မာတိကာ (Table of Contents)
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The Fifth Book of Moses Called
Deuteronomy
Title
Much of Deuteronomy reiterates divine instructions and
history already given in earlier books of the Pentateuch. So it is
appropriately called “Deuteronomy,” or literally, “Repeated/Law” (Hebrew Mishneh Torah, translated as Greek Deuteronomion, Latin Deuteronomium). Another Hebrew title of
the book is Devarim, “Words,” taken
from its opening, “These are the words which Moses spoke …” (1:1). This title
corresponds with the fact that Deuteronomy consists mainly of Moses’ words.
Author and Date
Deuteronomy is the last of the five books of the Bible
collectively called the Pentateuch (see Introduction to Genesis, “Title”). The
introduction to the book identifies its words as being those of Moses with his
explanation of the law (see 1:1 and 1:5). Chapter 31 (vv. 9, 24–26) likewise
identifies Moses as being the writer of the law (see also Josh. 8:32–35; 2 Chr.
34:14; Neh. 8:1). Several texts in the New Testament refer to words from
Deuteronomy as being those of Moses (compare Matt. 19:7 to Deut. 24:1; Matt.
22:24 to Deut. 25:5; Acts 3:22 and 7:37 to Deut. 18:15–16; and Heb. 12:21 to
Deut. 9:19). Sometimes authorship of Deuteronomy is questioned because the book
describes the death and burial of Moses. While Moses is clearly presented as
the speaker and law-giver in Deuteronomy, the story framework (1:1–5; 5:1;
27:1, 9, 11, etc.), and especially chapter 34, which speaks of Moses’ death,
come from another author/editor, perhaps Joshua. For more on the dating of the
book, see the Introduction to Exodus, “Author and Date.”
Content and Themes
Deuteronomy culminates the Torah/Pentateuch (five books of
Moses) with a series of speeches that Moses delivered to the Israelites at the
end of his career. This was at the end of four decades of wilderness wandering,
during which the generation of faithless adults who left Egypt had died off
(compare 2:14–15; Num. 13–14). Now the younger generation was camping in the
land of Moab, just across the Jordan River from Canaan, preparing to invade
from the east (Num. 22:1; Deut. 1:5; 3:29; 4:46).
The Lord had established His covenant with Israel at
Horeb/Sinai many years earlier (Ex. 19–24; Deut. 5:2). Therefore, many adults
listening to Moses in Moab would have witnessed that event when they were
children. The nation already belonged to God (Ex. 19:5–6; 24:3–8; Deut. 4:20),
but Moses’ speeches in Deuteronomy present a second covenant to the second
generation (26:16–19; 27:9; 29:1, 12–13), in order to give the nation a fresh
start.
The second covenant, first given when the Israelites were in
Moab, includes obligations, in the form of laws, but it builds on the earlier
covenant. Deuteronomy’s formulation of the covenant that the Lord (the superior
party) gave to Israel (the lesser party) paralleled the structure of some
political treaties/covenants in the ancient Near East, such as those that
Hittite emperors gave to lesser rulers in the second millennium B.C. Common
features included historical prologues recounting the past relationship between
the two parties (much of chaps. 1–11), stipulations/laws (chaps. 12–26),
blessings and curses (chaps. 27–28), witnesses (4:26; 30:19; 31:28), and
provision for storage and ritual reading of the treaty document (31:9–13,
24–26; compare 10:1–5). These elements were to persuade the lesser party to
faithfully comply with the terms of the treaty.
Moses did not simply repeat God’s laws/instructions, but
explained them in his own words (1:5). An important part of this process was to
put the Lord’s commands in the context of His interactions with the Israelites
at particular times, so that they could recognize the effects of their
obedience or disobedience. This was history, not merely theory. Having
repeatedly failed in the past, the Israelites needed awe of God and love for
Him in order to loyally obey Him in the future (10:12).
Key Teachings
The teachings of Deuteronomy regarding the divine-human
relationship are so profound and comprehensive that later historical and
prophetic books of the Bible essentially explain, interpret, and apply them.
Several concepts in Deuteronomy that apply to God’s people in any age include
the following:
1. The Lord’s
commands are not arbitrary. They do not exist simply to assert His authority.
Rather, they benefit His people by guiding them to do what produces the best
result within the natural order of cause and effect (10:13—“for your good”).
2. God’s basic
instructions are comprehensible and accessible (30:11–14), so there is no good
reason that His people cannot follow them and rely on His power to prevent
falling into mistakes (compare Jude 24).
3. It is up to
God’s people to decide their own destiny. Moses expressed the choice in crystal
clear terms: “I have set before you today life and good, death and evil” (Deut.
30:15). The Lord allows humans to accept or reject Him (compare Rev. 3:20),
which determines the kinds of people they become and the consequences they
enjoy or suffer (compare Rev. 22:11–12).
Moses urged the Israelites to remember God’s instructions
and teach them to their children (4:9–10; 6:6–25; 11:18–21). Forgetting the
Lord’s claim on His people and failing to adequately pass on faith and loyalty
to the next generation would result in apostasy and ruin (compare Judg. 2–3,
esp. 2:10).
Outline
I. Introduction and Moses’ first speech
(1:1–4:43)
A. Historical
prologue (1:1–5)
B. First
speech—history of God’s leading (1:6–4:43)
II. Second covenant: Moses’ second speech
(4:44–29:1)
A. General
covenant stipulations (4:44–11:32)
B. Specific
covenant regulations (12:1–26:19)
C. Speech
follow-up—blessings and curses (27:1–29:1)
III. Moses’ third speech (29:2–30:20)
A. Final appeal
(29:2–29)
B. Two ways of
life (30:1–20)
IV. End of Moses’ life (31:1–34:12)
Notes
1:1–4:43 After a
brief introduction to the book (1:1–5), Moses’ first speech reviews the past
and encourages God’s people to be loyal to Him in the future.
1:4 killed Sihon. See Num. 21. These events
encouraged the younger generation of Israelites that God would empower them to
take the land of Canaan.
1:10 stars of heaven. God had already
fulfilled His promise to Abraham that his descendants would be innumerable
(Gen. 15:5; 22:17).
1:22 Let us send men. According to Num.
13, the Lord commanded Moses to send scouts. It appears that the people
proposed the plan, Moses agreed and took it to God, and God told him to go
ahead.
1:37 The Lord was also angry with me.
This happened later (Num. 20), but Moses associated his punishment with that of
the people.
2:9 Do not harass Moab. The Moabites and
Ammonites were descended from Lot, the nephew of Abraham (Gen. 19:36–38).
Because they and the Edomites were relatives of Israel, the Lord did not permit
the Israelites to attack them (compare Deut. 2:4–7, 19). However, the Moabites
felt threatened by the presence of the Israelites. So they and the Midianites
(also related to Israel, Gen. 25:2) tried to destroy Israel (Num. 22–25).
2:10 Emim had dwelt there in times past.
Moses mentioned the way Israel’s relatives had displaced other peoples,
including giants (vv. 10–12; see also vv. 20–22), to encourage the Israelites
that they could overcome the inhabitants of Canaan, which included giants
(compare Num. 13:32–33).
2:14 until all the generation of the men of war
was consumed. Confirmed by a second military census (Num. 26; compared
with the first census in Num. 1).
2:25 I will begin to put the dread and fear of
you. Unlike the Edomites, Moabites, and Ammonites, King Sihon’s
Amorites were not relatives of Israel. So rather than avoiding confrontation
with him, as when the king of Edom refused to let Israel pass through his land
(Num. 20), the Israelites fought Sihon when he came out against them (Num. 21).
