DEUTERONOMY 1-3

The Structure of Deuteronomy

I. Introduction: Israel's Past (1:1-4:49)

II. God Gives the Law to His People (5:1-11:25)

III. Specific Legislation (11:26-28:68)

IV. God's Covenant with His People (29:1-30:20)

V. Conclusion: Israel's Future (31:1-34:12)

Section I: Deuteronomy 1:1-4:49

These verses are not given in chronological order. Chapter 2 really should come before Chapter 1. Why do you think that is?

The key to understanding this first major section of the book is found in Victor Hamilton's recognition that it contains seven main events. Only the first and last deal with Israel alone; the remaining stories involve interactions with other peoples. Both of these framework stories involve Moses' burden being lifted by appointment of others to take over leadership responsibilities. As Polzin notes, Moses in Chapter 4 analyzes in indirect discourse the history he has presented in direct discourse in the first three chapters.

Why is Moses telling this in the past tense? Don't they already know this story? Or is he just complaining at them? It is somewhat like Stephen's speech in Acts. Deuteronomy is modeled on ancient Near Eastern vassal treaties which begin with an historical review of how the more powerful king has benefited the minor king in the past. Then the laws are laid down (Tremper Longman III, Daniel)

1:1 “All Israel” means Israel as a corporate reality, not necessarily every individual Jew. The same

 applies to Romans 11:25.

1:6 Would all of the names of people and places have made sense to Jews living in the Roman times, or

would we have to go back further for them to be familiar with the places being mentioned? It has been

 suggested that the confusion as to whether the mountain was called Sinai or Horeb (see Exodus 19) 

was purposeful so that future generations would not know exactly where God had revealed himself.

1:9-17 This was used as a model for civil judgment within the church (I Corinthians 6:1-11).

1:10-11 This is an example of the figurative use of the number 1000, like the Millennium in Revelation.

1:12 It is rather interesting that Moses is “sick of hearing their problems.” Leadership hasn't changed 

much in the last 5,000 years. How do you justify the fact that we go from this verse where they killed 

every man woman and child, to Moses saying to treat everyone with dignity in 1:16?

1:16-17 Nicodemus' question shows that the guardians of the law are breaking the law in dealing with 

Jesus (John 7:51).

1:21,29 Fear is often the response to God's presence. See John 6:1; 14:1.

1:27 The grumbling workers in Matthew 20:1-34 are taken from this verse.

1:28 This is an allusion to the Tower of Babel, which God easily conquered. Surely he could do the 

same thing to the Canaanite cities.

1:31 See Acts 13:18: “care for like a nurse with a child .”

1:35 “An evil and adulterous generation” appears in Matthew 12:39; 16:1-4. “Good” land uses the 

same adjective to describe the Creation in Genesis 1.

1:39 They are innocent as Adam and Eve; Canaan is pictured as a new Eden.

2:4-5 The descendants of Esau that live in the hills would essentially be blood relatives of the people wandering around in the desert so why would they see themselves as different? Even though their founders Jacob and Esau were brothers, years earlier there was not always peace between them.

Why does God keep having to tell the Jews not to pick fights with everyone they come across? They 

had to learn that the sole purpose of fighting was to possess the land (2:5,18-19), and that they would 

only win when God was their strength (see 1:41-45). God is pictured as their military commander, and 

they needed to obey orders.

2:6 They are to give silver for the food they eat. If you are curious as to where a group of runaway 

slaves would acquire silver, see Exodus 12:33-36. It also explains where the gold for the making of the 

golden calf came from.

2:14 This is usually stated to take place on the fortieth year since the beginning of the exodus. 

However, elsewhere in the Bible it is stated as in the 38^th year. The slight discrepancy can be explained 

as (1) the symbolic use of the round number 40, standing for a generation, or (2) 40 includes one year 

to go from Egypt to Sinai plus one year to conquer the Eastern territories (New Bible Commentary).

3:24 There is an ironic use of same description of the beast in Revelation 13:4.

3:26 This is similar to Jesus saying “That is enough!” regarding the apostles misunderstanding his 

words regarding swords just before his arrest.