Deuteronomy 17 · Verse 18

Deuteronomy 17:18

And it shall be, when he sitteth upon 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:
Deuteronomy 17:18, King James Version

Deuteronomy 17:18 in other translations

BSBWhen 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.
WEBIt shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write himself a copy of this law in a book, out of that which is before the Levitical priests.
ASVAnd it shall be, when he sitteth upon 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:
YLT‘And it hath been, when he sitteth on the throne of his kingdom, that he hath written for himself the copy of this law, on a book, from that before the priests the Levites,
DARBYAnd it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests, the Levites;
BBEAnd when he has taken his place on the seat of his kingdom, he is to make in a book a copy of this law, from that which the priests, the Levites, have in their care:
WebsterAnd it shall be when he sitteth upon 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.

What does Deuteronomy 17:18 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Deuteronomy 17:18-20
18-20. he shall write him a copy of this law in a book--The original scroll of the ancient Scriptures was deposited in the sanctuary under the strict custody of the priests (see on De 31:26; 2Ki 22:8). Each monarch, on his accession, was to be furnished with a true and faithful copy, which he was to keep constantly beside him, and daily peruse it, that his character and sentiments being cast into its sanctifying mould, he might discharge his royal functions in the spirit of faith and piety, of humility and a love or righteousness.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 18 He shall write him a copy of this law - משנה התורה הזאת mishneh hattorah hazzoth, an iteration or duplicate of this law; translated by the Septuagint, το δευτερονομιον τουτο this deuteronomy. From this version both the Vulgate Latin and all the modern versions have taken the name of this book; and from the original word the Jews call it Mishneh. See the preface to this book. Out of that which is before the priests the Levites - It is likely this means, that the copy which the king was to write out was to be taken from the autograph kept in the tabernacle before the Lord, from which, as a standard, every copy was taken and with which doubtless every copy was compared; and it is probable that the priests and Levites had the revising of every copy that was taken off, in order to prevent errors from creeping into the sacred text.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Deuteronomy 17:14-20

God himself was in a particular manner Israel's King; and if they set another over them, it was necessary that he should choose the person. Accordingly, when the people desired a king, they applied to Samuel, a prophet of the Lord. In all cases, God's choice, if we can but know it, should direct, determine, and overrule ours. Laws are given for the prince that should be elected. He must carefully avoid every thing…

Read the full comment on Deuteronomy 17:14-20 →

Deuteronomy 17:18 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְהָיָ֣הve.ha.Yahand it will beH1961
כְשִׁבְתּ֔וֹkhe.shiv.Towhen sits heH3427
עַ֖ל'alonH5921
כִּסֵּ֣אki.Se'[the] throne ofH3678
מַמְלַכְתּ֑וֹmam.lakh.Tokingdom hisH4467
וְכָ֨תַבve.Kha.tavand he will writeH3789
ל֜וֹlofor <the> himself
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
מִשְׁנֵ֨הmish.Neh<the> copy ofH4932
הַתּוֹרָ֤הha.to.Rahthe lawH8451
הַזֹּאת֙ha.zoT<the> thisH2063
עַל\־'al-onH5921
סֵ֔פֶרSe.fera scrollH5612
מִלִּפְנֵ֥יmi.lif.Neifrom to beforeH6440
הַכֹּהֲנִ֖יםha.ko.ha.Nimthe priestsH3548
הַלְוִיִּֽם\׃hal.vi.Yimthe LevitesH3881

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Deuteronomy 17:18

  • 2 Chronicles 34:15

    And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord. And Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan.

  • 2 Kings 11:12

    And he brought forth the king’s son, and put the crown upon him, and gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, God save the king.

  • Deuteronomy 31:24-26

    And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished, That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, saying, Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee.

  • 2 Kings 22:8

    And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.

  • Deuteronomy 31:9

    And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and unto all the elders of Israel.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
that he shall.
2Ki 11:12
a copy.{Mishneh hattorah hazzoth,} "a duplicate of this law." translated by the Septuagint, [to deuteronomion touto,] this Deuteronomy. From this version, both the Vulgate and all the modern versions have taken the name of this book; and from it the original word, the Jews call it {Mishneh.}
out of that which.
31:9,25,26; 2Ki 22:8; 2Ch 34:15

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Deuteronomy 17:17

    Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

  • Deuteronomy 17:18

    And it shall be, when he sitteth upon 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:

  • Deuteronomy 17:19

    And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:

Read all of Deuteronomy 17

Deuteronomy 17:18 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y será, cuando se asentare sobre el solio de su reino, que ha de escribir para sí en un libro un traslado de esta ley, del original de delante de los sacerdotes Levitas;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il arrivera, lorsqu’il sera assis sur le trône de son royaume, qu’il écrira pour lui, dans un livre, une copie de cette loi, faite d’après le livre qui est devant les sacrificateurs, les Lévites.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und es soll geschehen, wenn er auf dem Throne seines Königtums sitzt, so soll er sich eine Abschrift dieses Gesetzes in ein Buch schreiben, aus dem, was vor den Priestern, den Leviten, liegt.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Postquam autem sederit in solio regni sui, describet sibi Deuteronomium legis hujus in volumine, accipiens exemplar a sacerdotibus Leviticæ tribus,