Deuteronomy 17:15
New International Version
be sure to appoint over you a king the LORD your God chooses. He must be from among your fellow Israelites. Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not an Israelite.

New Living Translation
If this happens, be sure to select as king the man the LORD your God chooses. You must appoint a fellow Israelite; he may not be a foreigner.

English Standard Version
you may indeed set a king over you whom the LORD your God will choose. One from among your brothers you shall set as king over you. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother.

Berean Standard Bible
you are to appoint over yourselves the king whom the LORD your God shall choose. Appoint a king from among your brothers; you are not to set over yourselves a foreigner who is not one of your brothers.

King James Bible
Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother.

New King James Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
you shall in fact appoint a king over you whom the LORD your God chooses. One from among your countrymen you shall appoint as king over yourselves; you may not put a foreigner over yourselves, anyone who is not your countryman.

NASB 1995
you shall surely set a king over you whom the LORD your God chooses, one from among your countrymen you shall set as king over yourselves; you may not put a foreigner over yourselves who is not your countryman.

NASB 1977
you shall surely set a king over you whom the LORD your God chooses, one from among your countrymen you shall set as king over yourselves; you may not put a foreigner over yourselves who is not your countryman.

Legacy Standard Bible
you shall surely set a king over you whom Yahweh your God chooses, one from among your brothers you shall set as king over yourselves; you may not put a foreigner over yourselves who is not your brother.

Amplified Bible
you shall most certainly set a king over you whom the LORD your God chooses. You shall set a king over you from among your countrymen (brothers); you may not choose a foreigner [to rule] over you who is not your countryman.

Christian Standard Bible
you are to appoint over you the king the LORD your God chooses. Appoint a king from your brothers. You are not to set a foreigner over you, or one who is not of your people.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
you are to appoint over you the king the LORD your God chooses. Appoint a king from your brothers. You are not to set a foreigner over you, or one who is not of your people.

American Standard Version
thou shalt surely set him king over thee, whom Jehovah thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee; thou mayest not put a foreigner over thee, who is not thy brother.

Contemporary English Version
Go ahead and appoint a king, but make sure that he is an Israelite and that he is the one the LORD has chosen.

English Revised Version
thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not put a foreigner over thee, which is not thy brother.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Be sure to appoint the king the LORD your God will choose. He must be one of your own people. Never let a foreigner be king, because he's not one of your own people.

Good News Translation
Be sure that the man you choose to be king is the one whom the LORD has chosen. He must be one of your own people; do not make a foreigner your king.

International Standard Version
You will certainly set a king over you, whom the LORD your God will choose from among your relatives, but you must not place a foreign king over you who is not from your relatives.

Majority Standard Bible
you are to appoint over yourselves the king whom the LORD your God shall choose. Appoint a king from among your brothers; you are not to set over yourselves a foreigner who is not one of your brothers.

NET Bible
you must select without fail a king whom the LORD your God chooses. From among your fellow citizens you must appoint a king--you may not designate a foreigner who is not one of your fellow Israelites.

New Heart English Bible
you shall surely set him king over yourselves, whom the LORD your God shall choose: one from among your brothers you shall set king over you; you may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother.

Webster's Bible Translation
Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee whom the LORD thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, who is not thy brother.

World English Bible
you shall surely set him whom Yahweh your God chooses as king over yourselves. You shall set as king over you one from among your brothers. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
you certainly set a king over you on whom YHWH fixes; you set a king over you from the midst of your brothers; you are not able to set a stranger over you, who is not your brother.

Young's Literal Translation
thou dost certainly set over thee a king on whom Jehovah doth fix; from the midst of thy brethren thou dost set over thee a king; thou art not able to set over thee a stranger, who is not thy brother.

Smith's Literal Translation
Setting, thou shalt set over thee a king whom Jehovah thy God shall choose in him: from the midst of thy brethren thou shalt set over thee a king: thou shalt not be able to set over thee a foreigner who is not of thy brethren.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Thou shalt set him whom the Lord thy God shall choose out of the number of thy brethren. Thou mayst not make a man of another nation king, that is not thy brother.

