What can we learn from the laws that God gave for the kings of Israel?

The king was not to multiply horses to himself, which would cause the people to return to Egypt for this purpose, “neither shall he multiply wives to himself,” for the great danger in this was that they would turn his heart away from Jehovah his God. Moreover he was not to “greatly multiply to himself silver and gold,” for there is ever the danger of the heart trusting in acquired riches rather than in the source of all blessing.

With these three prohibitions there was also the positive command, “And it shall be, when he sits upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: and it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them” (verses 18, 19). The object of this commandment was “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” (verse 20).

There was nothing grievous about the prohibitions, given in divine goodness and wisdom. God knew the dangers that would beset the king, and forewarned him of them, the prohibitions being divine safeguards for the well-being of the king and his people. How right it was that the king should know God’s law, and walk in the light of it constantly, for in this way he would be a true leader for the people of God, leading them in the paths of righteousness in which they would have the blessing of God.

The case of the people desiring a king is anticipated; and they are told that he must be of the people, and not act so as to open the way for intercourse with Egypt, nor so as to lead the people to idolatry; but he is to write a copy of the book of the law with his own hand, and read therein all the days of his life, being subject to it, so as not to despise his brethren.

In verses 14 and 15 of that chapter it is foretold that a day would come when, settled into their own land, Israel would desire a king and propose to set one over themselves, and in view of that eventuality certain instructions are given. The Lord said, "He shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the Lord has said to you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way. Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold" (verses 16, 17). In the days of Moses, the great lawgiver, the all-seeing eye of God had traversed the centuries, and He foresaw the future kings of Israel and their special dangers, and He provided the needful warning in His Word, and also the antidote by ordering that the future king should write his own copy of the law, and have it always with him so as to read therein all the days of his life, and so turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand or to the left. (See verses 18-20.)

But a warning is given to any king who might arise: he was not to multiply horses nor send his people to bring horses from Egypt (v.16). Of course war horses were considered necessary for the protection of the kingdom. Could faith not depend on God for such protection rather than on horses? See Psalm 33:17; Hosea 14:3. In spite of this warning, Solomon, wealthy king as he was, "had horses imported from Egypt." as well as chariots (1 Ki.10:28-29), So that it is reported he had 40,000 stalls of horses (1 Ki.4:26). These did not protect the kingdom from division soon after the death of Solomon (1 Ki.12). Depending on these things is not depending on God.

Nor was a king to "multiply wives for himself" (v.17), for this would turn away his heart from the Lord. In this also Solomon grossly disobeyed God, having 700 wives as well as 300 concubines, and "his wives turned his heart after other gods" (1 Ki.11:4). Not only did this Scripture (Deut.17) warn him, but he reports himself that his mother warned him, "Do not give your strength to women, nor your ways to that which destroys kings" (Prov.31:1-3). His great wisdom did not preserve him from sin.

Also a king was not to "greatly multiply silver and gold for himself" (v.17). The Lord promised Solomon that He would give him "riches and wealth and honor" (2 Chron.1:12), but this was not sufficient for Solomon, just as other wealthy men grasp after more and more. For Solomon fitted merchant ships to greatly increase his wealth (1 Ki.10:22-23), and he laid heavy taxes on the people (1 Ki.12:3-4;11). In fact, Solomon's mother had also urged him to show kindness to the poor (Prov.31:8-9) but Solomon showed the opposite. Sad comment on the influences of prominence, wealth and wisdom!

Whether Solomon obeyed verse 18 and 19 may be a question, but it would seem that if he had written a copy of the law and had read it every day of his life, this might have preserved him from the sad failure and disobedience that caused him such grief in his later years. For the reading of God's Word would have such effect that it might keep him from having his heart lifted above his brethren (v.20), for the pride that comes from prominence can work severe havoc with a king, as it sadly did with Solomon. In all of this we are taught that if one is to rule rightly, he must first learn to be fully subject to the rule of the Lord.

But, in another form, Egypt still was Israel's snare, after their settlement in the land. Outward weakness was the designed characteristic of Israel's polity by Jehovah; that the people might know that "they got not the land in possession by their own sword; neither did their own arm (at any time) save them; but Thy right hand and Thine arm, and the light of Thy countenance, because Thou hadst a favour toward them." And the song should have been ever heard in their midst, "Thou art my King, O God; command deliverances for Jacob. Through Thee will we push down our enemies; through Thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us. For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save Him. But Thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us. In God we boast all the day long, and praise Thy name for ever."

It was for this intent that they were forbidden to multiply horses, and that three times a year their coasts were to be left entirely unguarded; while all their males were brought together in solemn assembly, to Jerusalem, before the Lord. But Egypt was celebrated for its horses and chariots; and this is noticed in the Lord's prohibition to the king, "he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to the end that he should multiply horses; forasmuch as the Lord hath said unto you ye shall henceforth return no more that way." Their redemption from Egypt and all its power should have been final; nor should any thing have tempted them to return. But, in the reign of Solomon, we find that horses were one chief article of commerce with Egypt. In 1 Kings, 10:28-29, it is recorded that Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt: - "And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for an hundred and fifty." While in the days of Isaiah, the Lord complains, amongst other tokens of departure from himself, that" their land also is full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots." But in the following chapter of the book of Kings, there is opened a still further effect of Solomon's affinity with Egypt. This wisest of men was corrupted by it. "King Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh. For it came to pass when Solomon was old that his wives turned away his heart after other gods." How near is the neighbourhood, and how subtle the connection of "the flesh," the world, and the devil! And how instructive is the lesson, that as to Israel, the first enemy that invaded their land after the death of Solomon was Shishak king of Egypt! "It came to pass in the fifth year of King Rehoboam that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem; and he took away the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king's house: he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of silver and gold which Solomon had made." What force do these historical notices give to that statute of the kingdom (already partly quoted) "he shall not multiply wives to himself that his heart turn not away; neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold!" And how full is the illustration of a part of the passage which is the subject of the present comment, "Yet he also is wise and will bring evil, and will not call back his words!"

