Deuteronomy 7, Promises of Eden

Moses continues to teach on what it means to be fully consecrated to YHWH. Here he expounds on the second commandment, to not worship idols.

Deuteronomy 7:1-5, Confront idolatry

When the LORD your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations--the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you--and when the LORD your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy.

Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, for they will turn your sons away from following me to serve other gods, and the LORD's anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you.

This is what you are to do to them: Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones, cut down their Asherah poles and burn their idols in the fire.

There are to be no idols (such as the Asherah poles) nor are there to be idol worshipers.

As discussed elsewhere, the Hebrew word charam (חָרַם), translated in verse 2 as "completely destroyed", is ambiguous. It can mean "totally consecrate" -- that is, destroy or assimilate. 

Deuteronomy 7:6-8, A chosen holy people

For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

With these commands come, repeatedly, the statement that the people of Israel, themselves, are especially chosen and set apart for YHWH. They have a divine purpose, as part of his treasured possession.

Note a reference to this people being "few". This is one of many places that causes one to question the translations that give Israel a population of several million at this time.

Deuteronomy 7:9-11, Covenant of love

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands. 

But those who hate him he will repay to their face by destruction; 

he will not be slow to repay to their face those who hate him.

Therefore, take care to follow the commands, decrees and laws I give you today.
 

As God is faithful and loving, the people of Israel are also to be faithful.

Deuteronomy 7:12-15, Eden

If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the LORD your God will keep his covenant of love with you, as he swore to your forefathers.

He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your land--your grain, new wine and oil--the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks in the land that he swore to your forefathers to give you.

You will be blessed more than any other people; none of your men or women will be childless, nor any of your livestock without young.
 

The LORD will keep you free from every disease. He will not inflict on you the horrible diseases you knew in Egypt, but he will inflict them on all who hate you.
 

One sees images of Eden here! The people will be fruitful and multiply. The grain, wine, oil, calves and lambs will be in abundance! No one will be childless (very important in that culture!) and there will be freedom from disease! If only the people will be serious about following YHWH!

Currid argues that these verses include direct opposition to Canaanite deities, that the Hebrew words translated "young", "offspring", "grain" and "new wine" were also the names of gods Seger, Ashteroth, Dagon and Tiroth:

• sheger (שֶׁגֶר) is the Hebrew word for "young";
• ashtaroth (עַשְׁתְּרָה) is the Hebrew word for "offspring";
• dagan (דָּגָן) means "grain"; and
• tiroth (תִּירוֹשׁ) is "new wine."

If the people of Israel will follow YHWH, they will receive these bountiful gifts without needing to turn to Canaanite deities.

Deuteronomy 7:16-20, "But they are stronger!"

You must destroy all the peoples the LORD your God gives over to you. Do not look on them with pity and do not serve their gods, for that will be a snare to you.

You may say to yourselves, "These nations are stronger than we are. How can we drive them out?"
 

But do not be afraid of them; remember well what the LORD your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt.

You saw with your own eyes the great trials, the miraculous signs and wonders, the mighty hand and outstretched arm, with which the LORD your God brought you out. The LORD your God will do the same to all the peoples you now fear.

Moreover, the LORD your God will send the hornet among them until even the survivors who hide from you have perished.

Victory, in arms or natural plagues, is promised. The Israelites are not to be dismayed by the apparent strength (or size) of their enemies.

Commentators argue that the Hebrew word here translated "hornet", tsirah (צִרעָה), is a rare word, only occurring in three places in the Old Testament, all of them in versions of this statement. Some versions of the Bible translate this term as "terror" or "plague". See here for a discussion.

Deuteronomy 7:21-24, Awesome God!

Do not be terrified by them, for the LORD your God, who is among you, is a great and awesome God.
 

The LORD your God will drive out those nations before you, little by little. You will not be allowed to eliminate them all at once, or the wild animals will multiply around you.
 

But the LORD your God will deliver them over to you, throwing them into great confusion until they are destroyed.

He will give their kings into your hand, and you will wipe out their names from under heaven. No one will be able to stand up against you; you will destroy them.

Eventually, slowly, the Israelites will be victorious.

Deuteronomy 7:25-26, Do not covet their gods or possessions

The images of their gods you are to burn in the fire. Do not covet the silver and gold on them, and do not take it for yourselves, or you will be ensnared by it, for it is detestable to the LORD your God.

Do not bring a detestable thing into your house or you, like it, will be set apart for destruction. Utterly abhor and detest it, for it is set apart for destruction.

In their victories, the Israelites are not to long for the gods or possessions of the previous inhabitants.  The grass in the other yard is not that green!

Some Random Thoughts

If taken literally,  the "thousand generations" in verse 9 would suggest a period of 25,000 to 40,000 years.

First published April 24, 2023; updated April 23, 2026

Deuteronomy 6, Hear, O Israel!

