11 Acting in agreement with their teaching and the decision they give: not turning to one side or the other from the word they have given you.
Only take heart and be very strong; take care to do all the law which Moses my servant gave you, not turning from it to the right hand or to the left, so that you may do well in all your undertakings.
Take care, then, to do whatever the Lord your God has given you orders to do; let there be no turning away to the right hand or to the left.
If there is an argument between men and they go to law with one another, let the judges give their decision for the upright, and against the wrongdoer.
Not turning away from any of the orders which I give you today, to the right hand or to the left, or going after any other gods to give them worship.
And the king said, Is not the hand of Joab with you in all this? And the woman in answer said, By the life of your soul, my lord the king, it is not possible for anyone to go to the right hand or to the left from anything said by the king: your servant Joab gave me orders, and put all these words in my mouth:
Let there be no turning to the right or to the left, keep your feet from evil.
But you are turned out of the way; you have made the law hard for numbers of people; you have made the agreement of Levi of no value, says the Lord of armies. And so I have taken away your honour and made you low before all the people, even as you have not kept my ways, and have given no thought to me in using the law.
Let everyone put himself under the authority of the higher powers, because there is no power which is not of God, and all powers are ordered by God. For which reason everyone who puts himself against the authority puts himself against the order of God: and those who are against it will get punishment for themselves. For rulers are not a cause of fear to the good work but to the evil. If you would have no fear of the authority, do good and you will have praise; For he is the servant of God to you for good. But if you do evil, have fear; for the sword is not in his hand for nothing: he is God's servant, making God's punishment come on the evil-doer. So put yourselves under the authority, not for fear of wrath, but because you have the knowledge of what is right. For the same reason, make payment of taxes; because the authority is God's servant, to take care of such things at all times.
Make clear to them that they are to put themselves under rulers and authorities, to do what they are ordered, to be ready for every good work,
Keep all the laws of men because of the Lord; those of the king, who is over all, And those of the rulers who are sent by him for the punishment of evil-doers and for the praise of those who do well. Because it is God's pleasure that foolish and narrow-minded men may be put to shame by your good behaviour:
But specially those who go after the unclean desires of the flesh, and make sport of authority. Ready to take chances, uncontrolled, they have no fear of saying evil of those in high places:
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Deuteronomy 17
Commentary on Deuteronomy 17 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 17
The charge of this chapter is,
Deu 17:1-7
Here is,
Deu 17:8-13
Courts of judgment were ordered to be erected in every city (ch. 16:18), and they were empowered to hear and determine causes according to law, both those which we call pleas of the crown and those between party and party; and we may suppose that ordinarily they ended the matters that were brought before them, and their sentence was definitive; but,
Deu 17:14-20
After the laws which concerned subjects fitly followed the laws which concern kings; for those that rule others must themselves remember that they are under command. Here are laws given,