Deuteronomy 17:9

You are to go to the Levitical priests and to the judge who presides at that time. Inquire of them, and they will give you a verdict in the case.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Moses instructs Israel to bring unresolved legal disputes to centralized religious and judicial authorities rather than relying on local judgment.

The words — The Hebrew verb בָּאתָ (baTa) means "you will go," directing the people to approach אֶל הַכֹּהֲנִים הַלְוִיִּם (el haKohanim haLeviim), "to the Levitical priests," and הַשֹּׁפֵט (haShofet), "the presiding judge."

The thread — This directive to seek priestly and judicial rulings echoes in Ezekiel 44:24, Haggai 2:11, and Malachi 2:7, where priests and judges are consistently tasked with preserving and delivering divine instruction.

Why it lands — The text demands immediate compliance with the verdict and instructions of designated authorities, establishing a clear chain of command for resolving complex legal matters.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וּבָאתָ֗u./va.Taand/ you will go אֶל־'el-to הַכֹּהֲנִים֙ha./ko.ha.Nimthe/ priests הַלְוִיִּ֔םha/l.vi.Yimthe/ Levites וְאֶל־ve./'el-and/ to הַשֹּׁפֵ֔טha./sho.Fetthe/ judge אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.Sherwho יִהְיֶ֖הyih.Yehhe will be בַּיָּמִ֣יםba/i.ya.Mimin the/ days הָהֵ֑םha./Hem<the>/ those וְדָרַשְׁתָּ֙ve./da.rash.Taand/ you will enquire וְהִגִּ֣ידוּve./hi.Gi.duand/ they will tellלְךָ֔le./Khato <the>/ youאֵ֖ת'et<obj.>דְּבַ֥רde.Var[the] word of הַמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃ha./mish.Patthe/ verdict

King James Version

And thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and enquire; and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgment:

Cross-references

Ezekiel 44:24 In any dispute, they shall officiate as judges and judge according to My ordinances. They must keep My laws and statutes regarding all My appointed feasts, and they must keep My Sabbaths holy.
Haggai 2:11 “This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Ask the priests for a ruling.
Malachi 2:7 For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the LORD of Hosts.
Deuteronomy 19:17 both parties to the dispute must stand in the presence of the LORD, before the priests and judges who are in office at that time.
Jeremiah 18:18 Then some said, “Come, let us make plans against Jeremiah, for the law will never be lost to the priest, nor counsel to the wise, nor an oracle to the prophet. Come, let us denounce him and pay no heed to any of his words.”