Part 5
Israel expanded even farther north with its conquest of Og, another Amorite king, who ruled over the rich pasture land of Bashan. This gave Israel control of the whole region east of the Jordan River (33-35). The Israelites set up their main camp on the plains of Moab, east of Jordan opposite Jericho (22:1).
22:2-32:42 EVENTS ON THE PLAINS OF MOAB
Balak sends for Balaam (22:2-35)
The victories of the advancing Israelites put fear into the Moabite king, Balak. After gaining the assurance of Midianite support, he sent for Balaam, a non-Israelite soothsayer who knew something of Israel's God. Balak believed that Balaam had supernatural power, by which he could put a curse on Israel that would ensure its defeat (2-6).
Although the messengers from Moab and Midian promised to reward Balaam richly, Balaam refused to go, for God had shown him that Israel was not to be cursed. But Balaam weakened when the messengers returned with a renewed request and a more tempting offer. Balaam clearly knew God's will, but he sent to ask God again. He was tempted by the offered reward and hoped that somehow God would allow him to go. In the end God allowed him to go so that he might teach him a lesson (7-20; cf. 2 Peter 2:15; Jude 11).
God was angry with Balaam for his stubbornness in going to Balak and showed him that only divine mercy had stopped him from being destroyed. Then, when Balaam offered to turn back, God forced him to go on, though he would not get the reward he wanted and would speak only what God wanted him to speak (21-35).
Balaam's announcements (22:36-24:25)
Balak welcomed Balaam and took him to a high place where he could see the vastness of the Israelite camp. Balak no doubt hoped that Balaam, on seeing this, would be convinced that the Israelites were a serious threat and would put a destructive curse upon them (36-41). But Balaam announced God's approval of the Israelites. Their vast number, their place in history and their present migration were according to God's will. Balaam comforted himself with the thought that if Balak killed him for giving a blessing instead of a curse, he would at least die for doing right (23:1-12).
Not giving in easily, Balak tried again to get Balaam to curse Israel, hoping that a change of place might bring a different result. As on the previous occasion, Balaam foresaw no misfortune or trouble for Israel, because God was on Israel's side. God had saved the people from Egypt and he would give them victory over other enemies (13-24).
Angrily, Balak told Balaam that even if he would not curse the Israelites, he had no need to bless them (25-26)! For a third time Balak looked for a way to make Balaam curse them. This time, apparently in an effort to please Balak, Balaam did not look for omens as he had done previously, but just looked out over Israel and waited to see what words came to him. But God's Spirit came upon him. The sight of Israel's vast camp spreading over the countryside prompted Balaam to prophesy a prosperous and victorious future for the nation (23:27-24:9).
In bitterness Balak dismissed Balaam, saying that if Balaam was disappointed at not receiving the offered reward, he had only God to blame (10-11). Balaam replied with his fourth and final announcement, prophesying Israel's conquest of Moab. In addition the Edomites, Amalekites, Kenites and Assyrians (Asshur) would be destroyed, but Israel would progress (12-25).
Balaam makes Israel sin (25:1-18)
The failure of Balaam to curse Israel meant he did not receive the reward Balak offered. Apparently he still wanted to please Balak and gain the reward, so he decided on a plan of his own that had nothing to do with prophesying good or evil but might succeed in destroying Israel. Balaam encouraged the people of Israel to mix with the people of Moab and Midian, and encouraged the Moabite and Midianite women to seduce the Israelite men and invite them to join in the heathen festivals. Balaam thought his plan was succeeding when God sent a plague that killed thousands in Israel because of their immoral and idolatrous behaviour (see 31:16; 2 Peter 2:14-15; Rev 2:14).
Only swift action by Moses and Phinehas saved Israel from destruction. Moses punished the leaders of the rebellion in a mass public execution (25:1-5). Then, while the people were gathering at the tabernacle to express their sorrow and repentance, a leader of the tribe of Simeon openly defied Moses by taking a Midianite woman into his tent. The young priest Phinehas, interested only in the honour of God and the preservation of God's people, killed the man and the woman. For this he was rewarded with the promise that his descendants would be Israel's chief priestly family (6-18).
Another census (26:1-27:11)
About forty years previously Moses had taken a census of those available for military service (see 1:1-54). But all who at the time of that census were twenty years of age or older had since died (except Joshua and Caleb) and a new generation had grown up. A new census was now taken for the double purpose of determining the military strength for the attack on Canaan and making arrangements for the division of the land (26:1-51).
The area of land to be given to each tribe was to be in proportion to the population of the tribe, but the locality of each tribe within Canaan was to be decided by drawing lots (52-56). The Levites were numbered separately. Males were counted from one month old, not from twenty years old as in the case of the other tribes, because the Levites did not do military service and did not have a tribal area as the other tribes (57-62). The new census confirmed that all the adults whose names were listed in the first census were now dead (63-65).
Each tribal area was divided among the families of the tribe according to the male descendants. A case arose where five sisters were left with no family inheritance (i.e. portion of land), because their father had died and they had no brothers whose inheritance they could share (27:1-4). Moses brought the case to God and received the instruction that where a man had no son, his inheritance could pass to his daughters. If he had no children at all, it could pass to his nearest living relative (5-11).
Joshua chosen as Moses' successor (27:12-23)
Although God would not allow Moses to enter the promised land, he would allow him to see it from a mountain on the other side of the river before he died (12-14). (The place of his death would be Mount Nebo in the Moabite hill country of Abarim; Deut 32:49-50.) Moses showed no bitterness when reminded of this divine judgment upon him; he was concerned only that Israel have the leader of God's choice to replace him. God's choice was Joshua, though Joshua would not have the absolute authority that Moses had. Moses spoke to God face to face, but from now on the civil leadership and the religious leadership would be separated. Joshua would receive God's instructions through the high priest (15-23).
It was, in fact, some weeks before Moses died (see Deut 32:48-52; 34:1-8), and in the meantime he had much instruction to pass on to Israel. This is recorded in the remaining chapters of Numbers and in Deuteronomy.
Amounts for the yearly offerings (28:1-29:40)
As the time drew near for the Israelites to settle in their new land, Moses stressed the need for constant devotion to God through the various sacrifices and festivals. First there were to be daily burnt offerings and cereal offerings, morning and evening. The fire on the altar was never to go out (28:1-8; see notes on Lev 6:8-13,19-23).
Besides this daily offering there was an identical weekly offering every Sabbath (9-10). Also there was an offering at the beginning of each month, when a sin offering was added to the usual burnt offering and cereal offering (11-15). These daily, weekly and monthly sacrifices emphasized the importance of
regular communication with God, in whose presence the people dwelt. They were not to restrict their religious exercises to the annual festivals.
