Introduction
1. Title and Contents. The title of this book is the English form of a Greek word meaning 'repetition of the law.' It is found in chapter Deuteronomy 17:18, where it was used by the Greek translators of the OT. (LXX) to represent three Hebrew words more exactly rendered in the English Version 'a copy of this law' (see note). The Jews call the book by the first two words in the original rendered 'These are the words.' The LXX title, though based on a mistranslation, is not altogether inappropriate, seeing that much of the legislation given in Deuteronomy is found elsewhere, and the historical portion is largely a résumé of what is narrated in the previous books. The scene of the book is in the Plains of Moab, and the time is the interval between the close of the "Wanderings in the Wilderness and the Crossing of the Jordan. It opens with the first day of the eleventh month of the fortieth year of the exodus (Deuteronomy 1:3); and, as the Israelites crossed the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month of the following year, after thirty days' mourning for Moses in the Plains of Moab (see Deuteronomy 34:8; Joshua 4:19), it follows that the period covered by Deuteronomy is not more than forty days.
The greater part of the book is taken up with a series of discourses spoken to the people by Moses before his death. In these discourses Moses reviews the events and experiences of the past forty years, and founds on them repeated exhortations to gratitude, obedience, and loyalty to Jehovah. The divisions of the book are as follows. Part 1. First Discourse, Deuteronomy 1 - Deuteronomy 4:43, comprising a brief survey of the history of Israel from Mt. Sinai to the Jordan (Deuteronomy 1-3), and concluding with an earnest appeal to the people to keep the commandments of Jehovah and remain faithful to His covenant (Deuteronomy 4:1). Three vv. of a historical nature (Deuteronomy 4:41) are then introduced. Part 2. Second Discourse, Chapter s Deuteronomy 4:44; Deuteronomy 28, which is mainly legislative. It begins with a repetition of the Decalogue and an exhortation to cleave to Jehovah and abstain from idolatry (Deuteronomy 4:44; Deuteronomy 11), after which follows a series of laws regulating the religious and social life of the people (Deuteronomy 12-26). This section forms the nucleus of the book. Deuteronomy 28 belongs to this section, and contains a sublime declaration of the consequences that will follow the people's obedience to, or transgression of, the law. Deuteronomy 27, which prescribes the ceremony of the ratification of the law in Canaan, seems to interrupt the discourse. Part 3. Third Discourse, Deuteronomy 29, 30, in which the covenant is renewed and enforced with promises and threatenings. Part 4. Deuteronomy 31-34. These Chapter s are of the nature of appendices, and comprise Moses' Charge to Joshua, and Delivery of the Law to the Levitical Priests (Deuteronomy 31:1); The Song of Moses, with accompanying historical notices (Deuteronomy 31:14; Deuteronomy 32); The Blessing of Moses, which, like the Song, is in poetical form (33); and, lastly, an account of the Death of Moses (34).