Preliminary thoughts on Deuteronomy 2005 September 21 for October 19^th

Deuteronomy is the final book of the five books of the law by Moses. In it, we see reiterations of portions of the law including the Ten Commandments, more of the adventures of the Israelites as they finally near the Promised Land, and the death of Moses. The introductory section in my Bible indicates that this material is largely a collection of the speeches of Moses to the nation, emphasizing their history with God, the laws, and the necessity of preserving their relationship with God.

Some say that Moses couldn't have written the book because it records his death, but, as Scriptural criticism goes, this is beyond simple-minded. It would be trivial for someone to scribe in Moses' departure at the very end of his book.

Too bad we don't have the actual original; we could check the handwriting on this point. Of course, being around 120 years old, he may have been dictating. A book alleging to contain mostly the last speeches of Moses might well have been compiled from writers in the audience. Indeed, Moses may have dictated everything he ever wrote (in which case, his transcriptionist would certainly have closed the work with the account of his death). I don't know anything about what is known of these matters now so I won't speculate further.

Though I have read through the Bible a few times I have never paid much attention while wading through Deuteronomy. Although I have heard sermons and Bible lessons from Deuteronomy, even recently, none of them stand out in my recollection. So, with Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers fresh in mind, we will now see how much the book of Deuteronomy adds to the opus of the law and to the record of the people of God.

Deuteronomy 1 2005 September 22 for October 20^th

We begin near the time when Israel will actually cross the Jordan into the Promised Land with a remembrance of the events just preceding the first attempt at entry into the land a generation ago. This time it is cast as a discussion between Moses and the people. The narrative is of an address that Moses gave to the people, "East of the Jordan in the territory of Moab, Moses began to expound this law, saying:"

The remembrance begins with Horeb. It was time to look into the territories that they had been given by God. There were too many Israelites for Moses to look after all of their problems. At their request, Moses appointed leaders with authority over them, people who they selected themselves and were then approved and installed by Moses. He authorized leaders over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. Their instructions were not to show partiality in hearing cases, not on resident or alien, not on wealth or lack of it, not on greatness or obscurity. And, 'you remember the rest of what I told you,' Moses said, moving on with his speech after this "et cetera" clause.

The people also requested representative spies to go check out their land of inheritance and Moses approved this and appointed the spies. They came back fearful, exaggerating the power and even the size of the current residents. They claimed to have seen the Anakites there, a tribe of giants who had been extinct since the flood. They brought back fruit, demonstrating the great wealth there.

This was seen as rebellion and God told them, 'Fine, go back out into the desert; no one alive today except Joshua and Caleb will enter the Promised Land.' At this they repented and went to do battle on the frontier anyway, over Moses' strict advice not to, and they were routed.

Deuteronomy 2 2005 September 23 for October 21^st

The next section is a retelling of the thirty eight years of wandering in the desert, ending with the first conquests after "that entire generation of fighting men had perished from the camp," the ones who had been too fearful to take the Promised Land the first time, two years after the Exodus.

"For a long time we made our way around the hill country of Seir."

After that God had them travel through the various peoples in the area. In each case he told them that they were not getting any of the land, "not even enough to put your foot on" and that they were not to disturb or harass the inhabitants but to pay with silver for food and other things they used.

First they would pass through Seir, the hill country that was given to Esau, Jacob's brother in Genesis. Next they turned and "traveled along the desert road of Moab."

Some history is given about the various peoples in the various places. For instance, the Horites used to live in Seir until the descendants of Esau drove them out.

Finally they crossed the Zered Valley and when they did this, it marked the thirty-eight years of travel and the death of the last of the men who rebelled on the earlier approach to their Promised Land. Some people called the Emites had used to live there. It says that they were as tall as the Anakites, but they didn't live there anymore. I think Moses is telling them that when the spies said that they had seen the Anakites, they were mistaken. Other places where it talks about the Anakites, it doesn't make this correction.

They continued through Moab at a place called Ar and were not to provoke the Ammonites who lived there "for I will not give you possession of any land belonging to the Ammonites." They were descendants of Lot, Abraham's nephew.

But, the next place they were to go, across the Arnon Gorge, they would encounter "Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon." God told them to begin to take that country because he would give it over to them.

They sent messengers ahead to Sihon ask for peaceful passage through Heshbon citing the peaceful passages through Edom and Moab as positive references. Sihon refused, however. Moses' interpretation of this refusal is, "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." This reminds us of Pharaoh.

The Israelites met Sihon and his army at Jahaz and prevailed. They killed Sihon and all his sons and all the men, women, and children, saving only the livestock and other possessions as plunder. Then, they continued to conquer all the towns in the region similarly, staying away from the Ammonites and the land around the Jabbok.

Deuteronomy 3 2005 September 26 for October 24^th

The conquests of the occupying Israelites continue. God gave Og, King of Bashan, to them. Apparently a large man, his bed was thirteen feet long and six wide. In that region, they conquered sixty fortified cities and numerous additional un-walled towns, leaving no survivors but only plundering the livestock. It claims that only Og, the king himself, was left of all the conquered people. It doesn't say what became of him. The borders of this plundered area are detailed.

"Fortified" in this context means cities with "high wall and with gates and bars."

This action cleared the land so that it could be given to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh, two and a half tribes by the standard count. The text does not mention the negotiation over this point that we saw in Numbers, but it does reiterate the rules for the inheritance, that the men would leave their families and livestock behind in these occupied cities and would go fight with the rest of their brothers on the other side of the Jordan when the time came to take that land.

Using these conquests as an example, Moses instructed Joshua to be fearless when he attacked the Promised Land on the other side of the Jordan. Moses also prayed fervently to be allowed to go into that land and see it with his own eyes, but this was denied and God told him not to bring it up anymore. Instead, he was commanded to strengthen and encourage Joshua who would take over the duties of civil rule after Moses was gone.

Moses, therefore, would join the rebellious generation in being denied entrance to the Promised Land.

