The Deuteronomic
Covenant
3 months
11 months, 5 days at Sinai
Form of the Mosaic Covenant
Historical Prologue
Exod 19:1-4
Preamble
Exod 19:5-6
Stipulations
Exod 20:3-23:19
Provision for Reading
Exod 24:4-7
Blessings & Curses
Exod 23:20-23
Form of the Deuteronomic
Covenant – Suzerain/Vassal Treaty
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Preamble (1:1-5)
Historical Prologue (1:6-4:49)
General Stipulations (5:1-11:32)
Specific Stipulations (12:1-26:15)
Blessings and Curses (27:1-28:68)
Witnesses (30:19; 31:19)
Preamble
Deut 1:1-5
• The preamble sets out the occasion and setting of
the covenant.
– 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. And it came about in the fortieth
year, on the first day of the eleventh month, that
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… (Deut 1:1-5)
Historical Prologue
Deut 1:6 – 4:49
• This section narrates Israel’s journey from
Sinai to the plains of Moab, especially
noting instances of Israel’s rebellion and
God’s righteous retribution.
– The purpose of the section is to make clear
God’s claim on His people.
– Despite their disobedience, God had not
forsaken them and had brought them to the
present time and place in order that He might
reaffirm His covenant with them.
General Stipulations
Deut 5:1 – 11:32
• This section spells out the principles that
govern the relationship between the parties of
the covenant.
– It clarifies who the Great King is, what He has
already done and will do for His people, and how
the people are to respond (includes the Ten
Commandments).
– The essence of this relationship is summarized in
Deut 6:4-5 (known as the Shema, based on the
first Hebrew word for “Hear”): “Hear, O Israel! The
LORD is our God, the LORD is one! And you
shall love the LORD your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your might.”
Specific Stipulations
Deut 12:1 – 26:15
• This section provides specific case laws
that are grounded in the Shema and the
commandments of the Decalogue and are
intended to be applied to various situations
in life.
• More on the relationship between the
Decalogue and this section in just a
moment.
Blessings and Curses
Deut 27:1 – 28:68
• This section provides promises of blessing for
obedience to the covenant stipulations and
promises of curses or punishments for covenant
disloyalty.
– It closely parallels Leviticus 26 in format.
– The nature of the blessings is characterized by
agricultural prosperity, fruitfulness in reproduction,
and exaltation above the other nations.
– Conversely, the nature of the curses is characterized
by agricultural failure, lack of reproduction, disease,
and constant dread of enemies. The ultimate curse
would be exile from the land and separation from
Yahweh (Deut 28:63-65).
Witnesses
Deut 30:19-20; 31:19
• In a pagan Hittite covenant, the covenant
ceremony purportedly took place before the
gods, who served as witnesses to what was
pledged, granting either divine favor or
punishment according to what was deserved.
– Of course, Yahweh’s covenant did not allow for even
the existence of such gods, but it did call upon
heaven and earth as witnesses (Deut 30:19-20).
– Moses also taught the people a song (Deut 32) that
served as a witness to the relationship between
Yahweh and His people.
Interrelation Between the
Decalogue & Specific Stipulations
DECALOGUE
COMMANDMENT
DEUTERONOMY
5:6-10
5:11
5:12-15
I-II
III
IV
V
12:1 – 13:18
14:1-21
14:22 – 16:17
Worship
Name of God
Sabbath
16:18 – 18:22
Authority
VI
VII
VIII
IX
X
19:1 – 22:8
22:9 – 23:18
23:19 – 24:7
24:8 – 25:4
Homicide
Adultery
Theft
False Charges
25:5-16
Coveting
5:17
5:17
5:18
5:19
5:20
5:21
DESCRIPTION
Essence of the Deuteronomic
Covenant
• It is a renewal of the Mosaic Covenant with a
new generation.
• It spells out who Yahweh is, what He has done,
and what He requires of His people.
• It promises blessing for obedience and curses
for disobedience, with the ultimate curse being
exile from the land.
• It promises that, despite their disobedience, God
would not forsake His people but would restore
them from exile when they repented.
Relationship of the Deuteronomic
Covenant to the Other Covenants
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The Deuteronomic Covenant is in essence a
renewal of the Mosaic Covenant with the new
generation of Israelites.
The king provided for in the Davidic Covenant
was responsible to conduct his rule in
accordance with the principles of the
Deuteronomic Covenant (Deut 17:18-20).
And even the New Covenant states that the
Law of God will be put within the descendants
of Abraham and written upon their hearts (Jer
31:31-33).
Later Commentary in Scripture
on the Deuteronomic Covenant
• The remainder of the OT is an outworking of the
Deuteronomic Covenant.
– The book of Joshua records the initial conquest of the
land, which broke all major resistance by the enemies of
the Israelites. Each tribe was then responsible to go in
and drive out the inhabitants of its allotted portion, a task
which most failed to do.
– As time passes, Israel is influenced towards idol worship
and other covenant violations by those that the Israelites
had failed to drive out. God punishes her and eventually
takes her out of the land, just as He said He would.
– But even as Israel and Judah are taken into captivity, God
assures them through the prophets that they will eventually
be restored, again in accordance with the promise of the
Deuteronomic Covenant (Deut 30:1-10).
Next Time: The Davidic
Covenant – Part I
2 Samuel 7