This victory began to restore the nations’ fear of the Israelites that was lost
when Israel had tried to conquer Canaan from the south, against God’s command,
and was defeated by the Amalekites and Canaanites (Num. 14:40–45). This fear
would greatly assist the Israelites in driving out the inhabitants of Canaan
(compare Josh. 2:9–11).
2:34 utterly destroyed. This was sacred
dedication to God for destruction (compare 20:16–18; Lev. 27:29; Num. 21:3).
3:1 Og. Deuteronomy provides more detail
than Num. 21:33–35.
3:11 Nine cubits. A cubit was a unit of
measurement based on the length of a man’s forearm from his elbow to his
fingertips, that is, about 18 inches (.5 m). So the bed of Og, a giant, was
about 13 feet (4 m) long and 6 feet (1.8 m) wide.
3:17 Salt Sea. The Dead Sea.
3:18 men of valor shall cross over armed.
On this condition, Moses had granted their request for land east of the Jordan
(Num. 32).
3:23 I pleaded. This passage (vv. 23–25)
reveals Moses’ intense disappointment, which should have made the Israelites
feel remorse for provoking him to the anger that led to his failure (Num. 20).
His case also served as a warning: if God would not allow even Moses to enter
Canaan when he rebelled, neither would He let the people if they rebelled.
3:29 valley opposite Beth Peor. The
present place of encampment, where Moabites and Midianites seduced the
Israelites into immorality and idolatry (Num. 25).
4:1 that you may live. This refers to
the present life, which is preserved through obedience to God’s laws. It does
not mean that such obedience can provide eternal life by remedying prior
disobedience (compare note on Lev. 18:5).
4:6 in the sight of the peoples. God had
chosen Abraham and his descendants to be a channel of blessing to all nations
by cooperating with Him in order to receive His promised blessings (Gen.
12:1–3; 22:17–18). Israel’s society would prosper if they lived in harmony with
the wise instructions that they received from the Lord. This prosperity would
draw other peoples to admire them and be drawn to the divine Source of their
wisdom (compare 1 Kin. 10).
4:7 God so near. The way the Lord was
actively involved in the lives of the Israelites was unheard of in the ancient
Near East. Other peoples spent a lot of time and resources trying to get help
from their “gods,” which were believed to be near in the form of idols, but
otherwise remote. The Israelites had the actual Presence of the Lord residing
with them in His sanctuary (Ex. 25:8) and anticipating their needs.
4:10 fear Me. Fear of God means to revere
and respect Him, to be in gut-wrenching awe of His amazing, mighty power. This
fear encourages one to obey Him and discourages disobedience. But when we love
Him as our Father and Friend, we do not need to be afraid of Him in a negative
sense (compare 1 John 4:18).
4:15 no form. Nobody knew how to make an
idol that would be an accurate material representation of Him.
4:19 eyes to heaven. Other ancient Near
Eastern peoples worshiped heavenly bodies as gods (compare Ezek. 8:16). But in
the Israelite Creation account, the Lord simply assigned them the role of
providing light (Gen. 1).
4:24 jealous God. Not envious, but
jealous to protect His exclusively intimate covenant relationship with His
people, which is like a marriage.
4:26 heaven and earth to witness. Compare
30:19; 31:28. This is language of a formal treaty/covenant between God and the
Israelite nation. Other ancient Near Eastern treaty documents, such as those of
Hittite emperors, called upon various gods to serve as witnesses in order to
hold treaty partners accountable. But the Israelites believed in only one God
(6:4). So Moses symbolically invoked heaven and earth, created by God as the
permanent environment for human beings. Whatever people did, they could not
escape heaven and earth.
4:30 latter days. The distant future
(compare Num. 24:14).
4:35 none other besides Him. The Lord’s
deliverance of Israel from Egypt proved that the Egyptian “gods” were powerless
and therefore not true deities. There is only one being who merits the title
“God,” and that is Yahweh (Hebrew personal name), translated “the Lord” (see
also v. 39; 32:39; compare 1 Kin. 8:60; Is. 44:8; 45:5–6). This explains the
first of the Ten Commandments: “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Ex.
20:3). Why? Because there are no other gods! So what do other peoples worship
as gods? Demons (Deut. 32:16–17; 1 Cor. 10:20).
4:44–29:1 Moses’
second speech, introduced in 4:44–49, provides detailed divine instructions for
life in the promised land.
5:1–21 For the original wording of the LAW of Ten Commandments at
Sinai, see Ex. 20:1–17.
5:6 who brought you out. Quoting the
introduction to the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:2), which makes it clear that God
gives His law to people whom He has already redeemed (compare Gen. 8–9). Thus
the law is placed within the framework of a covenant based on pre-existing
grace. Obedience is not to earn salvation, which comes by grace (compare Eph.
2:8–9).
5:7 no other gods. Moses states the Ten
Commandments in his own words (vv. 7–21), with a few variations from the
version that he had received word-for-word from the Lord (Ex. 20:3–17). The
moral/ethical principles of the Ten Commandments provided the foundation of
Israel’s covenant obligations to God.
5:12–15 Observe the Sabbath day.
Emphasizing the need to guard/protect the boundaries of sacred Sabbath time.
Compare Ex. 20:8–11 for the original wording of the SABBATH command. you
were a slave. Here God’s deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt is
the reason for resting and allowing servants to rest on the Sabbath. So SABBATH
celebrates God’s redemption from slavery to work (compare Ex. 5). Everyone is
free on the Sabbath. In Ex. 20:11, Sabbath should be kept because God rested on
the seventh day of creation and made this day holy (Gen. 2:2–3). According to
Jesus, God originally made the Sabbath for the benefit of human beings (Mark
2:27), that is, so that they could rest as free persons. There is a close
connection between the creation and redemption reasons for the Sabbath in Ex.
20 and Deut. 5: deliverance from Egypt, which God accomplished through His
mighty creative power (Ex. 7–14), restored to His people the freedom that they
should have been enjoying since creation.
5:21 neighbor’s wife. Listed first here,
separately from the following items of property that Israelites would own in
Canaan: house, field, servants, and animals. In Ex. 20:17, “your neighbor’s
house” is listed first, without mention of a field. So in this context “house”
means “household,” which includes a man’s wife, servants, and so on.
5:27 go near and hear. See Ex. 20:19. The
Israelites themselves had asked that Moses convey messages from God to them in
order to spare them the trauma of receiving communication directly from the
Lord. Moses reminded them of this to emphasize that they were obligated to follow
all of the divine instructions that he passed on to them after that, as if they
were directly listening to God Himself, which is the way they heard the Ten
Commandments.
6:4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our
God, the Lord is one! This great proclamation, which later became the
center of Jewish daily worship, emphasizes the essential unity of the Lord, who
is already known to be the only God (compare 4:35, 39). The Hebrew word for
“one” is also used of man and woman in Gen. 2:24 for Adam and Eve becoming “one
flesh”—two beings becoming “one.” In light of the NT, this would mean that the
holy TRINITY of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19) is mysteriously
bound together as a unified deity (compare Col. 1:19; 2:9). The oneness of God
can also be understood in the sense that He is the only one for His people
(compare Zech. 14:9 for all peoples). This is the concept behind the First
Commandment (Deut. 5:7; Ex. 20:3). For more on the plurality of the Godhead or
TRINITY, see Gen. 1:26; Matt. 28:19.
6:5 love the Lord your God. In Matt.
