Categoria: Deuteronomy

So Moses climbed Mount Nebo, as the Lord had commanded, from where he saw the promised land which had been first promised to Abraham hundreds of years earlier. There at 120 years old Moses died and was buried in Moab, though exactly where nobody knew. When Moses died his eyes were not weak nor had his strength gone. The Israelites mourned Moses’ death for a month. It was then Joshua who took up the reins of leadership. He was “filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him”. The book ends remarking that no prophet greater than Moses had ever lived.

Moses is about to die so he gives his parting blessings upon the tribes of Israel, although he misses out on Simeon. Moses starts by exalting the glory and majesty of God before blessing each tribe. He starts with a very brief blessing upon Reuben in just 11 words. Next comes Judah calling upon God to help them against all their foes in 27 words. Then comes Levi who has a longer blessing of a full 4 verses which includes a blessing on their skills and the work of their hands. Next Benjamin’s blessing has 27 words and focuses resting secure in God. Then come 4 long verses in the blessing upon Joseph with strong environmental comments about dew, deep waters, sun, moon, mountains, hills, earth and burning bush. Then come the briefest of blessings on Ephraim (7 words), Manasseh (6 words) and Zebulun (10 words). These are followed by the blessing on Issachar who “will feast on the abundance of the seas”. This is followed by a 2 verse blessing upon Gad who is likened to a lion and then a 13 word blessing on Dan who is likened to a lion’s cub. Next comes a full verse of blessing upon Naphtali who “is abounding in the favour of the Lord” and finally Asher saying that his strength will equal his days. Moses closes by pointing all to God “who rides on the heavens to help you” … saying “blessed are you oh Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord?”

This chapter contains an anthem-like poem which is the Song of Moses. It is a prophetic testimony lamenting Israel’s eventual unfaithfulness to God and his judgement upon them. The song commences by praising God for his justice, faithfulness and greatness. It describes how God cared for Israel making it a great nation like an eagle nurtures her young. Yet despite God’s wonderful care Israel would forget God and ignore his guidance, turning instead to pagan gods which greatly anger the Lord kindling a fire of wrath which would burn to Sheol. Therefore God said he would send curses on the Israelites: calamities, famine, pestilence, plague, wild beasts, venomous vipers, and violence. Then the song goes on to criticize Israel’s senseless attitudes in which they fail to think about the long term. Yet it says that the Lord will judge his people and have compassion on those who love him. And the song ends exalting the greatness of God which is utterly superior to all the gods! God puts to death and brings to life, he wounds and heals and nobody can free from his hand. Moses and Joshua spoke all these words to Israel exhorting them to take great heed to the message of the song. For these “are not just idle words – they are life”!

Moses, at 120 years of age, knew he was reaching the end his life and he knew that he would not enter Canaan because God had said so. So Moses called Joshua to take his place telling him to be strong and courageous knowing that God would be with him.

Then Moses wrote down the law and gave it to the priests saying that they should read it to the people every 7th year during the Feast of Tabernacles.

Then God told Moses to present himself with Joshua at the Tent of Meeting and there God told them that the people would soon prostitute themselves with pagan gods after entering Canaan, and this would make him very angry and would bring disasters and difficulties upon them. After this God told Moses to write down a song and teach it to the Israelites, and make them sing it, so as to be a testimony against them when they eventually rebel against God’s law. God told Joshua to be strong and courageous as Moses had said previously. Moses then again predicted rebellion by the people after he has died.

Moses now says that if after suffering curses because of disobedience, and being dispersed among the nations, Israel repents and comes back to the Lord, then God will restore their fortunes and gather them again from around the world. Repentant Israel will be made more prosperous and more numerous than ever, and God will turn the tables putting the curses on the enemy. Faithful Israel will experience prosperity again under the delight of the Lord as they keep God’s commands and love him with heart and soul.

In the second part of this chapter Moses goes on to stress that the option Israel is facing is a matter of life and death. He emphasizes that obedience to God is within their reach because the word is near them; it is in their mouth and heart to be obeyed. Moses says the choice could not be more clear as it is a choice between life and prosperity and death and destruction! God’s command is to love him with everything, walk in his ways and obey his commands. Moses challenges Israel to always choose life so that they and their children may live!

Moses now summons all the Israelites to gather in Moab to renew and reinforce their covenant with the Lord. He reminds them of all God had done for them giving them victory over Pharoah and guiding them through the desert when neither their clothes of shoes wore out during 40 years. He also recalled the victories over King Sihon and King Og. He then exhorts the people to follow the terms of the covenant and renew it before the Lord, confirming that the Lord alone is their God. He entreats them to never go after the gods of other nations. If they disobey then the curses from the Torah will fall upon them and the land will become desolate as happened to Sodom and Gomorrah. In this case other nations will realize that things have got so bad for Israel owing to their abandonment of the covenant.

Moses now shows how much God will bless the people if they fully obey the Lord, and on the other hand how much he will curse them if they are unfaithful. He says obedience will mean blessing everywhere, with human and animal fertility plus productive crops. He says that obedience means victory over enemies, blessings on the barns, abundant prosperity, and plentiful rain in the season. With obedience God will make Israel the head and not the tail – the top and not the bottom!

On the other hand disobedience would mean comprehensive cursing in the city or country, upon the womb, crops and livestock. It would mean being cursed at all times and in everything. Moses says that if the people forsake the Lord he will plague everyone with diseases plus scorching heat and drought! In this case Israel’s enemies will defeat them and their carcasses will be food for the vultures! Disobedience and unfaithfulness will result in ill health such as tumours, festering sores, and the incurable itch! The Lord will afflict you with madness, blindness and confused minds. Without God everything will go wrong. You will be engaged to be married but another man will ravish the girl, you will build a house but not live in it, and you will plant a vineyard without enjoying its fruit. With unfaithfulness will come a decimation of the livestock and the sons and daughters will go abroad, and will be afflicted with boils from head to feet. Disobedience will lead to exilic and pagan experiences, and you will plant a lot but harvest little! The foreigner will rise up but unfaithful Israel will sink low. God will put an iron yoke on Israel and they will end up serving their enemies. Unfaithfulness will bring disaster for Israel’s livelihoods and livestock as a foreign nation will dominate Israel. This nation will besiege Israel leading even to cannibalism as a means of survival! Mothers will even eat their afterbirths! Just as the Lord had pleasure in prospering faithful Israel so he will be pleased to ruin and destroy them in their unfaithfulness. And God will scatter Israel amongst the nations and they will end up as worthless slaves.

Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the Israelites to make an altar on Mount Ebal after they have crossed the Jordan. They should write the law on the altar stones and sacrifice fellowship offerings eating and rejoicing in the Lord.

Then the tribes of Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph and Benjamin shall stand on Mount Gerizim, and the tribes of Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan and Naphtali will stand on Mount Ebal. Then the Levites will recite loudly a series of curses and after each curse all the people shall say amen. Cursed is the man who carves images or idols, cursed is the man who dishonours his father or mother, cursed is the man who moves someone’s boundary stone, cursed is the man who leads the blind astray, cursed is the man who withholds justice from the foreigner, orphan or widow, cursed is the man who has sex with his father’s wife, cursed is the man who has sex with an animal, cursed is the man who has sex with his sister, cursed is the man who has sex with his mother-in-law, cursed is the man who kills his neighbour secretly, cursed is the man who takes a bribe to kill someone and cursed is the man who does not uphold the words of the law and carry them out.

Moses now says that after possessing the land of Canaan the Israelites should offer to the Lord baskets of the firstfruits in gratitude to God whilst rehearsing all he had done for them delivering them from Egypt and bringing them to the promised land. Then in the third year in Canaan they should tithe their produce giving this to the Levites, foreigners, orphans and widows. After doing this they were to declare before God that they had obeyed his commands and ask him to bless the ground where their crops grow. Finally Moses says that God says that if his people remain faithful to him he will bless their land, give them prosperity and honour them above all other nations.

