deuteronomy-16:20-17:8

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Deuteronomy 16:19-20

Deuteronomy 16:19-20. Thou shalt not wrest judgment Not give a forced and unjust sentence. Thou shalt not respect persons Not give sentence according to the quality of the person, his riches or poverty, friendship or enmity, but according to the justice of the cause. A gift doth blind the eyes of the wise Biases his mind, that he cannot discern between right and wrong. And pervert the words of the righteous That is, the sentence of those judges who are inclined and used to do... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 16:18-22

Justice and government (16:18-17:20)A collection of miscellaneous laws deals with a variety of civil and religious matters. The courts had to administer justice impartially (18-20); the worship of Yahweh was not to involve any symbols or sacred objects taken from other religions (21-22); people were not to offer sick or lame animals in sacrifice (17:1); the testimony of at least two witnesses had to be in agreement before an accused person could be punished (2-7); and when local judges found a... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Deuteronomy 16:20

altogether just. This is the rendering of the Figure of speech Epizeuxis ( App-6 ). Hebrew "just, just", i.e. perfectly just. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Deuteronomy 16:18-20

Probably the people chose the judges, and the leaders of the nation appointed them (cf. Deuteronomy 1:13). "Judges" were individuals responsible for administering justice, and "officers" were administrators charged with the enforcement of law, perhaps similar to modern police officers. [Note: Craigie, The Book . . ., p. 247.] The number of these in each town probably varied according to the needs of the community.". . . in order to give the people and the judges appointed by them a brief... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Deuteronomy 16:18-22

5. Laws arising from the fifth commandment 16:18-18:22The fifth commandment is, "Honor your father and your mother" (Deuteronomy 5:16). What follows is legislation that advocates respecting authority figures in the nation, which was an extended family."With the regency of Yahweh and the proper protocol by which He had to be approached having been established, the covenant text then addresses the human leaders who serve Him and exercise authority over the nation at large." [Note: Merrill, "A... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 16:1-22

Injunctions Regarding Feasts, Judges, Groves, and Images1-8. On the Passover see Exodus 12 Leviticus 23:4-8; Numbers 28:16-25, and the notes on these passages. It will be observed that the general law of Deuteronomy 12:5 (see on Deuteronomy 12:4-28) is here applied to each of the three great annual festivals: see Deuteronomy 16:2, Deuteronomy 16:11, Deuteronomy 16:15.3. Bread of affliction] So called from the circumstances in which the festival was instituted and which the unleavened bread and... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Deuteronomy 16:1-22

The Feast of Tabernacles (a Harvest Sermon) Deuteronomy 16:13-17 The three great feasts of Israel the Passover, the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles were not only commemorative of national blessings or prophetic of yet greater spiritual blessings to be bestowed, but they were conspicuously connected with the three great seasons of the tillage of Palestine the barley and the wheat harvests and the vintage. This Feast of Tabernacles was the most joyous of them all. Above... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Deuteronomy 16:18-22

13. Justice and the Choice of a King CHAPTERS 16:18-17:20 1. Appointment of judges and their instruction (Deuteronomy 16:18-22 ; Deuteronomy 17:1 ) 2. The higher court at the place He chooses (Deuteronomy 17:8-13 ) 3. The choice and right of the king (Deuteronomy 17:14-20 ) This chapter leads us upon new ground. The obligations of the religious life of Israel were stated in the first part of chapter 16 and now the government of the people in the land is commanded. “Just as in its... read more

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - Deuteronomy 16:20

16:20 That which {k} is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.(k) The magistrate must constantly follow the tenor of the law, and in noting decline from justice. read more

L.M. Grant

L. M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 16:1-22

INSTRUCTIONS AS TO THE PASSOVER (vs.1-8) The Passover, held in the first month of the year, was to celebrate Israel's deliverance from Egypt (v.1), but more importantly, to look forward to the death of the Lord Jesus -- "Christ our Passover.... sacrificed for us" (1 Corinthians 5:7). Of course, Israel did not understand that spiritual significance, but God did. The first Passover was held in Egypt (Exodus 12:1-51), the second in the wilderness (Numbers 9:5), the third in the plains of... read more