Topical Bible: Kings: Forbidden to Multiply: Horses

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In the biblical context, the commandment forbidding kings of Israel from multiplying horses is found in the book of Deuteronomy. This directive is part of a broader set of instructions given to the Israelites regarding the conduct and responsibilities of a king. The specific prohibition is found in Deuteronomy 17:16 : "But the king must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to acquire more of them, for the LORD has told you, ‘You are never to go back that way again.’"

The commandment against multiplying horses is significant for several reasons. Firstly, it serves as a reminder of Israel's dependence on God rather than military might. Horses, in the ancient Near Eastern context, were primarily used for chariots and cavalry, which were essential components of a powerful military force. By limiting the accumulation of horses, the Israelites were to rely on God's protection and guidance rather than their own military strength.

Secondly, the prohibition is linked to the warning against returning to Egypt. Egypt was known for its horses and chariots, and returning there to acquire horses would symbolize a regression to former dependencies and a potential compromise of Israel's distinct identity as a people set apart for God. The command underscores the importance of maintaining spiritual and cultural separation from nations that could lead Israel away from their covenantal relationship with God.

The historical narrative of Israel's kings reveals varying degrees of adherence to this command. King Solomon, for instance, is noted for his extensive accumulation of horses and chariots, as recorded in 1 Kings 10:26 : "Solomon accumulated chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem." Solomon's actions, while demonstrating his wealth and power, also reflect a departure from the divine instruction given in Deuteronomy.

The accumulation of horses by Israelite kings is often viewed as a symbol of pride and self-reliance, contrasting with the humility and trust in God that were to characterize the leadership of God's chosen people. The biblical narrative suggests that such reliance on military power could lead to spiritual decline and eventual judgment, as seen in the history of Israel and Judah.

In summary, the commandment forbidding kings from multiplying horses serves as a theological and practical guideline for the Israelite monarchy. It emphasizes reliance on God, the dangers of returning to former dependencies, and the importance of maintaining a distinct identity as God's covenant people. The narrative of Israel's kings provides a cautionary tale of the consequences of disobedience to this divine instruction.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Deuteronomy 17:16
But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: for as much as the LORD has said to you, You shall from now on return no more that way.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Pride of Prosperity
... southward of Israel, Solomon ventured upon forbidden ground ... unto his daughter, Solomon's
wife." 1 Kings 9:16 ... rule over Israel not to multiply horses to themselves ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 3 pride of prosperity.htm

The Joyous Return
... next, they gave up all carnal confidence of their own: "neither will we ride upon
horses." The kings of Israel were forbidden to multiply horses, because they ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 37 1891/the joyous return.htm

Of Civil Government.
... wives to himself; neither shall he greatly multiply to himself ... by the prophet when
he enjoins kings and other ... If all Christians are forbidden to kill, and the ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 20 of civil government.htm

Commerce
... to foxes." It is needless to multiply similar quotations ... into the hands of Edom
(2 Kings 8:20 ... the protection of the public, agriculturists were forbidden to sell ...
/.../edersheim/sketches of jewish social life/chapter 12 commerce.htm

Letter xxii. To Eustochium.
... The command to increase and multiply first finds fulfilment after ... womb, [491] and
now he was forbidden to take ... is to end in slavery to the haughtiest of kings? ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter xxii to eustochium.htm

Book ii. Jerome Answers the Second, Third, and Fourth Propositions ...
... course the eating of the unclean was forbidden, otherwise the ... when thy herds and
thy flocks multiply, and thy ... written in the first book of Kings, pronounced a ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/book ii jerome answers the.htm

The Medes and the Second Chaldaean Empire
... 2 Kings 21:2 ... from the very first he tolerated much that his father had forbidden,
and the ... the two courts of the house of Jahveh." The chariots and horses of the ...
/.../chapter iiithe medes and the.htm

Against Jovinianus.
... whereas he says "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish ... the propagation of children,
is forbidden to go ... the Old Testament), [4376] five kings who previously ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/against jovinianus.htm

A Holy Life the Beauty of Christianity: Or, an Exhortation to ...
... (2 Kings 2:19 ... to be dead to sin, is to be dead to those things forbidden in the ... Amos
4:4) 'Come to Bethel, and transgress; at Gilgal multiply transgression; and ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a holy life the beauty.htm

The Holy War,
... Of men, of laws, of countries, and of kings: And in ... are now, must needs both beget
and multiply such thoughts ... though you do the thing that he hath forbidden. ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the holy war.htm