Deuteronomy

Its name means ‘The second law’; by which  is meant that the laws at Mt. Sinai are repeated to the new Generation of Israelites, prior to their entry into the promised land. Moses rehearsed the law to this new generation in the plains of Moab (Dt.1:5). He first spoke the word to Israel, and afterward wrote them down.

These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain over against the Red sea, between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Dizahab. Dt.1:1

Author & date

This is the fifth and final book of Moses.

Outline

Eight distinct discourses can be identified . The final chapter is an account of Moses’s death, and was more than likely added by some unknown scribe.

A. Discourse 1. Ch.1-4:43

1. Looking back at past failures

B. Discourse 2. Ch.4:44-26:26

1. Review of the Sinai law
2. Note 5:22; He added no more!

C. Discourse 3.  Ch.27-28

1. The curses and blessings of the Law
2. The ceremony to be performed on entrance to Canaan

D. Discourse 4. Ch.29-30

1. The  words of Covenant which God gave
2. The conditions under which Israel was to enter Canaan

E. Discourse 5. Ch.31:1-23

1. The counsels given to Israel, Joshua and the priests.
2. Note 31:19-21

F. Discourse 6. Ch.31:24-29

1. Instructions given to teh Levites

G. Discourse 7. Ch.32

1. Song

H. Discourse 8. Ch.33

1. The Mosaic blessings to the tribes of Israel
2. Cmp. to Gen.49

I. Moses’ Death Ch.34

1. Moses died at age 120.
2. His natural forces not abated.

Notes

a. Key verse(s)
The force of Moses’s words is that of obedience to God and His law, and someone has remarked that Deuteronomy is a treatise on obedience.

And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good? Dt.10:12-13

b. Jesus & Deuteronomy

It was from this book that Jesus quoted when confronted by the devil in the wilderness

See Mtt.4:1-11 & Lk.4:1-13 cmp. Dt.6:13, 16; 8:3; 10:20

c. Firsts

1. First reference to children of Belial Dt.13:13
2. First reference to death by hanging on a tree Dt.21:22-23, quoted in Gal.3:13