Moses now says that judges will decide disputes and order up to 40 lashes of a whip if necessary. He then says that you should not muzzle an ox that is treading the corn. He goes on to say that if a married man dies his brother should have children with the widow so as to continue the brother’s name. If the brother refuses to do this the bride shall take him before the elders and take off one of his sandals, spit in his face and denounce him. Thus the man’s line shall be known as the family of the unsandalled.

If 2 men fight and a wife intervenes grabbing her husband’s private parts then you must show her no pity and cut off her hand! Do not have differing measures and weights in your house because you must be accurate and honest. Finally Moses tells the Israelites to annihilate the Amalekites when in Canaan as retribution for them having attacked Israel shortly after they came out of Egypt.

Moses says that if a married couple get divorced and the woman re-marries, then the original husband could not re-marry her if she ended up divorcing her second husband or if her second husband died. (strange law!) He also says that a newly wedded man must not do military or civic service for a year as he must focus on making his wife happy in a sort of prolonged honeymoon! He then says that millstones cannot be taken for security for a loan and kidnappers must be executed.

In the case of skin diseases, which were of great concern at the time, Moses says people must be careful to follow the priests’ instructions on the matter. He also said that if someone made a loan he should not enter the person’s house to go after the pledge, but should wait for it to be brought out to him and should never exploit the poor over loans. Wages to the poor must be paid daily.

Moses then says that fathers should not be put to death for their children or vice-versa. Neither should the foreigner or the orphan be deprived of justice, and never take a widow’s cloak as a pledge. And at harvest time do not pick everything, but leave something for the foreigner, orphan and widow.

Nobody with crushed or cut off genitals may enter the assembly of the Lord. This was a protest against heathen cultic practices. Nor could anyone enter the assembly who was the fruit of an adulterous or incestuous relationship or marriage. No Ammonite or Moabite or their descendants may enter the assembly of the Lord either. However the Edomites and Egyptians should be treat as friends and their third generation could enter the assembly.

When the Israelites went to war they should keep things pure and clean. If a man had a nocturnal emission he was to purify himself outside the camp during that day. People should have little shovels to cover their excrement when necessary.

Runaway slaves should be helped and not oppressed. No Israelite man or woman should work as a cultic pagan temple prostitute. Do not charge interest on loans to your fellow Israelites, although you can charge foreigners. Take vows seriously and keep them before God. Upon entering someone’s vineyard you can eat the grapes, but don’t put them in your basket. So too when entering a cornfield pick corn but don’t use a sickle.

Moses now gives a list of minor laws like keep your eye out for your neighbours stray animals and help them recapture them, or get the fallen ones back on their feet. Women must not wear men’s clothing or vice versa. If you find a bird’s nest with mother and young you can take the young but not the mother! When you build a new house make a parapet around the roof to avoid falls. Don’t plant 2 kinds of seed in your vineyard, don’t plough with an ox and a donkey, don’t wear clothes made of wool and linen and put tassels on the 4 corners of your cloak.

Moses goes on to say that if a couple get married but the man finds that he dislikes the woman and so slanders her saying she hadn’t been a virgin when they married, the matter will go before the elders. There the girl’s parents will produce evidence that she had been a virgin showing a cloth stained by blood from the wedding night! In this case the man will be fined 1 kilo of silver which will be paid to the father, and the man will not be allowed to divorce the woman. However if the girl’s virginity can’t be proved then she will be stoned to death.

If a man is caught having sex with another man’s wife they both must be put to death. If a man has sex with an engaged virgin both must die. She will die because she didn’t scream for help and he will die for having violated somebody else’s wife. But if a man rapes an engaged virgin only the man shall die as the girl had screamed for help out in the country where nobody heard her. If a man rapes a virgin who is not engaged he will pay a half kilo of silver fine, marry the girl, and never be allowed to divorce her. Finally Moses says that a man is not to marry his father’s wife.

