the
3by serving other gods and worshiping them – the sun, moon, or any other heavenly bodies which I have not permitted you to worship.
4When it is reported to you and you hear about it, you must investigate carefully. If it is indeed true that such a disgraceful thing is being done in Israel,
5you must bring to your city gates that man or woman who has done this wicked thing – that very man or woman – and you must stone that person to death.
6At the testimony of two or three witnesses they must be executed. They cannot be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.
7The witnesses must be first to begin the execution, and then all the people are to join in afterward. In this way you will purge evil from among you.
Appeal to a Higher Court
8If a matter is too difficult for you to judge – bloodshed, legal claim, or assault – matters of controversy in your villages – you must leave there and go up to the place the
9You will go to the Levitical priests and the judge in office in those days and seek a solution; they will render a verdict.
10You must then do as they have determined at that place the
11You must do what you are instructed, and the verdict they pronounce to you, without fail. Do not deviate right or left from what they tell you.
12The person who pays no attention to the priest currently serving the
13Then all the people will hear and be afraid, and not be so presumptuous again.
Provision for Kingship
14When you come to the land the
15you must select without fail a king whom the
16Moreover, he must not accumulate horses for himself or allow the people to return to Egypt to do so, for the
17Furthermore, he must not marry many wives lest his affections turn aside, and he must not accumulate much silver and gold.
18When he sits on his royal throne he must make a copy of this law on a scroll given to him by the Levitical priests.
19It must be with him constantly and he must read it as long as he lives, so that he may learn to revere the
20Then 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 in Israel.
<< Deuteronomy 17 >>