Barton: ‘Many of the Clauses we Find in the Constitution are Literal, Direct Quotations out of the Bible’

Barton claims that if you “check that language of the Constitution against the Bible, you will go ‘that is an exact quote!’” and then declares that Article IV, Section 4 of the Constitution, which guarantees to every state a Republican form of government, “came directly out of Exodus 18:21, Deuteronomy 1: 13-16, and Deuteronomy 16:18”:

We have heard Barton make the bogus claim about Exodus 18:21 before but the Deuteronomy citations are new so, for the record, here are the passages that Barton claims were directly quoted in our Constitution:

Deuteronomy 1:13-16

Choose some wise, understanding and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will set them over you.”

You answered me, “What you propose to do is good.”

So I took the leading men of your tribes, wise and respected men, and appointed them to have authority over you—as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens and as tribal officials. And I charged your judges at that time, “Hear the disputes between your people and judge fairly, whether the case is between two Israelites or between an Israelite and a foreigner residing among you.

Deuteronomy 16:18

Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly.

We challenge anyone to find these “literal, direct quotations out of the Bible” printed anywhere in the US Constitution.