Chapter 16

A King over Israel


1

And when thou art come unto the land which YHVHa, thy Elohimb, giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say: I will set a kingc over me like as all the nations that are about me,

2

And when thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom YHVH, thy Elohim, shall choose; one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee; thou mayest not set a stranger over thee which is not thy brother.

3

But he shall not multiply horsesa to himself nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses; forasmuch as YHVH hath said unto you: Ye shall henceforth return no more that way;

4

Neither shall he multiplya wives to himself, that his heart turn not away; neither shall he greatly multiply silver and gold unto himself.

5

¶ And when the king sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom and ruleth, he shall write for him a copy of the Book of HaToraha, according to that which is before YHVH continually, out of that which is before the Priests, the Levites;

6

And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life that he may learn to reverencea YHVH, his Elohim,

7

And to keep all the words of this Torah and these ordinancesa before him continually, to do them, and forget not to administer justice and judgment throughout the land;

8

That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren and that he turn not aside from his mitzvotha, to the right hand or to the left;

9

And this that he might prolong his days in the land YHVH, thy Elohim, shall give thee, and of his children among the faithful, and that he may prolong his days, he and his children, in the midst of Israel.

10

¶ And the king shall execute judgment among the people, and over the rulers, and over all they that sit in judgment:

11

He shall deliver the poor, the needy, and the oppressed; and if their cry be faint, yet shall he hear them;

12

He shall be a father to the fatherless, and a husband to the widow, and a guardian to they who hath no protector.

13

In the name of YHVH, thy Elohim, he shall overthrow the rebellious, destroy traitors, and punish those that do wickedly;

14

The haughty shall he make low, and the oppressor shall he tread down, and those that exalt themselves, shall he abase.

15

The power of YHVH, his Elohim, shall He giveth him, to rule the nations, and to execute judgments among the children of mankind;

16

He shall declare this Torah and the mitzvoth of YHVH, thy Elohim, exercise his dominiona, and cast a shield round about the children of this people; that his dominion be not taken from him forever.

17

And the king shall not multiply to himself horsesa, nor carriages; he shall not multiply to himself ships; he shall not multiply to himself armor;

18

Yet the king shall have all these to defend his people, and the children of his people, but never to oppress them.

19

¶ The king shall not multiply to himself wivesa; lest he forget the Torah, and avenge not his people, and lest his heart turn from them to strange women.

20

Neither shall he multiply to himself servants of the children of his people; lest his yoke be oppressive.

21

The king shall not multiplya to himself silver and gold; lest he be proud, and turn away from this Torah, and obey it not;

22

Neither shall he lead his people to strange places to dwell therein, which YHVH, thy Elohim, hath not appointed for their dwelling; lest they depart from the Torah, and despise it.

23

The king shall not make other laws, despising this; but all his laws and commandmentsa shall be according to the Torah of YHVH, thy Elohim, to establish it;

24

For whatsoever YHVH, thy Elohim, shall speak, the king shall decree, and YHVH shall alter it as seemeth good unto Him, and none shall hinder.

25

¶ And the king shall be aided by a council of wise men and women, chosen from among this people, learned in the Torah of YHVH, and faithful unto YHVH;

26

These shall assemble before the king in council, as often as he shall require, to give him advice in whatsoever matter he shall ask of them.

27

The king may give unto the a portion of the affairs of Israel, giving to each his due, even as the king shall require it.

28

Those belonging to this council shall dwell near the king; they shall attend him on his journeys, if he should require it:

29

And these shall each give him reason, wise counsel, and advise him of whatsoever matter he shall require, and shall keep nothing back, fearing not retribution.

30

Each member of the council shall keep the charge which the king should give unto them, in their several duties and shall be a faithful steward of whatsoever in Israel shall be rendered unto them, with a just account of their stewardship.

31

And the counselors of the king shall be chosen by him as seemeth him good, being just men and women, learned in the Torah, not proud, nor haughty; not given to much babbling.

32

And they shall keep the secrets of the king all the days of their lives; and if they serve the king well, they shall be rewarded;

33

But if they are unfaithful, they shall be frowned upon, and he may choose new counselors, as seemeth him good.

34

¶ And the king shall appoint wise men and women, learned in the Torah of YHVH, lovers of righteousness, not fearing the rich, nor despising the poor, to be judges; who shall sit before him continually, to judge all great causes.

35

These shall sit upon the judgment seat of the king, and the ear of the judges shall never be closed, that they cannot hear; this is the court of the king.

36

And the king may appoint twelve judges to this court, if so many are needed; all of these shall be loyal to El Elyona; for the judging of all matters greatly;

37

But all the smaller matters may be judged by other judges, as the king shall appoint, that these may judge the larger causes continually, and that they judge upon the judgment of other judges.

38

And the king shall order and determine what causes shall come before the court of the king, upon his judgment seat to be judged, and what causes shall be judged before the other judgment seats.

39

And the judges shall hear and judge, and determine speedily, they shall not delay; and they shall judge righteous judgment, and shall not take them any bribes or gifts, nor shall they do any injustice.

40

And if these judges should judge unrighteously, or refuse judgment to the just, or despise the Torah, or receive any bribes, they shall be removed.

41

When they have served faithfully, they shall be relieved from their duties in their age and infirmitya.

42

These men shall execute all the orders of the judge, and shall be a fear unto the disorderly, and all revilers; yea, they shall do whatsoever the judges commanda.

43

And the chief among them shall be the stewarda of the substance of the king, which he committeth to the judges, and shall render a just account of his stewardship to the king.