Dt. 17: Ruling

Deuteronomy 17:6 "On the testimony of two or three witnesses a man shall be put to death, but no one shall be put to death on the testimony of only one witness."

More warnings against other religions. God did not want to see things like Asherah Poles or sacred stones erected in Israel. Probably even if these stones were in honor of Him. Also, there is a reiteration that a sacrifice for sin had to be perfect...without defect or deformity. Only perfection could remove imperfection.

So terrible an offense to God is leading others astray that people who do so must be put to death by stoning. Can you imagine? Who ever witnessed this blasphemy was the person who was to cast the first stone. I guess that's a good rule. This probably sought to reduce the number of people who would just go around accusing people of blasphemy so they could be stoned. What a horrific way to kill. You just throw rocks at someone until they die? Horrifying.

The judges were given charge over difficult cases, and my guess is that they were Levites, so God presumably spoke through them, and issued judgment through them. It was because of this divine word that the Israelites were commanded to do exactly as the judges say, without deviating to the right or to left. Straight up. Anyone going against the judges was to be put to death.

Verse 14 is the first mention I can recall of the possibility of Israel having a king over them. But it doesn't seem as though God is encouraging Israel to appoint a king, or to ask for one. Moses just went through a whole ceremony that set Joshua up to replace him as...leader...I guess. A king had several requirements:
1. Appointed by God
2. Must be an Israelite
3. Must not acquire wealth, or return to Egypt to get more horses
4. Most not take many wives, else he be led astray
5. Had to study and learn Gods laws and decrees

Kings were in the habit of compromise and making deals, and we have already seen what happens when Israel gets together with other nations. Idolatry and immorality. That seems to be the underlying reason why God did not want a king over Israel, and set these safeguards in place to ensure that a future king did not screw with Israel. If a king followed God's laws, as verse 20 says, then he and his descendants will reign a long time.