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Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy

Summary of the Book of Deuteronomy

By H. A. (Buster) Dobbs
  1. Introduction.
    1. Deuteronomy means second law, or copy of law
    2. Written by Moses (31:9)
    3. Contains three speeches made by Moses
  2. First Speech: Wandering in the wilderness (1:1 to 4:49)
    1. Preparing to travel from Horeb (Sinai) to Kadesh Bornea (1:6-18)
    2. Journey to Kadesh Bornea (1:19-21)
    3. Spies sent and people refuse to invade Canaan (1:22-40)
    4. People repent, but are defeated by the Amorites (1:41-46)
    5. Forbidden to meddle with Edomites, Moabites, and Ammonites (2:1-12)
    6. After 38 years of wandering told to journey toward Canaan (2:13-15)
    7. Forbidden to meddle with the Ammonites (2:16-23)
    8. Defeat of Sihon king of Heshbon (2:24-37)
    9. Defeat of Og king of Bashan and distribution of land (3:1-20)
      1. Gilead and surroundings given to tribe of Manasseh (3:14-15)
      2. Gilead south to the valley of Arnon given to Gad and Reuben (3:16-17)
      3. Manasseh, Gad and Reuben to help in conquest of Canaan (3:18-20)
    10. Promise of victory over Canaan (3:21-29)
      1. Moses not allowed to enter Canaan (3:23-27)
      2. Joshua to lead the people into Canaan (3:28-29)
    11. Exhortation to keep the law that was confirmed at Sinai (4:1-13)
    12. Warning against idolatry (4:14-40)
    13. Cities of refuge on the East of Jordan appointed (4:41-43)
    14. Summary of the law (4:44-49)
  3. Second Speech: Israel’s Obligations to God (5:1 to 26:19)
    1. The ten commandments explained (5:1-21)
    2. The demonstration of God’s might at Sinai and Israel’s promise to keep the whole law as delivered through Moses (5:22 to 6:25)
      1. The law is to be obeyed (6:1-3)
      2. The law to be taught to the children (6:4-9
      3. Admonition to keep the law (6:10-16)
      4. Keep the law faithfully and God will bless (6:17-25)
    3. Conquest of Canaan (7:1-26)
      1. Israel was to destroy seven nations (7:1-2)
      2. They were not to intermarry with the people of Canaan (7:3-4)
      3. The idols and religion of Amorites to be destroyed (7:5)
      4. Jehovah favors Israel – Israel to keep the law of God (7:6-11)
      5. Israel assured of God’s blessings (7:12-16)
      6. Victory is promised (7:17-26)
    4. In view of God’s favor, they must be obedient to God’s law (8:1-20)
    5. Warning against self-righteousness (9:1-29)
      1. Israel was given the land because the Amorites were evil (9:4)
      2. Israel was given the land because of the faithfulness of Abram (9:5)
      3. The nation often provoked God (9:7-29)
    6. Rewards and punishments (10:1
      1. Restoration of the two tables of stone (10:1-7)
      2. Priesthood continued (10:8-11)
      3. Exhortation to obedience (10:12-16)
      4. Love and care of strangers and needy (10:17-21)
      5. Increase of the nation from 70 to present number (10:22)
      6. Reminder of God’s protection and provision (11:1-7)
      7. Remember and keep the words of God (11:8-9)
      8. Canaan a good land and a gift from God (11:10-12)
      9. Keep the commands and be blessed (11:13-25)
      10. A blessing or a curse (11:26-32)
    7. Additional laws explained (21: to 26:19)
      1. Explanation of ceremonial laws (12:1 to 16:17)
        1. Idols to be destroyed (12:1-3)
        2. Offerings and sacrifices to be made at specified place (12:4-16)
        3. Tithes of corn, wine, firstlings, herds, or flocks to be eaten in the specific place God puts his name (12:17-19)
        4. Levites must not be forsaken (12:20-28)
        5. Importance of keeping the law repeated (12:29-32)
        6. Promoters of idolatry to be executed (13:1-18)
        7. Clean and unclean things (14:1-21)
        8. Law of tithing (14:22-29)
        9. Treatment of poor and needy (15:1-11)
        10. Release of debtors every seventh year (15:12-18)
        11. Observe Feast of Passover, Feast of Weeks, Feast of Tabernacles (16:1-17)
      2. Explanation of civil laws (16:18 to 20:20)
        1. Conduct of judges (16:18-20)
        2. Groves and images forbidden (16:19-20)
        3. Only the best is to be sacrificed to God (17:1)
        4. Idolaters to be stoned (17:2-7)
        5. Priests to be teachers and arbiters (17:8-13)
        6. Selection and conduct of Kings (17:14-20)
        7. Treatment of priests and Levites (18:1-8)
        8. Avoid abominations of the heathen (18:9-14)
        9. A coming prophet to be honored (18:15-22)
        10. Cities of refuge (19:1-13)
        11. Landmarks not to be moved (19:14)
        12. Treatment of witnesses – true and false (19:15-21)
        13. Conduct of war (20:1-20)
      3. Explanation of social laws (21:1 to 26:19)
        1. The guilt of innocent blood forgiven (21:1-9)
        2. Captive women taken to wife (21:10-14)
        3. Inheritance rights of the firstborn (20:15-17)
        4. Treatment of stubborn and rebellious son (20:18-21)
        5. Punishment by hanging (21:22-23)
        6. Caring for brother’s (neighbor’s) property (22:1-4)
        7. Cross dressing between sexes condemned (22:5)
        8. Rules for nesting birds, a new house, sowing vineyards, plowing, mixed cloths in garments, fringes on garments forbidden, law of virginity for new wife, rules of sexual purity (22:6-30)
        9. Various laws governing who may enter the congregation, sanitation, slaves belonging to others, prostitution and sodomy, usury, vows, eating from the vineyard and field of another person (23:1-25)
        10. Additional rules for divorce, military service for newly weds, taking a working man’s tools, menstealers, leprosy, recovering collateral for a loan, wages of the laborer, gleaning, justice, and charity (24:1-22)
        11. Still more laws about number of stripes, muzzling a working ox, obligation of having children for a deceased brother, immodest woman, unjust weights, Amalek to be punished (25:1-19)
        12. Offering of the firstfruits in the promised land (26:1-11)
        13. Remembering the Levites, and the poor and needy (26:12-15)
        14. Exhortation to keep the law in faithful obedience (26:16-19)
    8. Third Speech: What God Will Do For Israel (27:1 to 34:12)
      1. On entering the land (27:1 to 28:68)
        1. A monument to be erected on Mount Ebal on which they were to write the words of the law (27:1-8
        2. Admonition to keep the law (27:9-10)
        3. People to be divided into two groups with one on Mount Ebal and the other on Mount Gerizim (27:11-13)
        4. Levites pronounce curses on those who do not keep the law, and the people agree (27:14-26)
        5. Blessings for obedience (28:1-14)
        6. Curses for disobedience (28:15-68)
      2. Establishing the Covenant in Canaan (29:1 to 30:20)
        1. Necessity of obedience (29:1-9)
        2. The congregation of Israel to affirm the covenant (29:10-15)
        3. The wrath of God will be poured out on idolatry (29:16-28)
        4. Secret things belong to God, revealed things belong to man (29:29)
        5. Mercy to the penitent (30:1-10)
        6. Covenant not too hard to understand (30:11-14)
        7. Death and life set before them (30:15-20)
      3. Change in leadership (31:1 to 34:12)
        1. Assurance of victory (31:1-6)
        2. Moses gives charge to Joshua before all Israel (31:7-8)
        3. Written law delivered to the priests (31:9-13)
        4. Moses and Joshua called before Jehovah (31:14-21)
        5. Moses wrote song and a copy of the law (31:22-27)
        6. Elders gathered to hear the song of Moses (31:28-30)
      4. The song of Moses (32:1-43)
        1. Still another exhortation to fidelity to the law (32:44-46)
        2. Moses sent to Nebo to see the land and die (32:47-52)
      5. The death of Moses (33:1 to 34:12)
        1. Moses blesses the tribes (33:1-29)
        2. Israel mourns the death of Moses (34:1-8)
        3. Joshua replaces Moses (34:9)
        4. Moses is praised (34:10-12)
Deuteronomy

