Moses, by Michelangelo (1475-1564) Moses received the law on Mount Sinai and forty years later renewed the covenant with the Israelites in Transjordan. Deuteronomy presents the covenant admonitions and encouragements of Moses in a series of addresses to the Israelites. St. Peter's in Vincoli, Rome -- Photo by Barry Bandstra

Key Terms Centralization of worship Covenant Deuteronomist Deuteronomistic History Josiah Shema Suzerainty Treaty Syncretism

Deuteronomy is the key that unlocks the Torah and the Prophets. So modern students of the Hebrew Bible claim. Close study of Deuteronomy inspired a revolution within biblical studies that opened new ways of understanding the theology of the Pentateuch and the narrative historical books.    Deuteronomy is unique in the Pentateuch in its consistent and uniform style. It consists almost entirely of Moses' sermons to the Israelites before they entered the Promised Land. Characterized by a certain preachiness (but do not let this put you off), it contains spiritually challenging material.     Deuteronomy gets its name from Deuteronomy 17:18, which states that the king was to receive a "copy of the Torah" to guide him. This was mistakenly translated "a second law" in the Septuagint (deuteronomion in Greek). Deuteronomy is not a "second law" but a retelling and reapplication of the law given at Mount Sinai. The Hebrew name for the book is devarim, or "words," taken from the first phrase of the book, "These are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel beyond the Jordan."

ToC | Reading the Old Testament

. . . Chapter 5. Deuteronomy | ToC