17And don't sacrifice to GOD, your God, an ox or sheep that is defective or has anything at all wrong with it. That's an abomination, an insult to GOD, your God.H2076H3068H430H7794H7716H3971H7451H1697H8441H3068H430

2If you find anyone within the towns that GOD, your God, is giving you doing what is wrong in GOD's eyes, breaking his covenantH4672H7130H259H8179H3068H430H5414H376H802H6213H7451H5869H3068H430H5674H1285

3by going off to worship other gods, bowing down to them—the sun, say, or the moon, or any rebel sky-gods—H3212H5647H312H430H7812H8121H3394H6635H8064H6680

4look at the evidence and investigate carefully. If you find that it is true, that, in fact, an abomination has been committed in Israel,H5046H8085H1875H3190H571H1697H3559H8441H6213H3478

5then you are to take the man or woman who did this evil thing outside your city gates and stone the man or the woman. Hurl stones at the person until dead.H3318H376H802H6213H7451H1697H8179H376H802H5619H68H4191

6But only on the testimony of two or three witnesses may a person be put to death. No one may be put to death on the testimony of one witness.H6310H8147H5707H7969H5707H4191H4191H6310H259H5707H4191

7The witnesses must throw the first stones in the execution, then the rest of the community joins in. You have to purge the evil from your community.H3027H5707H7223H4191H314H3027H5971H1197H7451H1197H7130

8When matters of justice come up that are too much for you—hard cases regarding homicides, legal disputes, fights—take them up to the central place of worship that GOD, your God, has designated.H1697H6381H4941H1818H1818H1779H1779H5061H5061H1697H7379H8179H6965H5927H4725H3068H430H977

9Bring them to the Levitical priests and the judge who is in office at the time. Consult them and they will hand down the decision for you.H935H3548H3881H8199H3117H1875H5046H1697H4941

10Then carry out their verdict at the place designated by GOD, your God. Do what they tell you, in exactly the way they tell you.H6213H6310H1697H4725H3068H977H5046H8104H6213H3384

11Follow their instructions precisely: Don't leave out anything; don't add anything.H6310H8451H3384H4941H559H6213H5493H1697H5046H3225H8040

12Anyone who presumes to override or twist the decision handed down by the priest or judge who was acting in the Presence of GOD, your God, is as good as dead—root him out, rid Israel of the evil.H376H6213H2087H8085H3548H5975H8334H3068H430H8199H376H4191H1197H7451H3478

13Everyone will take notice and be impressed. That will put an end to presumptuous behavior.H5971H8085H3372H2102

14When you enter the land that GOD, your God, is giving you and take it over and settle down, and then say, "I'm going to get me a king, a king like all the nations around me,"H935H776H3068H430H5414H3423H3427H559H7760H4428H1471H5439

15make sure you get yourself a king whom GOD, your God, chooses. Choose your king from among your kinsmen; don't take a foreigner—only a kinsman.H7760H7760H4428H3068H430H977H7130H251H7760H4428H3201H5414H5237H376H251

16And make sure he doesn't build up a war machine, amassing military horses and chariots. He must not send people to Egypt to get more horses, because GOD told you, "You'll never go back there again!"H7235H5483H5971H7725H4714H7235H5483H3068H559H3254H7725H1870

17And make sure he doesn't build up a harem, collecting wives who will divert him from the straight and narrow. And make sure he doesn't pile up a lot of silver and gold.H7235H802H3824H5493H3966H7235H3701H2091

18This is what must be done: When he sits down on the throne of his kingdom, the first thing he must do is make himself a copy of this Revelation on a scroll, copied under the supervision of the Levitical priests.H3427H3678H4467H3789H4932H8451H5612H6440H3548H3881

19That scroll is to remain at his side at all times; he is to study it every day so that he may learn what it means to fear his GOD, living in reverent obedience before these rules and regulations by following them.H7121H3117H2416H3925H3372H3068H430H8104H1697H8451H2706H6213

20He must not become proud and arrogant, changing the commands at whim to suit himself or making up his own versions. If he reads and learns, he will have a long reign as king in Israel, he and his sons.H3824H7311H251H5493H4687H3225H8040H748H3117H4467H1121H7130H3478