Moses has been telling the story of the meeting with God in Sinai/Horeb. Now he expands on the Ten Commandments, beginning with the first commandment, to worship only YHWH.

Deuteronomy 6:1-3, Decrees for Canaan

These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.   

Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you.

"Hear, O Israel", will be a steady refrain from Moses. These are important principles that the Israelites should follow, in order to experience the beautiful land prepared for them.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Shema!

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.

Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

The "Shema" ("Hear, O Israel") will be a refrain for all Jews for all time. The commandments of Sinai are to be internalized, meditated upon.  Moses will elaborate on these throughout this book and so one might see this paragraph as a theme of the book.

An important part of the covenant is reviewing it with the next generation, so that each generation passes on these words.

The Israelites are not to make any "form" representing YHWH.  Instead the Law itself is to be physically visible to them -- they are read it, taste it, smell it, breathe it in.

Deuteronomy 6:10-12, What gifts you are about to receive!

When the LORD your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you--

a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, 

houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, 

wells you did not dig, 

and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant

--then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

The people are about to be given a rich land. The temptation, after a time, will be to take it all for granted. Note the rhythm of the four poetic lines, each emphasizing riches given generously to the Israelites.

Moses sees these gifts as the future of Israel. Many centuries later the Jewish leader Nehemiah will look back on these gifts as history in Nehemiah 9:25.

Deuteronomy 6:13-17, Do not look at other gods; do not test the one God

Fear the LORD your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name.  Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you; for the LORD your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land.

Do not test the LORD your God as you did at Massah.

Be sure to keep the commands of the LORD your God and the stipulations and decrees he has given you.

Repeated again and again (and routinely disobeyed!) is the command to follow only the One God.

The event at Massah occurs in Exodus 17:1-7. Although YHWH is gracious and loving, the Israelites are not to "test him", that is, treat him as a servant whom they may command.

Deuteronomy 6:18-19, The Promise

Do what is right and good in the LORD's sight, so that it may go well with you and you may go in and take over the good land that the LORD promised on oath to your forefathers, thrusting out all your enemies before you, as the LORD said.

The commandments always come with this promise. The eventual goal is a healthy and successful community.

Deuteronomy 6:20-25, "What is the meaning of these things?"

In the future, when your son asks you, "What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the LORD our God has commanded you?" tell him: "We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Before our eyes the LORD sent miraculous signs and wonders--great and terrible--upon Egypt and Pharaoh and his whole household. But he brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land that he promised on oath to our forefathers.
 

The LORD commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the LORD our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today. And if we are careful to obey all this law before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness."

Part of remembering these commandments includes regularly reminding one's children of the reasons for these actions. "Once we were slaves..." is part of the answer. 

Some Hebrew vocabulary

The command "Shema" (שָׁמַע) in verse 4 uses the verb shama,

שְׁמַ֖ע

"to hear."

First published April 22, 2023; updated April 22, 2026

Deuteronomy 5, Review of Commandments from Sinai

Moses has summarized the forty years of wilderness wanderings and has reviewed instructions from that time. Now he reminds the people of their commitments, as briefly summarized in the Ten Commandments. This is then followed by a series of decrees implied by those commandments.

Deuteronomy 5:1-5a, The covenant at Horeb

Moses summoned all Israel and said: Hear, O Israel, the decrees and laws I declare in your hearing today. Learn them and be sure to follow them.

"The LORD our God made a covenant with us at Horeb. It was not with our fathers that the LORD made this covenant, but with us, with all of us who are alive here today. The LORD spoke to you face to face out of the fire on the mountain. (At that time I stood between the LORD and you to declare to you the word of the LORD, because you were afraid of the fire and did not go up the mountain.) 

Although most of his audience was not born when the commandments were given at Sinai/Horeb, the covenant was still intended for this generation, the ones who will enter the promised land.

Deuteronomy 5:5b-11, I am the only God

And he said: "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

"You shall have no other gods before me.

"You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand [generations] of those who love me and keep my commandments.

"You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

The first three of the "Ten Words" describe the Israelite commitment to YHWH as supreme God. YHWH is (essentially) an invisible God Who created all things and so He is not be replaced by images, whether attempted images of YHWH or images of other gods.  

Those who identify themselves with His Name are to honor that name in their words (and actions.)

Of special importance is YHWH's work in Egypt, calling the Israelites out of slavery and protecting them along the way.

This section is essentially the same as Exodus 20:2-7.

Deuteronomy 5:12-15, Keep the Sabbath holy

"Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the LORD your God has commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor the alien within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest, as you do.

Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.

This commandment repeats the importance of the special Sabbath Day, a day that sets the people of Israel from others. This commandment is very similar to the commandment given in Exodus 20:8-11, but also a bit different. The ordering of individuals is slightly different and the motivation for the commandment is different. In the original command given at Sinai, the motivation is because of YHWH's seven Days of Creation. Here the motivation is because YHWH brought them out of Egypt, "with a mighty hand and outstretched arm." In either place, the principle is that keeping the Sabbath "holy" is because the powerful Creator of the universe, their power Savior from Egypt, has chosen them as a special people.

