Topical Bible: The Law of Moses: Kings to Write and Study

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Topical Encyclopedia

The Law of Moses, also known as the Torah, comprises the first five books of the Bible and serves as the foundational legal and moral code for the Israelites. Within this framework, specific instructions were given regarding the role of kings in relation to the Law. These instructions underscore the importance of the Law in guiding the leadership and governance of Israel.

Biblical Mandate for Kings

The mandate for kings to engage with the Law of Moses is explicitly stated in Deuteronomy 17:18-20. According to this passage, when a king ascends to the throne, he is required to write for himself a copy of the Law. This task is not merely ceremonial but serves a profound purpose in ensuring that the king remains grounded in the divine statutes and commandments. The Berean Standard Bible renders this passage as follows:

"When he is seated on his royal throne, he must write for himself a copy of this instruction on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. It is to remain with him, and he is to read from it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by carefully observing all the words of this instruction and these statutes, and so that his heart will not be exalted above his countrymen and he will not turn aside from the commandment to the right or to the left. Thus he and his descendants will reign long over his kingdom in Israel." (Deuteronomy 17:18-20)

Purpose and Significance

The requirement for the king to write a personal copy of the Law serves several purposes. Firstly, it ensures that the king is intimately familiar with the Law, having engaged with it directly through the act of writing. This personal engagement is intended to cultivate a deep reverence for God and His commandments, fostering a heart of humility and obedience.

Secondly, the king's continual study of the Law is meant to guide his governance, ensuring that his decisions and policies align with divine principles. By adhering to the Law, the king is expected to lead with justice and righteousness, reflecting God's character in his rule.

Furthermore, the instruction aims to prevent the king from becoming prideful or self-exalted. By keeping the Law close and reading it regularly, the king is reminded of his role as a servant of God and the people, rather than a ruler who acts on personal whims or desires.

Historical Context and Application

Throughout Israel's history, the adherence to this command varied among the kings. Some, like David and Josiah, demonstrated a commitment to the Law, seeking to align their reigns with God's statutes. Others, however, neglected this divine mandate, leading to periods of idolatry, injustice, and eventual judgment.

The emphasis on the Law for kings highlights the broader biblical theme of the centrality of God's Word in the life of His people. It underscores the belief that true leadership is rooted in submission to divine authority and that the prosperity and longevity of a kingdom are contingent upon its alignment with God's will.

In summary, the instruction for kings to write and study the Law of Moses serves as a vital component of Israel's theocratic system, emphasizing the necessity of divine guidance in leadership and the enduring relevance of God's commandments for righteous governance.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Deuteronomy 17:18,19
And it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

What did Moses Write?
... is looking backward from a day when kings were reigning ... originated at a later day
than that of Moses. The law forbidding the removal of landmarks presupposes a ...
/.../gladden/who wrote the bible/chapter ii what did moses.htm

Moses and his Writings
... 7. These words show us that all the kings of Salem ... do not know"we are nowhere
told"whether Moses wrote every word of the 'Books of the Law.' The Jews ...
/.../duff/the bible in its making/chapter iii moses and his.htm

Were Christ and the Apostles Mistaken?
... his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant." (1 Kings
8:56 ... all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the ...
/.../concerning the assumptions of destructive criticism/iv were christ and the.htm

Josiah, a Pattern for the Ignorant.
... Moses had been directed to enforce the study of this ... ordered that once in seven years
the law should be ... provided, that in case they ever had kings, each king ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol viii/sermon vii josiah a pattern.htm

Sources of the Pentateuch.
... statement that Moses 'wrote' the Deuteronomic law (Deuteronomy 31 ... These books of
Moses are the treasury, indeed, of ... is the right name for the kings reigning then ...
/.../gladden/who wrote the bible/chapter iii sources of the.htm

The Faith of Moses.
... the top of Sinai and receive the Law for the ... the consciousness of his own mission
lead Moses to apply ... succession of leaders, whether judges or kings or prophets ...
/.../the expositors bible the epistle to the hebrews/chapter xii the faith of.htm

The Old Testament Canon from Its Beginning to Its Close.
... if the foundation were the Law, the ulterior ... second division naturally begins with
Moses's successor, Joshua. Judges, Samuel, and Kings follow according to the ...
/.../davidson/the canon of the bible/chapter ii the old testament.htm

The Study of the Bible Recommended; and a Method of Studying it ...
... of the Law,"your own descent of the Kings,"your own ... may see the wondrous things of
Thy Law!" The very ... punishing sin, as in the case of Moses [261] ;"the ...
/.../burgon/inspiration and interpretation/sermon i the study of.htm

Letter Liii. To Paulinus.
... The apostle Paul learned the Law of Moses and the ... of Saul Samuel shews the abolition
of the old law. ... The third and fourth books of Kings called in Hebrew ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter liii to paulinus.htm

Introduction
... his own cost is so noble an example to kings that it ... speaks of previous incorrect
translations of the Law (Sec ... the titles of the five books of Moses are derived ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/conybeare/a grammar of septuagint greek/introduction.htm