Even in the annual festivals, sacrifices had a prominent place. (For details of the annual festivals see Leviticus 23:1-44.) Again, these sacrifices were in addition to the usual daily, weekly and monthly sacrifices. The new year festival of Passover, since it had its own sacrificial ritual, did not include any of the standard sacrifices, but the Feast of Unleavened Bread that followed had daily sacrifices (16-25). Identical sacrifices were offered at the Feast of Harvest Firstfruits seven weeks later (26-31).
Quantities are then given for the sacrifices offered at the mid-year festivals. First came the Day of Trumpets (29:1-6). Ten days later was the Day of Atonement (7-11), and a further five days later the Feast of Tabernacles (GNB: Festival of Shelters). The number of sacrifices at this feast was greater than at any other, though the number decreased a little each day (12-38).
All these requirements were concerned solely with the official religious services. Individuals could voluntarily make additional sacrifices as expressions of their devotion (39-40).
Concerning vows (30:1-16)
A vow was a pledge that a person made, whether to God or to a fellow human being, to carry out some specifically stated action. The vow usually involved swearing an oath in the name of God.
When a man made a vow, he could not change his vow once he had sworn it (30:1-2). But when a woman made a vow it could be cancelled by her father (in the case of a single woman) (3-5), or by her husband (in the case of a married woman) (6-9), provided the man expressed his disapproval on the day he heard her vow. Silence meant approval. If he at first allowed the vow but later changed his mind and stopped the woman fulfilling it, then he, not the woman, was held guilty for the broken vow (10-16).
Judgment on Midian (31:1-54)
God now sent Israel to carry out his judgment on the Midianites (and Balaam with them) for the evil they did to Israel at Peor (see 25:1-9,14-17). Since it was a 'holy' war, the person who led the Israelite forces was not the army general Joshua, but the priest Phinehas (see 25:10-13). The Israelites were to destroy the Midianite fighting forces and burn their settlements. All captives and goods seized in battle were to be given to God, represented by the high priest, Eleazar (31:1-12). When Moses saw that the Israelites spared the Midianite women he was angry, for these women were the ones who caused Israel to sin. He therefore gave orders to execute all the women except the virgins (13-18).
Since the war was a holy judgment by God, the Israelites had to remove whatever uncleanness had resulted from their contact with the enemy. Those who handled dead bodies needed to be ceremonially cleansed (as detailed in Chapter 19). Articles of clothing were purified by washing. Metal articles were purified by passing them through fire and then washing them (19-24).
The goods seized in battle were divided equally between soldiers and non-soldiers. But whereas the soldiers gave only one five-hundredth of their goods to share among the priests, the non-soldiers gave one fiftieth of their goods to share among the Levites (who were far more numerous than priests) (25-47). When the soldiers found they had not lost one man in battle, they made an additional offering to express their thanks to God. The offering was placed in the tabernacle treasury (48-54).
Land for two and a half tribes (32:1-42)
Two and a half tribes (Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh) asked permission not to cross Jordan and settle in Canaan with the rest of Israel, but to settle in the good pasture lands that Israel had taken control of east of Jordan (32:1-5,33; see notes on 21:21-22:1). Moses replied that the loss of two and a half tribes from Israel's fighting force might discourage the people from attacking Canaan. It would be a repetition of what happened almost forty years previously. On that occasion lack of faith prevented Israel from taking the promised land, with the result that the whole adult population was destroyed in the wilderness (6-15).
The two and a half tribes responded by putting a compromise plan to Moses. They would leave their families and flocks east of Jordan, but their fighting men would go with the rest of Israel to conquer Canaan. When the conquest was over, they would return to settle east of Jordan (16-19). Moses agreed to the plan, but warned of the consequences if they did not keep their promise (20-32). Some of the Manasseh group seized additional territory to that which Israel had already won (33-42).
Later, when the time arrived to cross Jordan and conquer Canaan, the two and a half tribes kept their promise (Josh 22:1-34). Their land was one of the finest parts of the region and was an enrichment to Israel (Song of Songs 4:1; Jer 8:22; Micah 7:14). But it was without natural frontiers, and the other tribes often had to rescue it from enemy invaders (1 Sam 11:1-11; 1 Kings 22:1-4; 2 Kings 8:28). When Israel was eventually conquered by Assyria, the territories of the eastern tribes were among the first to fall, and their inhabitants among the first to be taken into captivity (2 Kings 15:29).
33:1-36:13 PREPARATION FOR ENTRANCE INTO CANAAN
Summary of the journey from Egypt (33:1-49)
Moses kept a record of places where Israel set up camps on the journey from Egypt to the plains of Moab. He records eleven camps between Egypt and Mount Sinai (33:1-15). After the year-long camp at Sinai, the people moved through twenty camps to Ezion-geber. From there they came to Kadesh-barnea, from where their long wanderings of almost forty years began. The book records no movements during this time (16-36). In the fortieth year Israel left Kadesh-barnea and moved through nine camps to the plains of Moab (37-49).
Plans for the division of Canaan (33:50-34:29)
As Canaan was to become the land of Yahweh's people, all the former inhabitants and all trace of their religion had to be removed. Failure to do this would bring trouble for Israel (50-56).
Moses then gave the boundaries of the land that Israel was to occupy. The southern boundary went from the Dead Sea through Kadesh-barnea to the Brook of Egypt, which it followed to the coast. The western boundary followed the coast along the Mediterranean Sea. The northern boundary went from the coast through Mount Hor (not the Mount Hor where Aaron died) to Hazarenan, a place somewhere near the source of the Jordan River. The eastern boundary went from there down through the Sea of Chinnereth (the Lake of Galilee) along the Jordan River to the Dead Sea (34:1-12).
Representatives were appointed to divide this area among nine and a half tribes. (The other two and a half tribes had already been allotted their territory east of Jordan.) Everything was to be under the direction of Joshua and Eleazar (13-29).
Israel under Joshua conquered Canaan, and some of Israel's kings spread their power over neighbouring countries, but Israel never enjoyed sole possession of Canaan and never fully occupied the area marked out here.
Cities for the Levites (35:1-34)
Levi had no tribal area of its own, but received cities, with surrounding pasture lands, in each of the other tribes. There were forty-eight Levitical cities, the number in each tribe being in proportion to the size of the tribe. This ensured that those responsible for teaching God's law to the people were evenly scattered throughout Israel (35:1-8).
Among these forty-eight cities were six cities of refuge, three west of Jordan and three east. These were cities where a person who killed another could flee for safety till he was lawfully judged (9-15). If he was guilty of murder he was executed, but if he had caused the death by accident, he could live in the city of refuge under the chief priest's protection as long as that priest lived. This placed a restriction on his freedom, but at least he was safe from the revenge of the dead man's family (16-28).
