The Meaning of Deuteronomy 17:15 Explained

Deuteronomy 17:15

KJV: Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy God 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.

YLT: thou dost certainly set over thee a king on whom Jehovah doth fix; from the midst of thy brethren thou dost set over thee a king; thou art not able to set over thee a stranger, who is not thy brother.

Darby: thou shalt only set him king over thee whom Jehovah thy God will choose: from among thy brethren shalt thou set a king over thee; thou mayest not set a foreigner over thee, who is not thy brother.

ASV: thou shalt surely set him king over thee, whom Jehovah thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee; thou mayest not put a foreigner over thee, who is not thy brother.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Thou shalt in any wise  set  [him] king  over thee, whom the LORD  thy God  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. 

What does Deuteronomy 17:15 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 17

1  The things sacrificed must be sound
2  Idolaters must be slain
8  Hard controversies are to be determined by the priests and judges
12  The one who shows contempt for the judge must die
14  The election
16  and duty of a king

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 17:15 mean?

Surely you shall set over you a king whom chooses Yahweh your God from among your brothers you shall set as king not you may set set man a foreigner who not your brother is
שׂ֣וֹם תָּשִׂ֤ים עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ מֶ֔לֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִבְחַ֛ר יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ בּ֑וֹ מִקֶּ֣רֶב אַחֶ֗יךָ תָּשִׂ֤ים מֶ֔לֶךְ לֹ֣א תוּכַ֗ל לָתֵ֤ת אִ֣ישׁ נָכְרִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־ אָחִ֖יךָ הֽוּא

שׂ֣וֹם  Surely 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
תָּשִׂ֤ים  you  shall  set 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
עָלֶ֙יךָ֙  over  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
מֶ֔לֶךְ  a  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  whom 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יִבְחַ֛ר  chooses 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּחוּר 
Sense: to choose, elect, decide for.
יְהוָ֥ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
אַחֶ֗יךָ  your  brothers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
תָּשִׂ֤ים  you  shall  set  as 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
מֶ֔לֶךְ  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
תוּכַ֗ל  you  may  set 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָכֹל  
Sense: to prevail, overcome, endure, have power, be able.
לָתֵ֤ת  set 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
אִ֣ישׁ  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
נָכְרִ֔י  a  foreigner 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: נָכְרִי  
Sense: foreign, alien.
אָחִ֖יךָ  your  brother 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.