Deuteronomy 17:15

Deu 17:15 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.

Ver. 15. Whom the Lord shall choose.] As he did Saul, but especially David and his progeny, types of Christ. {Psa 2:6}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Deu 17:15. Whom the Lord thy God shall choose — Approve of, or appoint. So it was in Saul and David. God reserved to himself the nomination both of the family and of the person. Thy brethren — Of the same nation and religion; because such a person was most likely to maintain true religion, and to rule with righteousness, gentleness, and kindness to his subjects; and that he might be a fit type of Christ, their supreme king, who was to be one of their brethren.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

17:15 the man the Lord your God chooses: Human monarchy was not contrary to God’s will for Israel (cp. 1 Sam 8:6-7)—God promised Abraham and Sarah that their descendants would include kings (Gen 17:6, 16; see also Gen 35:11). But the abuses of kingship were condemned. The theology that views the Messiah in a kingly role (2 Sam 7:11-15; Pss 2; 110; Isa 9:6-7) provides for both human and divine royalty.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Or, mayest not.

Who is not of thy nation, lest he change true religion into idolatry, and bring thee to slavery.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother--that is, by their free and voluntary choice. But God, in the retributions of His providence, did allow foreign princes to usurp the dominion (Jer 38:17; Mat 22:17).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 15. One from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee] It was on the ground of this command that the Jews proposed that insidious question to our Lord, Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, OR NO? Mt 22:17; for they were then under the authority of a foreign power. Had Christ said Yes, then they would have condemned him by this law; had he said No, then they would have accused him to Caesar. See this subject discussed in great detail in the notes, See Clarke on Mt 22:16, &c.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

15. thou shalt in any wise set] The emphatic Heb. means either thou mayest certainly, or thou shalt only, set.

thy God shall choose] So of Saul and David, 1Sa_9:15 f., 1Sa_10:24, 1Sa_16:1; 1Sa_16:12, 2Sa_6:21, on which precedents D’s law seems based.

one from among thy brethren] a Hebrew, see on Deu_15:12.

thou mayest not put a foreigner, etc.] No such attempt, or temptation, on the part of Israel is recorded; the veto upon it can hardly be intended to cover, or have found its motive in, the nomination of an Israelite king by a foreign power, e.g. Zedekiah. It was this law which caused Agrippa I. to burst into tears as he remembered his Edomite origin. Contrast Cyrus as the Shepherd and the Anointed, of Jehovah—of course, in relation to Israel (Isa_44:28; Isa_45:1).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee whom the Lord thy God shall choose,.... The Jews take this to be a command to set a king over them: whereas it is only a permission in case they should desire and determine on having one, as God foresaw they would; and this with a limitation and restriction to appoint none but whom God should choose, and which was their duty and interest to attend unto; for none could choose better for them, and was what he had a right unto, and it became them to submit to it, since he was their King in a civil and special sense, and another was only his viceregent; accordingly we find, when they expressed their desire to have a king in the time of Samuel, and it was granted, though not without some resentment, the Lord chose their first king for them, Saul, and, after him, David, and even Solomon, David's son; and though, in later times, they appointed kings without consulting him, it is complained of, Hos 8:4 hence this clause is prefaced in the Targum of Jonathan,

"ye shall seek instruction from the Lord, and after set him king, &c.''which was to be done by the mouth of a prophet, or by Urim, as Aben Ezra observes:

one from among thy brethren shall thou set king over thee: that is, one of their own nation, an Israelite, a brother both by nation and religion:

thou mayest not set a stranger over thee that is not thy brother; one of another nation, that is not of the family of Israel, as Aben Ezra notes, even not an Edomite, though called sometimes their brother; and Herod, who was an Idumean, was set up, not by them, but by the Romans; now in this their king was a type of the King Messiah, of whom it is said, "their nobles shall be of themselves", Jer 30:21.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The king, like the judges and officers (compare Deu 16:18), is to be chosen by the people; but their choice is to be in accordance with the will of God, and to be made from among “their brethren.” Compare 1Sa 9:15; 1Sa 10:24; 1Sa 16:1; 1Ki 19:16.