Commentators point out that the phrase "mighty hand and outstretched arm" is an Egyptian phrase, used by the Pharaoh to describe themselves. The Israelites are to remember Who really has that power!

Deuteronomy 5:16, Honor your parents

"Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is giving you.

This fifth commandment is close to that given in Exodus 20:12; the phrasing differs slightly. This commandment is "the first commandment with a promise" (Ephesians 6:1-3.)

Deuteronomy 5:16-18, Murder, adultery, theft

"You shall not murder.

"You shall not commit adultery.

"You shall not steal.

These three commandments are identical with those in Exodus 20:13-15. Each commandment is simply two Hebrew words, one of which is "Not" (lō, לֹא.) Less we misinterpret these simple commands, they will be expanded later in this book of Deuteronomy.

Deuteronomy 5:20, False testimony

"You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

This is the same as Exodus 20:16.

Don't lie. This is especially serious when it is used to slander others. One might include gossip within the boundaries of this commandment. Later passages of Deuteronomy will elaborate.

Deuteronomy 5:21, Don't covet

"You shall not covet your neighbor's wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor's house or land, his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."

Unlike Exodus 20:17, the neighbor's wife is now the first on the list and the house is second.  Maybe the first part, regarding coveting a neighbor's wife, needed to be stressed after forty years in the wilderness?  

Also added in the list of things that one might covet, in preparation for settling down in Canaan, is the neighbor's land.

As many have pointed out, this final commandment is a statement more about one's thoughts than one's actions.  It is a summary commandment -- if one does not covet, then one is unlikely to murder, commit adultery or steal -- or do many other similar actions that spring out of the desires of one's heart.

Deuteronomy 5:22, Two stone tablets

These are the commandments the LORD proclaimed in a loud voice to your whole assembly there on the mountain from out of the fire, the cloud and the deep darkness; and he added nothing more. Then he wrote them on two stone tablets and gave them to me.

The commandments are concluded.  Then they are written on two tablets (probably duplicate copies) and given to Moses.

Deuteronomy 5:23-27, A plea to Moses

When you heard the voice out of the darkness, while the mountain was ablaze with fire, all the leading men of your tribes and your elders came to me. And you said, "The LORD our God has shown us his glory and his majesty, and we have heard his voice from the fire. Today we have seen that a man can live even if God speaks with him. But now, why should we die? This great fire will consume us, and we will die if we hear the voice of the LORD our God any longer. For what mortal man has ever heard the voice of the living God speaking out of fire, as we have, and survived? Go near and listen to all that the LORD our God says. Then tell us whatever the LORD our God tells you. We will listen and obey."

The people plea for Moses to intervene. YHWH (Who created galaxies and stars -- and volcanoes and thunderstorms) is very frightening!

Deuteronomy 5:28-31, Stay here with Me

The LORD heard you when you spoke to me and the LORD said to me, "I have heard what this people said to you. Everything they said was good. Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!

"Go, tell them to return to their tents. But you stay here with me so that I may give you all the commands, decrees and laws you are to teach them to follow in the land I am giving them to possess."

YHWH is pleased with the response of the people.  But He invites Moses to stay with Him for a time, as there is more (much more) to discuss.

Deuteronomy 5:32-33, Walk straight, don't turn aside

So be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Walk in all the way that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.

The people are reminded -- keep your promise!  Don't wander from the path set before you!  (Will they follow this command? If you've been with us since Genesis 1, you -- sadly -- know the answer!)

First published April 21, 2023; updated April 21, 2026

Deuteronomy 4, Lessons from the Wilderness Wanderings

Moses is describing the past actions of the Israelites after they left Egypt.  The Israelites have passed peacefully though the lands of the Edomites and Moabites and defeated the kings of Sihon and then settled two-and-a-half tribes east of the Jordan.

Deuteronomy 4:1-4, The decrees you are to follow

Hear now, O Israel, the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you. Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you.

You saw with your own eyes what the LORD did at Baal Peor. The LORD your God destroyed from among you everyone who followed the Baal of Peor, but all of you who held fast to the LORD your God are still alive today.

Moses reminds the people that they are a nation of laws; they are the people of the covenant. In this regard, they are not to ignore the covenant instructions nor make up new ones.

The incident at Baal Peor occurs in Numbers 25 and is an example of the issues that will persist throughout the Israelite history in Canaan.

Deuteronomy 4:5-8, What other nation?

See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the LORD my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people."

What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him? And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?