The first five verses of our chapter offer a striking example of what we have just said. David takes several wives at Hebron besides Ahinoam and Abigail, his companions in his wanderings. Had he inquired of the Lord before doing so, what would the Lord have replied? Read my Word! Dependence on God and dependence on His Word are one and the same thing. David had the books of the law in hand, and he needed only to meditate on them in order to see his path. Does it not say in Deuteronomy 17:17 concerning the king: “Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away”? He might have all sorts of good reasons according to man's mind for doing as he did: to secure a royal posterity and so on, but this was not according to God. To be convinced of this we need only trace the descendants of his wives. Had David had only godly Abigail as his companion, would he have seen an Amnon bring shame and dishonor upon his house, an Absalom rebel against his own father, or an Adonijah try to seize control of the kingdom and ask for the Shunammite to be his wife?

As regards the kings of Israel, they were chosen of God, and responsible to rule in the acknowledgement that they held their kingly authority from Him, and if they did evil He made them to suffer for the evil that they did. They were to have the law of the Lord ever before them, and they were to read therein all their days, in order that they might learn to fear Him. The heart of the king was not to be lifted up above his brethren, nor was he to turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left (Deut. 17:14-20).

In Deuteronomy 17:14-20 God gives instructions regarding the king whom He would eventually give Israel. God's thoughts about a king were far different from man's. As far as a mere man can do so, Moses measured up to God's standards. But when God looks forward to a king for His people, He really looks on to the Lord Jesus, His absolute ideal. Here the king was to be one whom God would choose from among his brethren, not a foreigner. Moses and Christ both met this standard. The king was not to multiply horses to himself nor lead the people back to Egypt for this purpose. He was not to multiply wives to himself, lest his heart turn away, nor was he to greatly multiply silver and gold to himself. Both Moses and Christ measure up to these criteria.

The king was to write out a copy of God's law for himself, have it with him, and read it all his life. While Moses was used to write the law, our Lord Jesus could say in prophetic language, "Thy law is within My heart" (Ps. 40:8). Moses turned aside from God's word on one occasion, and his heart was lifted up above his brethren (Num. 20:7-12). Consequently he could not prolong his days nor enter the Promised Land. Christ, the meek and lowly One, in perfect contrast to Moses even washed His disciples' feet. "Of His kingdom there shall not be an end" (Lk. 1:33).

David's attitude towards the people while encouraging them to build for God is very beautiful. "Hear me, my brethren" (1 Chron. 28:2). Jehovah desired Israel's king, when the time came that they would have one, to read the book of the law daily "that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren" (Deut. 17:10). There is nothing of the Oriental despot in this. God's king must not tyrannise over, but "feed Jacob His people and Israel His inheritance" (Psalm 78:71). The great King of Kings, when He sits upon the throne of His glory with angels in attendance will acknowledge lowly men who have preached His word as "My brethren" (Matt. 25:40).

That they were to have one was plain. This was no afterthought in God's mind. But their motives for desiring one were wrong. Scripture details all this to us (1 Sam. 8 – 12), giving the clue to Israel's actions, and furnishing us with a key, the key by which, if any difficulty arises in the mind about Deuteronomy 17, it can be satisfactorily explained; whereas the sceptic would settle the question, as he thinks, by the denial that Deuteronomy 17:14–20 is God's revelation by Moses. The law gave directions about the king, and guidance also for his conduct; but though foretelling the establishment of the kingdom, it did not prescribe the conditions under which they should prefer their request. Did, then, the existence of the law in Deuteronomy diminish their guilt in the matter? Assuredly not. They were wrong in asking for their king when and how they did, and, as the history shows, he became a hindrance to them. But to any true-hearted person among them, how comforting such a portion of the law must have been, as it showed that, whatever in their wilfulness and unbelief, they might do, God had given directions which, if carried out, would be for the welfare of all concerned when a king should be set over them. A saint of Samuel's day would surely have valued that law as a proof of Jehovah's forethought for His people. A critic of this day would deny its authenticity as part of the law given by Moses. The people's wish was for a king to fight their battles with the Ammonites; the Lord's thought was that the king should save them out of the hand of the Philistines. (1 Sam. 9:16.) Saul answered to the desire of Israel, but fell miserably short of the thoughts of God. Had God, in the days of Samuel, ceased to care for His people? Israel evidently seemed to think this. They considered only the pressing evil of the moment, that of Nahash, the Ammonite, acting against them from without. The Lord thought of a worse evil, the power of the uncircumcised within the land. Nothing less than deliverance from that would meet His desires on their behalf. And David, in whose choice the people had no part, and for whom they had expressed no wish, carried out the mind of God as to the Philistines, by first slaying their champion, and subsequently subduing them, and taking Metheg-Ammah, or Gath, out of their hands (2 Sam. 8:1; 1 Chron. 18:1); and finally destroying, with his captains, the remnant of the giants that remained. (2 Sam. 21:15–22.) But this introduces us to the kingdom in connection with David. To the histories of Saul and of David — both anointed of God, and on earth together — let us now turn.