A person could not be condemned to death for murder unless at least two people had witnessed his crime, but once found guilty he had to die. No one could buy his freedom. His murderous deed made the land unclean, and that uncleanness could be removed only by his own death (29-34).
A question about tribal land (36:1-13)
Concerning the issue raised earlier by the daughters of Zelophehad, the decision was that where a man died without sons, his inheritance could pass to his daughters (see 27:1-11). Leaders of Manasseh, the tribe to which these women belonged, feared that the land they had just won (see 32:39-42) might be lost to other tribes if the daughters of Zelophehad married men from other tribes (36:1-4). To prevent such a transfer of land, Moses introduced a law to ensure that if, in such a case, a woman married, she had to marry within her own tribe (5-13).
Deuteronomy
After receiving the law at Mount Sinai, Israel spent about forty years in the wilderness region between Sinai and Canaan. During this time those who were adults when Israel left Sinai died and a new generation grew up (Num 14:28-35). Moses therefore repeated and explained the law for the people of this new generation before they entered Canaan. This instruction was given during the last two weeks of Moses' life, while Israel was camped on the plains of Moab making preparations to conquer Canaan (Num 22:1; 35:1; Deut 1:1-5).
Because this instruction involved a repetition of the law given at Sinai, the book that records it is known as Deuteronomy (from two Greek words, deuteros, meaning 'second', and nomos, meaning 'law'). This was not the original title, but was given by the translators of the Septuagint, the first Greek version of the Old Testament. Also Deuteronomy was not originally an individual book, but was part of one long book that has for convenience been divided into five parts, together known as the Pentateuch. (Concerning the Pentateuch and the Septuagint see introductory notes to Genesis.)
Restating the law; renewing the covenant
The book of Deuteronomy is, however, much more than a mere repetition of the law; it is also an exposition. It restates the commandments of the law but with a different emphasis. The laws recorded in Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers gave the clearcut legal requirements; Deuteronomy, though it does not lessen those requirements, adds that Israel's religion must have more than legal correctness. It must have spiritual warmth.
Deuteronomy's style is that of the preacher rather than the lawgiver, and its audience the people as a whole rather than the priests and judges (Deut 8:5-6; 10:12-13). Its emphasis is that the people should keep God's law because they want to know and love him better, not merely because they are required to do so by the covenant (Deut 6:3,5-9; 7:7-8,11).
The covenant is the basis of Deuteronomy, but the relationship between God and his people within that covenant should be one of love. The sovereign love of God towards his people should produce a response of obedient love towards him (Deut 5:6-7; 6:1-3). (For the meaning of the word 'covenant' see notes on Genesis 9:8-17. For the specific meaning of the covenant between Yahweh and Israel see notes on Exodus 19:1-9.)
In his grace God chose Israel to be his people and promised to give them Canaan as their national homeland (Deut 7:6-7; 8:1; 9:4-5). But if the people were to enjoy the blessings of the covenant in loving fellowship with God, they had to know his law and keep it. The previous generation swore covenant loyalty to God at Sinai (Exod 24:7-8), but failed him badly. Now that the new generation was about to enter Canaan, the covenant was renewed. Moses repeated the law and the people gave a fresh pledge of obedience (Deut 26:17-18).
Ancient covenant documents
The form of Deuteronomy is similar to that of the usual covenant document of the ancient Near East, by which a sovereign overlord made a covenant, or treaty, with his subject peoples. Such a treaty was not a negotiated agreement, but a statement by the overlord declaring his sovereignty over the people and laying down the order of life he required of them. The people had no alternative but to accept the overlord's terms.
Usually the document began with an historical introduction where the overlord announced himself and recounted all he had done for his people. Then followed a list of covenant obligations that he placed on the people. Their underlying duty at all times was to be loyal to him and not to act treacherously by forming alliances with foreign powers. After the basic requirements came detailed laws that dealt with specific local issues.
The treaty usually named witnesses. It also contained details of the benefits that would follow the people's obedience and the punishments that would follow their disobedience. The document was then lodged for safekeeping in the sanctuary of the subject people. It provided, however, for periodic public readings and for updating of the details from time to time. It may have concluded with a summary of the
covenant's main requirements or a guarantee to continue the covenant as long as the people remained faithful to their obligations.
In relation to the covenant between God and Israel, most of these features can be seen in the accounts given in Exodus, Deuteronomy and Joshua. In the case of Deuteronomy, not only are the above features obvious, but the entire book seems to have been written in the form of a treaty document.
1:1-4:43 Historical introduction 4:44-11:32 Basic requirements of the covenant 12:1-26:19 Detailed regulations 27:1-30:20 Conditions of the covenant 31:1-34:12 Moses' last days
1:1-4:43 HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION
In style similar to that of ancient treaty documents, Deuteronomy opens by recounting all that Yahweh, Israel's covenant God, has done for his people. It reminds them of his gracious acts on their behalf and calls from them a fitting response of covenant loyalty. The section summarizes events recorded in greater detail in Numbers 10:11-32:42.
From Sinai to Kadesh (1:1-46)
It was only eleven days' journey from Mount Sinai to Kadesh-barnea, and about the same from Kadesh to the plains of Moab where the people now were, but they had taken forty years to get there. Moses began his recollections of the journey by reminding the people that their coming possession of Canaan was solely because of God's grace, not because of any virtue in them (1:1-8).
Only through God's mercy had they grown into a strong and contented people who enjoyed the blessing (rare among ancient races) of just, impartial and humanitarian government (9-18). They would have further proof of God's unfailing goodness when they saw the rich land God was giving them. God had cared for them throughout the long and weary journey from Mount Sinai (Horeb), 'carrying' them as a father carries his young son who has become too tired to walk. Yet they complained against him and refused to go with him into the land he had chosen for them (19-33).
The constant stubbornness of the people was the reason why they were not allowed to enter Canaan. More than that, it was the cause of Moses' not being allowed. He lost patience with them and in so doing brought God's punishment upon himself (34-40; see Num 20:2-13). Still stubborn and disobedient, the people who would not go into Canaan with God then tried to conquer the country without him. Not surprisingly, they were defeated and driven back into the wilderness (41-46).
From Kadesh to Jordan (2:1-3:29)
God told the Israelites that if they went through the land of Edom, they were not to seize any territory. This was partly because Edom was Israel's brother nation (being descended from Esau), and partly because the Edomites' territory, formerly possessed by the Horites, had been given them by God (2:1-7). Similar restrictions applied to Israel's relations with the nations of Moab and Ammon, both of which were also related to Israel (being descended from Lot). Their territories, formerly the possession of the Rephaim, had also been given them by God (8-23). In like manner the land of the Amorites would be given Israel by God (24-25).
Although the kings of Edom and Moab refused to sell food or water to the Israelites and denied them passage through their lands (Num 20:14-21; 21:10-20), some of the Edomites and Moabites in outlying regions apparently did sell to them as they detoured around the boundaries. But the Amorite king Sihon not only refused all aid, he brought out his army against Israel (26-32). Israel responded by destroying his army and taking possession of his land (33-37). Moving further north, the Israelites conquered Og, another Amorite king, and took possession of the rich pasture land of Bashan that Og formerly controlled (3:1-11).
All the region east of the Jordan River was now under the control of Israel. It was divided between the tribes of Reuben, Gad and half-Manasseh (12-17), but these tribes had to help the other tribes conquer the region west of Jordan (i.e. Canaan) before they could settle down in their newly won territory (18-22). As the great day drew near when Israel would occupy the land that God had centuries before promised to
Abraham, Moses longed to cross Jordan and see it. God refused him permission, but allowed him to view the land from a mountain near Israel's camp (23-29).
Warning to be obedient (4:1-43)
The reason Moses outlined Israel's history was to show on the one hand that God's promises did not fail, and on the other that his judgment on disobedience was certain. In view of this, the people were to keep all God's laws and commandments without altering them to suit themselves. If they modelled their national life in Canaan on these laws, they would benefit themselves and be an example to others (4:1-8).
In order that Israel might not forget his laws, God had written them down and commanded Moses to teach them. Moses now passed this command on to the new generation by instructing the people to teach these same laws to their children, and to make sure that the children passed them on to future generations. These laws represented Israel's obligations under the covenant. Moses reminded the people also of the holiness of God and of the reverence that sinful people must exercise when approaching him (9-14).
Since they had not seen any form of God, the people could not make an image of him. Neither were they to use natural objects such as the sun, moon or stars as visible substitutes for him. To worship any of these things would be idolatry and would break one of the basic laws of the covenant (15-24). Such idolatry would bring national disaster, but God would be faithful to his covenant and save those who were sorry for their sin and returned to him (25-31).
Not only was Yahweh the invisible God, he was the only God. He chose Israel as his people and saved them by his miraculous power, not because of anything they had done but solely because of his love for them. Moses therefore urged the people to love him in return. This would guarantee a long and satisfying occupancy of the land that they were about to enter (32-40).
Moses then established three cities of refuge in the area already settled east of Jordan. Three more cities would later be established west of Jordan, after the conquest of Canaan (41-43; see notes on Num 35:9-34).
4:44-11:32 BASIC REQUIREMENTS OF THE COVENANT
In the address just concluded, Moses outlined God's dealings with Israel in the past, and on the basis of this urged Israel to be obedient in the future. He now called a second meeting, this time to 'renew' the covenant, not in the ceremonial sense but in the practical sense. That is, he reawakened the people to their responsibilities under the covenant. He recalled the events when the covenant was made at Sinai (4:445:5), he repeated the basic covenant commandments, which were the principles by which the nation was to live (5:6-11:32), and he gave detailed applications of those principles as they affected the daily lives and religious exercises of the people (12:1-26:19).
According to ancient custom, when covenants were renewed, adjustments could be made to bring the laws up to date. On this occasion Moses made frequent adjustments and explanations in view of the new way of life that the Israelites were about to enter. They were no longer a vast crowd of travellers moving through the wilderness, but were about to become a nation of permanent settlers in an agriculturally prosperous country.
These amendments to Israel's laws did not mean that the religion given to them at Sinai was in any way changed. The principles remained the same, but their application was adjusted to suit the different conditions of Canaan.
Ten commandments (4:44-5:33)
The renewal of the covenant began in the style of ancient covenant documents by naming the two parties to the covenant and outlining the relation between them. It also stated the location and time of Moses' announcement. Many of the people gathered there were youths when the covenant was made at Sinai, and could recall the terrifying events of that time (4:44-5:5).
Moses then repeated the ten commandments that Israel had promised to keep as their part of the covenant. These commandments were the basis of all Israel's subsequent laws (6-22; see notes on Exod 20:1-17). Ten short commandments were enough to convince the people that they were sinners who could not remain in the presence of a holy God and live. They therefore asked Moses to receive God's instructions on their behalf, and promised that they would do all that God said (23-33).
The power of love (6:1-25)
No matter how strong their determination to do right, the people would be unable to keep God's law unless they first had a strong and genuine love for God himself. Love for him would give them the inner power to walk in his ways (6:1-5). As well as keeping God's commandments themselves, they had to teach their children to do likewise. Their family life was to be guided by the knowledge of God's law. Their house was to be known as a place where people loved God's law and lived by it (6-9).
Yahweh was the only God. He loved Israel as his specially chosen people and he wanted them to love him in return. God, on his part, would feel pain and grief if in their prosperity they forgot him or if they turned away from him to follow other gods. The people, on their part, would find their full satisfaction through walking humbly before their God and keeping his law (10-19). God's mighty acts on behalf of the Israelite people in the past were for their good, and his desire for them to keep his law in the future was likewise for their good (20-25).
The promised land (7:1-8:20)
Israel's responsibility was to destroy the people of Canaan along with everything connected with their religion, so that nothing would remain in the land that might corrupt God's people (7:1-5). Israel's favoured place as God's chosen people was not an excuse for them to do as they liked, but a reason for them to avoid corruption and be holy. If they were disobedient, they would surely be punished (6-11). But if they were obedient, they would enjoy the blessings of national growth, agricultural prosperity and good health (12-16).
God would lead his people to victory over enemies in the future as he had in the past (17-21), but for the present he would give them only that amount of territory that they could capably control. As their numbers and needs increased, he would lead them to further conquest and expansion. But at all times they had to conduct their wars according to God's laws of holiness (22-26).
The varied experiences of life in the wilderness had taught Israel that life depends on more than the food people eat. It depends upon spiritual forces that are found only in God (8:1-4). The Israelites were to keep this in mind when they settled in Canaan, a land they would find to be rich in natural resources. They were to fear God and thank him for his gifts, not take everything for granted (5-10). If in their prosperity they forgot God and ignored his law, he would punish them as he had punished the Canaanites before them (11-20).
Warning against stubbornness (9:1-10:11)
Moses warned the Israelites not to boast about their coming victories. The conquest of Canaan was by God's power, not theirs. It was because of the wickedness of the Canaanites, not because of any goodness in the Israelites (9:1-5).
Israel, in fact, was a stubborn people, who deserved none of God's good gifts. Moses reminded them of their rebellion at Sinai, how they promised to obey God's law, but broke it before it was even written down (6-21; see notes on Exod 32:1-35). There were other occasions when they rebelled against God's commands (22-24; see Exod 17:1-7; Num 11:1-3,31-34; 14:1-12), but the rebellion at Sinai was a defiance of the freshly made covenant. Only Moses' prayers saved the nation from being wiped out (2529; see Exod 32:7-14).
God in his grace renewed the covenant (10:1-5; see Exod 34:1-35). He showed his forgiveness of Aaron by allowing his son to be high priest after him (6-7; see Num 20:22-29), rewarded the Levites for opposing idolatry at the time of the golden calf (8-9; see Exod 32:25-29), and forgave the people, allowing them to journey on to the land he had promised them (10-11; see Exod 34:1-11).
What God demands of Israel (10:12-11:32)
In summary, Moses' instruction to Israel as a people was that they were to fear, obey, love and serve God, in the assurance that he desired only their good (12-13). He had chosen them in mercy, and he wanted them likewise to show mercy to others. They were to have humble purity of heart and genuine love, both in their relations with him and in their relations with others (14-20). They were not to be arrogant or boastful, but were to remember their humble beginnings as a group of aliens in Egypt (21-22).
God's activity in the past, whether in saving his people from their enemies or in punishing them for their rebellion, should have meant something to them. At least it should have prompted them to love God and keep his commandments (11:1-7).
The land the people were going to was not like the land they had come from. Egypt was a flat country. The climate did not favour agriculture and the farmer had to pedal a waterwheel pump to irrigate his crops. But Canaan was a land of hills and valleys with a good rainfall (8-12). This natural blessing, however, could turn into a curse if the people were rebellious. The God who blessed his people with good crops could also punish them with famine (13-17).
In view of all that lay before them in Canaan, the people were to be the more diligent in obeying God's law and teaching it to their children (18-25; see notes on Exod 13:9,16). If they were obedient they would enjoy God's blessing, but if they were disobedient they would fall under his curse. This would be impressed upon them when they entered Canaan and gathered at the mountains Gerizim and Ebal on either side of the town of Shechem. There, as they heard the blessings announced from one side and the curses from the other, they would realize what was involved in pledging themselves to keep the covenant (26-32; see 27:1-26).
12:1-26:19 DETAILED REGULATIONS
In keeping with the pattern of ancient covenant documents, the basic requirements and principles of the covenant (Chapters 5-11) are now followed by the detailed regulations (Chapters 12-26). However, Moses does not lay down these requirements with the harshness or impersonality of a formal law code. He announces them rather in the pastoral spirit of a preacher, appealing to God's covenant family to respond to God's grace with lives of loyalty to him and justice to others.
The central place of worship (12:1-28)
God's covenant with Israel required the people to worship him only. Therefore, when they entered Canaan they were to remove all trace of foreign religion. In particular they were to destroy the local Canaanite holy places, lest they be tempted to use them in the worship of Yahweh (12:1-4).
The Israelites were to carry out their religious exercises only at the place where the tabernacle (or later the temple) was set up. This centralized worship would help preserve the unity of the people and the purity of their worship (5-7). In contrast to their current circumstances, life in Canaan was to be orderly. There would not be the disorganization at present being experienced because of recent battles and the rushed settlement program for the two and a half tribes east of Jordan (8-14).
During the journey through the wilderness, there had been a simple law concerning the killing of animals for meat. In the case of an animal unsuitable for sacrifice, the people could kill it and eat it anywhere, but in the case of an animal suitable for sacrifice, they could kill it only as a sacrifice at the altar and eat it only as a peace offering (Lev 17:1-7). That was a workable rule as long as the people were all camped close to the tabernacle, but once they were scattered throughout Canaan they would find it impractical to have to take their animals long distances to the tabernacle just to kill them for meat. Moses therefore adjusted the law to suit the new circumstances.
The new law was that, once the people had settled in Canaan, animals suitable for sacrifice could be killed for meat locally the same as animals not suitable for sacrifice, such as gazelles and deer. Killing for sacrifice, however, along with certain other ceremonial practices, had to be carried out at the central place of worship as formerly taught. As usual, the people were not to eat or drink the blood (15-28; see Lev 17:8-16).
Warnings against idolatry (12:29-13:18)
In Canaan the Israelites would meet many new temptations. Moses therefore warned them not to be curious about the religious practices of the former inhabitants, lest they copy them and corrupt their own religion (29-32). They were also to beware of the person who could apparently perform miracles and predict events. The test of the genuineness of the person was not whether his predictions came true, but whether he led people in the ways of God (13:1-5).
Another danger was one that could arise in the family circle when a person developed wrong ideas about God and tried to lead others in the household astray. Like the false prophet he had to be stoned to death. As usual, the person making the accusation had to throw the first stone (6-11).
A danger with much wider consequences could come from open enemies of God who set out deliberately to turn a whole community against him. If careful investigation proved that they had been successful, they and their followers had to be executed, and all trace of their evil removed (12-18).
Cleanness and uncleanness (14:1-21)
God's people were not to follow the superstitious practices of the heathen (14:1-2; see notes on Lev 19:26-28). They were to be 'holy to the Lord', which meant they had to be careful concerning even the food they ate (3-20; see notes on Lev 11:1-23). An animal that died of itself probably contained blood and therefore Israelites were not allowed to eat it; but non-Israelites, to whom blood did not have the same ritual significance, were allowed. Boiling a young animal in its mother's milk was a superstitious practice to be avoided (21; cf. Exod 23:19).
Tithes (14:22-29)
All Israelite families had to pay an annual tithe, amounting to one tenth of all their produce and animals, for the support of the Levites (see notes on Num 18:21-32). This tithe was at the same time an offering to God. The offerer therefore took it to the central place of worship where he presented it to God (and to the Levites) in a ceremonial meal. If the offerer lived so far from the tabernacle (or later the temple) that transporting his goods was a problem, he could sell his tithes locally and take the money instead. The Levites joined in the ceremonial meal, and so too did the offerer's family and slaves (22-27; see also 12:5-7,17-19).
Every third year this tithe, or possibly an additional tithe, was to be distributed in the family's own locality, so that local poor people could benefit from it as well as the Levites. In this case the offerer, after he had distributed his tithes, had to go to the central place of worship and declare before God that he had fulfilled his obligations according to God's command (28-29; see also 26:12-15).
The year of release (15:1-18)
At the end of every seven years all Israelites were to forgive any debts that other Israelites owed them. They were to consider themselves one big family where no one should be driven into poverty or refused a loan in time of hardship, even if the year of release was approaching. God would reward those Israelites who were generous to their fellow Israelites. This law of release did not affect debts owed by foreigners. In those cases normal business procedures applied (15:1-11). (For further details concerning this seventh or sabbatical year see Lev 25:1-7,18-24.)