Moses says that if a dead body is found and nobody knows who the murderer is then the elders of the nearest town should take a heifer and break its neck in a valley after which priests will give a blessing. Then the elders will wash their hands over the heifer and declare that they had not killed or see killed the deceased. In this way the blood shed in the killing will be atoned for.

Moses says that if in battle someone fancies a beautiful woman it would be fine to take her as a wife. She would need to shave her head, trim her nails, change clothes and mourn her parents for a month. If the relationship didn’t work out it could end, but she could not be sold as a slave.

Moses then goes on to emphasize the rights of the firstborn son. He says that in the case of polygamy and a man having 2 wives he couldn’t swap the firstborn’s birthright just because he preferred a particular mother. He says that independent of wifely preferences the firstborn son had to receive a double share of his father’s wealth.

Moses follows this with drastic treatment of a stubborn and rebellious son saying that he must be stoned to death! Moses also says that in the case of a man being executed and hung on a tree, the dead body should not be left there overnight because he “who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse”.

Moses says that when Israel goes to war it should not be afraid even if the opposing army was greater. For God would be with his people to fight for them and give them victory.

Then preparing for battle Moses gives some exemptions (new house, new vineyard, new wife and no courage) of a compassionate nature so that nothing should distract the warriors from the objective of victory which is the Lord’s.

Moses says that when preparing to attack a city Israel should give its inhabitants a chance to surrender in which case they would be Israel’s slaves. However if they fight then the Israelites should lay siege to the city and kill all the men. However the woman, children, livestock and everything else will be taken as plunder.

Nevertheless in the case of the peoples in Canaan’s land (Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites) and their livestock everyone and everything was to be annihilated.

Moses says that in the case of long term sieges they can chop down trees to help them, but should not use fruit trees.

Now Moses returns to the subject of cities of refuge in Canaan to receive accidental murderers or those guilty of manslaughter. It is strange how much text is dedicated to this subject in the Pentateuch and it would seem to have been a major problem. There were to be initially 3 cities of refuge with roads built to give good access to them, and there was a possibility of a further 3 such cities being established later. The moving of land markers was also prohibited.

Moses then goes on to the subject of witnesses which must be at least 2 for any crime. If a witness proves to be a liar then he must be punished with exactly what he was advocating for the accused. Moses stipulates that the judges and priests must show no pity in such cases and retribution must be “life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand and foot for foot”!

Moses goes on to remind everyone that in Canaan the priests and levites will not have their own land like the rest of Israel but they will live off the offerings made by the people (shoulder of the bulls or sheep + cheeks and inner parts), plus the firstfruits of corn, new wine and oil plus the first wool from sheep shearing.

Then Moses bans the imitation of the detestable customs of other nations such as infant sacrifice, divination, sorcery, witchcraft, casting spells or using mediums and spiritists to consult the dead.

Moses then says that God will raise up a new prophet like himself to communicate the word of the Lord whilst any false prophet who points to false gods must be put to death.

Moses now reminds Israelites to never offer sacrifices to God using animals with defects. He then went on to again prohibit pagan worship of the sun, moon, the stars or other gods. People caught practicing this by at least 2 witnesses would be stoned to death.

Moses then says that when cases come before the courts which are very difficult the supreme court will be the priests. Their final word must be obeyed and implemented and any contempt of court would be punishable by death.

Then Moses envisaged the day when Israel would be ruled by a king. The king would have to be an Israelite, he should not have too many horses or too many wives (Solomon?!) and he should write out his own copy of the law and read it all his life. He should never over estimate himself.

In this chapter Moses reminds the Israelites about their pilgrimage festivals with the Passover/Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) and the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths. The instructions for all these festivals had been given in detail previously.

Then Moses told them to appoint judges for each tribe and town that God would give them in Canaan. He says that they should judge the people fairly avoiding partiality or bribery. They should “follow justice and justice alone”.

At the end Moses makes yet another warning against idolatry which is one of the things most prohibited in the Pentateuch.

