Deuteronomy 17:12
A plain-spoken deep dive on this verse. Read the chapter →
But the man who acts presumptuously, refusing to listen either to the priest who stands there to serve the LORD your God, or to the judge, must be put to death. You must purge the evil from Israel.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
Not only did the inclination to nature-worship, such as the setting up of the idols of Ashera and Baal, belong to the crimes which merited punishment, but also a manifest transgression of the laws concerning the worship of Jehovah, such as the offering of an ox or sheep that had some fault, which was an abomination in the sight of Jehovah (see at Lev 22:20.). "Any evil thing," i.e., any of the faults enumerated in Lev 22:22-24.
Open source ↗The charge of this chapter is, I. Concerning the purity and perfection of all those animals that were offered in sacrifice (Deu 17:1). II. Concerning the punishment of those that worshipped idols (Deu 17:2-7). III. Concerning appeals from the inferior courts to the great sanhedrim (Deu 17:8-13). IV. Concerning the choice and duty of a king (Deu 17:14, etc.).
Open source ↗17:12 purge the evil: The effects of evil should not be allowed to fester in the community. Like a cancer, they must be completely eradicated.
Open source ↗Cross-references
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But the person who sins defiantly, whether a native or foreigner, blasphemes the LORD. That person shall be cut off from among his people.
Such a prophet or dreamer must be put to death, because he has advocated rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery; he has tried to turn you from the way in which the LORD your God has commanded you to walk. So you must purge the evil from among you.
At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to serve Him, and to pronounce blessings in His name, as they do to this day.
then he shall serve in the name of the LORD his God like all his fellow Levites who stand there before the LORD.
But those who persist in sin should be rebuked in front of everyone, so that the others will stand in fear of sin.
For the LORD your God has chosen Levi and his sons out of all your tribes to stand and minister in His name for all time.
But let no man contend; let no man offer reproof; for your people are like those who contend with a priest.
Anyone, then, who rejects this command does not reject man but God, the very One who gives you His Holy Spirit.
The hands of the witnesses shall be the first in putting him to death, and after that, the hands of all the people. So you must purge the evil from among you.
Whoever failed to appear within three days would forfeit all his property, according to the counsel of the leaders and elders, and would himself be expelled from the assembly of the exiles.