Politics · 21 · Yhwh and His People
The king's only job: study the law
Deuteronomy's law of the king says he must be one of 'your kin,' must not exalt himself, and must copy the Torah and read it all his life.
Even the king is under the law.
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It's the only law about kings in all of the Torah's codes, and it gives him no governing role. Ancient kings were supposed to be judges; a written code restricted their freedom. Here the law, not the king, rules.
Bible reference: Deuteronomy 17:14–20
Source: Why the Bible Began, pp. 342
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