Introduction to the Book of Deuteronomy
The book of Deuteronomy occupies a place of singular importance in the Old Testament. Its Hebrew title, אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים (’elleh hadevarim, “These are the words”), taken from its opening phrase, points to the character of the book as a collection of speeches. The English title, Deuteronomy, comes from the Greek term deuteronomion, meaning “second law,” a designation derived from a mistranslation in the Septuagint of Deuteronomy 17:18, where the Hebrew phrase mishneh hattorah, “a copy of the law,” was rendered as though it meant a repetition of the law given at Sinai. Although the title is based on a misunderstanding of the Hebrew text, it is not entirely inaccurate, for Deuteronomy does indeed present the law a second time, adapting and reapplying it for a new generation about to enter the promised land.
Deuteronomy is presented as a series of addresses delivered by Moses to the Israelites on the plains of Moab, on the eastern side of the Jordan River, in the fortieth year after the exodus from Egypt. The generation that had left Egypt and rebelled against God in the wilderness had died, and a new generation stood ready to cross the Jordan and take possession of the land God had promised to their ancestors. Moses, who would not enter the land himself, used these final days of his life to instruct the people, to remind them of what God had done for them, and to call them to covenant faithfulness.
Deuteronomy is far more than a repetition of earlier legal material found in Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. It is a profound theological reflection on the meaning of covenant, the nature of God, and the shape of a life lived in grateful obedience. Its style is hortatory and sermonic, filled with appeals to love God, to remember His mighty acts, and to teach these things faithfully to future generations. Because of its theological richness and its distinctive vocabulary and style, Deuteronomy has exerted enormous influence on the rest of the Old Testament. The books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings are so shaped by Deuteronomic language and theology that scholars refer to them collectively as the Deuteronomistic History. The prophets, particularly Jeremiah, also reflect deep engagement with Deuteronomy’s themes.
For the reader today, Deuteronomy offers enduring wisdom. It teaches that the people of God are called to remember their history, to love God wholeheartedly, to treat one another with justice and compassion, and to choose life over death, blessing over curse, obedience over rebellion. These themes remain as relevant to readers now as they were to the Israelites gathered on the plains of Moab so long ago.
Outline of Deuteronomy
I. First Address of Moses: A Review of God’s Faithfulness (1:1–4:43) A. Historical Retrospective: From Horeb to Moab (1:1–3:29) B. Exhortation to Obedience (4:1–40) C. Cities of Refuge East of the Jordan (4:41–43)
II. Second Address of Moses: The Exposition of the Law (4:44–28:68) A. Introduction to the Law (4:44–49) B. The Ten Commandments Restated (5:1–33) C. The Great Command: Love the Lord Your God (6:1–25) D. Warnings Against the Nations and Their Gods (7:1–26) E. Remembering God in the Land of Blessing (8:1–20) F. Israel’s Rebellion and God’s Mercy (9:1–10:22) G. Blessings, Curses, and the Call to Choose (11:1–32) H. The Law of the Central Sanctuary (12:1–32) I. Laws Concerning Worship and Purity (13:1–14:29) J. Laws of Release, Firstborn, and Festivals (15:1–16:17) K. Laws of Leadership: Judges, Kings, Priests, and Prophets (16:18–18:22) L. Laws of Justice and Warfare (19:1–21:23) M. Laws of Social and Family Life (22:1–26:19) N. The Covenant Ceremony at Mounts Ebal and Gerizim (27:1–26) O. Blessings and Curses of the Covenant (28:1–68)
III. Third Address of Moses: The Covenant Renewed in Moab (29:1–30:20) A. The Terms of the Covenant (29:1–29) B. The Promise of Restoration (30:1–10) C. The Choice of Life and Death (30:11–20)
IV. The Final Acts of Moses: A. Moses Commissions Joshua (31:1–29) B. The Song of Moses (31:30–32:47) C. Moses Views the Promised Land (32:48–52) D. The Blessing of Moses on the Tribes (33:1–29) E. The Death of Moses (34:1–12)
Major Theological Themes in Deuteronomy
1. The Covenant Relationship Between God and Israel. Deuteronomy presents Israel’s relationship with God in covenantal terms, patterned in some respects after ancient Near Eastern treaties between a great king (suzerain) and a lesser king (vassal). God, who delivered Israel from bondage, calls the nation into an exclusive relationship marked by loyalty, love, and obedience. The covenant is not a contract between equals but a gracious gift flowing from God’s prior act of redemption.
2. The Love of God as the Foundation of Obedience. The Shema, found in Deuteronomy 6:4–5, calls Israel to love the Lord with all the heart, all the soul, and all the strength. This command to love stands at the center of Deuteronomic theology. Obedience to the law is not presented as a burdensome duty but as the natural response of a grateful people to a God who first loved them and acted on their behalf.
