The Deuteronomic Law of the King
Deuteronomy 17:14–20 contains the only legislation in the Pentateuch specifically governing the institution of kingship. The passage is remarkable for its restraint: the king must not acquire many horses (17:16), many wives (17:17), or excessive silver and gold (17:17). He must write a copy of the Torah for himself and read it all the days of his life (17:18–19). The purpose is explicit: "that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left" (17:20).
The law of the king represents a form of constitutional monarchy — the king is subject to the Torah, not above it. This is a remarkable departure from the ancient Near Eastern norm, where kings were typically regarded as divine or semi-divine figures whose word was law. In Israel, the king is a covenant partner like every other Israelite, bound by the same obligations and accountable to the same Lord.
Historical Fulfillment and Failure
The history of Israel's monarchy reads as a sustained commentary on Deuteronomy 17. Solomon, the paradigmatic wise king, violated all three prohibitions: he acquired 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen (1 Kings 10:26), 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kings 11:3), and accumulated silver and gold in quantities that made them "as common in Jerusalem as stone" (1 Kings 10:27). The result was exactly what Deuteronomy predicted: his wives "turned away his heart after other gods" (1 Kings 11:4).
The Deuteronomistic History (Joshua through 2 Kings) evaluates each king according to the Deuteronomic standard: did he do what was right in the eyes of the LORD, or did he follow the sins of Jeroboam? The repeated failures of Israel's kings to keep the law of the king ultimately lead to the exile — the covenant curses of Deuteronomy 28 enacted in history.
The Ideal King and Messianic Hope
The law of the king in Deuteronomy 17 also generates a messianic hope. If the ideal king is one who meditates on the Torah day and night, whose heart is not lifted up above his brothers, and who does not turn aside from the commandment — then the entire history of Israel's monarchy is a search for this king. The Psalms develop this hope in the royal psalms (Psalms 2, 45, 72, 110), which describe a king whose reign is characterized by justice, righteousness, and universal dominion.
The New Testament presents Jesus as the fulfillment of the Deuteronomic ideal. He is the king who perfectly keeps the Torah (Matthew 5:17), whose heart is not lifted up but who "humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death" (Philippians 2:8), and whose reign is characterized by service rather than domination (Mark 10:42–45). The law of the king in Deuteronomy 17 is ultimately a prophecy of the servant king.
Implications for Ministry and Credentialing
The law of the king in Deuteronomy 17 provides a biblical framework for thinking about leadership accountability, the dangers of power, and the servant leadership modeled by Christ. Abide University offers courses in biblical theology and church history.
For ministry professionals seeking to formalize their expertise, the Abide University Retroactive Assessment Program offers a pathway to academic credentialing that recognizes prior learning and pastoral experience.
References
- Noth, Martin. The Deuteronomistic History. JSOT Press, 1981.
- McConville, J. Gordon. Deuteronomy. IVP Academic (AOTC), 2002.
- Tigay, Jeffrey H.. Deuteronomy. JPS Torah Commentary, 1996.
- Provan, Iain. 1 and 2 Kings. Hendrickson (NIBC), 1995.
- Longman, Tremper. Immanuel in Our Place. P&R Publishing, 2001.