22:37–40, Jesus quoted this verse of Deuteronomy as “the first and great
commandment” of the law. Then He cited Lev. 19:18 (“you shall love your
neighbor as yourself”) and stated: “On these two commandments hang all the Law
and the Prophets.” So Jesus regarded the principles of love for God and for
other human beings as the basis of Scripture, even more basic than the Ten
Commandments, which provide principles based on the two kinds of love. The fact
that love is foundational should not surprise us because the Bible expresses
the character of God, which is love (1 John 4:8).
6:8 sign on your hand. See also 11:18.
Since the time of the Second Temple, some Jewish groups have taken this and the
following command regarding frontlets to mean that God’s laws in written form
should literally be bound to the body. Others have understood these instructions
as symbolic emphasis of the need to remember well the commands of God (as in
Ex. 13:9, 16, on remembering events). In any case, placing God’s laws on the
hand and head highlight the importance of doing them and thinking about them
(compare Ezek. 9:4; Rev. 7:3; 13:16). frontlets. As a headband.
6:9 doorposts … gates. That is, in
prominent locations to serve as frequent reminders (see also 11:20). The gates
would be those of a city. Jewish interpretation takes this literally. Such
inscriptions on structures were fairly common in the ancient world. Modern
people often post reminders on their refrigerators.
6:16 tempted Him in Massah. See Ex.
17:1–7. Massah means “Place of Testing.” There the Israelites tested God in the
negative sense of ungratefully and rebelliously questioning whether He was
among them (Ex. 17:7), in spite of the miraculous ways He had been delivering
them. By contrast, there is a positive way to try the Lord by trying out His
promises of blessing (Mal. 3:10; compare Ps. 34:8).
6:25 righteousness for us. See also
24:13. Those who follow God’s commands are in the right, with no fear of
condemnation (contrast 15:9; 24:15). Of course, such righteousness does not
remedy the problem that all have sinned (Rom. 3, esp. v. 23).
7:4 turn your sons. Destruction of the
inhabitants of Canaan was not arbitrary. God ordered His capital punishment on
these people (compare His destruction of Sodom; Gen. 19) because their
wickedness was complete (see Deut. 9:4–5; Gen. 15:16) and their influence on
Israelite families would destroy loyalty to God (see also Ex. 34:11–16). When
the Israelites later disregarded this warning by allowing them to remain,
intermarriage was quickly followed by idolatry (Judg. 3:5–7).
7:13 love you and bless you. Here is a
preview of covenant blessings (see chap. 28). In a larger sense, God still
loves His people when they stray from Him (see Luke 15).
7:15 diseases of Egypt. Compare to Ex.
9:10; 15:26. Ancient Egyptians suffered from many diseases, including
elephantiasis and dysentery. Mummies of pharaohs studied by modern scientists
show evidence of diseases that affected them.
7:20 hornet. See also Ex. 23:28; Josh.
24:12. The literal meaning is that God would destroy the remaining inhabitants
of Canaan by means of deadly insects. The hornets could also be a metaphorical
reference meaning that God would drive out Israel’s enemies so that they would
flee as they would from deadly insects, as in Deut. 1:44. In any case, the
Israelites did not need to be afraid of their enemies because the Lord would
put an end to them.
8:4 garments did not wear out. Compare
the miracle of 29:5.
8:5 chastens his son. Or, in this
context, “teaches his son” (the same Hebrew word occurs in 4:36; Prov. 31:1).
Loving parental teaching involves instruction, discipline, testing, and
encouragement (compare Deut. 8:1–4).
9:1 You are to cross over the Jordan today.
Or, “You are about to cross the Jordan today.” The crossing itself occurred
shortly thereafter (Josh. 3).
9:6 stiff-necked people. Stubborn people
(see also Ex. 32:9; 33:3, 5). God was giving Canaan to them as an act of grace,
not because they deserved it.
9:8 in Horeb you provoked the Lord. With
the golden calf (Ex. 32).
9:20 I prayed for Aaron also. Recorded
only here. It is amazing that God not only forgave Aaron, but authorized him as
the first high priest (Lev. 8–9).
9:25 I prostrated myself. Returning to
Moses’ intercessory prayer after the golden calf apostasy (see vv. 18–19). He
pleaded with God to preserve the Israelites, in spite of their sin, because He
had redeemed them (compare Ex. 32:11–13).
10:1 ark. Ex. 25:10–22 presents
directions for the ark of the covenant, a sacred chest of acacia wood overlaid
with gold. The tablets of the Ten Commandments, the essential contract document
of the divine-human covenant, were to be deposited in it (Ex. 25:21).
10:6 where Aaron died. A narrator (now
speaking of the Israelites in the third person) mentions that Aaron later died
in the wilderness (compare Num. 20:22–29; 33:37–39—in the fortieth year). His
sin of making the golden calf was forgiven, but he disobeyed God along with Moses
by failing to speak to the rock at Kadesh (Num. 20:7–13).
10:8 separated the tribe of Levi. At the
time of the golden calf apostasy, the Levites showed loyalty to God by killing
about 3,000 idolatrous Israelites. The Lord rewarded their opposition to false
worship by making them His special servants as ministers of true worship at His
sanctuary (Ex. 32:25–29; Num. 3–4, etc.).
10:16 foreskin of your heart. Compare
30:6; Lev. 26:41; Jer. 4:4. Here the “foreskin” stands for something that
obstructs God’s access to it (compare Jer. 6:10—uncircumcision of the ear
blocks hearing). All Israelites needed this kind of spiritual “circumcision”;
the physical circumcision of infant males (see Gen. 17) was not enough.
10:18 fatherless and the widow. See also
24:17–22; Ex. 22:22. Concern for weak members of society, who are vulnerable to
oppression, is an important theme in biblical law and in non-Israelite law
codes, by which ancient Near Eastern kings proclaimed their justice.
10:19 love the stranger. See also Lev.
19:34, commanding Israelites to treat the non-Israelite resident alien with the
same level of love that should be given to an Israelite (Lev. 19:18). Thus
God’s chosen people were to share His blessing with other peoples (Gen.
12:1–3).
11:10 not like the land of Egypt. Egypt is
watered by the constant flow of the Nile River, from which farmers take water
to their fields by irrigation channels and other means. By contrast, the land
of Israel depends on rain, which God provides. This means that God can withhold
rain if His people need to be disciplined (vv. 16–17).
11:14 the early rain and the latter rain.
In the land of Israel, early rains in October and November soften the ground
for plowing and sowing. Late rains in April or early May provide for the final
ripening of crops.
11:29 you shall put the blessing on Mount Gerizim
and the curse on Mount Ebal. For details regarding this covenant
ceremony to impress upon the Israelites their need to obey God, see chap. 27.
Josh. 8:30–35 records fulfillment of these instructions.
12:5 chooses … to put His name. The
Israelites were to destroy places and implements of idolatrous worship (vv.
1–3) and direct all their sacrificial worship to God’s Presence at the one
location of His sanctuary/temple that He would choose. This place would be
established when the conquest of Canaan was complete (vv. 9–11). Thus the
permanent temple was built by Solomon at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah (2 Chr.
3:1), where the prophet Gad had instructed David to build an altar (2 Sam.
24:18–25). Although the Lord placed His name/identity at His sanctuary/temple
on earth, which belonged to Him in a special way (1 Kin. 8:29, 43; 9:3), it did
not contain Him (1 Kin. 8:27). His main dwelling is in heaven (Ps. 11:4).
12:8 as we are doing here today.
Israelites were sacrificing in various places because they and the sanctuary
were moving from place to place. But in the future they would only offer
sacrifices in one place. whatever is right in his own eyes.
