Cedric Lesluyes

In the previous episode, we saw how God—through Moses—placed the emphasis on the values ​​of the king rather than on the form of government, both in anticipation of establishing a monarchy in Israel (Deut. 17:14) and in outlining its ideal characteristics (Deut. 17:15–20). We will now examine the details of each verse more closely. Perhaps we will discover that the ideal portrait of Israel’s future king has much to teach us. Today, we will focus on the first verse of our passage: Deut 17:14...

We have seen how the prospect of establishing a monarchy in Deuteronomy 17:14 was a pivotal point with far-reaching implications, extending beyond centuries and books. Let us now examine what God advocates when the time comes to choose a king. The passage is in Deuteronomy 17:14-20 and adds further layers to the interplay between the books and to our understanding of them, here and now. Before examining the verses in detail, a preliminary observation is necessary. It concerns the structure...

Irony -even tragic irony- is a major feature of the writing of the Hebrew Bible. We will examine one example -or rather, a node of cross-references- concerning the king of Israel as presented by Moses on behalf of God (1) in the Deuteronomic law code. We are in the parsha Shofetim (Deut 16:18-21:9), which describes in particular the future institutions of Israel (priests, judges, prophets), at the time when the Hebrews are preparing to enter the land of Canaan (this settlement will be...