Deuteronomy

This was the book discovered during the renovation of the Temple under Josiah. It was at the very least significantly edited during Josiah’s time to justify his religious reforms and centralisation policy. The ‘Jahweh alone’ movement had been brought to Judah by refugees after the destruction of Israel by the Assyrian empire. Previous to this, Jahweh had been worshipped only as the most powerful of a variety of gods. Deuteronomy must be seen in terms of Josiah’s exclusivist agenda. Parts of the book, including the final couple of chapters, were written during exile – they provide disobedience as the theological reason for the scattering of the nation. Subsequent history books of the Old Testament (the Deuteronomistic histories of Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings) anachronistically judge leaders according to ‘Jahweh alone’ criteria. Hezekiah, a hero for his defiance of Assyria, is claimed (as a piece of Josiah-era propaganda?) as a centraliser and a reformer.

There is no reference to priestly codes and procedures in this book, suggesting its anteriority to P.


1

The words of Moses when Israel was camped on the plains of Moab. Moses recounts history of Israel: defeat of Amorites, appointment of deputies, twelve spies (though he only mentions the good reports), how Israel were afraid to enter promised land, and then attacked by the Amorites (not Amalekites, as in Numbers 14).


2

Moses recounts history of Israel: passing through Edom, Moab (spared because of Lot), Kadesh Barnea and Ammon (also spared because of Lot). The defeat of Sihon, king of Heshbon.


3

Moses recounts history of Israel: Og king of Bashan defeated (he was the last of a race of giants, and his bedstead measured 9 by 4 cubits); Reubenites, Gadites and half Manasseh were given the land east of Jordan. Moses was not allowed to enter the promised land, although he only says that God was angry with him on account of the Israelites, and does not mention his sin at Meribah in Numbers 20.


4

Moses recounts history of Israel: God made Israel a great nation, with laws which are unrivalled among the nations. Not a word is to be added or taken away from the law. Ten Commandments, the necessity of avoiding idolatry and obeying God. A warning to not forget the covenant (probably written during the Babylonian captivity!) The price of serving other gods is exile among the nations. God will have mercy on exiled Israel, however. Israel’s special status. The cities of refuge.


5

Moses recounts: God speaks to Moses and makes covenant with Israel. The Ten Commandments are repeated in full. Israel responds in fear to God. God responds with what sounds like proleptic regret: ‘Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments!’


6

The shema (Hebrew for ‘hear’): ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.’ This command must be in the heart, bound on the hand and forehead (in phylacteries), and on the doorpost (in a mezuzah). Israelites warned not to forget the Lord in times of prosperity, and go after other gods. Instruct your children in the commands of God.


7

The command to completely destroy the Canaanites and their culture, and not make covenants with them. The Israelites are a holy people, set apart from others. Prosperity and abundant blessings in return for obedience. Have confidence in God’s strength, and do not share in Canaanite abominations.


8

God had humbled and tested the Israelites by subjecting them to forty years in the wilderness. God gave you manna so you might know that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (cited by Jesus during his temptation in the wilderness). God will give Israel a good land. Warning against pride during times of prosperity – do not forget the tribulations of the wilderness years, and how the Lord provided. Do not forget God, otherwise you will perish.


9

The battles ahead will be difficult, but the Lord will go before you as a consuming fire. The dangers of pride when God grants them victory – the succeed not because of their righteousness, but because of the wickedness of the indigenous peoples. Israelites warned to recall past rebellions against the Lord. The golden calf story is recounted, as well as other instances when the Israelites’ faith failed. Moses’ intercessions for the Israelites when they rebelled.


10

New tablets of stone, to replace the smashed ones, written on by God, then placed in an ark. The establishment of Levites as priests; they have no inheritance. The Lord is the God of gods; the Israelites are commanded to serve Him whole-heartedly (picking up the language of the shema once more). Circumcision is a sign that the Israelites are no longer stiff-necked. Love strangers, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.The Lord has multiplied the Israelites.


11

Moses’ recap: God’s greatness against Egypt, and against Dathan and Abiram. The good things in promised land; the dangers of turning to serve other gods; phylacteries and mezuzah; the blessings that will follow from obedience. The choice: a blessing or a curse. The blessings will be recited on Mount Gerizim and the curses on Mount Ebal.


12

Moses speaks to Israel: destroy other nations’ gods (including their high places). God is to be worshipped in a prescribed place (centralisation of worship). Bring offerings to the place God chooses. Spill blood and do not eat it. Do not follow other gods; disapproving reference to Molech worship, which involves burning children.


