The Book of Deuteronomy and the Ideal King

The Book of Deuteronomy presents itself as Moses' farewell speech, which he addresses to the Israelites just before taking possession of the Promised Land. Even if the author of Deuteronomy mainly looks back on Israel's experiences during their journey through the desert, he nevertheless also pays attention to Israel's future living inside the land. In this context, the motif of Israel's kingship ineluctably has to play a role, as Deut 17:14–20 makes clear. The present article compares the Hebrew and the Greek versions of this pericope, in particular focusing on the peculiar rendering of the nouns מלך and ממלכה: whereas one would expect the Greek terms βασιλεύς and βασιλεία, one finds rather and systematically the terms ἄρχων and ἀρχή within the context of Deut 17:14–20. In doing so, the translator seems to intend to distinguish Israel's ideal king from the foreign kings Israel is confronted to.