Deuteronomy 17:17

Deuteronomy 17:17 is part of a crucial passage detailing the responsibilities and restrictions placed upon the future king of Israel. This verse specifically addresses two areas that, if unchecked, could lead a king astray: the multiplication of wives and the accumulation of excessive wealth.

Context

This verse appears within the Mosaic Law, specifically in a section (Deuteronomy 17:14-20) outlining the statutes for the king whom Israel would eventually desire to appoint. The Lord, foreseeing this desire, provides divine instructions to ensure the king's rule would be righteous and aligned with God's will. Prior verses prohibit the king from multiplying horses (which symbolized military power and reliance on foreign alliances) and from returning to Egypt, further emphasizing a reliance on God rather than worldly strength or connections. These regulations aimed to prevent the king from becoming too powerful, self-reliant, or spiritually compromised, thereby maintaining the nation's unique covenant relationship with the Lord.

Key Themes

• Spiritual Fidelity and the Danger of Distraction: The primary reason given for not multiplying wives is "that his heart turn not away." In ancient Near Eastern cultures, kings often cemented alliances through marriage to foreign princesses, who frequently brought their own gods and religious practices. Such alliances and the influence of foreign wives could easily lead the king, and by extension the nation, into idolatry and away from the exclusive worship of the LORD. This is powerfully illustrated later in the life of King Solomon, whose many foreign wives indeed turned his heart after other gods.
• Humility and Trust in God over Materialism: The prohibition against greatly multiplying silver and gold aims to prevent the king from trusting in his wealth rather than in God. Excessive riches could foster pride, lead to oppressive taxation of the people, and create a false sense of security. A king who relied on divine provision and justice, rather than an overflowing treasury, was more likely to govern righteously and remember his dependence on God. This echoes broader biblical warnings about the dangers of covetousness and the love of money being a root of all evil.
• Integrity of Leadership: The king was meant to be a shepherd and an example for the people, upholding the Law of God. These specific commands underscore the importance of personal integrity, spiritual purity, and a humble spirit in leadership, ensuring that the king's heart remained devoted to the Lord and not to worldly pursuits or power.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "multiply" in this verse is rabah (רָבָה), meaning "to become numerous," "to increase," or "to be great." The repeated emphasis ("neither shall he multiply... neither shall he greatly multiply") highlights the danger not just of having wives or wealth, but of accumulating them to an excessive degree. The phrase "turn not away" uses the Hebrew verb sur (סוּר), which means "to turn aside," "to deviate," or "to depart." This vividly conveys the spiritual danger of apostasy—a deviation from the covenant relationship with God that these worldly excesses could cause.

Practical Application

While these commands were given specifically to the king of Israel, the underlying principles are timeless and apply to all believers today. We are called to:

• Guard Our Hearts: Just as the king's heart was to remain true to God, so too must ours. We must be vigilant against anything—whether relationships, possessions, power, or ambitions—that could divert our affection and loyalty away from the Lord. As Proverbs 4:23 instructs, "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."
• Seek Contentment Over Accumulation: The pursuit of endless wealth and material possessions can become an idol, competing with our devotion to God. The verse serves as a reminder to prioritize spiritual richness over worldly riches and to trust in God's provision rather than our own material security. Jesus taught that "Ye cannot serve God and mammon."
• Live by Principle, Not Desire: The passage encourages self-restraint and adherence to divine principles, even when desires or cultural norms might suggest otherwise. True freedom and spiritual stability come from aligning our lives with God's wisdom, not from indulging every impulse.

Deuteronomy 17:17 stands as a powerful warning against the corrupting influence of unchecked power, illicit relationships, and materialism, reminding us that true security and spiritual well-being are found only in an undivided heart devoted to the Lord.