A significant role of the Law was to be a witness to other nations. The decrees of the covenant were intended to lay out principles emphasizing worship of the One God, principles that focused on righteousness and justice and on laws that protected the poor and vulnerable. In that regard, the covenant law was different from the code of Hammurabi and unusual for the culture of the ancient Near East. So Moses asks, "What other nation can claim the righteousness invested in Israel through the covenant laws?"  

Deuteronomy 4:9, Only be careful

Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.
 

This admonition is thematic -- be careful, and teach these principles to your children so that they too may be careful! It is important that the principles of the Law be passed on to each generation. (We will see later that this transmission often broke down.)

Deuteronomy 4:10-14, Remember Sinai!

Remember the day you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, when he said to me, "Assemble the people before me to hear my words so that they may learn to revere me as long as they live in the land and may teach them to their children." 

You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain while it blazed with fire to the very heavens, with black clouds and deep darkness. Then the LORD spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of words but saw no form; there was only a voice.

He declared to you his covenant, the Ten Commandments, which he commanded you to follow and then wrote them on two stone tablets. And the LORD directed me at that time to teach you the decrees and laws you are to follow in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess.

 

Horeb is the same as Mount Sinai. Moses reviews the giving of the Law that is described in Exodus 19 and following chapters. As previously in Exodus 34:28, the core of the covenant is a collection of commandments that are here enumerated as the ten commandments.

Deuteronomy 4:15-19, Images forbidden

You saw no form of any kind the day the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore watch yourselves very carefully, so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman, or like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the air, or like any creature that moves along the ground or any fish in the waters below.

  

And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars--all the heavenly array--do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.

The temptation for all of us is to create a "form" or "shape" for God. Yet YHWH displayed no form at Sinai. The Israelites are not to make a "form" (an idol) for God. Nor are they to worship, in His stead, any part of His creation. (Worship of the sun, moon and stars was a significant part of the ancient Near East culture surrounding these tribes.)

Moses reminds the people of their horrible transgression, building a golden calf (see Exodus 32), while he was up on the mountain.

Deuteronomy 4:20, Saved from a furnace

But as for you, the LORD took you and brought you out of the iron-smelting furnace, out of Egypt, to be the people of his inheritance, as you now are.

The long hot years of wandering in the desert are about to end. "Remember from where you came", says Moses. In a common metaphor for the early Iron Age, Egypt acted as a furnace for Israel, creating the powerful nation they are to become. 

Deuteronomy 4:21-22, Moses's punishment

The LORD was angry with me because of you, and he solemnly swore that I would not cross the Jordan and enter the good land the LORD your God is giving you as your inheritance.

I will die in this land; I will not cross the Jordan; but you are about to cross over and take possession of that good land.

Moses, like the rest of the Hebrews, is forbidden to enter the Promised Land. The event that leads to this proscription is described in Numbers 20: 6-13.

Deuteronomy 4:23-24, Be careful...

Be careful not to forget the covenant of the LORD your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the LORD your God has forbidden. For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

Once again, the Israelites are warned against idolatry.  The Creator of the universe and Creator of their divine Covenant does not allow His people to substitute weak pieces of metal or cloth as their objects of worship.

Deuteronomy 4:25-28, Only the Covenant protects

After you have had children and grandchildren and have lived in the land a long time--if you then become corrupt and make any kind of idol, doing evil in the eyes of the LORD your God and provoking him to anger, I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you this day that you will quickly perish from the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess. You will not live there long but will certainly be destroyed. The LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and only a few of you will survive among the nations to which the LORD will drive you. There you will worship man-made gods of wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or eat or smell.

The Israelites will, again and again, ignore these commands, and return to the safety of images they can see and hold.

Deuteronomy 4:29-31, Seek YHWH

But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the LORD your God and obey him.

For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your forefathers, which he confirmed to them by oath.
 

Ultimately, however, the Israelites are invited to seek YHWH, to repent and return. This statement is as important as all the warnings; this statement will be repeated numerous times by the future prophets.

Deuteronomy 4:32-34, Three questions

Ask now about the former days, long before your time, from the day God created man on the earth; ask from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything so great as this ever happened, or has anything like it ever been heard of?

Has any other people heard the voice of God speaking out of fire, as you have, and lived?

Has any god ever tried to take for himself one nation out of another nation, by testings, by miraculous signs and wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, or by great and awesome deeds, like all the things the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your very eyes?

Seriously, is there any god like the One who created the universe? In a string of three questions, Moses challenges the people to think deeply on YHWH's works.

Deuteronomy 4:35-38, You are YHWH's chosen people, picked by Him long ago

You were shown these things so that you might know that the LORD is God; besides him there is no other. From heaven he made you hear his voice to discipline you. On earth he showed you his great fire, and you heard his words from out of the fire. Because he loved your forefathers and chose their descendants after them, he brought you out of Egypt by his Presence and his great strength, to drive out before you nations greater and stronger than you and to bring you into their land to give it to you for your inheritance, as it is today.
 