Deuteronomy 4:1 - 31 2005 September 27 for October 25^th

We now begin a recitation of the laws. Remember that the Israelites had no written Bible from which to learn the Word of God by any form of study or training. They had only the Word from Moses and, on that day in Horeb, they were all assembled to hear him speak it.

The speech begins with an encouragement about how much better the real God is than the gods that are made out of wood and so forth. This "God is near us whenever we pray to him." And his laws are totally righteous, unlike any others.

Also he exhorts them to remember being brought out of that "iron-smelting furnace, out of Egypt, to be the people of his inheritance, as you are now." This God we speak of did all of that.

The Ten Commandments were given on two stone tablets and the Israelites are directed to expend significant mental energy remembering and teaching and observing all of the regulations.

The first is not to have idols, to be careful not to carve or mold or otherwise form any shapes like men or women or birds or animals or fish or whatever, for worshipping. Some religious persuasions prohibit children from having dolls based on this instruction. Also, don't look up and worship the sun, moon, or stars.

Perhaps then they stay indoors.

If you follow God and not idols, you will live a long time in the Promised Land but if you don't you will be scattered and destroyed. Only a remnant will survive to try again, and if they follow only God they will be blessed. Regardless, God would "never abandon or destroy you", something that he had confirmed with their forefathers on oath.

Though God had been close to destroying all the people several times with Moses, there was never any intention of not continuing with some remnant, such as Moses himself.

Deuteronomy 4:32 - 5:22 2005 October 3 for 26^th

Moses continues his speech, alternating laws with exhortations:

Has anything like this ever been seen from the creation of man until now, that God chose one nation and brought them out of another nation using miracles and wonders, then spoke to them in fire and cloud?

The reason you saw all this was so that you would understand that there is no other god but God. These laws and regulations you receive today are from this same God.

Three cities of refuge are named: Bezer, Ramoth, and Golan.

The following are the laws given through Moses after their victories against Sihon and Og, kings of the Amorites and Bashan. This was the covenant made at Horeb and God made this covenant with those alive right then, face to face.

God declares himself, "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery."

Have no other gods.

Make no idols of any sort.

Don't misuse the name of God.

Keep the Sabbath.

Honor your father and mother so you will have a long peaceful life.

Don't murder.

Don't commit adultery.

Don't steal.

Don't give false testimony.

Don't covet anything of your neighbor's, from wife down to donkey down to anything.

Deuteronomy 5:23 - 6:25 2005 October 3 for 27^th

After God spoke the Ten Commandments to Moses, he wrote them on stone. The leaders of the people were frightened, understanding that no one had ever heard the voice of God and lived to ponder it before. They told Moses to go up on the mountain and find out what it was that God wanted, and that they would do whatever it was.

God was pleased with this and said, "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!" He then told them to go back to their tents but for Moses to stay and receive all of the law.

They are first instructed to do whatever you can to remember God's laws and decrees. Write them on slips of paper and sew them into your clothes or tape them to your forehead, or write them on your gateposts or the doorframe to your house. Talk to your children about them all the time. When you get up, think about the law and when you go to bed, think about the law.

When you are in a country that you didn't develop, drinking out of wells you didn't dig, living in houses you didn't build, don't forget about God or his law. Take your oaths in God's name and don't follow any other gods. In particular, these people you are displacing will have other gods. They are fakes. Don't follow them; follow only the real God.

When your kids ask why we do all this, tell them all about the law and about Egypt and Pharaoh and the long trip through the desert and the victories under God's command.

Deuteronomy 7 - 8 2005 October 4 for 28^th

The directive for the nations they will drive out of their land, seven are named, is to have nothing to do with them. Make no treaties and do not intermarry but destroy them totally. Otherwise, they will tempt you into worshipping other gods.

God didn't pick the Israelites because of their great numbers. They were smallest in number. Through God's greatness, a weak nation was removed from a strong one, Israel from Egypt. He will keep "his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands." Notice that, even at sixteen years per generation, not even half a thousand generations have passed since this was written, but the people through all those ages have not all loved God and kept his commandments.

And, "those who hate him he will repay to their face by destruction."

The benefits of following the laws are that population will increase, no one will be childless, no one will lack bread or other necessities, and diseases will be inflicted on enemies, not you.

Don't be afraid of those nations that are being driven out. When God gives them over, their strength doesn't matter. He can send in hornets if he wants, for example. But, when you plunder them, don't keep any of the idols or gods, or the metal in them as personal property. They are detestable and will make you into the enemy of God.

When you wandered in the desert, "your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell." God took care of you and humbled you for forty years.

The land you are taking is wonderful, "a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills."

You will eat enough and have fine houses and flocks but don't think that you accomplished this by yourself by your own strength and effort. Remember the sustenance in the desert? Manna that no one had ever heard of before, or since, brought you through, manna from God.

But, follow other gods and you will be destroyed too.

Moses speaks and writes all this in the future tense because he is not going with them into these battles and possessions.

Deuteronomy 9 2005 October 4 for 31^st

Moses continues. You, (the Israelites) are about to go take the land away from people who seem like giants, whose cities have "walls up to the sky" but God will destroy them before you, the victory will be quick.

When this happens, don't think it is because of your righteousness. It is because of their wickedness, and because of God's oath to your forefathers. "Understand then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people."

Moses then retold the story of the Golden Calf. While he was up on the mountain, fasting and praying for forty days and forty nights and receiving the law from God, God told Moses how the people were sinning in the camp below. Moses came down with one tablet in each hand and sure enough, they were worshipping an idol they had made.

Moses broke the tablets of the law on the ground in front of them, then lay prostrate fasting for another forty days. He ground up the calf and threw the gold dust into a stream, and he held God off from destroying them by introducing the idea that God's reputation would be ruined if he brought Israel this far only to destroy them. The other nations would wonder what kind of God this was. In other words, was he vengeful? Did he lack power to take care of all those people?

God was angry with Aaron too. Moses prayed for him too and God relented.

Deuteronomy 10 2005 October 6 for November 1^st

Moses was instructed to cut out new tablets and build a container for them, an ark. Moses did this then went back up on the mountain where God wrote the commandments on these new stones. From this we get the term, "written in stone."