This chapter shows great anti-poverty values focusing on social justice. For every 7th year was to be a year of cancelling debts for fellow Israelites. Obedience to God in this would lead to great national prosperity. Those better off are taught to not be “tight fisted” towards the poor. Rather they are to be generous to the poor and do so “without a grudging heart”.

Then too all Israelite slaves should be released on the 7th year of release and they should not be set free empty handed but should be given sheep, grain and wine. However if a slave has become attached to his master and family and doesn’t want to leave, then his ear should be pierced as a sign of commitment and he or she will become servants for life.

Finally in this chapter Moses reminds Israelites of their responsibility to give the firstborn of their herds and flocks to God. Any animal with a defect should be eaten and not sacrificed to God. However care should be taken not to eat blood.

Moses starts this chapter condemning pagan self-mutilation practices for the dead because they must live as God’s chosen people. From this Moses goes on to remind the Israelites of their eating laws with animals that chew the cud and divided hoofs (bull, goat, sheep etc.) being classified as clean and fine for eating, whereas animals that don’t have both these features (camel, rabbit, pig and coney etc.) were taboo.

As regards water creatures the defining factors of cleanliness was that they should have scales and fins. Those without were not to be eaten.

Flying creatures were deemed edible other than kites, falcons, vultures, owls, hawks and bats. Flying insects that swarm should not be eaten, and nothing found dead could be eaten.

Finally in this section for the third time (Exodus 23:19 & 34:26) in the law cooking a young goat in it mother’s milk is banned. It is strange to see this emphasis and many think this is because it was something carried out in pagan rituals.

The chapter’s final section focuses on the tithing of the Israelites annual produce. Such tithes were used for the upkeep of feasts, the upkeep of the Levites and to help orphans, widows and foreigners.

Moses continues now to warn against idolatry. First he says that if any prophet or dreamer arises enticing the Israelites to worship other gods then they must realize that this is in fact God testing them and they must execute the offender.

Then Moses says that even if someone really close to you tries to secretly entice you to paganism they must be executed without pity. It doesn’t matter if it is your brother, son, daughter, wife or best friend. Whoever it is must be stoned to death.

In the case of a conquered town turning to idolatry Moses says they must totally destroy the town killing all its inhabitants and livestock. Then they must set fire to the town and its plunder in the town square as a burnt offering to God.

Moses now says that upon entering Canaan Israel must completely destroy the incumbent places of pagan worship, destroying their altars and burning their poles to the goddess Asherah. Israel must refrain from any involvement with pagan cults and must not even copy any aspects of their rituals.

When the Israelites live in Canaan God will choose a city to be the central and exclusive place of worship and sacrifice. In the meantime Moses says that they will be able to slaughter animals, other that through the priests, and eat meat but never blood.

However Moses re-emphasized that the Israelites had to steer completely clear of any trace of pagan religious practices and philosophies as these involved “detestable things the Lord hates” with people even involved in human sacrifices of their children!

This is another chapter in which Moses reminds the Israelites of the past to prepare them for the future in the promised land. He tells them to teach everything to their children as they had not experienced God’s multiple miracles like at the Red Sea or when the earth swallowed up Dathan, Abiram and their families. Moses stressed that the people must love God and keep his commands. He says that they will live long and blessed in Canaan if they are loyal to God.  For God will send them abundant rain for their crops and cattle if they are faithful, but if they are not then God will withhold the rain. Moses says that they should fix his advice in their hearts, tie it on their hands and bind it on the foreheads because they must love God, walk in his ways and hold fast to him. If they do this they will conquer the land in the strength of the Lord.

Moses says that he is setting a blessing and a curse before them. The blessing will be assured if they obey God and the curse will come if they disobey. He says they should pronounce the blessings from Mount Gerizim and the curses on Mount Ebal.

