Deuteronomy 17:8
in Deuteronomy 17If a case is too difficult for you to judge, whether the controversy within your gates is regarding bloodshed, lawsuits, or assaults, you must go up to the place the LORD your God will choose.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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 unto the place which Jehovah thy God shall choose;
KJV
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;
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This verse in Deuteronomy 17
Commentary
6 notes on this verseIf there arise a matter too hard for thee - These directions are given to the common magistrates, who might not be able to judge of or apply the law in all cases that might be brought before them. The priests and Levites, who were lawyers by birth and continual practice, were reasonably considered as the best qualified to decide on difficult points.
This site's exposition
If there arise a matter too hard for thee
on Deuteronomy 17:8-9
The hard case goes up to the place which the Lord thy God shall choose, a phrase this book uses fifteen times between chapters 12 and 26 and never once attaches to a named town. Deuteronomy 1:17 had told the local judges to bring the cause too hard for them to Moses, and this statute puts a standing court where Moses had stood. The bench is the priests the Levites together with the judge that shall be in those days, and it hears what verse 8 calls blood and blood, plea and plea, stroke and stroke. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown identify the later form of this tribunal with the Sanhedrin.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
For thee - He speaks to the inferior magistrates, who were erected in several cities. If thou hast not skill to determine, between blood and blood - That is, in capital causes.
If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment--In all civil or criminal cases, where there was any doubt or difficulty in giving a decision, the local magistrates were to submit them by reference to the tribunal of the Sanhedrim--the supreme council, which was composed partly of civil and partly of ecclesiastical persons.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The cases in question are such as the inferior judges did not feel able to decide satisfactorily, and which accordingly they remitted to their superiors (compare Exo 18:23-27). The Supreme court Deu 17:9 is referred to in very general terms as sitting at the sanctuary Deu 17:8. “The judge” would no doubt usually be a layman, and thus the court would contain both an ecclesiastical and a civil element. Jehoshaphat 2Ch 19:4-11 organized his judicial system very closely upon the lines here laid down.
The words behind it
26 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּ֣י | ki | if | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| יִפָּלֵא֩ | yipale' | it will be [too] difficult | H6381 → | 71 times |
| מִמְּךָ֨ | mimekha | for you | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| דָבָ֜ר | davar | a matter | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| לַמִּשְׁפָּ֗ט | lamishpat | for <the> judgment | H4941 → | 422 times |
| בֵּֽין־ | bein- | between | H996 → | 407 times |
| דָּ֨ם׀ | dam | blood | H1818 → | 360 times |
| לְדָ֜ם | ledam | and blood | H1818 → | 360 times |
| בֵּֽין־ | bein- | between | H996 → | 407 times |
| דִּ֣ין | din | dispute | H1779 → | |
| לְדִ֗ין | ledin | and dispute | H1779 → | |
| וּבֵ֥ין | uvein | and between | H996 → | 407 times |
| נֶ֙גַע֙ | nega' | wound | H5061 → | 78 times |
| לָנֶ֔גַע | lanega' | and wound | H5061 → | 78 times |
| דִּבְרֵ֥י | divrei | matters of | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| רִיבֹ֖ת | rivot | cases at law | H7379 → | 61 times |
| בִּשְׁעָרֶ֑יךָ | bishareikha | in gates your | H8179 → | 374 times |
| וְקַמְתָּ֣ | vekamta | and you will arise | H6965 → | 628 times |
| וְעָלִ֔יתָ | vealita | and you will go up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הַמָּק֔וֹם | hamakom | the place | H4725 → | 401 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יִבְחַ֛ר | yivchar | he will choose | H977 → | 171 times |
| יְהוָ֥ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ | ʾeloheikha | God your | H430 → | 2601 times |
| בּֽוֹ׃ | bo | <in> <the> it |
כִּ֣יif
kiH3588 →4482 times
יִפָּלֵא֩it will be [too] difficult
yipale'H6381 →71 times
מִמְּךָ֨for you
mimekhaH4480 →1188 times
דָבָ֜רa matter
davarH1697 →1440 times
לַמִּשְׁפָּ֗טfor <the> judgment
lamishpatH4941 →422 times
בֵּֽין־between
bein-H996 →407 times
דָּ֨ם׀blood
damH1818 →360 times
לְדָ֜םand blood
ledamH1818 →360 times
בֵּֽין־between
bein-H996 →407 times
דִּ֣יןdispute
dinH1779 →
לְדִ֗יןand dispute
ledinH1779 →
וּבֵ֥יןand between
uveinH996 →407 times
נֶ֙גַע֙wound
nega'H5061 →78 times
לָנֶ֔גַעand wound
lanega'H5061 →78 times
דִּבְרֵ֥יmatters of
divreiH1697 →1440 times
רִיבֹ֖תcases at law
rivotH7379 →61 times
בִּשְׁעָרֶ֑יךָin gates your
bishareikhaH8179 →374 times
וְקַמְתָּ֣and you will arise
vekamtaH6965 →628 times
וְעָלִ֔יתָand you will go up
vealitaH5927 →890 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הַמָּק֔וֹםthe place
hamakomH4725 →401 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
יִבְחַ֛רhe will choose
yivcharH977 →171 times
יְהוָ֥הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָGod your
ʾeloheikhaH430 →2601 times
בּֽוֹ׃<in> <the> it
bo
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Deuteronomy 12:5Instead, you must seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to establish as a dwelling for His Name, and there you must go.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 12:11
then the LORD your God will choose a dwelling for His Name. And there you are to bring everything I command you: your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, and all…
- Deuteronomy 26:2
you are to take some of the firstfruits of all your produce from the soil of the land that the LORD your God is giving you and put them in a basket. Then go…
- 2 Chronicles 7:12
the LORD appeared to him at night and said to him: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice.
- Deuteronomy 16:2
You are to offer to the LORD your God the Passover sacrifice from the herd or flock in the place the LORD will choose as a dwelling for His Name.
- Deuteronomy 12:11
Through
Deuteronomy 1:17Show no partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be intimidated by anyone, for judgment belongs to God. And bring to me any case too difficult for you, and I…
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 16:19
Do not deny justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.
- James 2:9
But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
- Exodus 18:26
And they judged the people at all times; they would bring the difficult cases to Moses, but any minor issue they would judge themselves.
- Leviticus 19:15
You must not pervert justice; you must not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the rich; you are to judge your neighbor fairly.
- Deuteronomy 16:19
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament.