“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.”
My Notes
What Does Deuteronomy 17:20 Mean?
"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." The king's DAILY TORAH-READING (verse 18-19) serves TWO PREVENTIONS and ONE PROMISE: PREVENT the heart from being LIFTED UP above the brethren. PREVENT turning ASIDE from the commandment. PROMISE: prolonged days in the kingdom — for the king AND his children. The Torah-discipline prevents the pride AND the deviation. The reading produces the humility AND the faithfulness.
The phrase "his heart be not lifted up above his brethren" (levilti rum levavo me'echav — that his heart not be raised above his brothers) addresses the KING'S PRIDE: the king rules OVER. The Torah keeps the heart from being ABOVE. The ruling-over is POSITIONAL (he's king). The heart-above is ATTITUDINAL (he thinks he's BETTER). The Torah-reading prevents the ATTITUDINAL from following the POSITIONAL. The king rules over his brothers WITHOUT thinking himself above his brothers. The position is elevated. The heart must not be.
The "to the right hand, or to the left" (yamin usemo'l — right or left) describes the TWO DIRECTIONS of deviation: the king might drift toward EXCESS (right — too much of what's permitted) or toward DEFICIENCY (left — too little of what's required). The Torah-reading keeps the king on the STRAIGHT PATH — neither veering toward excess nor toward neglect. The commandment is the CENTER LINE. Deviation in either direction is equally dangerous.
Reflection Questions
- 1.What daily discipline keeps your heart level — not lifted above others, not turning aside?
- 2.What does the king's subjects being called BROTHERS teach about the relationship between authority and equality?
- 3.How does not turning RIGHT or LEFT describe staying between the ditches of excess and deficiency?
- 4.What does the promise of prolonged days FOR THE CHILDREN teach about humility producing generational reward?
Devotional
Don't let the heart be lifted UP above the brothers. Don't turn RIGHT or LEFT from the commandment. And the promise: prolonged days — for the king AND his children. The Torah-reading prevents the twin dangers of monarchy: PRIDE (heart above) and DEVIATION (turning aside). The discipline produces humility AND faithfulness.
The 'heart not lifted up above his brethren' is the HUMILITY-prescription for kings: the king RULES over the people. The king must NOT think himself ABOVE the people. The ruling is the POSITION. The above-thinking is the TEMPTATION. The Torah-reading is the PREVENTION: the daily engagement with God's word keeps the king's heart at LEVEL — even though his position is elevated. The reading produces the EQUALITY of heart that the inequality of position would otherwise destroy.
The 'brethren' (echav — his brothers) is the WORD that defines the king's relationship to the people: the subjects aren't SUBJECTS. They're BROTHERS. The king doesn't rule over INFERIORS. He rules over FAMILY. The word 'brothers' keeps the relationship FAMILIAL rather than HIERARCHICAL. The king who reads the Torah daily is reminded: these are my BROTHERS, not my servants.
The 'right hand or left' covers BOTH directions of deviation: the right (excess — overdoing, overreaching, too much power) and the left (deficiency — neglecting, under-performing, too little attention). The king might deviate in EITHER direction. The Torah keeps the STRAIGHT PATH visible — the middle way between excess and deficiency, the commandment-line that runs between the two ditches.
The PROMISE — 'prolong his days, he and his children' — makes the humility and faithfulness GENERATIONALLY REWARDING: the king who stays humble and straight passes the kingdom to his CHILDREN. The dynasty lasts because the discipline holds. The throne endures because the Torah-reading continues.
What daily discipline keeps YOUR heart level — not lifted above, not turning aside?
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren,.... On account of his office, the dignity of it, considering that he…
After the laws which concerned subjects fitly followed the laws which concern kings; for those that rule others must…
that his heart, etc.] Cp. Deu 8:2. Turn not aside, Deu 5:32, Prolong days, Deu 4:40. Cullen (140) thinks that in…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture