SUMMARY
When local judges are not able to provide justice, Israelites were to go to the central priestA priest is a person who has the authority to perform religious rites. In New Testament times priests were responsible for daily offerings and sacrifices in the temple. More and judge who would provide final rulings.
ANALYSIS
Deuteronomy 16 – 18 provides an overview of different levels of Israelite leadership. Local judges and officers are to be the first line of justice for the people. When cases are too difficult for those judges, the issue is to be brought to what was presumably a panel made up of priests, Levites (or in some translations Levitical priests), and a high judge. This supreme court, in effect, would be the final court of appeal for Israelite justice. If those involved in the court case did not abide by the findings of the court, they were to be executed.
The reader who continues on in the next couple chapters will find other powerful positions that were balanced against this high court.