Moses in this chapter continues to prepare the Israelites for their entrance into Canaan by reminding them of their past errors which must not be repeated. He reminds them how God in his mercy replaced the stone tablets with the law after the original ones were smashed as a reaction to the golden calf episode. He remembered too how God had set aside the Levites to minister and pronounce blessings on them in his name.

Moses stresses that the Israelites must always fear the Lord, walk in his ways, love him and serve him with all their heart and soul. He says that they must circumcise their hearts and not be stiff necked as regards the God of gods and Lord of lords, who defends the fatherless and the widow and loves the alien. He reminds Israel how they started out as just 70 when they went down to Egypt but God had made them “as numerous as the stars in the sky.”

Moses went on to tell Israel that upon crossing the Jordan God will give the victory despite the strength of the opposing armies and warriors. The Israelites will drive out the incumbent people and annihilate them. But Israel should be careful not to think that their victories are because of their own righteousness. God will give the victory to Israel because of the incumbent nations’ wickedness and because of his covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Moses then goes on to remind the Israelites of two classic examples of their stiff-necked rebellious attitudes to God. First of all the case of the creation of a golden calf idol when Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the law from God. Just because Moses took a long time the people slipped into rebellious idolatry. (Exodus 32) In the second place was the case of Israel abandoning faith in God and becoming despaired at the negative reports by the majority of spies sent into Canaan. (Numbers 13 and 14) In both these cases God was tremendously angry and was about to destroy the Israelites, had Moses not fervently interceded for forgiveness from God.  Thus Moses reminded Israel of their weaknesses which could not be repeated in Canaan.

Moses now goes on to remind Israel how God had guided them in the desert, humbled them, tested them and fed them with manna so that they might realize that “man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” During 40 years the people’s clothes never wore out!

So the Israelites must observe the commands of the Lord because he is bringing them into a land with abundant water, full of wheat, barley, vines, figs, pomegranates, olive oil and honey so that they “will lack nothing.” But the people must be careful not to forget the Lord in their plenty. Moses says that they must remember that all they have with nice houses, herds and flocks has come from God. For if the people forget God the Lord will destroy them.

The culture at this time was one of ‘kill, conquer and plunder’ which stretches our understanding.

God now tells the Israelites to massacre the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites to possess the promised land. They are to show no mercy, are to kill everyone, and are to destroy all their cultural symbols such as their altars, idols and the symbols of the goddess Asherah. They are not to inter-marry with the inhabitants of the promised land.

The text says that this invasion of Canaan is in keeping with God’s covenant with the Israelites’ forefathers which he calls “a covenant of love” which will bring them great blessing as long they “follow the commands, decrees and laws” of God. God tells Israel not to fear the fact that the peoples they will drive out are stronger than them as he will give them victory bit by bit. However they were not to keep the silver and gold from the idols as it was “detestable”.

In this chapter the preparations continue for the Israelites to cross the Jordan and possess the promised land of Canaan, stressing that their priorities must be love for God and obedience to his commandments. These key factors of love and obedience must be instilled in the children Moses says. Deuteronomy 6 is an important text as it contains the Jewish confession of faith known as the Shema.

Moses declares that the people must love the Lord, their God, with all their hearts, souls and strength. Moses says that people must impress this on their children and that everyone should imbibe this in their hearts. People should always talk about this wherever they go and should surround themselves with this conviction and commitment.

Moses also stresses that everyone must be careful to not forget God once they are installed in cities they did not build and have vineyards and olive groves they did not plant. Moses continues that they must keep clear of other gods and they must do what is right and good in the Lord’s sight.

Then when the children ask why so many laws and decrees the parents should recount all that God had done for Israel leading to their commitment and covenant with him.

Moses now reminded the Israelites of the 10 commandments: 1. Do not make idols. 2. Do not worship other gods. 3. Do not use the name of the Lord in vain. 4. Observe the Sabbath. 5. Honour your father and mother. 6. Do not commit murder. 7. Do not commit adultery. 8. Do not steal. 9. Do not lie. 10. Do not covet that which belongs to your neighbour.

