8 'When anything is too hard for thee for judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke—matters of strife within thy gates—then thou hast risen, and gone up unto the place on which Jehovah thy God doth fix,

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Deuteronomy 17:8

Commentary on Deuteronomy 17:8-13

(Read Deuteronomy 17:8-13)

Courts of judgment were to be set up in every city. Though their judgment had not the Divine authority of an oracle, it was the judgment of wise, prudent, experienced men, and had the advantage of a Divine promise.