Denteionomy- (hi Heb. the title is taken, like most of the other books, Arom the initial words, nki( n'''in?n, " The»e are the words," or shnply D'^'?5?, *^ Woiids ;" in the Sept. AtvnpovofuoVf second lam, as being a repetition of the Law; Yulg. DeuterotUum: called also by the later Jews fCninn ^13^73, duplicate of the Law, and nihSlin *^l@0, book of admomtion9\ the fifth book of Moses, or the last of the Pentateuch. It gives an account of the sublime and dignified man- ner in which Moses terminated that work, the accom- plishment of which was his peculiar mission, and in- tersperses several additional items of history in the recapitulation of his public career. It forms a sacred legacy which he here bequeathed to his people, and very different fh)m those lavrs which he had announced to them at Sinai. The tone of the law fiiUs here con- siderably in the background, and the tubfectivitg (in- dividuality) of the Lawgiver, and his peculiar relation to his people, stand out more prominently. A thor- oughly sublime and prophetic sphit pervades all its speeches from beg^inning to end. The thoughts of the man of God are entirely taken up with the inward concerns of his people, their relations, fbture fate, and eventful vicissitudes. The Lawgiver here stands amid Israel, warning and consoling, oommanding and ex- horting, surveyhig and proclaiming the future with marvellous discemment.
I. Contents,— The book consists chiefly of three dis- courses delivered by Moses shortly before his death. They were spoken to all Israel in the plains of Moab, on the eastern side of the Jordan (i, 1), in the eleventh month of the last year of their wanderings, the fortieth year after their exodus ftrom Egypt (i, 8). Subjoined to these discourses are the Song of Moses, the Blessmg of Moses, and the story of his death.
1. The first Discourse (i, 1-iv, 40).— After a brief historical introduction (i, 1-6), the speaker recapitu- lates the chief events of the past forty years in the wilderness, and especially those events which had the most immediate bearing on the entry of the people into the promised land. He enumerates the contests in which they had been engaged with the various tribes who came in their way, and in which their suc- cess had always depended upon their obedience ; and reminds them of the exclusion fh>m the promised land, first of the former generation because they had been disobedient in the matter of the spies, and next of him- self; with whom the Lord was wroth for their sakes (iii,26). On the appeal to the witness of this past his- tory is then based an earnest and powerful exhortation to obedience ; and especially a warning against idola- try as that which had brought God*s judgment upon them in times past (ir, 8), and would yet bring sorer punishment m the ftituro (iv, 26-28). To this dis- course is appended a brief notice of the severing of the three cities of refuge on the east side of the Jordan (iv, 41-43).
2. The second Discourse is introduced, like the first, by an explanation of the circumstances under which it was delivered (iv, 44-49). It extends f^om ch. v, 1, to xxvi, 19, and contains a recapitulation, with some modifications and additions, of the Law aheady given on Mount SinaL Tet it is no bare recapitulation or naked enactment, but every word shows the heart of the lawgiver full at once of zeal for God and of the most fervent desire for the welfare of his nation. It is the father no less than the legislator who speaks ; and while obedience and lifo are throughout bound up together, it is the obedience of a loving heart, not a service of formal ccmstraint wliich is the burden of his exhortations. The foUowhig are the principal heads of discourse :
a. He begins with that which formed the basis of the whole Mosaic code — the Ten Commandments — and impressively repeats the circumstances under which they were given (v, 1-vi, 8).
DEUTERONOMY
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DEUTERONOMT
ft. Then follows an exposition of the spirit of the First Table. The love of Jehovah who has done so great things for them (vi), and the utter uprooting of all idol-worship (vii), are the points chiefly insisted upon. But they are alsb reminded that if idolatry be a snare on the one hand, so is self-righteousness on the other (viii, 10 sq.), and therefore, lest they should be lifted up, the speaker enters at length on the histo- ry of their past rebellicms (ix, 7, 22-24), and especially of thei: sin in the matter of the golden calf (ix, 9-21). The true nature of obedience is again emphatically urged (x, 12-xl, 32), and the great motives to obedi- ence set forth in God's love and mercy to them as a people (x, 15, 21, 22), as also his signal punishment of the rebellious (xi, 3-6). The blessing and the curse (xi, 26-32) are further detailed.
c. From the general tpirit in which the law should be observed, Moses passes on to the several enact- ments. Even these are introduced by a solemn charge to the people to destroy all objects of idolatrous wor- ship in the land (xii, 1-3). They are, upon the whole, arranged systematically. We have first the laws touching religion; then those which are to regulate the conduct of the government and the executive ; and, lastly, those which concern the private and social life of the people. The whole are framed with ex- press reference to the future occupation of the land of Canaan.