The following italicized paragraphs were extracted from Christine Elizabeth Hayes’ Introduction to the Bible (The Open Yale Courses Series) (p. 168-171). Yale University Press. Kindle Edition.
Israel’s wanderings end on the plains of Moab on the east bank of the Jordan River, and it is there that the book of Deuteronomy opens. According to Exodus and Leviticus, Israel received Yahweh’s laws at Mt. Sinai, but in Deuteronomy, Moses imparts the full instructions on the plains of Moab, forty years after Sinai and just before the Israelites cross the Jordan. As the Israelites stand poised to enter the Promised Land, Moses delivers three long speeches, which constitute the bulk of the book of Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy differs stylistically from the other four books of the Pentateuch, which feature an anonymous narrator who describes Yahweh directing his words to Moses, who then speaks on Yahweh’s behalf to Israel. But in much of Deuteronomy, Moses speaks directly to the people so that the book is written almost entirely in the first person.
Through careful analysis, scholars like Moshe Weinfeld and Bernard Levinson,3 have concluded that the original core of Deuteronomy emerged in the eighth century B.C.E.—probably as a scroll of laws known as the “scroll of the law [Torah]” (Deut 17:19–20) and roughly equivalent to chapters 12–26 with perhaps a short introduction and conclusion. These laws were put into the framework of a speech by Moses (chapters 5–11 and 28) in the eighth to seventh century B.C.E. At some later point, presumably during the exile (586–538 B.C.E.), framing chapters were added (Deut 1–4 and 31–34), and laws were updated and passages expanded to reflect the experience of exile (sixth century B.C.E.). Additionally, Deuteronomy was incorporated into, and served as the introduction to, the narrative history (referred to as the Deuteronomistic history) that runs from Joshua through 2 Kings. Finally, and probably in the postexilic period (536 B.C.E. on), Deuteronomy was appended to the four newly redacted books—Genesis to Numbers—serving as their conclusion and conferring the title of Torah found in Deut 12 upon them as well, by implication.
The complex process by which Deuteronomy was formed underscores the fact that modern notions of authorship cannot be applied to biblical texts. Moderns tend to think of an author as an autonomous individual who composes a text at a specific time, but this is not the way important communal texts came into being in the ancient world. As Weinfeld points out, the biblical authors were collectors, compilers, revisers, editors, and interpreters of ancient traditions. Ancient texts were generally the product of many hands over a long stretch of time (perhaps centuries) in which modifications and recontextualizations occurred. We refer to those who transmit and develop a text as a “school”—but this should be understood in a very informal way to refer to authors, compilers, and redactors whose work is connected by common language, themes, and content. Scholars speak of the Deuteronomic school that produced Deuteronomy and the Deuteronomistic school that produced the Deuteronomistic history through 2 Kings (i.e., a history informed by language, themes, and content found in Deuteronomy itself; see Chapters 12 and 13).
Elizabeth Hayes, Christine. Introduction to the Bible (The Open Yale Courses Series) (p. 168-171). Yale University Press. Kindle Edition.
Slave Laws
For the most part, Deuteronomy omits much civil law, focusing on Yahweh’s moral-religious prescriptions for Israel. The few civil laws that are included are clearly reworked in line with Deuteronomy’s humanitarianism. Thus, the rules for the laws of the tithe and the seventh-year release of debts (15:1–11), the rules for the release of slaves (15:12–19), and the rules for the three festivals (16:1–17) are all ancient laws that occur in Exodus but appear in Deuteronomy with modifications reflecting the concerns of the Deuteronomist.
Despite the similarity in language and sequence, the differences between the two laws are stark. The Deuteronomy law appears to be patterned on the Exodus law in order to revise its terms.
Go to the book for a side-by-side comparison of the slave laws in Exodus and Deuteronomy.
While the relationship of Deuteronomy to the laws in the Covenant Code is often—not always—one of revision, the relationship between Deuteronomy and the laws in the priestly source is more difficult to characterize. P seems to represent a somewhat contemporaneous and parallel set of legal traditions emanating from different circles and dealing with sacral topics or the sacral implications of general legal topics. Like the D source, P contains legal instructions that contradict legal traditions reflected in the Covenant Code. For example, P abolishes Israelite debt slavery altogether and insists that slaves may be acquired only from foreign nations.
Elizabeth Hayes, Christine. Introduction to the Bible (The Open Yale Courses Series) (p. 173-5). Yale University Press. Kindle Edition.
An overriding concern of Deuteronomy is the emphasis on the centralization of all cultic activity at a single shrine. The centralization of the cult represented a radical reform of Israelite religious practice. Hayes p. 177
Themes of Deuteronomy
- Reform — The centralization of the cult initiated a series of reforms in Judean religion and socioeconomic conditions. (p. 180)
- Greater Abstraction of the Deity — Deuteronomy and related books consistently refer to the sanctuary as the place where Yahweh chose to cause his name to dwell. (p. 180)
- Ethical Themes — Deuteronomy emphasizes social justice, personal ethics, and neighborly responsibilities. (p. 181)
- Transgenerational Covenant — The covenant concept in Deuteronomy entails the idea that each generation of Israelites understand itself as party to the original covenant: (p. 181)
- Love — As Weinfeld points out, Assyrian treaties stress the vassal’s love (= loyalty) for the crown prince but never a reciprocal love by the crown prince. Deuteronomy (as well as Hittite treaties) differs in this respect, emphasizing Yahweh’s gracious and undeserved love for Israel, expressed in his mighty acts on Israel’s behalf. (p. 181)
- The Chosen People — In Deuteronomy, Israel’s particular and unique relationship with Yahweh is expressed in terms of the verb bahar = to elect, or choose. Yahweh has chosen Israel in an act of freely bestowed grace and love to be his special property. (p. 182)
- Divine Providence — Yahweh’s providential love and care for Israel is expressed through various metaphors in the Bible. The metaphor of parent and child appears in Deut In Deut 32:10–12, the image that expresses Yahweh’s care for Israel is that of an eagle who bears its young on its wings: (pp. 183-184).
Elizabeth Hayes, Christine. Introduction to the Bible (The Open Yale Courses Series) (p. 180-184). Yale University Press. Kindle Edition.