After this, he came back down the mountain and put the tablets in the ark. They were still there at the time of this writing.

Moses then digressed into a discussion of the travels of the Israelis, the death of Aaron, and the covenant that the Levites would always carry the ark and have God as their inheritance instead of any lands.

"And now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for you own good?"

What indeed, but this is still an elegant summary of the whole speech thus far. It sounds relatively simple, in theory. I particularly like the "for your own good" part. Often rules and disciplines are seen, and practiced, as punitive when the opposite is God's intent.

Everything belongs to God, up to and including the "highest heavens" but he chose this people, beginning with their forefathers, to love. Reciprocate, therefore.

This is the character of God: "The great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing." His people are to do likewise.

Much is based on these statements and others like them. God has a personality. We see part of it here. We see part of it in the creation itself and the rules that govern it. This is our model.

There were seventy of these people when they went down to Egypt and by now they were "as numerous as the stars in the sky."

Deuteronomy 11 2005 October 6 for November 2^nd

Moses reminds the people that their children now did not see any of the signs and wonders that God worked in the exodus from Egypt, the defeat of the Egyptian army, the first Passover, the crossing of the Sea of Reeds, the earthquakes in the middle of the desert that swallowed up the rebels alive. The adults now listening had seen these things, but only as children.

He then sets up the blessing and curse. Do everything commanded and things will be good. The crops and flocks will be productive, the weather will be appropriate, all of the gardens will work out, the animals will have plenty to eat, and everyone will live a long time in peace. As mariners would think of it, seas will always be following seas.

Turn away from the things commanded and perish quickly, nothing will grow, everyone will go hungry. By turning away, God is primarily talking about turning to other gods, strange gods that they have not known. To get the punishment fast, just bow down to one of those inanimate pieces of wood.

The inheritance and its geography are then reiterated as is the method of remembering all of the rules so that they will be followed religiously: "Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gatesÉ"

This deals with all of the means of learning, visual, auditory, tactile, and so on.

Deuteronomy 12 2005 October 7 for November 3^rd

God will pick one place of worship in the occupied land. The people who are being dispossessed worship all over the place, on the hillsides, out in fields, or wherever else is convenient. They have altars and accoutrements at these places. All of this must be destroyed, smashed, removed, and forgotten in the process of the overthrow. Not only that, but in worshipping their own true God, the Israelites are not to worship in those ways, doing whatever they see fit. They do this sort of "whatever seems right" activity now because they are not settled, but when they are settled and the one place of worship is chosen; that is where all the offerings will go, burnt, firstborn, sin, atonement, free will, and so forth.

This doesn't mean that the Israelites can't kill and eat meat near their homes, it only means that the things that are offered to God, that are sacred, have to be offered at the one place, by regulation. Ceremonially clean or unclean, it is all fine to eat wherever, but for offerings, the animals must be clean and offered in the specified place by the specified people in the specified way.

Nonetheless, when you kill something to eat it, don't eat the blood.

Also, when people are driven out, the Israelites are not to inquire about how worship of those other gods is done. There is no point. It will not be acceptable or tolerated to worship God in those other ways or in those other places and it is certainly forbidden to worship the other gods.

"You must not worship the Lord you God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the Lord hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.

"See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it."

Deuteronomy 13 - 14:21 2005 October 7 for November 4^th

Moses spends more time relating God's jealousy. If a prophet seems to be a true prophet, even if his prophecies come true, if he tries to entice you to worship other gods, he must be put to death. Even if it is your wife or other close family member, not only must they be put to death for this but you, the one enticed, must be "the first in putting them to death." This is intended to strike fear in the people and prevent even a thought of unfaithfulness.

What is more, if a town, one of the towns that will be taken over as part of the inheritance, goes astray, if the leadership gets people involved in worshipping other gods (and it says, repeatedly and parenthetically, "gods you have not known"), then the town is to be razed, everyone killed, and all of the possessions piled up in the middle of the square and burned as a burnt offering to God. The town is never to be rebuilt and it is a capital offense for any person to take any of the plunder out of the pile.

The lists of what animals, fish and birds are clean to eat, or unclean and detestable, and the criteria for determining them (split hoof, chews the cud, scales, etc.) are reiterated along with long lists of what is and is not acceptable for food. And, as before, the list ends with, "Do not cook a young goat in its mother's milk." Also, the Israelites are not to "cut yourselves or shave the front of your heads for the dead." I think these are specific references to local, pagan practices of the time.

Deuteronomy 14:22 - 15:23 2005 October 10 for November 7^th

A tithe of everything that the fields produce is to be brought in and eaten "before the Lord." If the place of worship is too far, sell your produce for silver, take that to the place, and buy whatever you want for the celebration. Every third year, bring all the tithes in for storage in the towns.

This is the origin of the money-changing institutions around the temple with which Jesus became so infuriated.

"And do not neglect the Levites living in your towns, for they have no inheritance of their own."

It does not specifically say that the tithes are for the Levites, or not.

Every seventh year, cancel all debts. If you obey all the laws, the land you are being given will be so fruitful that there will be no poor. Your nation will be prosperous and you will loan to other nations but never need to borrow. Nonetheless, there will always be poor, so give them whatever they need. Don't refuse to loan to them when the seventh year (of debt cancellation) is near. That would be sin.

Any slave you have must be set free in the seventh year, and what is more, make sure he is well provisioned when he leaves. Give him grain and flocks and wine, among other wealth, so that he can get going on his own.

The seventh year is the year of social equalization. Those who have not done well will survive and will benefit at the hand of those who have, because those who have done well will have slaves and will be able to make loans both of which are cancelled in the seventh year.

I'm not sure how closely this matches the material along these same lines in Leviticus, but the fiftieth year, the Sabbath of Sabbaths, the Jubilee, is not mentioned here.

Either is a far cry from the rules of commerce that we have today, though we do have concepts of bankruptcy and debt cancellation or forgiveness. It seems to me that some readings of this material, which focus on personal morality and accountability, largely ignore notions of jubilee. They are demonstrably anti-capitalistic, after all.