Catholic Public Domain Version
you shall appoint him whom the Lord your God will choose from among the number of your brothers. You cannot make a man of another people king, one who is not your brother.

New American Bible
you may indeed set over you a king whom the LORD, your God, will choose. Someone from among your own kindred you may set over you as king; you may not set over you a foreigner, who is no kin of yours.

New Revised Standard Version
you may indeed set over you a king whom the LORD your God will choose. One of your own community you may set as king over you; you are not permitted to put a foreigner over you, who is not of your own community.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
You shall in any wise set a king over you whom the LORD your God shall choose; one from among your brethren you shall set king over you; it is unlawful for you to set a foreigner over you, who is not from among your brethren.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Certainly raise up over you a King whom LORD JEHOVAH your God has chosen for himself; raise up a King over you from among your brethren; it is not authorized for you that you raise up a foreign man over you who was not from your brethren.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose; one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee; thou mayest not put a foreigner over thee, who is not thy brother.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
thou shalt surely set over thee the ruler whom the Lord God shall choose: of thy brethren thou shalt set over thee a ruler; thou shalt not have power to set over thee a stranger, because he is not thy brother.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Guidelines for a King
14When you enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, “Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,” 15you are to appoint over yourselves the king whom the LORD your God shall choose. Appoint a king from among your brothers; you are not to set over yourselves a foreigner who is not one of your brothers. 16But the king must not acquire many horses for himself or send the people back to Egypt to acquire more horses, for the LORD has said, ‘You are never to go back that way again.’…

Cross References
1 Samuel 8:5-7
“Look,” they said, “you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king to judge us like all the other nations.” / But when they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” their demand was displeasing in the sight of Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. / And the LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you. For it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected Me as their king.

1 Samuel 10:24
Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the one the LORD has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.” And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”

1 Samuel 12:13
Now here is the king you have chosen, the one you requested. Behold, the LORD has placed a king over you.

1 Kings 9:5
then I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised your father David when I said, ‘You will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.’

1 Kings 11:14
Then the LORD raised up against Solomon an adversary, Hadad the Edomite, from the royal line of Edom.

1 Kings 12:20
When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they summoned him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah followed the house of David.

2 Kings 11:12
Then Jehoiada brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, presented him with the Testimony, and proclaimed him king. They anointed him, and the people clapped their hands and declared, “Long live the king!”

2 Chronicles 9:8
Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you to set you on His throne to be king for the LORD your God. Because your God loved Israel enough to establish them forever, He has made you king over them to carry out justice and righteousness.”

2 Chronicles 13:5
Do you not know that the LORD, the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt?

Hosea 8:4
They set up kings, but not by Me. They make princes, but without My approval. With their silver and gold they make themselves idols, to their own destruction.

Matthew 22:21
“Caesar’s,” they answered. So Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

John 19:15
At this, they shouted, “Away with Him! Away with Him! Crucify Him!” “Shall I crucify your King?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” replied the chief priests.

Acts 13:21-22
Then the people asked for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, from the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled forty years. / After removing Saul, He raised up David as their king and testified about him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after My own heart; he will carry out My will in its entirety.’

Romans 13:1
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God.

1 Timothy 2:1-2
First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be offered for everyone— / for kings and all those in authority—so that we may lead tranquil and quiet lives in all godliness and dignity.


Treasury of Scripture

You shall in any wise set him king over you, whom the LORD your God shall choose: one from among your brothers shall you set king over you: you may not set a stranger over you, which is not your brother.

whom

1 Samuel 9:15-17
Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying, …

1 Samuel 10:24
And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God save the king.

1 Samuel 16:12,13
And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he…

from among

Jeremiah 30:21
And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me? saith the LORD.

Matthew 22:17
Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?

not set

Jeremiah 2:25
Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, There is no hope: no; for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.

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Deuteronomy 17
1. The things sacrificed must be sound
2. Idolaters must be slain
8. Hard controversies are to be determined by the priests and judges
12. The one who shows contempt for the judge must die
14. The election
16. and duty of a king














you are to appoint over yourselves the king whom the LORD your God shall choose.
This phrase emphasizes the divine right and selection of leadership, underscoring that God is the ultimate authority in choosing a king for Israel. This reflects the theocratic nature of Israel's governance, where God’s will is paramount. The selection of Saul (1 Samuel 9:15-17) and later David (1 Samuel 16:1-13) as kings illustrates this principle, as both were chosen by God through the prophet Samuel. This concept foreshadows the ultimate kingship of Jesus Christ, who is chosen by God to reign eternally (Luke 1:32-33).