The divine promise, from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, is still in effect and still at work, says Moses.

Deuteronomy 4:39-40, Acknowledge YHWH!

Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other. Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the LORD your God gives you for all time.
 

The Hebrews are to "take to heart" these acts of YHWH.

Deuteronomy 4:41-43, Three sanctuary cities

Then Moses set aside three cities east of the Jordan, to which anyone who had killed a person could flee if he had unintentionally killed his neighbor without malice aforethought. He could flee into one of these cities and save his life. The cities were these: Bezer in the desert plateau, for the Reubenites; Ramoth in Gilead, for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, for the Manassites.

As described in other places, there are always sanctuary cities. The first three are set up on the east side of the Jordan. (The cities of refuge are described more fully in Numbers 35.)

Deuteronomy 4:44-49, Possession and victory

This is the law Moses set before the Israelites. These are the stipulations, decrees and laws Moses gave them when they came out of Egypt and were in the valley near Beth Peor east of the Jordan, in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon and was defeated by Moses and the Israelites as they came out of Egypt. They took possession of his land and the land of Og king of Bashan, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan. This land extended from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge to Mount Siyon (that is, Hermon), and included all the Arabah east of the Jordan, as far as the Sea of the Arabah, below the slopes of Pisgah.

This passage ends with a review of the history of the conquests of kingdoms in the Transjordan. Currid argues that this last passage most naturally fits as a beginning to the next text as it introduces the law material of chapter 5

(NIV footnotes: The Sea of the Arabah in verse 49 is the Dead Sea.)

First published April 20, 2023; updated April 20, 2026

Renewing the Covenant: An Introduction to Deuteronomy

At the end of the forty years of wilderness travel by the Israelites, we record the final teachings of Moses.  The is the fifth book of the Torah. It is called Deuteronomy (Greek for "Second Law"), as it reviews and repeats, for a second time, the giving of the Law at Sinai.

The book has roughly three parts. In the first eleven chapters, Moses speaks to the younger generation that will invade Canaan. He reviews the history of the last forty years, years during which they have been growing up while their parents have been dying. 

In the next chapters, Moses reviews the Law. This section elaborates on the Ten Commandments. For example, the Fifth Commandment, on honoring one's parents, leads to decrees related to other leadership structures, whether to priests, prophets or kings. The Sixth Commandment, regarding murder, is consistent with a number of decrees related to manslaughter, accidental death or unsolved murder. A series of decrees on sexual behavior and abuse are naturally connected to the Seventh Commandment, regarding adultery. The Eighth Commandment, regarding theft, leads to a variety of decrees on other ways one might cheat a neighbor, without stealing material objects. Some decrees, regarding taking care of the property of a neighbor, represent positive versions of the command to not covet.

In the third portion of the book, Moses issues a final challenge, Israel ratifies the covenant, Moses sings a worship song and then Moses dies on Mount Nebo.

Outline of the Book

Below is an attempt at an outline of the book, based on my own reading and Currid's commentary.

I. Prologue, chapters 1-11

    A. Review of the Exodus, chapters 1-3

    B. Call to Affirm the Covenant, 4-11

        1. Review of Ten Commandments, 4-5

        2. Decrees based on the First Commandment, 6-11

II. Terms of the Covenant, chapters 12-26

    A. Decrees based on the Second Commandment, chapter 12

    B. Decrees based on the Third Commandment, 13-14

    C. Decrees based on the Fourth Commandment, 14-16

    D. Decrees based on the Fifth Commandment, 16-18

    E. Decrees based on the Sixth Commandment, 19-22

    F. Decrees based on the Seventh Commandment, 22-23

    G. Decrees based on the Eighth Commandment, 23-24

    H. Decrees based on the Ninth and Tenth Commandments, 24-26

III. Conclusion, chapters 27-34

    A. Blessings and Curses of the Covenant, chapters 27-28

    B. Oath of the Covenant, 29-30

    C. Witnesses of the Covenant, 31

    D. Hymn Summarizing the Covenant, 32

    E. Final Blessing of Moses, 33

    F. Death of Moses, 34

Questions

Any modern reader will find Deuteronomy difficult. It appears to be a collection of laws and rules, some unmotivated, all embedded in an ancient Near Eastern (ANE) culture grounded in an agricultural tribal society.  From the beginning, a question for the modern reader who follows in the Jewish or Christian tradition: "What role does the Law have today?" As we get further into the book, especially around chapter 14, one can ask a more specific question: "Why were the Jews given these strange dietary laws?"

I will take a stab at answering these questions in two separate Sunday essays. The first of those essays has already been published during our reading of Exodus.  (A simplistic answer is that the "law" portion of Deuteronomy is an expansion of the principles sketched by the Ten Commandments.) The second essay will be published on a Sunday near the end of our reading of Deuteronomy on May 3, 2026.

References

In addition to occasionally reading the text in the translation, The Five Books of Moses, by Robert Alter, I will also use two commentaries. One is by John Currid, Deuteronomy (Evangelical Press Study Commentary, 2006, see here) and the other is by Peter Craigie,  The Book of Deuteronomy (The New International Commentary on the Old Testament, 1976, here.)  These two books are part of a collection of five commentaries recommended by Ligonier Ministries (see here.)

Currid is the commentary I go to first for insight into the various laws. Currid argues that Deuteronomy fits the format of an ancient Near East treaty and could be interpreted as a treaty between YHWH and the nation He rules.  (Bruce Baugus makes this point in a blog post here.) As we work through the book of Deuteronomy, I will try to point out insights Currid provides from this viewpoint.

As always, there is an awesome short introduction from the Bible Project.  

There are online commentaries provided by EasyEnglishBible, a charity based in the United Kingdom. They have two online commentaries on Deuteronomy:

1. Preparation for a New Life, by Ian Mackervoy
2. God's law of Love, by Philip Smith

These commentaries are easy to read, with deliberately simple language intended for those for whom English is a second language. The Old Testament text is included in the commentary. 

Other online references include a commentary by J. Gary Millar of The Gospel Coalition. The Gospel Coalition also has an online course on Deuteronomy here.

I have looked for classes on Deuteronomy of the calibre of Ime's class on Exodus (available through the Bible Project) but have not found any at this time.

Format

The format I've selected for this blog is always centered on the Old Testament text, from the New International Version (NIV), italicized in blue on the blog posts. At the head of each blue paragraph of text I place a short title; after the text I place my thoughts or comments in black.  (Those are my own reactions, with some gleanings from commentaries.  Feel free to disagree -- or to react in other ways!) I place hyperlinks in pink, created so that one can click on a link and see the linked site open in another window. (One pleasure of the blog is that I can create numerous hyperlinks, leading off into various rabbit holes! The post on Substack do not have the differentiating colors and not all links have been checked.)

One goal of this blog is to force me to read every verse thoughtfully. My comments are part of that process, creating a certain accountability for me in this study.  I hope that you, too, read the passages thoughtfully!

All comments, unless noted, are my own. I do not copy text from others nor do I use AI.

First published April 16, 2023; updated April 19, 2026

Deuteronomy 3, Conquest of the Transjordan

Moses is describing the past actions of the Israelites after they left Egypt. The Israelites have passed peacefully though the lands of the Edomites and Moabites and defeated the Amorite king, Sihon. The Israelites then turn north into the territory of Bashan, east of the Sea of Galilee. That area includes some of modern Syria and the Golan Heights.

Deuteronomy 3:1-7, Defeat of Og

Next we turned and went up along the road toward Bashan, and Og king of Bashan with his whole army marched out to meet us in battle at Edrei. 

    

The LORD said to me, "Do not be afraid of him, for I have handed him over to you with his whole army and his land. Do to him what you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon."

    

So the LORD our God also gave into our hands Og king of Bashan and all his army. We struck them down, leaving no survivors. At that time we took all his cities. There was not one of the sixty cities that we did not take from them--the whole region of Argob, Og's kingdom in Bashan. All these cities were fortified with high walls and with gates and bars, and there were also a great many unwalled villages. We completely destroyed them, as we had done with Sihon king of Heshbon, destroying every city--men, women and children.

    

But all the livestock and the plunder from their cities we carried off for ourselves.
 

The people of Og are destroyed (or assimilated) and the livestock captured. This battle is also described in Numbers 21:33-35.

The Hebrew of the Torah includes many rhythmic or poetic flourishes. There are, says Alter, wordplay on the same sounds (puns), along with parallelisms and climactic expansion (see the song of Moses for an example.)  Here, in verses 6 and 7, says Currid, is a simple ABBA chiasmus: 

    "we assimilated", 

        "men, women and children", 

        "livestock and plunder", 

    "we carried off."  

There are much more elaborate chiasmi in other places of the Torah. I will try to elaborate on Old Testament poetic flourishes in an upcoming Sunday essay.

Deuteronomy 3:8-11, Two kings down

So at that time we took from these two kings of the Amorites the territory east of the Jordan, from the Arnon Gorge as far as Mount Hermon. (Hermon is called Sirion by the Sidonians; the Amorites call it Senir.) We took all the towns on the plateau, and all Gilead, and all Bashan as far as Salecah and Edrei, towns of Og's kingdom in Bashan. (Only Og king of Bashan was left of the remnant of the Rephaites. His bed was made of iron and was more than thirteen feet long and six feet wide. It is still in Rabbah of the Ammonites.)

Once again we have a parenthetical comment on the fearful and giant Rephaites, who are no more. Commentators say that the "bed" of Og was probably a sarcophacus.

