Survey of Commentaries• Von Rad, Gerhard. Old Testament Library• Mayes, A. D. H. New Century Bible• Weinfeld, Moshe. Anchor Bible. Through

chapter 11• Miller, Patrick. Interpretation• Frymer-Kensky, Tikva. Women’s Bible

Commentary• Clements, Ronald E. New Interpreter’s

Bible

Historical Setting I

• 640 Josiah becomes king• 632 and 628 Early reform efforts

according to 2 Chronicles• 627 Declining power of Assyria;

death of Asshurbanapal• 625 Nabopolassar became king of

Neo- Babylonian empire

Historical Setting II

• 621 Book of Law (=Deuteronomy) found while temple repairs going on

• 609 Josiah died; Jeremiah’s temple sermon

• 605 Nebuchadnezzar comes to power• 605 Egypt defeated at Carchemish• 601 Jehoiakim revolts• 598 Jehoiakim “dies.” Jehoiachin king

Historical Setting III• 597 First Deportation of Jerusalem• 593-572 Ezekiel’s ministry• 587/6 Jerusalem falls to Babylonians• 561 Release of Jehoiachin from prison• 550 Deuteronomistic History: Deut 1-4;

Joshua; Judges; Samuel; Kings• 547 Second Isaiah• 539 Babylon falls to Persia

Outline of Deuteronomy

• 1:1-4:43 First sermon• 5:1-28:68 Second sermon

– 12-26 Law Code– 27 Ceremony at Shechem– 28 Blessings and curses

• 29:1-30:20 Third sermon• 31-34 appendices

Book of the Law--DeWette• It could not have been lost since it was

so important• Many parallels between the reform of

Josiah and the Book of Deuteronomy• Date of Deuteronomy = Hinge for

documentary hypothesis• Terminus ad quem: 621B.C.E.• Northern authorship? role of Levites,

elders, and prophets

Parallels Between Deuteronomy and Josiah’s Reform in 2 Kings• Cult centralization

12:13ff; 2 Kgs 23:8-9, 19

• star worship 17:3; 2 Kgs 23:11-12

• male and female cult prostitutes 23:17; 2 Kgs 23:7

• child sacrifice and Molech cult 18:10; 2 Kgs 23:10

• Necromancy 18:11; 2 Kgs 23:4

• Asherim 7:5; 12:3; 2 Kgs 23:4, 6, 7, 14

• Pillars 7:5; 12:3; 2 Kgs 23:14

• high places 7:5; 12:2, 3; 2 Kgs 23:13

• centralized passover 16:1-8; 2 Kgs 23:21-23

Terminology used in scholarly discussions• “Words” = Name of Deuteronomy in

TNK• Deuteronomium: Deut 17:18: “a copy

of this law”• Ur Deuteronomium• Deuteronomic (D; Deut)• Deuteronomistic History (Dtr);

redaction of Jeremiah and other books

“Love”• Amarna: The vassal must love Pharaoh• 1 Kgs 5:1 Hiram had always loved

David• Hosea--first reference to God’s love for

Israel• Deuteronomy--first to speak also of

Israel’s love for God• Jesus: If you love me, keep my

commandments

Deut 4:29-31 Hope in Exile• From there [exile] you will seek the Lord

your God, and you will find him if you search after him with all your heart ….When all these things have happened to you in time to come, you will return to the Lord your God and heed him. The Lord your God is a merciful God, he will neither abandon you nor destroy you; he will not forget the covenant with your ancestors that he swore to them.

Election• Terms: “bachar”; “prized possession”• Deut 4:37-39; 7:6-11; 10:14-15• Reasons for God’s choice:

– God loved you– God kept promises to the ancestors

(Abraham? or Exodus generation?)– not because of your righteousness, but

because of wickedness of the nations

The Shema--Deut 6:4

• NRSV, NLT: Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone

• RSV: Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord

• NIV: Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

The Benefits of Obedience• He will bless the fruit of your womb

and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your wine and your oil, the increase of your cattle and the issue of your flock….The Lord will turn away from you every illness….You shall devour all the peoples that the Lord your God is giving over to you. Deut 7:14-16