There was no fixed rule regarding the geographic location of sacrifice because
the sanctuary had not yet found a permanent home. This expression does not mean
that Israelites were free to sacrifice away from the sanctuary (see Lev. 17).
12:12 no portion nor inheritance. See Num.
18; 35. Without territory of their own, the Levites would not have the
opportunity to directly prosper from agriculture like other Israelites.
12:16 not eat the blood. See note on Lev.
3:17.
12:21 then you may slaughter. According to
Lev. 17, Israelites living in the camp on the way to Canaan were only permitted
to eat herd or flock animals (species from which sacrifices could be offered;
Lev. 1–5) if they sacrificed them at the sanctuary as well-being (or “peace”)
offerings. This was to prevent the people from sacrificing them to other
deities. According to Deut. 12, when the Israelites would spread out in the
land of Canaan, those living at a distance from the sanctuary would be
permitted to slaughter and eat their herd or flock animals the way they treated
game animals, without sacrificing them.
12:31 they burn even their sons and daughters in
the fire. 2 Kin. 3:27 reports an extreme occasion in which King Mesha
of Moab sacrificed his son as a burnt offering. It is not clear whether passing
a child through fire (Deut. 18:10), apparently as an act of dedication to a
deity (see note on Lev. 18:21), would similarly result in death. On Jephthah’s
sacrifice of his daughter, see note on Judg. 11:39.
13:2 the sign or the wonder comes to pass.
Not even miracles should be accepted as justification for turning from
exclusive allegiance to the one true God (compare Rev. 13:12–14).
13:5 put away the evil from your midst.
Some evils, including influencing others to break the First Commandment (5:7;
Ex. 20:3), were so dangerous to the community of faith that the only safe
course was to root them out by putting the rebellious individuals to death. Now
that the community of faith is a Christian church rather than a nation directly
governed by God, removal of evildoers is accomplished by exclusion from
fellowship (1 Cor. 5), rather than by death (except when God slays; Acts 5).
13:9 your hand shall be first. Affection
for family members must not get in the way of total loyalty to God (compare
Luke 14:26).
13:15 strike the inhabitants. A whole
Israelite city that turned to false worship was to be treated like a Canaanite
city: devoted to total destruction. So disloyalty to God was not to go
unpunished just because it involved a lot of people (compare Judg. 20:29–48).
14:1 not cut yourselves. Forbidding pagan
mourning practices (see also Lev. 19:27–28; compare 1 Kin. 18:28—mourning for
Baal’s mythical death to encourage his return).
14:3–21 See note on Gen. 8:20 for God’s teaching on the topic
before Sinai. For more on Israel’s diet and HEALTH regulations, see Lev.
11:1–47.
14:4 animals which you may eat.
Reiterating Lev. 11, where the Israelites are not to eat “unclean”/unfit
animals because they are holy people (Lev. 11:44–47; compare Deut. 14:2).
Regarding continued application of the basic distinction between permitted and
prohibited animals, see note on Lev. 11:44.
14:21 not eat anything that dies of itself.
According to Lev. 17:15, an Israelite lay citizen or resident alien (but not a
priest; Lev. 22:8) was allowed to eat meat from a clean animal that had died of
itself or had been killed by another animal. However, this made the person
ritually impure. Deut. 14 raises the standard for Israelite citizens once they
are living in the promised land, where they can grow crops. As holy people,
they are prohibited from eating meat of animals that die by themselves. not
boil a young goat in its mother’s milk. See also Ex. 23:19; 34:26.
Mother’s milk is for nourishing a live young animal. Apparently the principle
behind this law is respect for animal life, including parent-child
relationships between animals (compare Deut. 22:6; Lev. 22:27–28).
14:23 eat before the Lord. This continues
the topic of food. According to Num. 18, the Israelites were to give a tithe (a
tenth of agricultural produce) for support of the Levites, who were to give a
tithe of the tithe to the priests (Num. 18:21, 24, 26–28). Deut. 14:22–27 directs
the Israelites to give (another) tithe and use it for celebrating at the
sanctuary with the Lord, their families, and Levites from their towns (see also
12:17–19). However, at the end of every third year they were to give this tithe
for that year to needy persons, including Levites, in their hometowns
(14:28–29).
15:1 release of debts. Debt was a major
cause of slavery in the ancient Near East because persons served as collateral
for loans. If a debtor could not repay his loan, his creditor would seize him
and/or his family members and force them to work until the loan was paid off (2
Kin. 4:1). A periodic release of debts would preserve the freedom of many
people and give them the opportunity for economic recovery.
15:4 except when there may be no poor among you.
Or, “Nevertheless, there will be no poor among you.” If the Israelites
completely followed God’s instructions, there would be an ideal situation of no
poverty, so they would not get into debt and it would not be necessary to
implement the law of debt release. However, v. 11 recognizes the reality that
“the poor will never cease from the land” because the Israelites would not
fully obey God (compare 31:27–29).
15:8 open your hand wide to him.
Naturally, Israelites could be reluctant to grant loans when they knew that
they would not receive payment because of the debt release. God says to give
the loan anyway, for two reasons: (1) not to show mercy by helping in this way
would be sin, and (2) God would make it up to the creditor by blessing him (vv.
9–10). Keep in mind that the scope of this passage is limited to lending for
the survival of poor people, not because they want to acquire luxuries beyond
their means.
15:12 a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman.
Once debt-slaves were under the control of their creditor and dependent on him,
it was easy for him to exploit them and difficult for them to regain their
freedom. The law code of the Old Babylonian king Hammurabi addressed this
problem by providing for release of debt slaves after a limited term of
service. Chap. 15, requiring release of Hebrew slaves after six years,
parallels Ex. 21:1–11 (see note on Lev. 25:10 regarding the Jubilee release
after 49 years). In Ex. 21, however, a female slave designated as a wife is not
released in the seventh year. Deut. 15 recognizes that a female slave could be
simply a worker, who should be released along with male slaves.
15:14 supply him liberally. Here is
another addition to the law of Ex. 21 to remedy the problem that a slave
without the means to make the transition to free life could easily fall back
into slavery just to survive.
15:18 worth a double hired servant. This
seems to mean that the cost of maintaining a servant would be half the wages of
a day laborer. So the master would have received a considerable economic
benefit.
15:21 if there is a defect. A defective
firstborn animal (see Lev. 22 regarding defects) was disqualified from serving
as a sacrifice and sacred meal at the sanctuary. However, it could be eaten
away from the sanctuary like a game animal (compare Deut. 12).
16:1 Passover. See Ex. 12–13 for the
original instructions regarding the evening Passover meal, which was
immediately followed by the week-long Feast of Unleavened Bread in the spring.
These and the other yearly celebrations listed in Deut. 16 are included in the
festival calendars of Lev. 23 and Num. 28–29. See “Hebrew Months and Feasts” in
Lev. 23.
16:6 where the Lord your God chooses.
Passover and Unleavened Bread were originally celebrated at home (Ex. 12). But
when the sanctuary/temple would have a permanent location, the Israelites were
to come there to observe these sacred events.
16:10 Feast of Weeks. To express
thanksgiving to God for the beginning of the wheat harvest in the spring. See
Lev. 23:15–21. The name “Weeks” refers to the fact that the festival came seven
weeks after the beginning of the barley harvest. The NT name of this festival
is “Pentecost” (Acts 2:1; 20:16), referring to the fifty days in Lev. 23:16.
16:13 Feast of Tabernacles. Or “Feast of
Booths.” These booths were temporary shelters to help the Israelites remember
how they lived in the wilderness (Lev. 23:42–43). Coming at the end of the
harvest season, this autumn festival was the greatest yearly celebration of
thanksgiving to God (see the list of sacrifices in Num. 29).
