OT Survey I
Deuteronomy
A Quote from Paul House
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By any standard of comparison Deuteronomy is one of the
most important books in the canon. Its historical setting links
the Sinai and wilderness experiences with the conquest of
Canaan and provides a transition from Moses’ leadership to
Joshua’s. Its canonical placement concludes the Pentateuch
by effectively interpreting Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers; yet
it also provides an interpretive framework for the Former and
Latter Prophets (Joshua – Malachi). Its theological emphases
set the tone for how Israel must live in the land they will
inherit from the God who has chosen them. Its exhortative,
instructional style offers rhetorical patterning for Old
Testament historians, prophets, psalmists and sages. Beyond
the Hebrew canon, Deuteronomy is, with Genesis, Psalms and
Isaiah, one of the four most-quoted Old Testament books in
the New Testament. Jesus himself uses passages from
Deuteronomy to resist Satan’s temptations in Matthew 4:1-11.
Unquestionably this book, the Pentateuch’s capstone,
deserves careful theological analysis (Old Testament
Theology, p. 169).
Setting
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The book of
Deuteronomy takes
place over a period of
about 1 month in the
plains of Moab, in the
fortieth year after
God delivered Israel
from Egyptian
bondage (c. 1405
BC).
Basic Structure
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Moses Reviews Israel’s Journey from Sinai
to the Plains of Moab (chaps. 1 – 4)
Moses Reviews and Expands the Law for
the New Generation (chaps. 5 – 26)
Moses Reviews Israel’s Covenant
Relationship with God (chaps. 27 – 30)
The Final Ministry of Moses (chaps. 31 –
34)
Format of the Deuteronomic
Covenant – Suzerain/Vassal Treaty
Preamble (1:1-5)
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Sets out the occasion and setting of the covenant.
Historical Prologue (1:6-4:49)
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Narrates Israel’s journey from Sinai to the plains of Moab, especially noting instances of
Israel’s rebellion (1:26-28, 32; 3:26) and God’s righteous retribution (1:34-40, 45; 2:1415; 4:3). 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 (5:1-11:32)
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Spells out the principles that govern the relationship between the parties of the
covenant and clarifies who the Great King is, what He has already done and will do for
His people, and how the people are to respond. Deut 6:4-5 is especially significant.
Specific Stipulations (12:1-26:15)
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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.
Blessings and Curses (27:1-28:68)
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Provides promises of blessing for obedience to the covenant stipulations and promises of
curses or punishments for covenant disloyalty. Parallels Leviticus 26.
Witnesses (30:19; 31:19-21)
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Calls upon heaven and earth as witnesses to this covenant between Yahweh as His
people (Deut 30:19).
Major Themes
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Review of Events and Covenant relationship
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The Character of Yahweh
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Unique and Jealous
Near and Transcendent
Faithful
Loving
Gracious
Judging
The Requirements for Israel
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Includes references to the Abrahamic and the Mosaic Covenants
Fear and love Yahweh
Keep Yahweh’s commands/hear and obey
Blessings for Obedience, Punishment for Disobedience
Possession of the land
The End of Moses’ Leadership
Purpose Statement

Moses exhorted Israel to be faithful to the
covenant God made with her at Sinai, so
that she might go in and possess the land.
Essence of the Deuteronomic
Covenant
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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.
The Deuteronomic Covenant and
the Rest of the OT
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The remainder of the OT is an outworking of the
Deuteronomic Covenant.
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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).
Interpretive Issue
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A separate Palestinian Covenant?
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No; Deut 29:1 (28:69 in the Hebrew text) concludes
what has come before, rather than introduces what
follows. “Besides” makes a distinction between the
Deuteronomic Covenant and the Sinaitic Covenant.
No covenant legislation in chapter 29.
The covenants referenced in chapter 29 are the
Deuteronomic Covenant (29:9, 12, 14) and the
Mosaic Covenant (29:25).
There are no later references to a Palestinian
Covenant in the OT.
Next Time
Overview of Historical Books & the
Book of Joshua