Bible Strands

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.

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — Moses addresses Israel in the plains of Moab, instructing the community on legal procedures for resolving disputes and handling false accusations.

The words — The text highlights עָמְדוּ (stand) and לִפְנֵי (before), describing how the two people involved in a dispute must physically present themselves before Yahweh, the priests, and the sitting judges.

The thread — This procedural requirement aligns with Deuteronomy 17:9, which directs unresolved cases to the Levitical priests and the presiding judge, and echoes the priestly role in preserving instruction found in Malachi 2:7.

Why it lands — The verse requires litigants to submit their conflict to established religious and civil authorities rather than pursuing private vengeance or informal settlements.

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

וְעָמְד֧וּve./'a.me.Duand/ they will standשְׁנֵֽי־she.nei-[the] twoהָאֲנָשִׁ֛יםha./'a.na.Shimthe/ peopleאֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-whomלָהֶ֥םla./Hem[belongs] to <the>/ themהָרִ֖יבha./Rivthe/ disputeלִפְנֵ֣יli/f.Nei<to>/ beforeיְהוָ֑הYah.wehYahwehלִפְנֵ֤יli/f.Nei<to>/ beforeהַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ha./ko.ha.Nimthe/ priestsוְהַשֹּׁ֣פְטִ֔יםve./ha./Sho.fe.Timand/ the/ judgesאֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.Sherwhoיִהְי֖וּyih.Yuthey will beבַּיָּמִ֥יםba/i.ya.Mimin the/ daysהָהֵֽם׃ha./Hem<the>/ those

King James Version

Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days;

Cross-references