In the book of Deuteronomy, chapter 17, we read about an instruction that was to be given to a king showing that he was not to look after his own personal interests as being foremost in his activities, but to learn to fear God and to observe His law and statutes. Deuteronomy 17:14-20 reads as follows:
“When you come to the land that the LORD your God is giving you, and you possess it and dwell in it and then say, ‘I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me,’ you shall surely set a king over you whom the LORD your God chooses; one from among your brethren you shall set as king over you; you may not set a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. But he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, for the LORD has said to you, ‘You shall not return that way again.’ Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself. Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites. And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes, that his heart may not be lifted above his brethren, that he may not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left, and that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children in the midst of Israel.”
In respect of what qualified as a book that the king had to write out as a copy, we read these observations In Coffman’s Commentaries on the Bible:
“In our opinion, neither a few verses nor a short document qualifies as ‘a book.’ Perhaps this is the reason that the Septuagint (LXX) translated this place in such a manner as to make the meaning ‘a copy of all the law of God.’ Recent knowledge of the suzerainty treaties (see below for an explanation of these) and the resemblance to them found in Deuteronomy has shed some light on this, and, as Kline expressed it: ‘A duplicate copy of the suzerainty treaty was provided for each vassal king.’… Moreover, that ‘copy’ was not a few excerpts, but the whole document, the entire treaty. That is clearly what is indicated here.
“Canon Cook discerned this a long time ago, writing that, ‘What was given to the king was the whole Pentateuch, or at any rate the legal portion of it… Only the whole law of the covenant could preserve the king from the dangers of his position.’… Note also, in this connection, what was to be copied: It was that which was laid up ‘before the priests and the Levites,’ (Deuteronomy 17:18) and that is a clear reference to ALL of the sacred law. [The Pulpit Commentary] also concurred in this view: ‘The priests were the custodians of the written Law (Deuteronomy 31:26) and from the text of their codex was the king’s copy to be written…”
What are the suzerainty treaties referred to above? Wikipedia states that these were the “Type of relationship between a dominant and a vassal state. Suzerainty includes the rights and obligations of a person, state or other polity which controls the foreign policy and relations of a tributary state, but allows the tributary state internal autonomy. Where the subordinate party is called a vassal, vassal state or tributary state, the dominant party is called a suzerain.”
Why should this be of any real interest and importance to us today? If the king did not follow this instruction and practice about which he was commanded to both read and write out, he would be like the rest of the world and miss out on the benefits that following such an instruction would bring. It took work but was surely worth all of the effort in following what God instructed for his own good and that of his subjects and nation.
This Q&A is not designed to be a thorough exposition of everything that surrounded this instruction and all the different views that many have about it today, but to show the wisdom of God in issuing this requirement then and what we can learn from this today.
Theologyofwork.org makes these interesting and legitimate observations:
“Just as people and institutions must not contravene legitimate authority, people in positions of power must not use their authority illegitimately. Moses specifically deals with the case of a king… He shall have a copy of this law diligently observing all the words of this law and these statutes, neither exalting himself above other members of the community nor turning aside from the commandment, either to the right or to the left… In this text we see two restrictions on the use of authority—those in authority are not above the law but must obey and uphold it, and those in authority must not abuse their power by enriching themselves…
“Today, people in authority may try to put themselves above the law, as for example when police and court workers ‘fix’ traffic tickets for themselves and their friends, or when high-ranking public servants or business employees do not obey the expense policies others are subject to. Similarly, officials may use their power to enrich themselves receiving bribes, zoning, and licensing exemptions, access to privileged information, or personal use of public or private property. Sometimes special perks are granted to those in power as a matter of policy or law, but this does not really eliminate the offense. Moses’ command to kings is not to make sure to get legal authorization for their excesses, but to avoid the excesses altogether. When those in power use their authority not simply to gain special privileges but to create monopolies for their cronies, to appropriate vast lands and assets, and to jail, torture, or kill opponents, the stakes become deadly. There is no difference in kind between petty abuses of power and totalitarian oppression, merely in degree…
“The more authority you have, the greater the temptation to act as though you are above the law. Moses prescribes an antidote. The king must read God’s law (or word) every day of his life. Not only must he read it, but he must develop the skill to interpret and apply it rightly and fairly. He must develop the habit of obeying God’s word himself, of putting it into practice in his work, ‘diligently observing all the words of this law’ (Deuteronomy 17:19). By this the king learns to revere the Lord and fulfill the responsibilities God has given him. He is reminded that he too is under authority. God does not give him the privilege of making a law unto himself, but a duty of fulfilling God’s law for the benefit of everyone.”
These comments, as far as they go, are very helpful. However, what this commentary and many others overlook or fail to mention is the instruction that the king had to write himself God’s Word in a personal book of his to read from it (compare Deuteronomy 17:18: “… he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites.”). We will address this unique requirement in the next instalment.
Let us look at what the torah.com has to say about this matter:
“The book of Deuteronomy presents itself as the final address of Moses, delivered to the Israelites upon the plains of Moab, on the verge of their entry into the land. The book is set in the time between the wilderness period and Israel’s future life as inhabitants of the land, a space opened between memories and threats, past and future.
“The core of the book is the Deuteronomic law collection, spanning chapters 12–26 which is followed in chapter 28 by a list of the rewards for obedience (vv. 1–14)and a much longer list of consequences for disobedience (vv. 15–69).
“Moses’s Deuteronomic address, delivered to the Israelites on the eve of their entry into the land, anticipates and establishes the perpetuity of the Israel’s subjection to YHWH’s rule. In this, YHWH was no different from any other suzerain in the ancient Near East, or ever since. The people as a multitude and as a nation are placed at a juncture in which they have to agree to serve YHWH loyalty, or face an endless slew of punishment, and they remain in that juncture ever since.
“For the people standing in the Plains of Moab, compliance is not really a choice at this point. The revelation at Horeb has already taken place, the previous generation has already been punished for its sins, and the laws have already been explicated. Israel’s agency here is limited to their agreeing to follow YHWH’s commands or suffer the deity’s wrath.”
Peter Pett’s Commentary on the Bible has this to say: “Thus he should ensure that he had his own copy of the record of Yahweh’s doings and of His Law as contained in the books which were in the levitical priests’ care. (As Deuteronomy was not, at this stage in his speech, in written form, this must refer to an earlier written Law). And he must keep it ever by him and read it every day of his life, so that he might learn to fear Yahweh his God, and keep His Instruction and what He had laid down, in accordance with what was now being spoken of by Moses.”
From the jewishvirtuallibrary.org website we read about the problems after the death of Solomon:
“The experiment with the opulence and power of the great eastern kingdoms had ended in disaster for Israel. King Solomon created the wealthiest and most powerful central government the Hebrews would ever see, but he did so at an impossibly high cost. When Solomon died, between 926 and 922 BCE, the ten northern tribes refused to submit to his son, Rehoboam, and revolted.
“From this point on, there would be two kingdoms of Hebrews: in the north – Israel, and in the south – Judah. The Israelites formed their capital in the city of Samaria, and the Judaeans kept their capital in Jerusalem. These kingdoms remained separate states for over two hundred years. [In fact, they never became united again. This will only happen after Christ’s return.]
“The history of the both kingdoms is a litany of ineffective, disobedient, and corrupt kings. When the Hebrews had first asked for a king, in the book of Judges, they were told that only God was their king. When they approached Samuel the Prophet, he told them the desire for a king was an act of disobedience and that they would pay dearly if they established a monarchy. The history told in the Hebrew book, Kings, bears out Samuel’s warning.”
(To be continued)
Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)
