👉 But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.
Explanation: Okay, letās break down this verse from Deuteronomy 17:16. It's a pretty important and somewhat complex passage about Godās relationship with His people and their future. Hereās a simplified explanation: The Basic Idea: God is saying, āDonāt try to build a huge army of horses yourself. Donāt cause the Israelites to go back to Egypt like they did before.ā Let's unpack it piece by piece: āBut he shall not multiply horsesā¦ā - This means God isnāt giving anyone the right to create or own horses. He's saying that this idea shouldnāt be allowed to happen again. āā¦nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses:ā ā This is the key part. The Israelites were in a really difficult situation. They had been enslaved by Egyptians and were desperately trying to escape back to their own land. God wants to prevent them from creating a massive army of horses just for their own convenience. Heās saying it's not a good plan for them. The āto the endā part is important - heās setting this up as a warning and a constraint. āForasmuch as the LORD hath said unto youā¦ā ā This is a crucial part of the verse. It's like a summary of what God is telling us. Heās saying, āI have instructed you.ā Itās a reminder that God has given specific instructions and rules for his people. āā¦Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.ā ā This is the core message. God is establishing a rule: never again should the Israelites build up a large army of horses. It's a prohibition on creating or expanding this capability. In simpler terms: God is warning against taking advantage of his peopleās situation and building up a massive military force. He wants to protect the Israelites from being controlled by other nations, and heās setting a boundary to prevent that happening again. Why is this important? This verse speaks to themes of: Divine Sovereignty: God has complete control over his people. Protection: He's protecting Israel from potential threats. Responsibility: The Israelites are responsible for their own destiny and must follow His instructions. Does this mean we should be worried about not building a large army? Not necessarily in the way it sounds. Itās more about avoiding taking actions that could put the Israelites at risk or lead to further hardship. It's about maintaining a balance and honoring Godās guidance. --- Do you want me to: Explain any of these points in more detail? Give you another Bible verse with a similar theme?