Courts of Law

Cases too difficult to judge locally are to be taken to the place the LORD chooses, where the Levitical priests and the judge will give a verdict. Israel must follow their instruction carefully and not turn aside from it.

I⁸f a case is too difficult for you to judge, whether the controversy within your gates is regarding bloodshed, lawsuits, or assaults, you must go up to the place the LORD your God will choose. ⁹You are to go to the Levitical priests and to the judge who presides at that time. Inquire of them, and they will give you a verdict in the case. ¹⁰You must abide by the verdict they give you at the place the LORD will choose. Be careful to do everything they instruct you, ¹¹according to the terms of law they give and the verdict they proclaim. Do not turn aside to the right or to the left from the decision they declare to you.

Whoever refuses the priest or judge acts presumptuously and must die. The judgment removes evil and teaches the people not to behave with arrogance.

¹²But the man who acts presumptuously, refusing to listen either to the priest who stands there to serve the LORD your God, or to the judge, must be put to death. You must purge the evil from Israel. ¹³Then all the people will hear and be afraid, and will no longer behave arrogantly.