An Israelite could not keep another Israelite as a slave for more than six years. If the slave wished, he could give himself to his master for lifelong service. If he preferred to go free, his master had to give him enough goods to enable him to begin his new life satisfactorily. The master had no cause for complaint in giving this aid, as he had benefited from the slave's cheap labour for the previous six years (12-18; see also Exod 21:1-11).
If the Israelites ignored these and other laws concerning the sabbatical year, God would punish them by driving them out of their land and into foreign captivity. This would release those they had kept in their power, and give the land rest during their absence (Lev 26:34-43; 2 Chron 36:20-21; Jer 34:13-22).
Firstborn animals (15:19-23)
Since the firstborn of all animals belonged to God, people could not use them for their personal benefit (see notes on Exod 13:1-16). Every firstborn clean animal was sacrificed to God and then eaten by the priests, unless it had some defect. In that case it was used as ordinary meat (19-23; see also Num 18:17-18).
Three annual festivals (16:1-17)
Each year all the male adults in Israel were to gather at the central place of worship for the three great annual festivals: Passover-Unleavened Bread at the beginning of the year (16:1-8; see notes on Exod 12:1-51; Lev 23:4-14); Firstfruits-Weeks, or Harvest Festival, seven weeks after Passover (9-12; see notes on Lev 23:15-22); and Tabernacles-Ingathering, or Festival of Shelters, six months after Passover (13-17; see notes on Lev 23:33-44).
Justice and government (16:18-17:20)
A collection of miscellaneous laws deals with a variety of civil and religious matters. The courts had to administer justice impartially (18-20); the worship of Yahweh was not to involve any symbols or sacred objects taken from other religions (21-22); people were not to offer sick or lame animals in sacrifice (17:1); the testimony of at least two witnesses had to be in agreement before an accused person could be punished (2-7); and when local judges found a case too difficult to decide, they had to take it to the central place of worship where a higher court of judges and priests could decide it (8-13).
God foresaw that the people would later want a king like other nations, so he gave them in advance some of the qualifications and duties of an Israelite king (14-17). The man who became king was to make his own copy of God's law and study it constantly, so that he might govern the people according to God's standards (18-20).
Spiritual guides, good and bad (18:1-22)
Further information is given concerning the support of priests (18:1-5; see notes on Num 18:8-20). If a Levite from the country sold his local possessions to move to the central place of worship, he could retain the money from the sale of his goods and still be financially supported by the people, the same as other Levites (6-8; see notes on Num 18:21-32).
Israel's law prohibited all forms of witchcraft and magic, whether cruel practices in which children were burnt on the altar or made to walk through fire, or common everyday practices such as fortunetelling (9-13). Israelites would have no need to look for help and guidance from those who practised soothsaying, used spells and charms, or consulted the spirits of the dead. God would give the people his specially sent messengers, or prophets, to make his will known to them just as Moses had done (14-19). He would punish those who were not sent by him but set themselves up as prophets (20-22; see also 13:15).
Jesus Christ was the supreme prophet, the perfect messenger of God, whose life and ministry gave full meaning to the promise given here (cf. v. 18-19 with Acts 3:22-23; 7:37).
Justice for the accused (19:1-21)
Three cities of refuge had already been established east of Jordan (see 4:41-43), and three more were to be established west of Jordan (19:1-2). In each of these two regions one city was to be in the north, one in the centre and one in the south, so that a city of refuge was within easy reach of every person in the land, no matter where he lived. All six cities had to have well marked roads leading to them so that the refugee could reach safety quickly (3-7; see also Num 35:9-34). The Israelites could add more cities later as their territory expanded beyond its original borders (8-13).
While dealing with matters of land allocation, Moses warned land-owners not to shift boundary markers that they had already agreed upon. Such action was clearly a case of stealing a neighbour's property (14).
In legal matters, because agreement between two or three witnesses was necessary in order to bring a conviction, a person might be tempted to lie so as to ensure an opponent's defeat. If the witness's honesty was in doubt, the case had to be brought before the higher court of priests and judges. If they found that the witness had made a false confession, he was to suffer the punishment he had tried to bring upon his opponent (15-20). The basis of justice was that the punishment had to fit the crime (21). (For other relevant details see the comments before and after the notes on Exodus 21:1-27.)
Rules for war (20:1-20)
God's people were to have confidence in the wars that lay before them, knowing that God was on their side. That did not mean they could be half-hearted or inefficient in the way they planned and fought. All had to give themselves fully to the task before them. Nevertheless, the law temporarily excused some people from military service, such as those who had recently committed themselves to something that could be ruined if they were suddenly called away to the battlefield (20:1-7). If people were cowardly or too afraid to fight, they were to be sent home (8-9).
Israel was not to act with the brutality that characterized other nations. Though they were to destroy the people of Canaan and their cities (for this was God's judgment on the wicked Canaanites), Israel's soldiers were not to destroy non-Canaanite cities unless the people refused Israel's terms of peace. They
were to attack only when all else failed; but even then they were to attack only the soldiers, not the women and children (10-18). Also they were to be careful in choosing which trees to cut down for building siegeworks, to avoid destroying the orchards and forests (19-20).
Respect for human life (21:1-23)
Murder made the land unclean, and the uncleanness could be removed only by the execution of the murderer (see Num 35:29-34). Where the murderer could not be found, the elders of the town nearest the place of the murder had to go to an unpolluted stream nearby and carry out the ritual slaughter of a young cow instead of the unknown murderer. The blood of the cow washed away in the stream symbolized the removal of uncleanness caused by the unlawful bloodshed (21:1-9).
An Israelite had to treat with respect any woman taken captive in war. If he wanted to marry her, he had to realize that, because she had just been suddenly removed from her former home, he had to treat her with special consideration. Therefore, he could not take her as a wife till enough time had passed for her to mourn her parents and adjust to the new way of life. Neither could he sell her as a slave if he later decided he did not want her. He had to let her go free (10-14).
In the case of a man who had several wives, the firstborn son was always the heir, whether he was son of the favourite wife or not. This protected the rights of the firstborn against family jealousies and prejudices (15-17).
Where both parents agreed that their son was so uncontrollable as to be criminally dangerous, they could take him to the rulers for a legal judgment on what to do with him. If the rulers judged the young man to be a danger to the community, he was to be stoned to death (18-21). The body of a person stoned to death was hanged on a tree till evening as a mark of disgrace (22-23).