16:16 your males shall appear before the Lord.
This was a required expression of loyalty to God as ruler of the Israelites.
All were to bring sacrificial gifts to Him as a kind of “tribute” (see also Ex.
23:14–17; 34:18–23).
16:21 wooden image. A sacred pole
apparently associated with one or more Canaanite deities (compare 7:5; 12:3;
Judg. 6:25; 2 Kin. 23:6).
16:22 sacred pillar. A stone set upright
as a memorial. Earlier, these could be legitimate markers for remembering the
true God (Gen. 28:18, 22; 35:14; Ex. 24:4), but in Canaan they were to be
destroyed because they were associated with pagan gods (Deut. 7:5; 12:3; Ex.
23:24; 34:13).
17:6 two or three witnesses. Witnesses
who actually saw the false worship. Requiring at least two witnesses helps to
protect the accused from a single individual with a grudge. See also 19:15. For
application to Christian society, see Matt. 18:16; 1 Tim. 5:19. However, even
two or three can be false witnesses who lie (1 Kin. 21:10, 13; Matt. 26:59–61).
So the prohibition against false witness (Deut. 5:20; Ex. 20:16) is also
necessary. Regarding punishment of a false witness, see Deut. 19:16–21.
17:7 hands of the witnesses shall be the first.
See also 13:9. If the witnesses are not sufficiently certain to cast the first
stone, nobody else should be sure that the condemned is worthy of death.
17:8 too hard for you to judge. Compare
Ex. 18. Later, experts in God’s law at the sanctuary were to serve as higher
court judges when cases were too difficult for local courts. During the period
of the “judges,” the prophetess Deborah provided this service (Judg. 4:4–5).
17:15 king over you. This law (vv. 14–20)
recognizes that the Israelites would want to depart from the ideal of having
only God as King by setting up a human king. This actually happened in the time
of Samuel (1 Sam. 8; compare earlier attempts in Judg. 8–9). While a human king
was not the best for Israel, the law of Deut. 17 seeks to limit the damage he
could do by limiting his powers. When King Solomon violated this law by
multiplying wives (1 Kin. 11), he set his nation on the road to disaster.
18:1 eat the offerings of the Lord made by fire.
Members of the tribe of Levi, including the priests, were to be occupied with
service connected to the sanctuary. Since they would not have lands or time for
farming, they were to be supported from offerings of food to the Lord (Num.
18). The Hebrew term translated here “made by fire” more likely means a “food
gift” (see note on Lev. 1:9).
18:10 witchcraft … sorcerer. All occult
and magical practices are strictly forbidden (see also Lev. 19:26, 31). God’s
people can trust that He will protect them from evil supernatural forces (Eph.
6:10–18) and He will take care of their future. Following pagan practices by
getting involved with evil forces to gain power, defend oneself from other such
forces, find out what is going to happen (1 Sam. 28), or simply to satisfy
curiosity takes a person away from God and His protection.
18:15 Prophet like me. This cannot be an
ordinary prophet because Moses had unique face-to-face access to God (34:10;
Num. 12:6–8). Some think this prophet was Joshua, who was a type of Christ.
John the Baptist denied that he was “the Prophet” (John 1:21). But people in NT
times recognized that Jesus Christ fulfilled the role of a special prophet
(spokesperson for God) like Moses (John 6:14; 7:40; Acts 3:22–23).
18:20 presumes to speak a word in My name.
A false prophet who blasphemously claimed divine authority would be a dangerous
deceiver. During the period of the monarchy, false prophets opposed God’s
ministry through true prophets and often gave people a dangerous false sense of
security (see, e.g., Jer. 28).
19:9 add three more cities. In addition
to the three cities on each side of the Jordan (Num. 35:13–14), making a total
of nine cities of refuge.
19:11 hates his neighbor. Cities of refuge
were not for intentional murderers (compare Num. 35:16–21).
19:14 neighbor’s landmark. An object, such
as a stone, that marked a property line. Moving a boundary marker back into a
neighbor’s property would be an attempt to steal land.
19:19 do to him as he thought to have done.
A false witness who tried to hurt another person by misusing the judicial
system would receive the punishment that the accused would have received if
he/she had been convicted in that case. The fact that Satan falsely accuses
God’s true people (Rev. 12:10) in an attempt to have them condemned to hell
partly explains why he will end up in the lake of fire (Rev. 20:10).
19:21 life shall be for life. See note on
Lev. 24:19.
20:5 built a new house. Enjoying the
results of labor and planning in these ways was basic to a fulfilled life
(compare Jer. 29:5–6; contrast Deut. 28:30).
20:8 fearful and fainthearted. Excessive
fear would make a man likely to flee. His attitude and actions would affect
others and weaken the army. So it was better to let fearful men go home
(compare Judg. 7:3). A man who was timid about inflicting harm on others
(compare Judg. 8:20) would also weaken an army.
20:10 offer of peace. Only if the city
under attack was outside the borders of the promised land (see vv. 15–16).
20:13 strike every male. To remove
military capability so the people of that city could not recover and strike
back. Leaving males alive would allow the city reserved for destruction to
regain its standing as a military and moral threat.
20:16 let nothing that breathes remain alive.
Peace with the wicked inhabitants of Canaan was not an option. If they were
left in the land, they would turn the chosen people from God and thereby
destroy Israel (v. 18; see note on 7:4). They did not repent during a long
period given by God (Gen. 15:16). Devoting all living things (including all
people and their animals) to destruction meant that God wiped out Canaan the
way He totally destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19). The difference was that
He used the Israelites as His instrument rather than fire from heaven. If He
had used fire, Canaan would have been uninhabitable. By cooperating as the
Lord’s army, in spite of danger, the Israelites were to develop their trust in
Him (compare Judg. 3:4). The Israelites could not keep animals of the Canaanites
as booty because this would mean that they had part of the credit for victory.
The battle was entirely the Lord’s, so everything belonged to Him. For more
discussion on the destruction of the Canaanites and “holy war,” see
Introduction to Joshua.
20:19 not destroy its trees. Fruit trees,
which took years to mature (see Lev. 19:23–25), were a valuable part of the
land that should be left for future use. Thus God taught His people to respect
and care for the environment, even in a time of emergency.
21:1 it is not known. According to Num.
35:33, “blood defiles the land, and no atonement can be made for the land, for
the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of him who shed it.” The land
was affected in the sense that if the people living on it accumulated too much
guilt, they would be exiled from it (compare Lev. 18; 20—expulsion from the
land for sexual sins and idolatrous Molech worship). The ritual of Deut. 21:1–9
remedies the problem that if a murderer could not be found, responsibility
would remain on the community. For the idea that those responsible for putting
a murderer to death bore “bloodguilt” if they did not execute him, compare 1
Kin. 2:31–33.
21:4 break the heifer’s neck. This was a
ritual to symbolize removal and carrying away (in the flowing stream) of the
community’s responsibility. It was not a sacrifice offered to the Lord.
Sacrificial slaughter would be done by slitting the throat so that blood would
come out (Lev. 1:5, etc.).
21:6 wash their hands. To signify the
community’s innocence with regard to the murder and knowledge of who did it
(see v. 7; compare Matt. 27:24—Pilate claiming innocence of Jesus’ blood).
21:8 Provide atonement. In the sense of
removing community responsibility to execute a murderer who was unknown.
21:11 beautiful woman. Resulting from the
situation in 20:14. Such women could be assimilated into Israel through
marriage. Captive women were to be treated with respect, not as sexual objects
to be raped (contrast Judg. 5:30).
