"When the king sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book. And it shall be with him and he shall read it all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and statutes to do them." Duet. 17:18a, 19

Having rejected God's rule over them, Moses knew the people would soon ask for a king. Before the king is chosen by God and given to the people of Israel, Moses lays out the inflexible, mandatory guidelines for a king's conduct. We would do well to adopt these prohibitions: 1. "Not multiply horses for himself" (depend upon military might). 2."Not multiply wives for himself" (avoid multiple marriages). 3. "Not greatly multiply silver and gold for himself" (fall prey to the deceitfulness of riches). 4. "Not return that way again" (not return back to Egypt and bondage). Wisdom would have us adopt these warnings for our own lives as we walk before our King.