Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Deuteronomy
Book: Deuteronomy
Chapter: 17
Overview:
All sacrifices to be perfect, Idolaters must be slain.
(1-7)
Difficult controversies.
(8-13) The choice of a
King, His
duties.
(14-20)
1-7 No Creature which had any
Blemish was to be offered in
Sacrifice to
God. We are thus called to remember the perfect,
pure, and spotless
Sacrifice of
Christ, and reminded to serve
God with the best of our abilities, time, and possession, or our
pretended obedience will be hateful to him.
So great a
Punishment as
Death,
So remarkable a
Death as
Stoning, must be
inflicted
On the Jewish idolater. Let all who in our
Day set up
idols in their hearts, remember how
God punished this crime in
Israel.
8-13 Courts of
Judgment were to be set up in every
City. Though
their
Judgment had not the Divine authority of an
Oracle, it was
the
Judgment of
Wise, prudent, experienced men, and had the
advantage of a Divine promise.
14-20 God himself was in a particular manner
Israel's
King; and
if they set another over them, it was necessary that he should
choose the person. Accordingly, when the people desired a
King,
they applied to
Samuel, a
Prophet of the
Lord. In all cases,
God's choice, if we can but know it, should direct, determine,
and overrule ours. Laws are given for the
Prince that should be
elected. He must carefully avoid every thing that would turn him
from
God and religion. Riches, honours, and pleasures, are three
great hindrances of
Godliness,
(the lusts of the Flesh, the
lusts of the Eye, and the pride of Life,) especially to those in
high stations; against these the
King is here warned. The
King
must carefully study the
Law of
God, and make that his rule; and
having a copy of the Scriptures of his own
Writing, must read
therein all the days of his
Life. It is not enough to have
Bibles, but we must use them, use them daily, as long as we
live.
Christ's scholars never learn above their Bibles, but will
have constant occasion for them, till they come to that world
where knowledge and
Love will be made perfect. The
King's
Writing and reading were as nothing, if he did not practise what
he wrote and read. And those who fear
God and keep his
Commandments, will fare the better for it even in this world.