Page 112 - Pentateuch - Student Textbook

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become vassals of God.” We might reverse the initiative and say that God adapted a treaty form the
people would understand, employing it to teach them about himself.

The outline of Deuteronomy follows the typical outline of such
treaties written during this era of history: Preamble (1:1-5),
historical prologue (1:6-4:49), general stipulations (5),
specific stipulations (6-26), blessings and curses (27-28), and
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witnesses (30:19; 31:19; 32:1-43). The variations between
details written in Deuteronomy in contrast to typical treaties
speak volumes about God’s relationship with Israel. We notice
especially the expectation of love between God and Israel. He,
of course, has already initiated the bond (4:37; 7:8) and
promises to continue loving the nation (5:10; 7:9, 12, 13). He
expects the people to do no less in their love of him (6:4;
10:12; 11:1, 13, 22).

In this way Deuteronomy is a covenant renewal document. An
entirely new generation than the people who were at Mount
Sinai stand ready to promise wholehearted obedience to God.
Forty years have passed, and they are about to enter the land.
Yet their relationship to God is the same. The “old covenant”
must be renewed generation after generation. The time
frame of Deuteronomy underscores the importance of
renewing the covenant. The words of Moses begin “in the
fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month 1:3).” Fig. 72: Bronze vassal treaty, 1235 B.C.
When he finishes the text reads, “on that same day the LORD
told Moses (32:48)” to go up to Mount Nebo and die. The
entire book of messages from God through Moses to the people may have taken no more than one day
or, at most, a few days.

Much later in Israel’s history, a similar occurrence is recorded. The covenant had been so neglected by
evil kings that Deuteronomy (and perhaps the entire Pentateuch) had been lost. King Josiah decided to
repair the temple, and in the process a scroll was found (2 Kings 22:1-5). This “Book of the Law” was
read to the king, and he “tore his robes,” perhaps in response to the curses listed for those who disobey
God (v. 11). He takes steps to renew the covenant for his generation (23:2), including the celebration of
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the Passover (23:21).

After a brief preamble (1:1-5), Moses reviews the history of the relationship between God and Israel.
He recalls how leaders were chosen to help him govern (1:9-18). He details the spies sent out into the
land and the unwillingness of the people to enter the land (1:19-46). He passes by the forty years in the
wilderness quickly, “For a long time we made our way around the hill country of Seir (2:1).” He recounts
God’s instructions about avoiding conflict with certain nations related to Israel and fighting certain other
nations with the LORD’s help (2:4-11). He reminds them of how God allowed the Reubenites and Gadites

116 Peter C. Craigie, The Book of Deuteronomy (Grand Rapids: Erdmann, 1976), 24.
117 The outline suggested here is a modification of Craigie’s.
118 Note how in these historical references we find an early understanding of specific books as part of
God’s “Bible.”

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