3. The Uniqueness and Sovereignty of God. Deuteronomy repeatedly insists that the Lord alone is God and that Israel must reject the worship of other gods. This monotheistic conviction shapes the book’s prohibition of idolatry and its warnings against the religious practices of the surrounding nations.
4. Election and Grace. Deuteronomy emphasizes that God chose Israel not because of any merit on the nation’s part but because of divine love and the promises made to the patriarchs. This theme of unmerited grace undergirds the entire covenant relationship and guards against any notion that Israel earned its favored status.
5. Remembrance. The command to remember pervades Deuteronomy. Israel is called to remember its bondage in Egypt, God’s mighty acts of deliverance, and the giving of the law at Horeb. Memory is the engine of faithfulness; forgetting God’s deeds leads to complacency and rebellion.
6. Blessing and Curse: The Choice of Life. Deuteronomy sets before Israel two paths, blessing and curse, life and death, and calls the nation to choose obedience and thus life. This theme culminates in the covenant renewal ceremony at Mounts Ebal and Gerizim and in Moses’ climactic appeal in Deuteronomy 30:19.
7. Centralization of Worship. Deuteronomy calls for the worship of God at the place He will choose, a theme later associated in Israelite history with the Jerusalem temple. This concern for centralized, pure worship runs counter to the danger of syncretism with Canaanite religious practices.
8. Social Justice and Care for the Vulnerable. Deuteronomy contains extensive legislation protecting the poor, the widow, the orphan, the resident alien, and the Levite. The law of the sabbatical year, the provisions for gleaning, and the tithe for the poor all reflect a theology in which covenant faithfulness is inseparable from social compassion.
9. Torah as Instruction for Life in the Land. The laws of Deuteronomy are consistently oriented toward life in the promised land. Obedience to Torah is the means by which Israel will flourish in the land God has given, while disobedience threatens exile and loss.
10. Prophetic Succession and the Word of God. Deuteronomy 18:15–22 anticipates a succession of prophets who will speak God’s word to Israel after Moses. This theme establishes prophecy as a continuing channel of divine revelation and anticipates the great prophetic tradition that follows in the Former and Latter Prophets.
Conclusion
The book of Deuteronomy stands as one of the most theologically significant books in the Old Testament, shaping the covenant faith of Israel and leaving an indelible mark on the rest of Scripture. Its call to love God, to remember His mighty acts, to choose life, and to care for the vulnerable continues to speak with power to readers today.
Over the years, I have written more than forty blog posts exploring the riches of Deuteronomy, examining its laws, its theology, and its enduring relevance for faith and life. In addition to these blog posts, I have also written a commentary on Deuteronomy for Spanish-speaking readers: “Deuteronomy,” Comentario Bíblico Mundo Hispano, vol. 3 (El Paso, TX: Editorial Mundo Hispano, 1999), 319–558. Readers who wish to study the book in greater depth, or who would benefit from a Spanish-language resource, are encouraged to consult that commentary alongside the posts listed below.
I invite you to read these posts, listed below, so that you may be enriched by the wisdom this remarkable book has to offer.
STUDIES ON THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY
The Plight of the Widow in Ancient Israel
“Moses Went Up To Mount Nebo” (Deuteronomy 34:1)
Studies on Gregory Boyd and the Crucifixion of the Warrior God
Women’s Issues and Concerns in the Old Testament
Greg Boyd and the Character of God – Part 9 – The Deuteronomic Revision – Part 1
Greg Boyd and the Character of God – Part 10 – The Deuteronomic Revision – Part 2
The End of the World Is Coming: September 23, 2017
The Social Concern of Deuteronomy: Widows and the Law of Pledges
Women and the Book of Deuteronomy
Studies on the Deuteronomic Concern for Women
Studies on Transvestism in Ancient Israel
Studies on the Mutilation of Women in the Hebrew Bible
Paul and the Muzzling of the Ox
The Social Concern of Deuteronomy: Lending Money to the Poor
The Social Concern of Deuteronomy: The Forgiveness of Debts
The Social Concern of Deuteronomy: The Law of the Sabbath
The Social Concern of Deuteronomy: The Deuteronomic Reform
The Mutilation of Women in the Hebrew Bible – Part 1
The Mutilation of Women in the Hebrew Bible – Part 2
The Mutilation of Women in the Hebrew Bible – Part 3
Women, Pants, and Deuteronomy 22:5 – Part 1
Women, Pants, and Deuteronomy 22:5 – Part 2
Women Wearing Pants: The Consequence
Transvestism in Ancient Israel
The Tenth Commandment (Deuteronomy 5:21)
The Deuteronomic Concern for Women
Revisiting Isaiah 50:1: The Problem of Divorce in the Old Testament
The Antichristians and the Old Testament
Claude Mariottini
Emeritus Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary
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