21:12 shave her head and trim her nails.
Apparently part of shedding her former identity. Some interpreters have
regarded these actions as part of her mourning or to make her temporarily
unattractive to her captor so that he would think seriously before marrying
her.
21:13 mourn her father and her mother.
Protecting her right to grieve and emotionally recover from the trauma of
losing her family.
21:14 no delight in her. Divorce would
result in the woman’s freedom (compare Ex. 21:8). The Israelite could not
profit by selling her as a slave.
21:18 stubborn and rebellious son. One who
broke the Fifth Commandment (5:16; Ex. 20:12) to an extreme degree, showing no
respect for discipline or restraint, would be dangerous to society.
21:23 he who is hanged is accursed.
Hanging up the body of someone who had been put to death was to shame the
person (compare Josh. 8:29; 10:26). Christ was suspended on a “tree” (the
cross) to show that He bore the curse resulting from our sin (Gal. 3:13).
22:5 anything that pertains to a man.
Thus it is forbidden to blur or erase the social distinction between the sexes
for any reason within the context of a given culture. Transvestism was an
improper form of sexual behavior associated with the cults of certain
non-Israelite gods. For modern people, if pants are commonly worn by both males
and females, they are not a problem. However, if only women normally wear
dresses, a man should not wear a dress.
22:6 not take the mother with the young.
Showing respect for animal life (see note on 14:21).
22:8 parapet. Protecting life from injury
by a low wall around a flat roof where people walk, as a positive application
of the principle behind the Sixth Commandment (5:17; Ex. 20:13).
22:9 different kinds of seed. Regarding
the prohibition of mixtures in animal breeding, sowing seed, or threads in
garments (v. 11), see note on Lev. 19:19. be defiled. This phrase can also be
rendered “forfeited to the sanctuary” and thus to ownership by the priesthood.
22:10 ox and a donkey. To protect animals
by preventing exhaustion of the weaker donkey or injury to either animal, since
unequal sizes could cause one to stumble.
22:12 tassels. See note on Num. 15:38.
22:15 evidence of the young woman’s virginity.
An outer garment used for bedding (v. 17; compare Ex. 22:27, stained with some
blood from breaking of the girl’s hymen on the wedding night.
22:19 one hundred shekels. About 2 1/2
pounds (1.2 kg). cannot divorce her. A penalty on the groom, which would protect
the bride.
22:21 play the harlot. Or, “by being
promiscuous” or “committing fornication.” Her crime was not prostitution (sex
for hire).
22:22 both of them shall die. Caught in
the act, both die. So it was unjust to apprehend only a woman caught in
adultery (John 8).
22:23 virgin is betrothed. Betrothal was a
legal contract with the bride’s family, involving payment of a bride-price
(compare v. 29; Gen. 34:12; Ex. 22:16–17). So it was more binding than modern
engagement, and a betrothed woman already belonged to the groom (Deut.
22:23–24). Consenting sex with another man was treated like adultery.
22:25 in the countryside. Circumstances
determined whether the girl was regarded as consenting or not.
22:29 fifty shekels. About 1 1/4 pounds
(0.6 kg). she shall be his wife. This law sounds to modern readers as
though it punishes the female victim by forcing her to marry the man who raped
her. However, the intent is to make the man responsible to support her for the
rest of her life. Once she was no longer a virgin, it would be difficult for
her family to find a husband for her. Comparison with Ex. 22:16–17 indicates
that while the girl would have the right of marriage to the man and he would be
required to pay the bride-price in any case, her family was not required to give
her to the man in marriage if they did not approve (compare Gen. 34).
22:30 not take his father’s wife. Here
“take” means “marry,” that is, after the father has died or divorced his wife
(compare 1 Cor. 5:1). This is a kind of incest (Lev. 18:8; 20:11—sex not
limited to marriage).
23:1 emasculated. Reducing a person’s
physical “wholeness” and therefore holiness (compare Lev. 21:20—a defect
disqualifying a descendant of Aaron from officiating as a priest). The
Israelites were to be “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Ex. 19:6;
compare Deut. 26:19). not enter the assembly. This chapter
excludes some kinds of Israelites and non-Israelites from full rights of
citizenship that allowed an adult male to participate in the governing
community.
23:2 of illegitimate birth. Or, “born of
an illicit union,” which could include “a forbidden marriage,” such as marriage
between an Israelite and a Canaanite (compare 7:3–4).
23:9 every wicked thing. Or, “anything
bad.” This could include things that were impure, improper, or disgusting, not
necessarily morally “wicked.”
23:10 some occurrence in the night. A
nocturnal emission of semen, which caused a minor physical ritual impurity
(compare Lev. 15:16–17).
23:14 no unclean thing. Or, “anything
indecent” or “anything unseemly.” The Hebrew expression means, literally, “the
nakedness of a thing,” i.e., something improperly left uncovered.
23:15 slave who has escaped. Apparently a
slave who escaped to Israel from another country (compare v. 16). This would
have made the land of Israel a permanent place of refuge for such persons.
23:17 ritual harlot … perverted one. The
Hebrew words are feminine and masculine forms of a word from the root that
refers to holiness. For that reason many scholars understand them to be female
and male temple prostitutes, i.e., persons who functioned for ritual sex in
pagan religion. Others find no solid evidence that cultic prostitution existed
in the environment of ancient Israel and suggest that the terms simply mean
female and male prostitutes.
23:18 price of a dog. Some interpreters
take “dog” to refer to a male prostitute, possibly a homosexual one. Others say
that the price of a literal dog could not be used for a sacred gift because
dogs were scavengers and regarded with disgust in ancient times.
23:23 you shall keep and perform. Keeping
a vow to God was an absolute requirement, even if it became painful (compare
Ps. 15:4; but see note on Judg. 11:39). Breaking such a vow was a serious
offense to the Lord (compare Acts 5:1–11).
24:1 some uncleanness. Or, “some
indecency” or “something indecent.” The Hebrew expression is the same as in
23:14 (see note). While the term for indecency presumably could include
adultery, the law did not have adultery in mind because that offense would be
punished by death under the ancient Israelite system of government (22:22).
However, in the context of Jesus’ comment on this passage, Matt. 5:32 restricts
divorce by raising the legitimate ground for divorce to sexual immorality,
which would include adultery because we no longer have capital punishment for
adultery. certificate of divorce. This would protect her from a charge of
adultery by indicating that she was released from the marriage for another
reason. sends her out. That is, her husband expels her from the
relationship (see Mark 10:12 for the possibility that a wife could expel her
husband). A form of the same verb appears in Mal. 2:16 for “divorce,” where God
says that He hates “divorce,” meaning expulsion or sending out. Jesus’
discussion in Matt. 5:31–32 concerns Deut. 24, where the kind of divorce in
mind is expulsion. However, Paul recognizes that a marriage can end another
way: an unbelieving partner may abandon the other, rather than expelling
him/her, in which case the marriage has ceased to exist and the remaining
partner is free to remarry (1 Cor. 7:15). Ex. 21 indicates another way a
marriage could be dissolved in ancient Israel: if a slave wife were freed
because of passive (neglect) or active abuse from her master/husband, the
marriage would end (Ex. 21:10–11, 26–27).
24:4 former husband … must not take her back.
This is what the law is actually stipulating. Vv. 1–3 just lay out the
circumstances in which the law applies. after she has been defiled. Having
been ritually impure through legitimate sexual intercourse (compare Lev. 15:18)
within marriage to another man, she is off limits to her former husband.
24:7 kidnapping. See Ex. 21:16. In
ancient Israel, kidnapping would usually be to gain profit by making the victim
a slave (compare Gen. 37:27–28, 36).