13

Moses speaks to Israel: commands regarding false gods, false worship, false prophets (a test from God), false miracles, and false dreams. The penalty for apostacy is stoning, even if the offender is a near relative. Apostate cities will be utterly destroyed.


14

Moses speaks to Israel: no shaving the front of your head as part of your mourning rituals (as the pagans do). A list of clean and unclean animals. The tithe is to be offered up in a prescribed place, and enjoyed in a ceremonial meal. If distance prevented the easy transport of the animals, they could exchange their tithe for money, and then use the money to tithe with when they came to the tabernacle (and later, the temple). Every third year, the tithe is for the nonlanded (Levites, aliens, fatherless, and widows).


15

Moses speaks to Israel: all debts cancelled after seven years. Be generous to the poor – do not refrain from lending because the Sabbath year approaches. Hebrew slaves to be released every seventh year, and not turned out empty-handed. The slave who wishes to continue serving will have his ear pierced with an awl. The firstborn of the herd or flock (if it does not have any defect) is to be sanctified to the Lord.


16

Moses speaks to Israel: observe the Passover and eat unleavened bread. Passover sacrifices must be at a prescribed place. Observe the Feast of Weeks, seven weeks after Passover, and Tabernacles, which is also a harvest festival. Appointed judges and officers must be impartial and not take bribes. Idol trees built next to altars are forbidden, as are pillars.


17

Moses speaks to Israel: sacrifices are to be without blemish. Worship of false gods is punishable by stoning. Three witnesses are required for a capital offence. Higher courts of appeal are presided over by the Levites – it is a capital offence not to abide by their ruling. God will give Israel a king when they ask for one. The king shall not multiply horses (ie, have a huge army), or have many wives. The king will write out a copy of the law personally.


18

Moses speaks to Israel: the Lord is the inheritance of the Levites. From a typical sacrifice, the priests will receive the shoulder, the cheeks, and the stomach. All Levites have equal rights to the offerings. Canaanite occult practices and sacrifices (including the ritual burning of children) are forbidden. The Lord will raise up a prophet like Moses who must be obeyed. False prophets whose word does not come to pass must die.


19

Moses speaks to Israel: three cities of refuge are to be founded, centrally located and easily accessible. An example of manslaughter: a head coming off the handle of an axe and killing someone. When the Israelite territory expands, three more cities of refuge are to be created. People who commit premeditated murder are not allowed refuge. Removing your neighbours landmark is forbidden. Two or three witnesses are required for a prosecution. If a false witness is discovered, he shall have that done to him which he sought to do unto another. Eye for an eye.


20

Moses speaks to Israel: have military faith in the Lord. The priest will speak words of encouragement to those about to go into battle. The officers of Israelite army will send home all soldiers who have unfinished business at home: a home not dedicated, a vineyard not harvested, or an engaged woman not married. The fainthearted are also to be sent home. A (non-Israelite) city is to be offered the chance to be placed under tribute peacefully before battle is waged. If battle is waged, then all males are to be killed; the women, children and other spoils may be plundered freely. Canaanite cities, however, are to be completely destroyed. During a siege, trees that yield fruit are not to be cut down.


21

Moses speaks to Israel: laws regarding sacrifices for murder-polluted land (a heifer has its neck broken, prayers). Captive women taken for wives must have their heads shaved, and be allowed to mourn for a month; they must not be treated brutally, and they must be set free rather than sold for money at a later stage if the husband does not delight in her. The younger son of a loved wife must not be favoured over the elder son of an unloved wife in terms of inheritance. A rebellious son will be stoned to death. Those whose bodies are mounted up on a tree must be cut down before nighttime.


22

Moses speaks to Israel: you must not hide away livestock or other property which your brother has lost. Transvestism not allowed. If the young of a nest are taken, the mother is not also to be taken. Rooves needs parapets. Four laws of separation: no sowing your vineyard with different kinds of seeds, no plowing with a donkey and an ox together, no wearing clothes of different materials, corners of clothing must have tassels on them (to distinguish from other peoples). In cases where a new wife is suspected of not being a virgin, the marital cloth would be presented to the elders, and be inspected for blood. If it is found she is a virgin, the man must marry her and may not divorce her; if she is not a virgin, she will be stoned to death. Both the man and the woman in an adulterous relationship will be condemned to death. If a man rapes a betrothed woman, he shall be stoned to death. The woman herself suffers no penalty. If a man rapes a woman who is not betrothed, he must pay money to the woman’s family, and marry her. A man shall not take his father’s wife.