If a slave wants to stay permanently in his position, "then take an awl and push it through his ear lobe into the door, and he [or she] will become your servant for life."

"Do not consider it a hardship to set your servant free, because his service to you these six years has been worth twice as much as that of a hired hand." This makes a distinction between servants and slaves.

Again, every firstborn of everything belongs to God. They are not to be put to work. Any firstborn animals are to be eaten "before the Lord" each year, as are the tithes. Of course, do not eat blood; pour it out on the ground like water.

It does not say if the firstborns can be counted among the tithes, or must not be.

Deuteronomy 16:1 - 20 2005 October 11 for November 8^th

The feasts and festivals are listed beginning with the Passover. Passover is a remembrance of being brought out of Egypt by God and the preparations that the Israelites had to make. At the place where God chooses, a lamb is chosen and sacrificed. None of the meat may be left until the next day. Eat unleavened bread for a week. "Let no yeast be found in your possession in all your land for seven days." At the end, a Sabbath-like assembly is held.

Seven weeks after the beginning of the harvest, the Feast of Weeks is held. It is another celebrative festival at the place where God chooses "as a dwelling for his Name."

Seven days after the end of the harvest, celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles "for the Lord your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete."

At this point, there are only three nationwide festivals specified.

In order that justice may be dispensed fairly throughout the land without bribes, perversion, or partiality, judges will be appointed in each town. "Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the land the Lord your God is giving you."

Deuteronomy 16:21 - 18:13 2005 October 13 for November 9^th

When the altar to God is set up as he directs, no one is to put an "Asherah pole" or "sacred stone" next to it. The Lord detests these other forms of worship.

No sacrifice to God shall have any defect or blemish.

Anyone who worships other gods, or the sun or moon or stars, and bows down to them will be guilty. After a thorough investigation, they will be killed, with the first witness acting first. No one can be convicted on the testimony of only one witness; at least two are required.

When cases are too hard for the local judges, take them to the Levites and the high priest who is in charge at the designated place of worship. When he gives a ruling, be sure to do exactly as he says. Anyone who "turns aside" from their directives is showing contempt and "must be put to death." This is meant as a deterrent to others being contemptuous.

When settled in the Promised Land, if you want a king to rule over you, be sure and only appoint the king that God chooses. That king must write, in his own hand, a copy of the law that he will keep with him and read all of the time. That will be his job, total familiarity with the law. Further, he is not to use the kingship to build wealth, or collect horses, gold, or wives. Many wives might lead him astray into the worship of other gods.

The offerings that people bring to God will be for the use of the Levites. Certain parts of animal sacrifices (such as the shoulder and the inner parts) are reserved for the Levites. Also, the first fruits of the harvests, offered to God, go to the Levites for their support.

If a Levite lives someplace and sells out to move to the designated place for worship of God, even if he gets money for leaving his old home, he is still due a full share of the things brought to the Levites for their support.

Finally, there is a list of specific prohibitions: "Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead." These things are all detestable to God, they are the reason that he is driving the current occupants of the Promised Land out. The Israelites are not to do such things and thus become guilty themselves.

Deuteronomy 18:14 - 19:21 2005 October 15 for November 10^th

Since at Mt. Horeb the people had said "Let us not hear the voice of the Lord our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die," God said he would appoint a prophet to speak for him. This prophet would be like Moses in that he would have God's word in his mouth but he must be careful not to say more or less than God does. How will the people be able to tell? If the thing that the prophet says does not come true, it is not from God. "Do not be afraid of him." Do not follow those "who practice sorcery or divination."

The three cities of refuge are for people who kill other people by accident and "without malice aforethought." For example, if someone is cutting wood in the forest and the axe head flies off and kills his neighbor, he is not guilty, but the "avenger of blood" will be in a rage and will go after him anyway. This is the type of circumstance under which someone may flee to a city of refuge, hoping to arrive there before the avenger.

This convention of refuge is not to be used for those who commit pre-meditated murder, someone who "lies in wait for him, assaults and kills him." The elders in the city of refuge are to turn him over and he is to be put to death.

A matter must be established by two or three witnesses, not just one. If someone maliciously gets up to testify, the "judges must make a thorough investigation" and if the witnesses turns out to be lying, he must suffer the punishment that he was intending for his victim opponent on trial. "The rest of the people will hear of this and be afraid, and never again will such an evil thing be done among you."

"Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot."

Deuteronomy 20 - 21 :21 2005 October 15 for November 11^th

When it is time to go to war, an army will be raised. Don't be afraid of the enemy, the high priest will come out and give a pep talk. The officers will then poll the army to see if anyone is there who is not totally focused on the battle. Anyone who has built a new house but not dedicated it, who has planted a vineyard but not enjoyed it, who is pledged to be married but hasn't married, or in general, anyone who is "afraid or faint-hearted" will be sent home to deal with their business. Then the officers will appoint commanders and they will go to war.

Would that the U.S. military draft had such purpose centered sensibility.

If the city being attacked opens the gates and offers peace, then they will be subject to forced labor. If they refuse, a siege will be conducted and when the city falls, all of the men will be killed while the women, children, and livestock are taken as plunder. These rules apply to enemy cities outside of the Promised Land. For those inside, everything that breathes, even the animals, are to be totally destroyed, but not the trees. Fruit trees are to be left standing, but trees that do not bear food may be cut down and used for siege works.

There is a protocol, a sacrifice and a ceremony, for the case where a man is found slain in a field and no one knows who did it. An expensive heifer (that has never been worked) will be brought to a stream near the field and its neck broken. Everyone in the community will swear that they did not commit the murder. "So you will purge from yourselves the guilt of shedding innocent blood, since you have done what is right in the eyes of the Lord."

If in conquest, you are attracted to one of the conquered women, you may take her as a wife, however, when taking her home she must first shave her head and clip her nails and mourn for her parents for a month before being married. After this, if she is not "pleasing," she must be released, not sold as a slave, since she has already been dishonored.

When a man has two wives and the firstborn son is not from the wife he loves most, he must still give the firstborn his inheritance, 2/3 of the estate. Jacob himself, we recall, had this problem.

If parents have a "stubborn and rebellious son" who is disobedient, they are to drag him in front of the elders and proclaim, "This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey us. He is a profligate and a drunkard." Then he is to be stoned to death by "all the men of his town," as a deterrent to any other such behavior.

When I was a young man myself I read commentary on this where the author said this was never actually done but was just used to keep kids at home under control. I don't know why the commentator thinks he knows that this was never done but I do remember that this thought was among my first that maybe we don't want to take a cold, literal, heartless view on every word of the Bible. It was also an early notion that some of this might be little more than crowd control. I'm not trying to minimize, however, the cost and heartbreak of profligacy and drunkenness.

Deuteronomy 21:22 - 22:30 2005 October 17 for November 14^th

The exposition continues with laws of various sorts.

If a man put to death is hung from a tree, the body is not to be left hanging overnight, but must be buried. Else, the land is desecrated.

If a brother loses an animal or a cloak or some property and you find it, you are to take it back to him. If you don't know to whom it belongs, keep it until he comes looking and then give it back. If you find him along the road having trouble with his animal, help him.

"A woman must not wear men's clothing, nor a man wear women's clothing, for the Lord your God detests anyone who does this."

If you find a bird nesting, you can eat the eggs, "but be sure to let the mother go, so that it may go well with you and you may have a long life."

If you build a house, put a parapet around the roof so that no one falls off.

Don't plant two kinds of seed in a vineyard or it "will be defiled."

"Do not plow with an ox and a donkey yoked together." "Do not wear clothes of wool and linen woven together." "Make tassels on the four corners of the cloak you wear."

Some of these rules seem sensible or kind, others seem pointless or, at least, out of context.

About marriage: If a man marries but doesnÕt like his wife and tries to get out of the marriage by claiming that she wasn't a virgin, but the parents have proof that she was a virgin, the man will be punished with a fine of two and a half pounds of silver which is given to the girl's father. After this, the man can never divorce her. If the parents cannot prove virginity, however, she is to be stoned to death on the assumption that she has been "promiscuous while still in her father's house."

The rules of evidence for this case are not well specified here except that the parents are apparently supposed to be in possession of a cloth from the marriage bed, presumably with blood on it.

It is not clear why the punishment for outright hard-hearted lying is so small compared to the punishment for presumed and unproven guilt.

If a man sleeps with another man's wife, they must both die.

If a man sleeps with a virgin who is pledged to be married to someone else and it happens in town, they are both to be put to death, "the girl because she was in a town and did not scream for help." If it happens in the country, only the man is put to death because the girl (could have) screamed but no one heard. Both cases are classified as rape.

If the girl is not pledged, the man must pay 1-1/4 pound of silver to the father and marry her. They can never be divorced.

Although adultery is still taken reasonably seriously in our modern culture, any consequence of fornication such as this is totally out of style.

No man can marry his father's wife. "He must not dishonor his father's bed."

Moses would have known the patriarchal story of Judah and Tamar.

Deuteronomy 23 - 24:13 2005 October 18 for November 15^th

The following people are excluded from the "assembly of the Lord," Anyone emasculated by either crushing or cutting, anyone from a forbidden marriage (footnote says, "or illegitimate" to the tenth generation, and any Ammonite or Moabite to the tenth generation, due to the deal with Balaam. On the other hand, "do not abhor an Edomite" or an Egyptian. The first were your brothers and the second were your hosts when you were slaves. Their children in the third generation may be part of the "assembly of the Lord."

This is all interesting, the attitude of God and Moses about these peoples. We note that there are some illegitimacies in the line of Christ. Perhaps they were more than ten generations from anyone important. Or, perhaps this is more like a prohibition since it is unclear if these people would have had the ability to keep accurate track of ordinary citizens to the tenth generation. The third generation is possible, but few of us, even in this era of serious genealogy studies, know about ten generations.

When besieging the enemy, don't go near anything impure. If a man is unclean due to a "nocturnal emission" (wet dream), he must go outside the encampment, but he can wash himself and return at evening.

"Designate a place outside the camp where you can go to relieve yourself. As part of your equipment have something to dig with, and when you relieve yourself, dig a hole and cover up your excrement. For the Lord your God moves about in your camp to protect you and to deliver your enemies to you. Your camp must be holy, so that he will not see among you anything indecent and turn away from you."

Now we come to a section of leftover laws. They read nearly like proverbs.

If a slave escapes and takes refuge with you, you are not to return him but are to let him live in the land wherever he wants. It's not clear whether this means slaves internal to Israel, or slaves from foreign peoples. Wonder if this was ever brought up in the slave state versus free state debates leading up to the U.S. Civil War?

Israelite men and women may not be temple prostitutes nor can earnings from prostitution be used to pay vows to God.

You can charge foreigners interest on loans of food or money or goods, but not "your brother."

You must perform on any free will vow you make.

If you are in a neighbor's vineyard you can eat some grapes, but don't put any in a basket. If you are in his field, you can eat kernels of wheat but may not use a sickle.

These are the inverse of the laws requiring farmers to leave trimmings in their fields, for the poor, and are saying, in effect, "don't abuse the generosity."

If a man finds his wife "unpleasing" and divorces her and a second man marries and similarly divorces her, she may not go back to the first man. "That would be detestable in the eyes of the Lord."

A man may not serve in the army for the first year after he is married, he is to stay at home and "bring happiness to the wife he has married."

In cases of a common sense rules like this, I often wonder if religious conservatives are as adamant about enforcing this law on the United States as they are about other portions of Mosaic morality?

Kidnappers must die, whether they sell the victim or merely treat them as slaves.

When leprosy occurs, follow the laws about cleansing very carefully.

When you make loans and hold security, don't go take the security from the borrower, let him bring it to you. Don't take something for security, like a millstone, that will prevent the debtor from doing his work. If you have a poor man's coat for security, let him use it at night, "it will be regarded as a righteous act in the sigh of the Lord your God."

God isn't nearly as strict a debtor as some of the rest of us.

Deuteronomy 24:14 - 25:19 2005 October 19 for November 16^th

If you have a hired hand, countryman or foreigner, you are to pay his wages every day before sunset. He is depending on it. If he curses you for not doing this, you have sinned against God.

This sure isn't the social norm today; we have solved the same problem in a different and more efficient way. Is this sin?

People are responsible for their own sins. Children are not to be put to death for the sins of their parents, nor parents for the sins of their children.

If in the harvest, you forget to bring in one of the sheaves, just leave it for the poor and homeless. This is a blessing. Same thing with vineyards, don't go over the branches a second time in the name of efficiency, anything that is left is for the poor. Similarly, don't muzzle the ox that is walking on grain.

If a dispute comes to court and one of the parties deserves punishment, the judge shall have him beaten right there. The punishment will not exceed forty lashes, however. That would be degrading.

Immediate punishment is far from in vogue today as well.

If there are brothers who live together and one of them dies without a son, the surviving brother is supposed to marry the widow and their firstborn son belongs to the dead brother so that his line will continue. If the surviving brother doesn't want to do this, a court proceeding will be held to finalize the separation. At the end, the widow goes up, takes one of the brother's sandal, spits in his face, and says, "This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother's family line." After that, his line will be known as "Family of the Unsandaled."

While the forty-lash limit is discussed in the New Testament regarding the punishment of Christ, I don't remember ever hearing elsewhere of this "Family of the Unsandaled" thing. I suppose that in our world we could argue that building up one's family line was not as important as it was back in the beginning of history. Since we don't do anything like this today, are we wrong or in violation of God's law?

"If two men are fighting and the wife of one of them comes to rescue her husband from his assailant, and she reaches out and seizes him by his private parts, you shall cut off her hand. Show her no pity."

Don't permit unfair weights and measures. (This is also mentioned in the United States Constitution!)

Remember how the Amalekites treated you when you were tired on the road, by wiping out the stragglers? When you are living in peace in the Promised Land, be sure and remember to "blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven."

Deuteronomy 26 - 27:8 2005 October 20 for November 17^th

When settled in the Promised Land, take some of the first produce from the land and take it to the place the God specifies for his worship and offer it to him there with the following invocation, "I declare today to the Lord your God that I have come to the land the Lord swore to our forefathers to give us." Then the priests will take some of the grain and put it on the altar and you will say, "My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down into Egypt with a few people and lived there and became a great nation, powerful and numerous. But the Egyptians mistreated us and made us suffer, putting us to hard labor. Then we cried out to the Lord, the God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our misery, toil and oppression. So the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with miraculous signs and wonders. He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey; and now I bring the firstfruits of the soil that you, O Lord, have given me."

At this the Levites and the aliens will rejoice in the goodness of God to your household.

A tenth of all produce will go to the Levites and the aliens, the fatherless and the widow. Nothing unclean can be in the offering. Nothing pagan, like offering things to the dead, may be done. God will be obeyed precisely.

Because you keep all of God's commands, "he will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations."

In the Promised Land, "set up some large stones and coat them with plaster. Write on them all the words of this law when you have crossed over to enter the land the Lord your God is giving you."

Build the altar without using any iron tools then make sacrifices on it, "and you shall write very clearly all the words of this law on these stones you have set up."

Deuteronomy 27:9 - 28:14 2005 October 24 for November 18^th

We now turn to blessings and curses. If the book of Deuteronomy is the sermon of Moses, we are now entering the, "in conclusion" section.

When the people have occupied the Promised Land, the tribes are to ascend two mountains: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph and Benjamin are to stand on Mount Gerizim to pronounce blessings on the people and Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan and Naphtali are to stand on Mount Ebal to pronounce curses.

Before that are some curses pronounced by the Levites. These are all to be pronounced and the people shall say, "Amen!" after each one.

Cursed is the man who:

- "carves an image or casts an idol and sets it up in secret (God detests these things),"

- "dishonors his father or mother,"

- "moves his neighbor's boundary stone,"

- "leads the blind astray on the road,"

- "withholds justice from the alien, the fatherless or the widow,"

- "sleeps with his father's wife,"

- "has sexual relations with any animal,"

- "sleeps with his sister, daughter of father or mother,"

- "sleeps with his mother-in-law,"

- "kills his neighbor in secret,"

- "accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person,"

- "does not uphold the words of this law by carrying them out."

There are blessings for following all of the commands. "God will set you high above all the nations of the earth." In addition, you will be blessed in the city and in the country, your womb and everything you grow will be blessed, basket and kneading trough, contents of barns and every project you attempt, you will be blessed whenever you come or go.

Your enemy will come against you united but flee in seven directions.

All nations will see that you are identified with the real God and be in fear. Everything will prosper. The rains will come at the right time. You will be "
the head, not the tail," "always be at the top, never at the bottom."

But (of course), "Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them."

Deuteronomy 28:15 - 68 2005 October 24 for November 21^st

The curses for disobedience are about three times as long as the blessings for obedience. They begin by simply reversing the blessings. For not obeying God, you will be cursed in the city and the country, basket and kneading trough, cursed at all times and places, fail at every project and all crops, animals, and children will be cursed. In addition, the plagues that were visited on Egypt are added to the curses. You will plant much but little will come up for lack of rain, then, what does come up will be eaten by locusts. In addition there will be heat and drought, blight and mildew, and all sorts of discomforting diseases, boils and itch and other maladies described in gory detail. Although making a united attack on your enemy, you will flee scattered. All children will be captured or sold into slavery to other nations and you will go crazy watching what happens, being powerless to do anything about it.

You will borrow and not lend, be the tail and not the head. In hunger, thirst, and nakedness, you will be an example to all the other nations.

At this point, the kid gloves come off and the curses get serious.

"Because of the suffering that your enemy will inflict on you during the siege, you will eat the fruit of the womb, the flesh of the sons and daughters the Lord your God has given you. Even the most gentle and sensitive man among you will have no compassion on his own brother or the wife he loves or his surviving children, and he will not give to one of them any of the flesh of his children that he is eating. It will be all he has left because of the suffering your enemy will inflict on you during the siege of your cities. The most gentle and sensitive woman among you -- so sensitive and gentle that she would not venture to touch the ground with the sole of her foot -- will begrudge the husband she loves and her own son or daughter the afterbirth from her womb and the children she bears. For she intends to eat them secretly during the siege and in the distress that your enemy will inflict on you in your cities."

Bet you didn't know that material like this was in the Bible.

As you can see, a paraphrase of this explicit curse is beyond my skill.

But there will be more than that. There will be unimaginable and unprecedented disasters: "The Lord will also bring on you every kind of sickness and disaster not recorded in this Book of the Law until you are destroyed."

"É not recorded."

Once numerous, you will be few and the few will be scattered all over the earth. You will offer yourselves for sale as slaves and no one will be interested in buying. "You will live in constant suspense, filled with dread both night and day, never sure of your life. In the morning you will say, 'If only it were evening!' and in the evening, 'If only it were morning!' A far away and unknown country will swoop down like an eagle and destroy everything.

There does not seem to be a practical limit for the ills that can befall the disobedient.

There are those who read "eagle" and see "United States" but I think that there are cases like this where, mystery notwithstanding, such a reading is too much of a stretch.

Deuteronomy 29 2005 October 25 for November 22^nd

Moses now turns to the "terms of the covenant" that God is making with the people. Before the leaders of Israel, Moses begins by establishing God in terms of what he did in Egypt and what he did in the forty years in the desert. In particular, "your clothes did not wear out, nor did the sandals on your feet. You ate no bread and drank no wine or other fermented drink. I did this so that you might know that I am the Lord your God."

As for the Egyptians, the country was totally overthrown at all social levels top to bottom.

When they arrived where they were on the day of the hearing of this speech, God gave the possessions of Og, king of Bashan, to them and two and a half tribes would be receiving this land as their inheritance, as we have seen previously.

So, "carefully follow the terms of this covenant, so that you may prosper in everything you do."

Everyone in every social class is part of the covenant, the same one that he swore to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. In addition, the covenant is with future generations too.

Passing through Egypt and other lands, you have seen "detestable images and idols of wood and stone, of silver and gold." Make sure that no one builds or worships any such thing. It is "bitter poison."

For the person who "hears the words of this oath, [and] thinks, 'I will be safe, even though I persist in going my own way,'" such thinking will bring about all sorts of disasters as we saw in the previous chapter. When foreigners and future generations see the devastation and ask what is going on here, this is the answer: "It is because this people abandoned the covenant of the Lord the God of their fathers, the covenant he made with them when he brought them out of Egypt. They went off and worshiped other gods and bowed down to them, gods they did not know, gods he had not given them." The destruction from God's wrath in this case would be worse than that of Sodom and Gomorrah, "which the Lord overthrew in fierce anger."

The law is a great secret of goodness that God has revealed to the Israelites and that "belong to us and to our children forever."

The sermon of Moses is heavy on threats of punishment and light on enticements such as this last statement. Perhaps the attraction of all those other forms of pagan worship was also heavy and therefore very competitive.

Deuteronomy 30 - 31:8 2005 October 27 for November 23^rd

When you have been disobedient and have been punished and the curses listed at length in the prior chapter have taken hold, and you turn and repent and begin being obedient again, then no matter how few in number you have become and how far away you have been banished, God will restore you to the land, increase your numbers even more than before, and resume with the blessings.

This command is not too difficult. To follow these laws and regulations does not require special empowerment from heaven. "The word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it."

Being disobedient primarily means following and worshipping other gods. This is the fast track to curses. If you do this you will not live in the land for very long but will be destroyed.

"This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."

Often the verse about choosing life is used to support pro-life and other human dignity causes today, however, the clear intent here is that God is life and that the people are to choose God to the exclusion of all others.

Moses then announced that he would not be crossing the Jordan with them but that God himself would go ahead of them and enable them to clear the land. He called Joshua up and charged him to lead the people in this next stage of their journey. When they conquered the inhabitants of the land, they were to do to them exactly as they had been instructed (destruction in various forms) without being afraid or terrorized.

"The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."

Deuteronomy 31:9 - 29 2005 October 28 for November 24^th

Moses wrote down all the law that he had dictated and gave a command. Every year of Jubilee, that is, every seventh year when the debts are cancelled and property reverts to the original owners, when the people come to the designated place to worship; the law shall be read to them in its entirety. This is so that the people will be reminded of the law and so that their children can learn it. It seems that this task might take several weeks.

At this point we see why Moses spent most of the words in the law discussing curses and warning against the dire consequences of departing from God. He predicts their imminent rebellion. He knows that he will soon die and "rest with his fathers" so God has him and Joshua come to the Tent of Meeting where he descends in a cloud and Joshua is commissioned. Joshua is told to be "strong and courageous" in leading the people into the Promised Land and Moses predicts that the people will remain stubborn and rebellious, even more so after he is gone, and that they will stray to other gods and become corrupted and be punished. He is also given a song, the Song of Moses, which comprises the next chapter.

Deuteronomy 31:30 - 32:43 2005 October 29 for November 25^th

Moses had a song, a lengthy piece of poetry, which summed up the relationship between God and his chosen people, Israel. He recited it in its entirety for the assembly. In outline it goes like this.

Listen to this teaching. God is great, "He is the Rock"; he is perfect, just, faithful, and upright. He does not do wrong.

Nonetheless, his people have been corrupt and acted shamefully. They do not act like God's people, but God is still their God.

Recall the olden days when God delivered this people to a land of their own and set up the boundaries for their inheritance. Leading them through the desert, he guarded them closely like "the apple of his eye" and fed them and protected them.

Things were so good that they got fat and abandoned God, making him jealous by worshipping others. They made "detestable" sacrifices "to demons, which are not God -- gods they had not known, gods that recently appeared, gods your fathers did not fear."

God would then destroy these perverse peoples and devour the earth and the "realm of death below" with his wrath.

Their tribulations will be heaped calamities, arrows, wasting famine, consuming pestilence, deadly plague, wild beasts, and venomous vipers.

Because they did these senseless things, they would perish, young and old. One man would chase a thousand and two ten thousand because God had sold them out.

Even the enemies of Israel concede that their God is the best, but those people's "vine comes from the vine of Sodom and from the fields of Gomorrah." This is poison, bitterness, and venom.

"It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them."

At the end of their distress he will say, 'where are those other gods now?'

"See now that I myself am He! There is no god besides me.

I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver from my hand."

He then repays and avenges and delivers.

Deuteronomy 32:44 - 33:29 2005 November 1 for 28^th

In another lengthy piece of poetry, Moses blesses all the tribes of Israel. The blessings are historic, prophetic, and descriptive. These are essentially his last words. They begin by invoking the Lord in the metaphor of a sunrise:

"The Lord came from Sinai and dawned over them from Seir; he shone forth from Mount Paran." He came and gave them the law through Moses as their possession. God is king over the upright.

Reuben's blessing is short: "Let Reuben live and not die, nor his men be few."

Judah's is barely longer: "Hear, O Lord, the cry of Judah; bring him to his people. With his own hands he defends his cause. Oh, be his help against his foes!"

The discourse on Levi is comparatively lengthy, dealing largely with his priestly duties, the Urim and Thummim, the teaching of the law to the people, the offering of offerings. It also touches on the strife at Massah (where Moses and Aaron got in trouble with God) and says that Levi has "no regard" for his father and mother, brothers or children. He only watches over the word and guards the covenant. Moses was from Levi.

Benjamin: "Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders."

The blessing of Joseph deals in fruitfulness and princely honor, majesty and strength. "Such are the ten thousands of Ephraim; such are the thousands of Manasseh." It also imparts, "the favor of him who dwelt in the burning bush," an interesting reference.

The next two tribes are together: "Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going you, and you Issachar, in your tents. They will summon peoples to the mountain and there offer sacrifices of righteousness; they will feast on the abundance of the seas, on the treasures hidden in the sand."

"Gad lives [in his domain] like a lion, tearing at arm or head. He chose the best land for himselfÉ"

"Dan is a lion's cub, springing out of Bashan."

"Naphtali is abounding with the favor of the Lord and is full of his blessing; he will inherit southward to the lake."

Finally: "Most blessed of sons is AsherÉ"

The blessings end with praise for God. God is the God of the upright, driving out the enemies before the people so that the people of Jacob live in safety and security.

"Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord?

He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword. Your enemies will cower before you, and you will trample down their high places."

Deuteronomy 34 2005 November 1 for 29^th

From the plains of Moab, Moses climbed Mount Nebo and from there God showed him the Promised Land. "This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, 'I will give it to your descendants.'" Moses was allowed to see the land with his own eyes, but was not allowed to cross into it.

Moses died and was buried by God in a valley of Moab, no one knows where. He was 120 years old but his eyesight and strength had not diminished. The people mourned for thirty days.

Joshua succeeded Moses and was "filled with the Spirit." The people followed him.

"Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, who did all those miraculous signs and wonders the Lord sent him to do in Egypt -- to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel."

Concluding thoughts on Deuteronomy 2005 November 2 for 30^th

Deuteronomy is essentially the final sermon of Moses to his people, the people who he led through the most dramatic and demonstrative period of God's history with any people (Noah and the ark notwithstanding).

In this sermon, which in spoken form would last for several days, he retells the victory of the Battle of Egypt and of the cleansing of a generation in the wilderness followed by more military victories on the approach to the Promised Land. He reiterates the major laws and regulations which were laid out in the prior books of the law, repeating the Ten Commandments and many of the regulations regarding various sacrifices, festivals, and other observances in the worship of the one God.

Most of the text is not the law itself, however, but exhortations to observe the law. Countless times, the basic text is "do precisely what God wants and live and be blessed; do otherwise and be cursed and die." And, precisely what God wants is mostly for the people to worship him and only him in the place that he specifies and only in that place, in the way that he orders and only in that way. All the rest is either derived from that or could be called "common sense for good neighbors."

Well, Òcommon senseÓ for people raised in Judeo-Christian traditions anyway.

God is adamant, seemingly obsessed with the notion of the people whom he has chosen being faithful to him and only him. The alternatives, gods made of wood, metal, or stone, set up somewhere out in the high places or otherwise, worshipped with orgiastic and murderous ceremony, are now revealed as purely and totally prohibited. When the Promised Land is conquered, the current inhabitants are to be completely annihilated, not because God hates them per se or because they are merely in the way but because they follow these prohibited practices and their continued existence would validate and perpetuate them, and drag God's people down with them. It appears that many of the specific laws of things not to do, like boiling a young goat in its mother's milk, for example, refer to such worship situations from competitive religion rather than being for a-religious goals such as general health or well being.

Now that God has revealed himself to a people and told them what to do and not to do about their relationship with him, he has zero tolerance for any deviation from this.

The promised blessings for obedience are idyllic and utopian; the curses, stated at much greater length than the blessings, are truly horrific.

Such are the final words of Moses.

Moses' thoughts are organized and categorized but the large-scale architecture of this text seems nearly haphazard, whatever he thought of next or, "oh, this needs to be in there too" throughout most of the middle sections. It begins with a brief history, ends with blessings, and is the rest are directives and warnings of curses.

At the very end is a summary of Moses' remarkable life. He dearly wanted to go occupy the Promised Land himself with the people. To the extent that he takes any personal license with the text, he relates his discussions with God on this subject. Though Moses was persistent, God finally told him, "no" and finally, "let it go."

From our perspective today, this is not unreasonable. Moses, though a fine physical specimen, a towering intellect, and a natural leader, was not going to live forever. He was God's instrument for the most overt and powerful acts of God ever performed through and on men but at some point, Moses, mortal like all the rest of us, had to pass on and leave this world. A break in leadership was needed; it was time for another generation to move forward.

His legacy, though, continues undiminished.

© Courtney B. Duncan, 2005