John Gill Commentary Deuteronomy 17:9

John Gill Commentary

Deuteronomy 17:9

1697–1771
Reformed Baptist
John Gill
John Gill

John Gill Commentary

Deuteronomy 17:9

1697–1771
Reformed Baptist
SCRIPTURE

"and thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days: and thou shalt inquire; and they shall show thee the sentence of judgment." — Deuteronomy 17:9 (ASV)

You shall come to the priests, the Levites
The priests that are of the tribe of Levi, as the Targum of Jonathan, and so Jarchi; for Aben Ezra says there are priests that are not of the genealogy of Levi; such there were indeed in Jeroboam's time, (1 Kings 12:31) (13:33) . Maimonides F6 observes, that it is ordered that there should be in the great sanhedrim priests and Levites, as it is said: "and thou shalt come unto the priests, and the judge that shall be in those days, and inquire"; judge is here put for judges, of which the great court consisted, being priests, Levites, and Israelites; (See Gill on Deuteronomy 16:18).

Though others think that only a single person is meant, such as Othniel, Ehud, Gideon, Samson; but then as there was not always such an one in being, I should rather think that the judge here, if a single person, is the president or prince of the great sanhedrim, who succeeded Moses, and sat in his place; and of him and his court, the priests, and Levites and Israelites that composed it, inquiry was to be made:

and they shall show you the sentence of judgment ;
give their judgment in the difficult case proposed, and declare what is right to be done, and what sentence is to be pronounced.


FOOTNOTES:

  • F6: Hilchot Sanhedrin, c. 2. sect. 2.