23

Moses speaks to Israel: eunuchs are excluded from the congregation of Israel, and the illegitimate, down to the tenth generation, are excluded from the assembly (civil leadership). Ammonites and Moabites are to be excluded from the assembly, but Edomites (who are you brothers) and Egyptians are not. A man in a military camp who has a nocturnal emission must leave the camp and cleanse himself. Soldiers must carry shovels to bury their refuse. Israelites will provide asylum for foreign escaped slaves. Ritual prostitution disallowed; no bringing the wages of a harlot as an offering. Only foreigners must be charged interest on loans. Vows must be kept – it is not a sin not to make a vow.


24

Moses speaks to Israel: no remarrying a divorced wife. A man will not to required to go to war for the first year of his marriage. Do not take someone’s livelihood (eg a millstone) as a pledge. Kidnapped is forbidden. Break with outbreaks of leprosy according to the law. When a pledge was taken for a loan, it had to be received at the door of the man’s house, in a way that kept his poor man’s dignity. The pledge of a blanket or a sleeping garment must be returned to a poor man before nightfall. Poor workers must be paid daily. A person will be put to death for his own sin, not for that of a son or a father. You must be compassionate to the poor and fatherless, and leave gleanings for the poor.


25

Moses speaks to Israel: forty blows is the limit for corporal punishment. You shall not muzzle an ox that treads the grain. Levirate law: the brother of a married man who has died without children must marry her widow. If he does not, the widow may remove his sandals and spit in his face. If a woman gets involved in her husband’s fight and grabs someone by the genitals, her hand must be chopped off. Weights and measures must be just. The Amalekites must be completely destroyed.


26

Moses speaks to Israel: firstfruits must be offered in the prescribed place. Words of thanks are a summary of God’s deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt. Prayers for the giving of tithes are also prescribed. Demand for complete obedience made; God proclaims that the Israelites are His special people.


27

Moses speaks to Israel: command to build an altar of whitewashed stones at Mount Ebal. The stones will have the words of the law written on them. Half the tribes will gather at Mount Gerizim, to utter God’s blessings; the other half shall gather at Mount Ebal, to utter his curses. Long list of those who are to be cursed: those who disobey their parents, lie with animals, take bribes etc.


28

Moses speaks to Israel: the blessings if Israel obeys God – the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground etc. More curses if Israel disobeys God, including being scattered among all peoples – the list of curses is much longer!


29

Moses speaks to Israel: God reminds the Israelites of his provision for them in the wilderness. The covenant is renewed. Harsh punishment is promised to the covenant-breaker. All other nations will know of their disobedience, and its consequences. Some things the Lord has kept secret; but he has revealed the law so the Israelites may demonstrate their obedience (or disobedience).


30

Moses speaks to Israel: after Israel disobeys and is scattered, God will bring them back to prosper. The hearts of the Israelites will be circumcised, and further blessings ensue. The law is revealed, and therefore accessible – there is no excuse for not obeying it. A choice between life and death is presented: heaven and earth are witnesses.


31

Moses tells the Israelites he is 120 years old, and cannot cross over the Jordan to the promised land. God commands the Israelites to be strong, and the same will happen to their enemies as happened to Sihon and Og. Moses commands Joshua to be strong. Every seven years at the Feast of Tabernacles, the Levites were to perform a public reading of the law. Joshua is inaugurated as leader in the tabernacle, with Moses also present. The Israelites will be guilty of apostasy, and be abandoned by God. God’s words are placed in the ark, and will serve as a witness against the Israelites. The elders and officials gather to hear God’s words.


32

Moses teaches God’s song to Israel and encourages Israel. The song is firstly about God’s greatness and justice. Then an accusation is made: The child has forsaken its father. The song goes on to remind Israelites of God’s past faithfulness, Israel’s apostasy, God’s consequent self-withdrawal and chastisement. ‘I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal.’ The metaphor of God as a rock is used repeatedly. Moses encourages his people to obey the law. God commands Moses to go up Mount Nebo, view the promised land, and then die.


33

Moses blesses children of Israel before his death, names each tribe of Israel. He concludes by telling Israel how blessed it is. God is Israel’s refuge and strength. The enemies’ high places will be destroyed.


34

Moses goes up Mount Nebo, and views promised land. Moses dies, aged 120 – though he still had his natural vigour. Moses is buried by the Lord, in an unknown grave. Israel mourns for Moses. Joshua succeeds Moses as Israel’s leader. Noone after Moses knew the Lord face to face.