Moses then reminded Israel about all the extraordinary circumstances when God gave him the 10 commandments on tablets of stone and how the elders heard the voice of God and were afraid. The elders had asked Moses to spare them hearing God’s terrifying voice, preferring for Moses to hear from God privately and pass it on to them. But now Moses was reminding Israel of all this just prior to them entering Canaan. Above all else the Israelites had to obey God.

Moses now goes on to review the commandments of God given to his people so that as they go into the promised land they might prosper. Moses says the Israelites must never add or subtract from God’s law, and they must revere the law as an exclusive national treasure, teaching it to their children and to their children’s children.

Then Moses repeats God’s ban of idolatry in whatever form. As God gave the law at Horeb without revealing any form so Israel must not create gods of any shape or form. Neither should Israel worship the sun, moon or stars. For God is a jealous God who requires exclusive devotion. If however Israel forgets God’s law and goes after strange gods then God will scatter them amongst the nations. Then God would only bless his people if they repent as he would not forget his covenant with their forefathers.

Moses went on to underline the exclusive extraordinary relationship which Israel had with God. God revealed himself to them through many signs and wonders and was about to give them the promised land. He says the people should acknowledge God exclusively and keep his decrees and commands so that they might live long in the land.

Moses then recalled the creation of cities of refuge (Numbers 35) for people who committed manslaughter. Then Moses speaks some words about the law preparing for his words on the 10 commandments in the following chapter.

Moses relates now the victory of the Israelites over King Og of Bashan and all his army. They captured their 60 cities despite them being walled and having gates and bars, and they massacred all their men, women and children, capturing all their livestock and goods as plunder. King Og had been a giant sleeping on an iron bed measuring 4 metres long and 1.8 metres wide!

The distribution of this land to the Gadites, Reubenites and half the tribe of Manasseh was recalled, as previously seen in Deuteronomy 32, and Moses reminded these tribes of the agreement for them to fight together with Israel when they invaded Canaan.

Then Moses encouraged Joshua, who was about to replace him as leader, to trust the Lord as they crossed the Jordan because the same God would be with him as the God who gave victory over King Sihon, King Og and their armies. Moses again tried to get God to change his mind and let him go into Canaan, but God was resolute. Instead God told Moses to view the promised land from the top of Mount Pisgah. He could view it but not go into it.

This chapter gives details of Moses’ recollections about the Israelites 40 year wanderings in the desert, their passing through Edom and Moab, and their crossing of the Zered Valley which marked the end of their meanderings in the desert.

Moses remembered how God told him not to clash with the Edomites in the country of Seir because he had given that land to the descendants of Esau. God similarly told Moses not to provoke the Moabites and Ammonites to war as he had given their land to them as they were the descendants of Lot.

However Moses recalled how God gave them victory over King Sihon of Heshbon and the Amorites. The Israelites massacred the entire army of the king, and they went on to kill every woman and child too, leaving no survivors. They kept all their livestock and goods as plunder.

The book of Deuteronomy is Moses’ farewell speech, or speeches, and the final chapter concludes with his death. This book probably is the fruit of Moses’ final weeks in the plains of Moab when his people, but not him, were about to finally enter the promised land of Canaan. Moses reminds his people of God’s law and warns them against disobedience.

The first chapter is dated on the 1st day of the 11th month of the 40th year, in the desert on the east of the River Jordan, after he had defeated King Sihon of the Amorites and King Og of Bashan. Moses reminded the people of how God had commanded them to leave Mount Sinai (Horeb) 40 years earlier, and to proceed to Canaan and conquer the land.

Moses then recalled how he had appointed judges from each tribe to help him govern the people and resolve disputes. He also recounted how 12 spies had been sent into Canaan to assess the land and the enemy, and the majority verdict was very negative leading to generalized grumbling and revolt. God was angered and said that that generation would not enter Canaan except for Caleb and Joshua, who were the only positive spies. The people tried to rectify things with God but his decision had been taken so the Israelites were made to wander in the wilderness for 40 years whilst the older generation died off.