17 If an ox or sheep has ·something wrong with it [L a blemish/defect, anything wrong with it; Lev. 22:17–25], do not offer it as a sacrifice to the Lord your God. He would ·hate [detest] that.
2 A man or woman in one of the ·towns [L gates] the Lord gave you might be found doing something evil in the ·sight [L eyes] of the Lord your God and ·breaking [transgressing] the ·Agreement [Covenant; Treaty]. 3 That person may have served other gods and bowed down to them or to the sun or moon or ·stars of the sky [any of the host of heaven], which I have commanded should not be done [4:19]. 4 If someone has told you about it, you must look into the matter carefully. If it is true that such a ·hateful [detestable; abhorrent; abominable] thing has happened in Israel, 5 take the man or woman who has done the evil thing to the city gates and ·throw stones at [stone] that person until he dies. 6 There must be two or three witnesses that it is true before the person is put to death; if there is only one witness, the person should not be put to death [Num. 35:30]. 7 The hands of the witnesses must be the first to ·throw stones at [stone] the person, and then everyone else will follow. You must get rid of the evil among you.
Courts of Law
8 Some cases that come before you, ·such as murder [between one kind of bloodshed and another; C intentional or unintentional], ·quarreling [between one kind of right and another], or ·attack [L between one kind of assault and another; Ex. 21:18–21], may be too difficult to judge. Take these cases to the place the Lord your God will choose [12:4–7]. 9 Go to the priests who are Levites and to the judge who is ·on duty at that time [in office in those days]. ·Ask them about the case [Make inquiry], and they will decide. 10 You must follow the decision they give you at the place the Lord your God will choose. Be careful to do everything they ·tell [L teach] you. 11 Follow the ·teachings [laws; instructions] they give you, and do whatever they decide, ·exactly as they tell you [L you must not turn aside from the thing they tell you to the right or to the left]. 12 The person who ·does not show respect for [presumes not to listen to] the judge or priest who is there serving the Lord your God must be put to death. You must ·get rid of [banish; purge] that evil from Israel. 13 Then everyone will hear about this and will be afraid, and they will not ·show disrespect [be presumptuous] anymore.
Choosing a King
14 When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, taking it as your ·own [possession] and living in it, you will say, “·Let’s appoint [L I will set] a king over ·us [L me] like the nations all around us [1 Sam. 8:5, 20].” 15 Be sure to ·appoint [set] over you the king the Lord your God chooses. He must be one of your own ·people [relatives; L brothers]. Do not ·appoint [set] as your king a foreigner who is not a ·fellow Israelite [relative; L brother]. 16 The king must not ·have too many [multiply] horses for himself [Is. 2:7–9], and he must not send people to Egypt to get more horses, because the Lord has told you, “Don’t return that way again.” 17 The king must not ·have many [multiply for himself] wives, or his heart will ·be led away [turn aside] from God [1 Kin. 11:1–13]. He must not have too much silver and gold.
18 When he ·becomes king [L sits on the throne of his kingdom], he should write a copy of ·the teachings [these laws/instructions] on a scroll for himself, a copy taken from the priests and Levites. 19 He should keep it with him all the time and read from it every day of his life. Then he will learn to ·respect [fear] the Lord his God, and he will obey all ·the teachings [these laws/instructions] and ·commands [statutes; ordinances; requirements]. 20 He should not ·think he is better than his fellow Israelites [L exalt his heart above his relatives/brothers], and he must not ·stop obeying [turn aside from] the law ·in any way [L to the right or the left] so that he and his ·descendants [sons] may rule the kingdom for a long time [2 Sam. 7:16].