Deuteronomy
—which means “the repetition of the law”—consists chiefly of three discourses delivered by Moses shortly before his death. Subjoined to these discourses are the Song of Moses the Blessing of Moses, and the story of his death.
The first discourse. (1:1; 4:40) After a brief historical introduction the speaker recapitulates the chief events of the last forty years in the wilderness. To this discourse is appended a brief notice of the severing of the three cities of refuge on the east side of the Jordan. (4:41-43) The second discourse is introduced like the first by an explanation of the circumstances under which it was delivered. (4:44-49) It extends from chap.
(5:1-26) 19 And contains a recapitulation, with some modifications and additions of the law already given on Mount Sinai. In the third discourse, (27:1-30) 20 The elders of Israel are associated with Moses. The people are commanded to set up stones upon Mount Ebal, and on them to write “all the words of this law.” Then follow the several curses to be pronounced by the Levites on Ebal, (27:14-26) and the blessings on Gerizim.
(28:1-14) The delivery of the law as written by Moses (for its still further preservation) to the custody of the Levites, and a charge to the people to hear it read once every seven years, Deut. 31; the Song of Moses spoken in the ears of the people, (31:30; 32:44) and the blessing of the twelve tribes. (33:5) The book closes, Deuteronomy 34, with an account of the death of Moses, which is first announced to him ch.
(32:48-52) The book bears witness to its own authorship, (31:19) and is expressly cited in the New Testament as the work of Moses. (Matthew 19:7,8; Mark 10:3; Acts 3:22; 7:37) The last chapter, containing an account of the death of Moses, was of course added by a later hand, and probably formed originally the beginning of the book of Joshua. [Pentateuch, The]
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy du-ter-on'-o-mi: 1. Name 2. What Deuteronomy Is 3. Analysis 4. Ruling Ideas 5. Unity 6. Authorship 7. Deuteronomy Spoken Twice 8. Deuteronomy's Influence in Israel's History 9. The Critical Theory LITERATURE ⇒See also the McClintock and Strong Biblical Cyclopedia. 1. Name: In Hebrew 'elleh ha-debharim, "these are the words"; in Greek, Deuteronomion, "second law"; whence the Latin deuteronomii, and the English Deuteronomy. The Greek title is due to a mistranslation by the Septuagint of the clause in De 17:18 rendered, "and he shall write for himself this repetition of the law." The Hebrew really means "and he shall write out for himself a copy of this law." However, the error on which the English title rests is not serious, as Deuteronomy is in a very true sense a repetition of the law. 2. What Deuteronomy Is: Deuteronomy is the last of the five books of the Pentateuch, or "five-fifths of the Law." It possesses an individuality and impressiveness of its own. In Exodus--Numbers Yahweh is represented as speaking unto Moses, whereas in Deuteronomy, Moses is represented as spe…
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible on Deuteronomy
i. The Name of the Book. — The n.iuie Deuteronomy is taken from the Lat. ' Deuterononiium,' which transliterated the Gr. wonl AevTepovip.ioi'. This Gr. word apjiears in the LXX of Dt 17"*, where the words ' a copy of this law' {nA-.ri rrfnn .ijf'?) are incorrectly tr'' rd Aeurepo- vufuor TouTo, as if the Heb. had been ' this copy of the law ' (ni.T .i-i'in.T nj;'p). The word also occurs, with the same error of tr°, in Jos 9" [Heb. 8*"]. Though the word was a mistranslation, it fur- nished an appropriate title to a book which in a large measure ' reformulated ' previous laws. The book is referred to by this name in the writings of Philo (Leg. Allcgor. iii. § 61, i. 121, Quod Dens immutab. § 10, i. 280), although that writer also quotes it by the iijinie of ' Tlie Appen- dix to the Laws,' ii 'ETrivoidi {Quis rer. dives hwrea § 33. i. 495). DEUTEKONOMY DEUTEKO>vOMY 597 In Heb. lit«nCure the book waa known by a title taken from Its opening word*, "These are the words' (Olj^n nJ'K), or, atmply, 'word*' (C'n5^> In Rabbinic writing it ia sometimea cited aM 'The book of Threatening^' (n^np'B…
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia