Deuteronomy – Chapter 17

Old Testament20 Verses

Chapter Summary

Chapter 17 of Deuteronomy begins: "Thou shalt not sacrifice to the Lord thy God a sheep, or an ox, wherein there is blemish, or any fault: for that is an abomination to the…" Across its 20 verses, two threads run through the text: sin and divine judgment and God's kingdom and kingship. The Church invites us to read this chapter within the whole sweep of salvation history, where every page points toward Christ.

1Thou shalt not sacrifice to the Lord thy God a sheep, or an ox, wherein there is blemish, or any fault: for that is an abomination to the Lord thy God.

2When there shall be found among you within any of thy gates, which the Lord thy God shall give thee, man or woman that do evil in the sight of the Lord thy God, and transgress his covenant,

3So as to go and serve strange gods, and adore them, the sun and the moon, and all the host of heaven, which I have not commanded:

4And this is told thee, and hearing it thou hast inquired diligently, and found it to be true, and that the abomination is committed in Israel:

5Thou shalt bring forth the man or the woman, who have committed that most wicked thing, to the gates of thy city, and they shall be stoned.

6By the mouth of two or three witnesses shall he die that is to be slain. Let no man be put to death, when only one beareth witness against him.

7The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to kill him, and afterwards the hands of the rest of the people: that thou mayst take away the evil out of the midst of thee.

8If thou perceive that there be among you a hard and doubtful matter in judgment between blood and blood, cause and cause, leprosy and leprosy: and thou see that the words of the judges within thy gates do vary: arise, and go up to the place, which the Lord thy God shall choose.

9And thou shalt come to the priests of the Levitical race, and to the judge, that shall be at that time: and thou shalt ask of them, and they shall shew thee the truth of the judgment.

10And thou shalt do whatsoever they shall say, that preside in the place, which the Lord shall choose, and what they shall teach thee,

11According to his law; and thou shalt follow their sentence: neither shalt thou decline to the right hand nor to the left hand.

12But he that will be proud, and refuse to obey the commandment of the priest, who ministereth at that time to the Lord thy God, and the decree of the judge, that man shall die, and thou shalt take away the evil from Israel:

13And all the people hearing it shall fear, that no one afterwards swell with pride.

14When thou art come into the land, which the Lord thy God will give thee, and possessest it, and shalt say: I will set a king over me, as all nations have that are round about:

15Thou shalt set him whom the Lord thy God shall choose out of the number of thy brethren. Thou mayst not make a man of another nation king, that is not thy brother.

16And when he is made king, he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor lead back the people into Egypt, being lifted up with the number of his horsemen, especially since the Lord hath commanded you to return no more the same way.

17He shall not have many wives, that may allure his mind, nor immense sums of silver and gold.

18But after he is raised to the throne of his kingdom, he shall copy out to himself the Deuteronomy of this law in a volume, taking the copy of the priests of the Levitical tribe,

19And he shall have it with him, and shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, and keep his words and ceremonies, that are commanded in the law;

20And 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.

Important Verses in Deuteronomy 17

Thou shalt not sacrifice to the Lord thy God a sheep, or an ox, wherein there is blemish, or any fault: for that is an abomination to the Lord thy God.

Deuteronomy 17:1

If thou perceive that there be among you a hard and doubtful matter in judgment between blood and blood, cause and cause, leprosy and leprosy: and thou see that the words of the judges within thy gates do vary: arise, and go up to the place, which the Lord thy God shall choose.

Deuteronomy 17:8

When thou art come into the land, which the Lord thy God will give thee, and possessest it, and shalt say: I will set a king over me, as all nations have that are round about:

Deuteronomy 17:14

And he shall have it with him, and shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, and keep his words and ceremonies, that are commanded in the law;

Deuteronomy 17:19

Historical Context

Deuteronomy belongs to the Old Testament and was composed for the new generation of Israel about to cross the Jordan into Canaan. Chapter 17 of 34 stands in the central portion of the book, where decisive events or teachings take shape. It is a legal and cultic instruction given to Israel regarding worship, holiness, and daily life with 20 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. The passage starts with these words: "Thou shalt not sacrifice to the Lord thy God a sheep, or an ox, wherein there is blemish, or any fault: for that is an…" The final verse reads: "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…" In terms of historical background, Deuteronomy means 'second law': Moses' final sermons on the plains of Moab, renewing the Sinai covenant for the generation about to enter Canaan. Catholic tradition dates the book to the period described in its introduction: Traditions from Moses; book discovered in the Temple during King Josiah's reform around 622 BC.

Who Wrote It

Presented as Moses' farewell discourses; compiled and edited by inspired scribes, likely in the 7th century BC

When It Was Written

Traditions from Moses; book discovered in the Temple during King Josiah's reform around 622 BC

Catholic Commentary

This chapter presents divine statutes and cultic norms that shaped Israel's worship and moral life. A pivotal line is verse 1: "Thou shalt not sacrifice to the Lord thy God a sheep, or an ox, wherein there is blemish, or any fault: for that is an abomination to the Lord thy God." The passage repeatedly touches on sin and divine judgment.

The Church teaches that every passage of Scripture must be read in light of Christ and the Magisterium (CIC 461). Here, Jesus cited Deuteronomy's command to love God as the greatest commandment (CIC 2083). The spiritual sense invites believers to recognize sin and divine judgment as part of God's pedagogy of salvation.

For Christians today, the chapter's lesson is clear: Sin has real consequences, but God's judgment always aims at conversion and restoration.. The Church invites us to receive this word not as antiquarian information but as living Scripture proclaimed at Mass and prayed in lectio divina.

Main Teachings

  • Sin has real consequences, but God's judgment always aims at conversion and restoration.
  • God's kingdom is not of this world; every earthly throne stands under His eternal reign.
  • Christ is the Divine Physician who heals both body and soul.

Reflection for Today

As Catholics read Deuteronomy Chapter 17, we do so within the living Tradition that has guarded this text for two millennia.

The saints did not treat Scripture as antiquarian literature. St. Teresa of Avila, St. Francis de Sales, and countless others used passages such as this to fuel daily conversion. the dignity of the human person remains a practical lesson for modern disciples.

As you continue through Deuteronomy, carry this chapter's lesson into your family, parish, and work. Catholic faith is always ecclesial—God speaks to us as members of Christ's Body, not as isolated individuals.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Deuteronomy Chapter 17 about?

Deuteronomy 17 contains 20 verses. It opens with "Thou shalt not sacrifice to the Lord thy God a sheep, or an ox, wherein there is blemish, or any fault: for that is an…" and closes with "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…". The book as a whole is covenant discourses and law.

What is a key verse in Deuteronomy 17?

One of the most significant verses is verse 1: "Thou shalt not sacrifice to the Lord thy God a sheep, or an ox, wherein there is blemish, or any fault: for that is an abomination to the Lord thy God." It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who wrote Deuteronomy and when?

Presented as Moses' farewell discourses; compiled and edited by inspired scribes, likely in the 7th century BC. Traditions from Moses; book discovered in the Temple during King Josiah's reform around 622 BC.

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