1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34
What is the book of Deuteronomy?
This is a collection of instructions which Moses gave to the children of Israel just before they began the conquest of Canaan.
What does the term Deuteronomy mean?
Deutero = second; nomos = law. This term was given to this book by the translators of the LXX.
What are the contents of this book?
We must not think of Deuteronomy as a second set of laws which God gave to Israel in addition to the first set. Rather, it is a restatement of the laws which God had already given them. Harrison writes:
While it is true that the spirituality implicit in the book is in essential harmony with that of other legalistic works in the Pentateuch, the contents of Deuteronomy comprise an assemblage of material issuing from various periods of the Wilderness wanderings, and should not be regarded technically as a “second law,” as the English title might seem to imply. The work contains the essentials of Leviticus rewritten in such a manner as to make the more priestly and esoteric material amenable to the populace, and in this sense Deuteronomy can be said to comprise a popular version of the Levitical law, thereby approximating to something like an “Everyman’s Torah.” Introduction to the Old Testament p636–637.
Is this book referenced anywhere else in the Bible?
Yes, it is likely that the book discovered by Josiah (2 Kings 23:2, 21; 2 Chronicles 34:30) was the book of Deuteronomy. Jesus also quotes Deuteronomy.
Where does Jesus quote from the book of Deuteronomy?
When Jesus was tempted by Satan (Matthew 4; Luke 4), He responded to all three of the devil’s temptations with quotations from Deuteronomy:
- Satan told Jesus to relieve His hunger by turning stones into bread. Jesus replied: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Deuteronomy 8:3)
- Satan tells Jesus to throw Himself from off the pinnacle of the temple trusting God to protect Him from any harm. Jesus responds: “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.” (Deuteronomy 6:16)
- Satan then asks Jesus to worship him in exchange for all the kingdoms of the world. Jesus responds, “You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.” (Deuteronomy 6:13)
Did Moses write Deuteronomy?
Yes, the book claims to be written by Moses:
So Moses wrote this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel. Then Moses commanded them, saying, “At the end of every seven years, at the time of the year of remission of debts, at the Feast of Booths, when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God at the place which He will choose, you shall read this law in front of all Israel in their hearing. (Deuteronomy 31:9-11)
It came about, when Moses finished writing the words of this law in a book until they were complete, that Moses commanded the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying, “Take this book of the law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may remain there as a witness against you. (Deuteronomy 31:24-26)
Where is Israel when Moses writes this book and gives these instructions to them?
They are on the east side of the Jordan river in the land of Moab.
These are the words which Moses spoke to all Israel across the Jordan in the wilderness, in the Arabah opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel and Laban and Hazeroth and Dizahab. It is eleven days’ journey from Horeb by the way of Mount Seir to Kadesh-barnea. In the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses spoke to the children of Israel, according to all that the LORD had commanded him to give to them, after he had defeated Sihon the king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth and Edrei. Across the Jordan in the land of Moab, Moses undertook to expound this law, saying… (Deuteronomy 1:1-5; Deuteronomy 34:1)