Laws of love and purity (22:1-30)
A collection of miscellaneous laws reminds the people of some everyday responsibilities. They had to go out of their way to help others (22:1-4); they were not to dress in a way that would encourage immorality (5); they were to be thoughtful for the safety of others, birds and animals as well as people (68); and they were not to restrict the productivity of their crops through wrong practices, or shorten the lives of their working animals through cruelty (9-11). They were to wear tassels on their clothes to remind them to keep God's commandments (12; see Num 15:37-41).
If a man tried to find an excuse for divorcing his wife by accusing her (falsely) of unchastity before marriage, he was to be whipped and fined for his cruel accusation and prevented from divorcing her (1319). If, however, a woman had been guilty of unchastity before marriage, she had to suffer the penalty, which was death by stoning (20-21). The engaged as well as the married were considered adulterers if they had sexual relations with third parties, and had to be stoned to death. The one exception was the case of a woman who had been raped (22-27). People not engaged who had sexual relations were to marry each other, but the man was to be fined for his folly and had to pay the bride price to the young lady's father (28-30; see Exod 22:16-17).
A holy nation (23:1-25)
Various laws prohibited foreigners, eunuchs and people born through immorality from joining fully in Israel's public worship. This discouraged Israelites from copying heathen practices or marrying heathen people. At the same time it impressed upon them the holiness God required (23:1-8). Holiness also demanded high standards of cleanliness in the camp, particularly in matters concerning discharges from sexual organs and treatment of human excrement (9-14).
Other features of life in surrounding nations that the Israelites were not to follow were the practice of sending back runaway slaves for the sake of gaining a reward, and religious-sexual fertility rights with temple prostitutes (15-18). God's people were to be faithful to him by doing what they promised and by loving one another, such as in helping the needy with money and food (19-25; see notes on Exod 22:2131; Lev 25:35-46).
Protection for the disadvantaged (24:1-25:4)
Various laws guaranteed protection for defenceless people who might otherwise be exploited. A woman who had been divorced was free from interference by her previous husband. He had to respect the decency of marriage, and had no right to send her away then take her back as he pleased (24:1-4; cf. Matt
5:32; 19:3-9). A newly married man could not be forced into the army till at least one year after marriage (5; cf. 20:7). A poor person who borrowed money could not be forced to give his creditor a millstone as guarantee for the debt, as he would be left with no means of providing flour for his family's food (6).
There was to be no mercy for a kidnapper (7) and no relaxation of the laws concerning leprosy, no matter how important the infected person was (8). However, people were to show mercy to debtors and not to trample on the rights of the poor. Clothing taken as guarantee for a debt had to be returned by evening, so that the person would not have to sleep in the cold (9-13). Employers were to be considerate to their employees, and pay wages daily to those who had no reserve savings (14-15).
Justice was not to favour the rich and powerful. At all times Israelites were to be merciful to the oppressed, remembering how they felt when they were oppressed in Egypt (16-18). When farmers harvested their cereals and fruit, whatever they missed at the first reaping or picking was to be left for the poor (19-22).
Whipping was never to be used to force confessions from suspected lawbreakers, but only to punish those who had been proved guilty. The number of lashes was to be in proportion to the offence and was never to exceed forty (25:1-3). Farmers were to be kind to their animals and allow them to eat as they worked (4).
Family and business relationships (25:5-19)
If a man died having no son, his brother was to have a temporary marital relation with the widow for the purpose of helping her produce a son. Legally, this son would be considered son of the dead man and so would receive his inheritance and carry on his name. If the brother refused to cooperate, he was to be publicly disgraced for allowing the dead man's name to die out (5-10). (If, however, there were surviving daughters, they could receive the father's inheritance; see Num 27:1-11.) This desire to protect even the closest of relatives was no excuse for indecency, and the person guilty of indecency had to be punished (11-12).
People were not to act dishonestly in business dealings, such as through using undersized measures when selling grain and extra heavy weights when weighing the buyer's money (13-16). In commanding Israel to destroy the Amalekites, God showed that he would surely punish those who brutally attacked the weak and defenceless (17-19).
Declarations by Israel and by God (26:1-19)
The first harvest season after the Israelites settled in Canaan would be of particular importance, bringing to a climax the fulfilment of God's promise to Israel of a permanent homeland (26:1-4). The harvest firstfruits offered to God on this occasion would have special significance as the people recalled their humble beginnings, their slavery in Egypt, and the miraculous release that allowed them to possess the land God had prepared for them (5-11).
Besides offering the firstfruits to God, the people had to make an annual offering of tithes. Every third year this tithe (or an additional tithe) was not taken to the central place of worship, but was given to the Levites and the poor in the offerer's own locality (see 14:28-29). This meant that the distribution of this tithe was not under the general supervision of the priests. The law therefore laid down a special requirement to prevent dishonesty and ensure that people kept in mind the religious nature of the offering. According to this requirement, the offerer, after distributing his tithe, had to go to the central place of worship and declare before God that he had carried out his responsibilities fully (12-15).
Moses had now finished his instruction on the covenant's detailed requirements. The two parties to the covenant then made declarations that bound them together. The people declared that Yahweh was their God and they would keep his commandments, and God declared that they were his people and he would exalt them above all nations (16-19; see also 29:10-15).
27:1-30:20 CONDITIONS OF THE COVENANT
The listing of blessings and curses at the end of the covenant document is again in keeping with the form of ancient Near Eastern treaties. God in his sovereign grace had chosen Israel as his people and preserved them. In gratitude the people were to be obedient to God's commands, and in doing so they would enjoy fellowship with him and blessing in their national life. Disobedience, on the other hand,
would bring his judgment upon them, so that they might see their sin, change their ways, and return to him in renewed covenant loyalty.
Blessings and curses (27:1-26)
After the Israelites moved into Canaan, they were to go to the valley between Mt Gerizim and Mt Ebal to declare their loyalty to the covenant. There also they were to write the law on plastered stones and display it publicly where people could read it, and so be reminded constantly of their covenant obligations (27:1-10).
Six tribes were to gather on each of the two mountains, while the Levitical priests, who read the blessings and curses, gathered in the valley between. As the priests read each blessing, the tribes on Mt Gerizim would give their acknowledgment by answering 'Amen'. In the same way the tribes on Mt Ebal would answer 'Amen' after each curse, acknowledging the justice of God's punishment if his people broke his law (11-14; see Josh 8:30-35).
For some reason only the curses are listed here, though the corresponding blessings were in fact read when Joshua later carried out the ceremony (Josh 8:34). The curses mainly concerned sins done in secret, emphasizing that no area of life was hidden from the watchful eye of God. The accursed sins included idolatry (15), disrespect (16), cheating (17), lack of sympathy (18), social injustice (19), sexual perversion (20-23), murder (24), plotting (25) and defiance of God's law in general (26).
