Deuteronomy in the Bible Encyclopedia - ISBE
LITERATURE
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 Dt 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 speaking at Yahweh's command to
Israel (1:1-4; 5:1; 29:1). It is a hortatory recapitulation
of various addresses delivered at various times and places
in the desert wanderings--a sort of homily on the
constitution, the essence or gist of Moses' instructions to
Israel during the forty years of their desert experience. It
is "a Book of Reviews"; a translation of Israel's redemptive
history into living principles; not so much a history as a
commentary. There is much of retrospect in it, but its main
outlook is forward. The rabbins speak of it as "the Book of
Reproofs." It is the text of all prophecy; a manual of
evangelical oratory; possessing "all the warmth of a
Bernard, the flaming zeal of a Savonarola, and the tender,
gracious sympathy of a Francis of Assisi." The author's
interest is entirely moral. His one supreme purpose is to
arouse Israel's loyalty to Yahweh and to His revealed law.
Taken as a whole the book is an exposition of the great
commandment, "Thou shalt love Yahweh thy God with all thy
heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." It
was from Deuteronomy that Jesus summarized the whole of the
Old Covenant in a single sentence (Mt 22:37; compare Dt
6:5), and from it He drew His weapons with which to vanquish
the tempter (Mt 4:4,7,10; compare Dt 8:3; 6:16,13)...
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