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Good News Translation

Deuteronomy 17:20

This will keep him from thinking that he is better than other Israelites and from disobeying the Lord 's commands in any way. Then he will reign for many years, and his descendants will rule Israel for many generations.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Constitution;   King;   Law;   Rulers;   The Topic Concordance - Government;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Kings;   Scriptures, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - King, Kings;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - King;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Amos, Theology of;   Animals;   Command, Commandment;   King, Christ as;   King, Kingship;   Law;   Leadership;   Samuel, First and Second, Theology of;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Athaliah;   King;   Law;   Pentateuch;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Court Systems;   King, Kingship;   Pentateuch;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Crimes and Punishments;   Deuteronomy;   King;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - King;   Law, Judicial;   Nathan (1);   Theocracy;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Agrippa Ii;   Brother;   Government;   Law, Reading from the;   Sanhedrin;   Theocracy;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then his heart will not be exalted above his countrymen, he will not turn from this command to the right or the left, and he and his sons will continue reigning many years in Israel.
Hebrew Names Version
that his heart not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he not turn aside from the mitzvah, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children, in the midst of Yisra'el.
King James Version
That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.
Lexham English Bible
so as not to exalt his heart above his countrymen and not to turn aside from the commandment to the right or to the left, so that he may reign long over his kingdom, he and his children in the midst of Israel."
English Standard Version
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, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel.
New Century Version
He should not think he is better than his fellow Israelites, and he must not stop obeying the law in any way so that he and his descendants may rule the kingdom for a long time.
New English Translation
Then he will not exalt himself above his fellow citizens or turn from the commandments to the right or left, and he and his descendants will enjoy many years ruling over his kingdom in Israel.
Amplified Bible
so that his heart will not be lifted up above his countrymen [by a false sense of self-importance and self-reliance] and that he will not turn away (deviate) from the commandment, to the right or to the left, so that he and his sons may continue [to reign] for a long time in his kingdom in Israel.
New American Standard Bible
so that his heart will not be haughty toward his countrymen, and that he will not turn away from the commandment to the right or the left, so that he and his sons may live long in his kingdom in the midst of Israel.
Geneva Bible (1587)
That his heart be not lifted vp aboue his brethren, and that he turne not from the commaundement, to the right hand or to the left, but that he may prolong his daies in his kingdom, he, and his sonnes in the middes of Israel.
Legacy Standard Bible
that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or the left, so that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his sons in the midst of Israel.
Contemporary English Version
and not think that he's better than everyone else. If the king completely obeys the Lord 's commands, he and his descendants will rule Israel for many years.
Complete Jewish Bible
so that he will not think he is better than his kinsmen; and so that he will not turn aside either to the right or to the left from the mitzvah. In this way he will prolong his own reign and that of his children in Isra'el.
Darby Translation
that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left; that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his sons, in the midst of Israel.
Easy-to-Read Version
Then the king will not think that he is better than any of his own people. He will not turn away from the law, but he will follow it exactly. Then he and his descendants will rule the kingdom of Israel a long time.
George Lamsa Translation
That his heart may not be lifted up above his brethren, and that he may not turn aside from the commandments, neither to the right hand nor to the left; so that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children, in the midst of Israel.
Literal Translation
so that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or to the left; so that he may prolong his days over his kingdom, he and his sons in the midst of Israel.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
He shall not lifte vp his herte aboue his brethren, and shall not turne asyde from the commaundement, nether to the right hade ner to the lefte, that he maye prologe his dayes in his kyngdome, he and his children in Israel.
American Standard Version
that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children, in the midst of Israel.
Bible in Basic English
So that his heart may not be lifted up over his countrymen, and he may not be turned away from the orders, to one side or the other: but that his life and the lives of his children may be long in his kingdom in Israel.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And that his heart arise not aboue his brethren, and that he turne not from the commaundement to the right hand or to the left: but that he may prolong his dayes in his kyngdome, he and his children in the middes of Israel.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left; to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children, in the midst of Israel.
King James Version (1611)
That his heart bee not lifted vp aboue his brethren, and that hee turne not aside from the Commandement, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that hee may prolong his dayes in his kingdome, hee, and his children in the midst of Israel.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, that he depart not from the commandments on the right hand or on the left; that he and his sons may reign long in his dominion among the children of Israel.
English Revised Version
that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children, in the midst of Israel.
Berean Standard Bible
Then his heart will not be exalted above his countrymen, and he will not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or to the left, in order that he and his sons may reign many years over his kingdom in Israel.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
nether his herte be reisid in to pride on hise brithren, nether bowe he in to the riyt side, ether left side, that he regne long tyme, he and hise sones on Israel.
Young's Literal Translation
so that his heart is not high above his brethren, and so as not to turn aside from the command, right or left, so that he prolongeth days over his kingdom, he and his sons, in the midst of Israel.
Update Bible Version
that his heart is not lifted up above his brothers, and that he does not turn aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his sons, in the midst of Israel.
Webster's Bible Translation
That his heart may not be lifted above his brethren, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment [to] the right hand or [to] the left: to the end that he may prolong [his] days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.
World English Bible
that his heart not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he not turn aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children, in the midst of Israel.
New King James Version
that his heart may not be lifted above his brethren, that he may not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left, and that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children in the midst of Israel.
New Living Translation
This regular reading will prevent him from becoming proud and acting as if he is above his fellow citizens. It will also prevent him from turning away from these commands in the smallest way. And it will ensure that he and his descendants will reign for many generations in Israel.
New Life Bible
And he will not think he is better than his brothers. He will not turn aside from the Law, to the right or to the left, so that he and his children may live long in his nation in Israel.
New Revised Standard
neither exalting himself above other members of the community nor turning aside from the commandment, either to the right or to the left, so that he and his descendants may reign long over his kingdom in Israel.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
that his heart may not be lifted up above his brethren, and he may not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left, - that he may prolong his days over his kingdom - he and his sons, in the midst of Israel.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And that his heart be not lifted up with pride over his brethren, nor decline to the right or to the left, that he and his sons may reign a long time over Israel.
Revised Standard Version
that his heart may not be lifted up above his brethren, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left; so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
that his heart may not be lifted up above his countrymen and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or the left, so that he and his sons may continue long in his kingdom in the midst of Israel.

Contextual Overview

14 "After you have taken possession of the land that the Lord your God is going to give you and have settled there, then you will decide you need a king like all the nations around you. 15 Be sure that the man you choose to be king is the one whom the Lord has chosen. He must be one of your own people; do not make a foreigner your king. 16 The king is not to have a large number of horses for his army, and he is not to send people to Egypt to buy horses, because the Lord has said that his people are never to return there. 17 The king is not to have many wives, because this would make him turn away from the Lord ; and he is not to make himself rich with silver and gold. 18 When he becomes king, he is to have a copy of the book of God's laws and teachings made from the original copy kept by the levitical priests. 19 He is to keep this book near him and read from it all his life, so that he will learn to honor the Lord and to obey faithfully everything that is commanded in it. 20 This will keep him from thinking that he is better than other Israelites and from disobeying the Lord 's commands in any way. Then he will reign for many years, and his descendants will rule Israel for many generations.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

his heart: Deuteronomy 8:2, Deuteronomy 8:13, Deuteronomy 8:14, 2 Kings 14:10, 2 Chronicles 25:19, 2 Chronicles 26:16, 2 Chronicles 32:25, 2 Chronicles 32:26, 2 Chronicles 33:12, 2 Chronicles 33:19, 2 Chronicles 33:23, 2 Chronicles 34:27, Psalms 131:1, Psalms 131:2, Isaiah 2:12, Daniel 5:20-23, Habakkuk 2:4, 2 Corinthians 12:7, 1 Peter 5:5

he turn: Deuteronomy 4:2, Deuteronomy 5:32, Deuteronomy 12:25, Deuteronomy 12:28, Deuteronomy 12:32, 1 Kings 15:5

right hand: Deuteronomy 17:11, 1 Samuel 13:13, 1 Samuel 13:14, 1 Samuel 15:23, 1 Kings 11:12, 1 Kings 11:13, 1 Kings 11:34, 1 Kings 11:36, 2 Kings 10:30, Psalms 19:11, Psalms 132:12, Proverbs 27:24, Ecclesiastes 8:13

that he: Proverbs 10:27

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 25:15 - that thy days Joshua 23:6 - that ye 1 Kings 2:2 - be thou 1 Chronicles 28:2 - my brethren 1 Timothy 3:6 - lest

Cross-References

Genesis 17:10
You and your descendants must all agree to circumcise every male among you.
Genesis 17:18
He asked God, "Why not let Ishmael be my heir?"
Genesis 21:13
I will also give many children to the son of the slave woman, so that they will become a nation. He too is your son."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren,.... On account of his office, the dignity of it, considering that he was subject to the law of God, and accountable to the Lord for all his actions:

and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand or to the left; not in the least deviate from the law of God in the whole of his conduct, and particularly in the exercise of his kingly office:

to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom; ruling well according to the laws of God being the way to rule long:

he and his children in the midst of Israel; this shows, as Jarchi observes, that if his son was fit for the kingdom, he was to be preferred to any other man; for though it was elective, yet to be continued in the same family, provided they walked in the ways of the Lord, and observed his laws.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Deuteronomy 17:20. He, and his children, in the midst of Israel. — From this verse it has been inferred that the crown of Israel was designed to be hereditary, and this is very probable; for long experience has proved to almost all the nations of the world that hereditary succession in the regal government is, on the whole, the safest, and best calculated to secure the public tranquillity.


 
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