Deuteronomy 3:12-15, Two and a half tribes given Transjordan land

Of the land that we took over at that time, I gave the Reubenites and the Gadites the territory north of Aroer by the Arnon Gorge, including half the hill country of Gilead, together with its towns. The rest of Gilead and also all of Bashan, the kingdom of Og, I gave to the half tribe of Manasseh. (The whole region of Argob in Bashan used to be known as a land of the Rephaites. Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, took the whole region of Argob as far as the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites; it was named after him, so that to this day Bashan is called Havvoth Jair.)

    

And I gave Gilead to Makir.

 

The Reubenites, Gadites and half of the descendants of Manasseh will all settle east of the Jordan, unlike the other tribes. (The descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh, the two sons of Joseph, will be used to replace both Joseph and Levi, keeping the number of tribes at twelve.) From the point of view of most of Israel, west of the Jordan, these two-and-a-half tribes have settled in the Transjordan, across the Jordan from everyone else.

The region of Argob is not clear, say Currid. In some places it seems to merely be another term for Bashan; in other places (see I Kings 4:13) it is a subregion.

Jair was a judge in later Israel, briefly described in Judges 10:3-5.

Deuteronomy 3:16-20, Borders of the lands of Reuben and Gad

But to the Reubenites and the Gadites I gave the territory extending from Gilead down to the Arnon Gorge (the middle of the gorge being the border) and out to the Jabbok River, which is the border of the Ammonites. Its western border was the Jordan in the Arabah, from Kinnereth to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea), below the slopes of Pisgah.

    

I commanded you at that time: "The LORD your God has given you this land to take possession of it. But all your able-bodied men, armed for battle, must cross over ahead of your brother Israelites. However, your wives, your children and your livestock (I know you have much livestock) may stay in the towns I have given you, until the LORD gives rest to your brothers as he has to you, and they too have taken over the land that the LORD your God is giving them, across the Jordan. After that, each of you may go back to the possession I have given you."

The "Salt Sea" is the Dead Sea. The Transjordan tribes are to settle their land after they have helped conquer the land west of the Jordan.

The people of Gad, living in the Transjordan, are described in the Moabite Stone (Mesha Stele) during the later reign of Omri of Israel (c. 850 BC.)

The concept of "rest" (verse 20) will take on theological significance as the Israelites move into Canaan. (See Psalm 95:8-11 for an Old Testament example and Hebrews 4 for a New Testament example.)

 

Deuteronomy 3:21-22, Instructions to Joshua

At that time I commanded Joshua: "You have seen with your own eyes all that the LORD your God has done to these two kings. The LORD will do the same to all the kingdoms over there where you are going. Do not be afraid of them; the LORD your God himself will fight for you."

    

Moses is preparing Joshua for leadership.

Deuteronomy 3:23-29, Plea to see the land

At that time I pleaded with the LORD: "O Sovereign LORD, you have begun to show to your servant your greatness and your strong hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and mighty works you do? Let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan--that fine hill country and Lebanon."

    

But because of you the LORD was angry with me and would not listen to me. "That is enough," the LORD said. "Do not speak to me anymore about this matter. Go up to the top of Pisgah and look west and north and south and east. Look at the land with your own eyes, since you are not going to cross this Jordan. But commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see."

    

So we stayed in the valley near Beth Peor.

Currid sees verses 26-27 as an example of Hebrew rhythm: both "cross over" and "angry" have abar (עָבַר) as the root.

Sadly, our hero, Moses, must stay east of the Jordan.

First published April 19, 2023; updated April 18, 2026

Deuteronomy 2, Battles in the Desert

Moses is describing the past actions of the Israelites after they left Egypt.

Deuteronomy 2:1, The hill country of Seir

Then we turned back and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea, as the LORD had directed me. For a long time we made our way around the hill country of Seir.

The phrase "long time" summarizes some 38 years of wandering!

Deuteronomy 2:2-7, Now turn north

Then the LORD said to me, "You have made your way around this hill country long enough; now turn north. Give the people these orders: `You are about to pass through the territory of your brothers the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. They will be afraid of you, but be very careful.

    

Do not provoke them to war, for I will not give you any of their land, not even enough to put your foot on. I have given Esau the hill country of Seir as his own. You are to pay them in silver for the food you eat and the water you drink.'" 

The LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this vast desert. These forty years the LORD your God has been with you, and you have not lacked anything.

As the Israelites head north, towards Canaan, they are to pass peacefully through Edom. The Israelites are descendants of Jacob/Israel; the Edomites are descendants of Jacob's brother Esau.

Deuteronomy 2:8, Moab

So we went on past our brothers the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. We turned from the Arabah road, which comes up from Elath and Ezion Geber, and traveled along the desert road of Moab.

Moab is closer to Canaan.

