Deuteronomy 17:8-13--Legal Decisions by Priests and Judges

Deuteronomy 17:8-13
English Standard Version

Legal Decisions by Priests and Judges
8 “If any case arises requiring decision between one kind of homicide and another, one kind of legal right and another, or one kind of assault and another, any case within your towns that is too difficult for you, then you shall arise and go up to the place that the LORD your God will choose. 9 And you shall come to the Levitical priests and to the judge who is in office in those days, and you shall consult them, and they shall declare to you the decision. 10 Then you shall do according to what they declare to you from that place that the LORD will choose. And you shall be careful to do according to all that they direct you. 11 According to the instructions that they give you, and according to the decision which they pronounce to you, you shall do. You shall not turn aside from the verdict that they declare to you, either to the right hand or to the left. 12 The man who acts presumptuously by not obeying the priest who stands to minister there before the LORD your God, or the judge, that man shall die. So you shall purge the evil from Israel. 13 And all the people shall hear and fear and not act presumptuously again.

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The priests were only from the tribe of Levi, but the judges mentioned here were appointed by each of the tribes to rule on disputes within their own tribal territories.  The types of cases that should be taken to the Tabernacle or Temple so that the LORD may render the verdict through the High Priest are given here-deciding between one kind of homicide and another, between one kind of legal right and another (where each person has rights that seem to be in conflict with each other), and one kind of assault or another or anything else that is too hard for them to decide on their own.

The people with their judges are to come and present the case before the Levitical priests and the judge that is serving at that time (given that the High Priest had lots to cast before the LORD for occasions such as this, I assume this is speaking of the High Priest, but this may be a different office that could be held by people such as those in the book of Judges).

The decision rendered in such cases is to be treated as if the verdict and instructions came directly from the LORD and the people are to be careful to obey the decision and follow all directions.  Any man who defies the verdict and judgment of the priest or the judge will be put to death--it is a capital offense.  To defy the authorities that the LORD has put in place over you is to defy the LORD Himself.  This will be an example to all the people to not rebel against the LORD and His priests and judges by acting in a presumptuous manner.