24:8 outbreak of leprosy. See Lev. 13–14.
24:9 Miriam. See Num. 12. Anyone could be
afflicted with such a skin disease.
24:15 Each day. This applies to day
laborers who expect and need their wages every day.
24:16 put to death for his own sin. In
some non-Israelite legal systems, if a man harmed a member of another family,
he was punished by having a member of his family harmed in the same way. In
other cases, the family of a person who committed an offense could suffer
punishment with him. This verse rules out such penalties administered by the
human system of criminal law (not including cases in which God administers the
penalty or the offense is directly against Him; compare 5:9; Num. 16:27–33;
Josh. 7:24–25). Compare Ex. 21:31, where only the owner of a goring ox could be
punished, whomever the ox had injured.
25:1 justify the righteous and condemn the wicked.
This is how a judge, including God as Judge (1 Kin. 8:32), administers justice.
A judge is not to forgive, which would give mercy at the expense of justice.
Regarding what happens when God forgives sinners, see note on Lev. 6:27.
25:4 not muzzle an ox. A laborer (an
animal in this case) has the right to some of the results of his/her labor
(compare 1 Cor. 9:9–10; 1 Tim. 5:18).
25:5 her husband’s brother shall go in to her.
An exception to the incest prohibition in Lev. 18:16, for the purpose of
producing an heir for the dead brother so that his name/identity would continue
through a line of descendants that would inherit his share of property (compare
Gen. 38; Ruth 4). This marriage would also provide support for the widow.
25:7 if the man does not want. While
brother-in-law (“levirate”) marriage was strongly encouraged, a surviving
brother was not forced to do it. Perhaps a man who was already married may not
have wished to take another wife, even in a society that tolerated polygamy.
25:12 cut off her hand. The penalty for
this intervention in her husband’s fight (not for her personal self-defense) is
severe, likely because the woman risks injuring the other man in a way that
destroys his ability to have children and removes him from participation in the
assembly of Israel (compare note on 23:1). The law of retaliation for injury
resulting from assault (Lev. 24:19–20) could not apply because a woman lacks
the corresponding body parts in this case.
25:13 differing weights. To cheat when
weighing things to buy or sell (compare Lev. 19:35–36).
25:19 Amalek. Compare Ex. 17; 1 Sam. 15.
26:2 some of the first of all the produce of the
ground. To gratefully acknowledge His gift of food. Compare Ex. 23:19;
34:26.
26:5 My father was a Syrian. This speech
encourages continuing gratitude to the Lord by putting into the mouths of
Israelites a summary of God’s blessing on their people since the days of their
ancestors (who were in Aram/Syria; Gen. 11:31; 25:20; 27:43; 28:5), followed by
His deliverance from Egypt and His gift of the promised land.
26:11 rejoice. Celebrate by means of a
meal at the sanctuary (compare 12:7, 12, 18; 14:26–27; 16:11, 14).
26:14 not eaten any of it when in mourning.
If a person who was ritually impure from being in the same room with a dead
person (compare Num. 19:14) touched a sacred tithe while taking some of it to
eat, he/she would defile the tithe. nor given any of it for the dead. To
feed the spirits of dead parents or other ancestors, a common pagan practice.
27:5 you shall not use an iron tool.
Compare Ex. 20:25. Holiness was associated with the natural state (compare
Judg. 13:5—“no razor”).
27:12 on Mount Gerizim to bless. Compare
11:29; Josh. 8:33–35. A covenant ceremony on mountains on each side of Shechem
to proclaim blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience would emphasize
the need for complying with God’s covenant commands.
27:15 Cursed. Serious offenses listed here
are prohibited elsewhere in biblical law. They are often committed secretly,
but a curse means that God Himself will surely punish them, even if they escape
human detection. See chaps. 28–29 on covenant obedience.
28:1–2 if you diligently obey …
all these blessings. Vv. 1–14 list positive consequences if the
Israelites obey the terms of the covenant, consisting of laws given by God,
which are laid out in chaps. 5–26. Blessings include fertility, prosperity,
success, and security. Compare the blessings and curses in Lev. 26. God is
eager to lavish blessings on His people so that they will be acknowledged as
the greatest (Deut. 28:1, 10, 13) and their prosperity and success will testify
to His goodness so that other peoples can be drawn to Him and also receive His blessings
(compare Gen. 12:2–3). For more on COVENANT obedience, see Ex. 19:5–8; 24:3–8.
28:2 come upon you and overtake you.
Compare Ps. 23:6—“Goodness and mercy shall follow me.” If God’s people seek and
follow Him, His blessings will pursue them (compare Matt. 6:33). They do not
need to directly pursue blessings and happiness.
28:15 if you do not obey … all
these curses. The remainder of the chapter lists negative consequences
of breaking the terms of the covenant. These are the opposite of the blessings.
The section on curses is much longer than that of the blessings in order to
warn against disasters (presented in three groups: vv. 15–44, 45–57, 58–68) in
graphic detail. Curses include a frightful array of failure, poverty, drought,
sickness, defeat, frustration, fear, cannibalism, and exile. If God’s people
are unfaithful to Him, He does not overrule natural cause and effect to bless
them. If He did, He would signal approval of their disloyalty, foolishness, and
destructive behavior, which would encourage others to follow the same
destructive course. For more on COVENANT obedience, see Ex. 19:5–8; 24:3–8.
29:2–30:20 Moses’
third speech urges the Israelites to accept and keep the terms of the covenant
made with them at the border of the promised land.
29:4 Yet the Lord has not given you a heart to
perceive … to this very day. Or, “But until today the Lord has not
given you a heart to understand.” This seems to mean that until this point the
Israelites had not been open to receiving the full meaning of what they had
experienced.
29:6 not eaten bread. Israel had lived on
manna and water miraculously provided by God (Ex. 16–17, etc.).
29:15 him who is not here with us today.
Future generations of Israelites, who would also be bound by the covenant.
29:18 bitterness or wormwood. The Hebrew
word translated “bitterness” here is a poisonous plant. Wormwood is extremely
bitter but nonpoisonous. Here these terms represent the destructive and
unpleasant effects of turning away from the Lord to serve other gods (compare
32:32–33).
29:23 Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim.
See Gen. 19 concerning the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Admah and Zeboiim
were neighboring cities that were destroyed with them (compare Gen. 10:19;
14:2, 8; Hos. 11:8).
29:29 those things which are revealed belong to us.
God’s people are responsible for pondering, teaching, and following what God
has revealed. They do not need to concern themselves with idle speculation
concerning the secret things that He has not revealed (compare 1 Tim. 1:4).
Some interpreters have explained this verse as referring to secret sins
(compare Ps. 19:12), which God Himself will punish, and open sins (compare
Ezek. 21:24; Hos. 7:1), which God’s people are to punish.
30:1 when all these things come upon you.
The blessings and curses were conditional. The curses could be prevented. But
Moses saw that they would be fulfilled because the Israelites would turn from
loyalty to God in the future. Indeed, the blessings and curses of chap. 28 read
like a distilled prophecy of the rest of OT history (see esp. the book of
Judges).
30:3 captivity. This chapter prophesies a
future exile from the promised land, the ultimate curse (28:36, 41, 63–68;
compare Lev. 26:33–39), and restoration of repentant survivors by their
merciful and forgiving Lord (compare Lev. 26:40–45). Many messages of later prophets
elaborate on these themes and apply their warning and hope to the people of
their day.
30:20 He is your life. God sustains the
life that He has created (compare Ps. 145:15–16; Dan. 5:23—“the God who holds
your breath in His hand”). So it makes sense to love, obey, and cling to one’s
Life-Support.