Deuteronomy 2:9-12, The people of Moab

Then the LORD said to me, "Do not harass the Moabites or provoke them to war, for I will not give you any part of their land. I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot as a possession." (The Emites used to live there--a people strong and numerous, and as tall as the Anakites. Like the Anakites, they too were considered Rephaites, but the Moabites called them Emites. Horites used to live in Seir, but the descendants of Esau drove them out. They destroyed the Horites from before them and settled in their place, just as Israel did in the land the LORD gave them as their possession.)
 

We have here a brief history of the region of Moab and Seir. (Ar is apparently a region or town in Moab.)

Deuteronomy 2:13-15, Zered Valley

And the LORD said, "Now get up and cross the Zered Valley." So we crossed the valley.

Thirty-eight years passed from the time we left Kadesh Barnea until we crossed the Zered Valley. By then, that entire generation of fighting men had perished from the camp, as the LORD had sworn to them. The LORD's hand was against them until he had completely eliminated them from the camp.

The promised delay of almost 40 years has occurred. This incident and delay is described in Numbers 13.  The Zered Valley (Wadi Zered) apparently represents the end of the journey.  After this the Israelites prepare to enter Canaan.

Deuteronomy 2:16-23, Ammonites

Now when the last of these fighting men among the people had died, the LORD said to me, "Today you are to pass by the region of Moab at Ar. When you come to the Ammonites, do not harass them or provoke them to war, for I will not give you possession of any land belonging to the Ammonites. I have given it as a possession to the descendants of Lot." 

(That too was considered a land of the Rephaites, who used to live there; but the Ammonites called them Zamzummites. They were a people strong and numerous, and as tall as the Anakites. The LORD destroyed them from before the Ammonites, who drove them out and settled in their place. The LORD had done the same for the descendants of Esau, who lived in Seir, when he destroyed the Horites from before them. They drove them out and have lived in their place to this day. And as for the Avvites who lived in villages as far as Gaza, the Caphtorites coming out from Caphtor destroyed them and settled in their place.)

This passage has the second of two parenthetical comments. The term "Rephaites" is unclear, as is "Zamzummites". John Currid's commentary identifies the Zamzummites with the Zuzites of Genesis 14:5, which also includes a statement about Rephaites. The Hebrew word for Rephaim (says Currid) may be related to rapha, a Hebrew word for shades, ghosts, departed spirits. If so, it may be represent an extinct tribe that, once feared, is no longer frightening.

(NIV footnotes: Caphtor in verse 23 is possibly Crete.)

Deuteronomy 2:24-29, Entering the land of the Amorites

"Set out now and cross the Arnon Gorge. See, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his country. Begin to take possession of it and engage him in battle. This very day I will begin to put the terror and fear of you on all the nations under heaven. They will hear reports of you and will tremble and be in anguish because of you."

    

From the desert of Kedemoth I sent messengers to Sihon king of Heshbon offering peace and saying, "Let us pass through your country. We will stay on the main road; we will not turn aside to the right or to the left. Sell us food to eat and water to drink for their price in silver. Only let us pass through on foot-- as the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir, and the Moabites, who live in Ar, did for us--until we cross the Jordan into the land the LORD our God is giving us."

 

Peace is offered to Sihon, just as it was offered earlier to Moab. Moses stresses that the Israelites will stay on the main road, turning neither left nor right, but moving straight through. And they will pay for supplies. They do not intend to be a threat.

Deuteronomy 2:30-37, Defeat of Sihon

But Sihon king of Heshbon refused to let us pass through. For the LORD your God had made his spirit stubborn and his heart obstinate in order to give him into your hands, as he has now done. The LORD said to me, "See, I have begun to deliver Sihon and his country over to you. Now begin to conquer and possess his land."

    

When Sihon and all his army came out to meet us in battle at Jahaz, the LORD our God delivered him over to us and we struck him down, together with his sons and his whole army. At that time we took all his towns and completely destroyed them--men, women and children. We left no survivors. But the livestock and the plunder from the towns we had captured we carried off for ourselves. From Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge, and from the town in the gorge, even as far as Gilead, not one town was too strong for us. The LORD our God gave us all of them.

    

But in accordance with the command of the LORD our God, you did not encroach on any of the land of the Ammonites, neither the land along the course of the Jabbok nor that around the towns in the hills.

Sihon refuses the peace offer and so we have one of the major battles of the wilderness wanderings. This battle is foreshadowed in YHWH's covenant with Abraham; in Genesis 15:16, YHWH tells Abram/Abraham that his descendants will return later when the sin of the Amorites has "reached its full measure."

In many places the Hebrew term charam (חָרַם), translated in verse 34 as "completely destroyed", is ambiguous. The Strong's concordance entry (link above) says it can mean "to ban, devote, destroy utterly, exterminate." At times it means "exterminate" while in other places it seems to mean "devoting" or "submitting" something to God, and so it could indicate that a people were assimilated or converted.

First published April 18, 2023; updated April 17, 2026