Moses, Hebrew prophet and lawgiver, founder of the Jewish people. The story of his life is set forth principally in the Old Testament books of Exodus and Deuteronomy. According to this account, Moses was born in ancient Egypt, where the Hebrews lived at the time. When the pharaoh, the Egyptian ruler, ordered the death of all Hebrew male infants, Moses's mother set him afloat on the Nile River in a basket. He was rescued by the pharaoh's daughter, who brought the infant up as her own child. As an adult, Moses killed an Egyptian and fled from Egypt, living as a shepherd until he was 80 years of age. At this time Yahweh, the god of the Hebrews, commanded Moses to lead his people out of bondage in Egypt.

After convincing the pharaoh to release the Hebrews, Moses led them toward Canaan. A miracle allowed the Hebrews to cross the Red Sea and destroyed an Egyptian army that came upon them. When the Hebrews reached Mount Sinai, Moses ascended the mountain, where Yahweh gave him the Ten Commandments. After 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, the Hebrews came at last to Canaan, but Moses died without entering the promised land. Moses was reputedly the author of the Pentateuch (first five books of the Old Testament) as well as other parts of the Old Testament.

Deuteronomy, fifth book of the Old Testament, traditionally ascribed to Moses. The book combines a repetition of previous laws with an urgent appeal to obey them. It consists mainly of homilies and sermons attributed to Moses. Deuteronomy begins with a recapitulation (chapters 1-4) of noteworthy events during the Israelites' 40-year journey in the wilderness. The next two chapters repeat the Ten Commandments and urge the observance of divine laws and statutes. The next, and lengthiest, section (chapters 7-26) consists of a body of religious and civil law. Moses then utters a series of blessings on the obedient and curses on the disobedient (chapters 27-28). The closing section (chapters 29-34) contains Moses' last speeches.

Some scholars view most of the book's contents as traditional material passed down orally from the 8th century BC, recorded in the 7th century BC, lost, then rediscovered. Other scholars believe that most of Deuteronomy was composed late in the 7th century BC to support religious reforms carried out by Josiah, a king of Judah, according to the Old Testatment.

Deuteronomy was written close to Numbers, around 1406 B.C. Most likely Moses kept some sort of record of the years in the wilderness and later compiled his notes prior to the entry into Caanan.