Deuteronomy

Lore & Background

Chapters 1–30 of the book consist of three sermons or speeches delivered to the Israelites by Moses on the Plains of Moab, shortly before they enter the Promised Land. The first sermon recounts the forty years of wilderness wanderings which had led to that moment and ends with an exhortation to observe the law. The second sermon reminds the Israelites of the need to follow Yahweh and the laws (or teachings) he has given them, on which their possession of the land depends. The third sermon offers the comfort that, even should the nation of Israel prove unfaithful and so lose the land, with repentance all can be restored. The final four chapters (31–34) contain the Song of Moses, the Blessing of Moses, and the narratives recounting the passing of the mantle of leadership from Moses to Joshua and, finally, the death of Moses on Mount Nebo. One of its most significant verses is Deuteronomy 6:4, the Shema Yisrael, which has been described as the definitive statement of Jewish identity for theistic Jews: 'Hear, O Israel: The Lᴏʀᴅ is our God, the Lᴏʀᴅ alone.' This was also quoted by Jesus in Mark 12:28–34 as the Great Commandment. Traditionally, it was believed that God dictated the Torah to Moses, but most modern scholars date Deuteronomy to the 7th–5th centuries BCE.

Reader's Guide

The structure is often described as a series of three speeches or sermons (chapters 1:1–4:43, 4:44–29:1, 29:2–30:20) followed by a number of short appendices or some kind of epilogue (31:1–34:12), consisting of the commission of Joshua, the song of Moses and the death of Moses. Other scholars have compared the structure of Deuteronomy with Hittite treaties or other ancient Near Eastern treaty texts. The Ten Commandments (Decalogue) in chapter 5 serve as a blueprint for the rest of the book, as chapters 12–26 are the exposition of the Decalogue, thus the expanded Decalogue. Chapters 12–26, the Deuteronomic Code, is the oldest part of the book and the core around which the rest developed. It is a series of mitzvot (commands) to the Israelites regarding how they should conduct themselves in the Promised Land.

Did You Know?

• The name Deuteronomy comes from the Greek for 'second law'.
• The Shema Yisrael in Deuteronomy 6:4 is considered the definitive statement of Jewish identity for theistic Jews.
• Most modern scholars date Deuteronomy to the 7th–5th centuries BCE, rejecting Mosaic authorship.
• The Deuteronomic Code (chapters 12–26) is the earliest section of the book.