Thou mayest not set a stranger over thee - The Jews extended this prohibition to all offices whatsoever (compare Jer 30:21); and naturally attached the greatest importance to it: from where the significance of the question proposed to our Lord, “Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar?” Mat 22:17. A Gentile head for the Jewish people, which it was a principal aim of the Law to keep special and distinct from others, was an anomaly.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Choose, as he did Saul, David, and Solomon, who succeeded to the throne of his father, though he was not the eldest son. (Menochius) --- Then the throne began to be hereditary, in virtue of God’s promise to David. (Calmet) --- Brother. The Jews neglected this law, when they willingly recognized the authority of Herod, two years after the birth of Christ. See Genesis xlix. 10. (Haydock) --- A stranger might attempt to draw off the people from the service of the true God, and mutual love would not so easily subsist between them. (Menochius)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Thou shalt set him, i.e. appoint, or install. If you will choose a king, which I shall suffer you to do, I command you to mind this in your choice.

Whom the Lord shall choose, approve of, or appoint. So it was in Saul, and in David. God reserved to himself the nomination both of the family and of the person. See 1Sa 9:15; 10:24; 1Sa 16:12; 1Ch 28:4,5.

From among thy brethren; of the same nation and religion; partly because such a person was most likely to maintain true religion, and to rule with righteousness, gentleness, and kindness to his subjects; and partly that he might be a fit type of Christ, their supreme King, who was to be one of their brethren.

Mayest not set a stranger over thee, to wit, by thy own choice and consent; but if God by his providence and for their sins should set a stranger over them, they might submit to him, as appears from Jer 38:17; Eze 17:12; Mat 22:17.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

15. Whom the Lord thy God shall choose — The manner in which the divine appointment was to be designated is not stated here. A prophet was the medium of the divine communication in the case of the first king, Saul.

1Sa_9:17; 1Sa_10:24. Also in the case of David. 1Sa_16:12. When Solomon was designated, the choice of the Lord was announced directly to his father David. 1Ch_22:10.

Thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother — The Jews placed great stress upon this prohibition. This is one of the passages of Scripture that were read at the feast of tabernacles in the sabbatical year by the king or high priest. It is related that when King Agrippa came to this passage, while reading the portions of Scripture, tears dropped from his eyes. The people then cried out, to encourage him, “Thou art our brother! Thou art our brother!” — BARCLAY’S Talmud, p. 82.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Thy God shall chuse - Approve of, or appoint. So it was in Saul and David. God reserved to himself the nomination both of the family, and of the person. Thy brethren -- of the same nation and religion; because such a person was most likely to maintain true religion, and to rule with righteousness, gentleness, and kindness to his subjects; and that he might be a fit type of Christ their supreme king, who was to be one of their brethren.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

THOU SHALT BY ALL MEANS SET HIM KING OVER THEE, WHOM THE ETERNAL THY G-D SHALL CHOOSE. In the opinion of the commentators this means that he is to be chosen according to the word of a prophet or the judgment of the Urim. Scripture is thus commanding: “You shall set up a king over you, whom the Eternal thy G-d shall choose, for it is He Who will choose and not you.” And in the Sifre it is stated: 157. “Thou shalt by all means set him king over thee. If he dies, appoint another one in his place. A king — but not a queen. Whom the Eternal thy G-d shall choose — according to the word of the prophet.” But, if so, what sense is there to warn [in the verse before us], thou mayest not put a foreigner over thee, who is not thy brother, when G-d would not choose a foreigner? However, in the opinion of our Rabbis there is in this verse a hidden condition, stating: “you shall by all means set a king over you, whom G-d shall choose provided you can do so — if G-d will answer you through prophets; but a foreigner you may never appoint as king over you.”And in line with the plain meaning of Scripture they have said, “thou shalt by all means set him king over thee, whom the Eternal thy G-d will choose and not him whom the Eternal thy G-d hateth, for He will choose an Israelite to be king over His chosen ones and not from among the other peoples.” In my opinion the simple meaning of the expression whom He will choose is that every ruler over people receives his position from G-d, as it is written until thou wilt know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will. Similarly the Rabbis have said: “Even a superintendent of the well is appointed in heaven.” Thus the verse is stating: “thou shalt by all means set him king over thee — whoever it be decreed by Heaven that he is to reign, even if he be of the smallest of the tribes of Israel and of the least of all the families of the tribe — but you are never to invest a foreigner with regal power.” Similarly, by way of the plain meaning of Scripture, the expression the place which the Eternal thy G-d shall choose means “wherever G-d’s Sanctuary shall be built, was all the Will of G-d.”

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.