Appoint a king from among your brothers;
This directive ensures that the king is an Israelite, maintaining cultural and religious unity. It reflects the importance of shared heritage and values, which would be crucial for maintaining the covenant relationship with God. The requirement for the king to be an Israelite is significant in preserving the identity and faith of the nation, as seen in the reigns of David and Solomon, who were from the tribe of Judah, fulfilling Jacob's prophecy in Genesis 49:10.

you are not to set over yourselves a foreigner who is not one of your brothers.
This prohibition against appointing a foreigner as king is intended to prevent the influence of pagan practices and idolatry, which were prevalent among surrounding nations. The historical context of Israel's frequent interactions and conflicts with neighboring peoples highlights the risk of syncretism and the dilution of their distinct faith. This command is a safeguard against the spiritual and cultural erosion that could occur under foreign leadership, as seen in the negative influence of foreign wives during Solomon's reign (1 Kings 11:1-8). This also points to the exclusivity of Christ's kingship, as He is the fulfillment of the promise to Israel, being both fully divine and fully human, and from the line of David.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant God of Israel, who is sovereign and chooses the king.

2. Israel
The nation to whom this command is given, emphasizing their unique covenant relationship with God.

3. The King
The leader appointed over Israel, who must be chosen by God and be an Israelite.

4. Foreigners
Non-Israelites, who are not to be appointed as king over Israel.

5. Moses
The author of Deuteronomy, delivering God's laws and instructions to the Israelites.
Teaching Points
Divine Sovereignty in Leadership
God is the ultimate authority in appointing leaders. Trust in His choice, even when it seems contrary to human wisdom.

Importance of Godly Leadership
Leaders should be from among the people, sharing their values and faith. This ensures alignment with God's purposes.

Avoiding Foreign Influence
The command to avoid foreign kings serves as a warning against adopting practices and beliefs contrary to God's law.

Community and Identity
The requirement for a king from among the Israelites emphasizes the importance of maintaining a distinct identity as God's people.

Obedience to God's Commands
Following God's instructions regarding leadership is crucial for the well-being and spiritual health of the community.Verse 15. - The prohibition to choose a foreigner indicates that the people had the right of election. In what way this was to be exercised, and how it was subject to the Divine choice, is not declared. Judging from what actually happened in subsequent history, it would appear that only on special occasions, such as the election of the first king or a change of dynasty, did God take the initiative, and through a prophet direct the choice of the people; ultimately the monarchy became hereditary, and it was understood that the prince who succeeded to the throne did so with the Divine approval, unless the opposite was expressly intimated by a message from God.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
you are to appoint
שׂ֣וֹם (śō·wm)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set

over yourselves
עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ (‘ā·le·ḵā)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the king
מֶ֔לֶךְ (me·leḵ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

the LORD
יְהוָ֥ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

your God
אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ (’ĕ·lō·he·ḵā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

shall choose.
יִבְחַ֛ר (yiḇ·ḥar)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 977: To try, select

Appoint
תָּשִׂ֤ים (tā·śîm)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set

a king
מֶ֔לֶךְ (me·leḵ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

from among
מִקֶּ֣רֶב (miq·qe·reḇ)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7130: The nearest part, the center

your brothers;
אַחֶ֗יךָ (’a·ḥe·ḵā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 251: A brother, )

you are not
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

to set
לָתֵ֤ת (lā·ṯêṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

a foreigner
אִ֣ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

over yourselves,
עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ (‘ā·le·ḵā)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

or one
הֽוּא׃ (hū)
Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

who
אֲשֶׁ֥ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

is not
לֹֽא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

of your brothers.
אָחִ֖יךָ (’ā·ḥî·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 251: A brother, )


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OT Law: Deuteronomy 17:15 You shall surely set him king over (Deut. De Du)
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