31:1–34:12 These
chapters conclude Deuteronomy by recording Moses’ death (chap. 34), preceded by
his final steps to prepare the people for his departure.
31:2 go out and come in. To perform tasks
of leadership (compare 1 Kin. 3:7; 2 Chr. 1:10).
31:9 delivered it to the priests … and to all the
elders. The priests and elders would be responsible for preserving,
teaching, and leading the people in implementing the divine instructions.
31:10 in the year of release, at the Feast of
Tabernacles. On this festival occasion, a large number of Israelites
would gather at the sanctuary. They would be free from debts, due to the
release at the end of seven years (see chap. 15) and from concern about their
crops, because the Feast of Tabernacles came at the end of the harvest season
(see 16:13–15). So this was the best time for the people to focus on renewing
their understanding of God’s instructions.
31:14 inaugurate. The Hebrew verb means
literally “command,” that is, instruct or give an order. In this context it
means to “commission/charge him” (see also v. 23). Num. 27:18–23 describes a
simple ceremony by which Moses had commissioned Joshua to serve as his co-leader
(Num. 27:18–23). Now Moses was turning over the full reins of leadership to
Joshua.
31:16 play the harlot with the gods. Even
before the Israelites entered Canaan, the Lord predicted that in the future
they would break His covenant by worshiping other gods. Regarding spiritual
“harlotry,” see notes on Num. 25:1; Judg. 2:17.
31:26 put it beside the ark. The priests
were to deposit the Book of the Law, consisting of the bulk of Deuteronomy,
beside the ark as a witness against the Israelites (vv. 24–26). This means that
the scroll served as proof of the detailed terms and principles of the
divine-human covenant relationship, for which the people were accountable. The
ark contained the tablets of the Ten Commandments (10:1–5), the primary
covenant document.
32:1 Give ear, O heavens. This is the
beginning of Moses’ song (in poetry, with parallel expressions), which was to
remind the Israelites of their covenant relationship to God (31:19–21).
32:4 Rock. A large rock or rocky hill,
symbolizing God as protection (compare vv. 15, 37).
32:5 perverse and crooked generation. In
contrast to God, Israel is unreliable and faithless.
32:8 According to the number of the children of
Israel. This is a difficult phrase because Israel did not even exist
when humanity was divided into nations (Gen. 10–11). Based on a manuscript from
Qumran, a better reading is: “according to the number of the children of God.”
This appears to be the reading behind the Greek Septuagint translation: “…
angels of God.” However, “children of God” are simply beings created by God
(compare Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7). In the context of Planet Earth, they would be
human beings (compare Gen. 6:2, 4; Luke 20:36). If so, the idea of Deut. 32:8
would be that God fairly distributed geographic portions of the world to
various people groups according to their numbers (compare Num. 26:54; 33:54).
32:10 apple of His eye. Pupil of His eye.
32:11 Hovers. See the same Hebrew
expression in Gen. 1:2 to describe the Spirit of God hovering over the surface
of the water at Creation.
32:15 Jeshurun grew fat and kicked. The
name “Jeshurun” means “Upright One,” like God, who is morally “upright” (v. 4).
Jeshurun refers to Israel, but the nation is a disappointment (compare Is. 5:2)
by rebelling, not living up to its name.
32:17 sacrificed to demons. See note on
4:35.
32:21 not a nation … a foolish nation.
Apparently enemies of God’s people, who could overcome foolish Israel (v. 6)
even though they are foolish barbarians (compare v. 28). Paul applies this
verse to the gospel going directly to the Gentiles (Rom. 10:19; compare Rom.
11:11, 14).
32:27 feared the wrath of the enemy. The
Lord’s “fear” here is concern for His reputation among the nations if Israel
should be completely wiped out, lest her enemies take credit for destroying her
and regard her fate as indicating God’s weakness (compare 9:28; Ex. 32:12; Num.
14:13–16).
32:35 Vengeance. Just retribution, not
revenge.
32:36 judge His people. Gaining justice
for His people through deliverance, as in the book of Judges (see Introduction
to Judges, “Content and Themes”).
32:38 Let them rise and help you. Compare
Judg. 10:14.
32:43 His land and His people. Or “… the
land of His people.” Apparently this means that God would purge the Israelites’
sins from their land, so that they could live in it (compare note on 21:1).
33:1 blessing. Here Moses blesses each of
the Israelite tribes (compare Gen. 49), except for Simeon, whose territory was
to be within that of Judah (Josh. 19:1–9; compare Gen. 49:7). Moses blessed the
tribes in a geographic order according to the location of their territories,
beginning with that of Reuben, where the Israelites were camped when the
blessing was given.
33:2 with ten thousands of saints. Or,
“from myriads of holy ones,” referring to the innumerable holy beings in
heaven, from where He came (compare 1 Kin. 22:19; Dan. 7:10).
33:8 Thummim … Urim. Sacred lots carried
in the breastplate worn by the high priest and used to provide divine guidance
for Israel (Ex. 28:30—“Urim … Thummim”; compare note on Judg. 1:1).
33:9 Nor did he acknowledge his brothers.
Recalling the Levites’ loyalty to God when they executed their idolatrous
relatives (Ex. 32:25–29).
33:10 teach Jacob. In addition to serving
as worship leaders, the priests were teachers. They were responsible for
preserving, following, administering, and passing on the Lord’s instructions
regarding many aspects of life (compare 24:8).
33:16 who dwelt in the bush. Referring to
God’s first appearance to Moses at the burning bush (Ex. 3).
33:25 Your sandals shall be iron and bronze.
Or, “May your gate bolts be iron and bronze” (compare Neh. 3:3, 6—gate bolts of
Jerusalem), referring to security.
33:26 rides the heavens to help you.
Compare 2 Sam. 22:11; Ps. 68:4, 33; 104:3; Is. 19:1. Non-Israelite literature
similarly refers to some gods (such as Baal) riding through the air.
34:1 Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah.
Mount Nebo is a peak in the Pisgah mountain chain at the northern part of the
Abarim range, east of the Dead Sea and on the western side of the Moabite
plateau (compare 3:27; 32:49; Num. 27:12). Nebo overlooks the southern part of
the Jordan valley. From here it is possible to see across the Jordan to the
land of Israel. showed him. Moses was allowed to partially experience Canaan by
seeing it (compare Deut. 3:25, 27). Apparently God enabled him to see beyond
the mountains that block the view of parts of the promised land from Mount
Nebo.
34:6 buried him. Aaron had also died on a
mountain (Mount Hor), away from the community and close to God, but Moses and
Eleazar (Aaron’s son) were with him at the time (Num. 20:28). Moses died alone,
with nobody to bury him but God. This burial shows the Lord’s special care for
the leader who was uniquely close to Him. Rather than burying Moses on Mount
Nebo, where the Israelites would have expected to find his grave, God buried
him somewhere in the valley where the Israelites were camping (compare 3:29;
4:46). Keeping his grave a secret may have been to prevent people from making
it a place of worship. The NT speaks of Moses’ resurrection (Matt. 17:3; Jude
9).
34:7 nor his natural vigor diminished.
Moses’ freshness/vital force had not departed (literally, “fled”), as shown by
the fact that he could climb a mountain, although his vigor was not the same as
when he was younger (31:2).
34:10 the Lord knew face to face. Compare
Num. 12:6–8 regarding Moses’ unique access to God.[1]
[1]
Jon L. Dybdahl, ed., Andrews Study Bible
Notes (Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University Press, 2010),
217–261.
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