Obedience and disobedience (28:1-68)
Further blessings and curses are now listed. These were connected more with the life of the people as a whole and were directly dependent on the people's obedience or disobedience. The blessings mainly concerned agricultural prosperity, family happiness, victory over enemies and honour in the eyes of other nations (28:1-10). God's assurance that he would supply their needs was linked to a warning. They were not to look for family increase or agricultural productivity by worshipping the Canaanite nature gods (1114).
Corresponding to the blessings for obedience were the curses for disobedience. In general these would take the form of diseases and plagues upon their families, flocks, herds and crops (15-24) and repeated defeat in war (25-35). Finally, the nation that God had chosen to be the leader of all nations would go into humiliating captivity (36-46).
The cruelty of foreign invaders and the horrors of siege warfare are vividly described. People would be so desperate for food that they would eat even their own children (47-57; cf. 2 Kings 6:25-29; Lam 2:19-22; 4:4-10). Eventually, the nation would be destroyed and the people taken captive into foreign countries. There they would be treated worse than animals and meet horrible deaths. Many would be shipped as slaves to Egypt, where they would so flood the slave market that no one would want to buy them (58-68).
The covenant renewed (29:1-30:20)
Israel's lack of understanding of God and his ways meant that the people needed constant reminders of the covenant's purpose, meaning and requirements. Moses gave them such a reminder in this his farewell address to the nation, acting as God's representative in the renewal of the covenant as he had done at the establishment of the covenant at Sinai (Horeb) (29:1-9). The renewed oath of allegiance that the people swore before entering Canaan was binding on future generations (10-15).
If, after they had seen the greatness of Yahweh and the worthlessness of idols, the people stubbornly rejected Yahweh and worshipped other gods, the whole nation ('moist and dry alike') would be in danger of destruction (16-21). In judgment for their breaking the covenant, the land would be devastated and they would be driven from it in shame (22-28).
No person knows everything, but each person must be obedient to whatever knowledge he or she has. The Israelites did not know all that God would do in the future, but they had his revealed will for them in the present in the form of the covenant law, and they had to be obedient to that (29).
Although God might punish his people, in his grace he would forgive them and bring them back to their land if they repented of their sins and turned to him with all their hearts. He would cleanse their hearts and give them the desire to love him afresh. In response to their renewed obedience, he would bless them with renewed prosperity (30:1-10). The command to obey God was not something difficult to hear
or understand, but was clear and simple. The people had to act upon it (11-14). Love and obedience would lead to true life and prosperity; self-will and disobedience would lead to disaster and death (15-20).
31:1-34:12 MOSES' LAST DAYS
Arrangements for the future (31:1-29)
Knowing he had only a few more days to live, Moses handed over the leadership of Israel to his divinely appointed successor, Joshua. He reminded both Joshua and the people that fearless commitment to the task ahead, combined with total trust in God, would guarantee victory over the Canaanites and possession of the promised land (31:1-8,14-15,23; see notes on Num 27:12-23).
Moses then made three separate arrangements to ensure that people did not forget their covenant obligations. First, he commanded the priests and leaders to make sure that the entire law was read publicly every seven years (9-15). Second, he himself wrote a song that would stick in people's minds as a constant warning and reminder (16-23. The song is recorded in Chapter 32). Third, he put his own written record of the law in a safe place beside the ark, as a witness against the people when they turned away from it. This copy of the law beside the ark was an absolute standard of reference in all matters of life and conduct (24-29).
These arrangements were again consistent with ancient practices concerning a covenant between an overlord and his subject people. The covenant document was kept in the people's sanctuary, and the leaders conducted periodic public readings to remind the people of their covenant obligations.
The song of Moses (31:30-32:47)
Being aware of the people's tendency to rebellion against God (see v. 29), Moses left with them a song that he wanted everyone to take notice of (30). The song reminded the people of God's loving care for them and of the need for faithfulness on their part towards him. It dealt with the future as well as the past, and reminded the people that in justice God would punish them and in mercy he would forgive them.
As rain benefits young grass, so Moses' words should benefit Israel (32:1-3). Like a rock, God gave Israel (Jeshurun) protection and stability; as their Father, he gave them an honoured place among the nations and a land for an inheritance; but through stubborn selfishness they ruined themselves and disgraced their Father (4-9). God cared for Israel with love and tenderness, giving his people all they needed for a life of contentment; but instead of being thankful, they treated him with contempt. Instead of worshipping him, they worshipped other gods (10-18). Therefore, in his righteous anger, God punished them (19-25).
However, God would not allow the nation to be completely destroyed, lest people thought that they, and not God, controlled Israel's destiny. If they had any understanding, these nations would realize that they could have no victory at all over Israel unless Israel's God allowed it (26-30). Israel's God was just and mighty; the enemies' gods were wicked, immoral and cruel (31-33).
Yahweh was still the supreme ruler. Even when he used other nations to punish his people, he would also punish those nations, along with their gods, for their own wickedness. Then Israel too would see the uselessness of false gods. They would return to Yahweh, and he would heal them (34-43).
The people were to memorize and sing this song, so that it would remind them to keep God's law and warn them of what would happen if they ignored it. God gave the law for their good, and by keeping it they would enjoy life in the land he had given them (44-47).
The blessing of Moses (32:48-33:29)
As God had announced earlier, the time for Moses to die had come (48-52; see Num 27:12-14). The prophetic blessings that he gave Israel before he died foresaw the favours that God would give the various tribes. But first Moses recalled the giving of the law at Sinai. God appeared in flaming majesty, bursting forth in glory brighter than the rising sun. Accompanying him were multitudes of heavenly servants who carry out God's purposes in the lives of individuals and nations. This one, Israel's King, was the one who gave his law to his assembled people (33:1-5).
The tribe of Reuben, though it had lost the rights of the firstborn, was not to allow itself to become weak (6; cf. 1 Chron 5:1). Judah was the most powerful tribe, but besides protecting itself from enemies,
it was to help other tribes when they were in trouble. (Simeon, not mentioned here, became absorbed into the tribe of Judah) (7). Levi, the tribe to which Moses and Aaron belonged, had responsibility for religious services and the teaching of the law. Men of this tribe had passed God's test at Massah and proved their covenant faithfulness at Sinai, but had rebelled at Meribah (8-11; cf. Exod 17:1-7; 32:25-29; Num 20:10-13). (For the Urim and Thummim see notes on Exod 28:15-30.)
Benjamin had its special blessing when the temple in Jerusalem was later built in its territory, though the rest of Jerusalem was in Judah's territory (12). The Joseph tribes, Ephraim and Manasseh, were to inherit the best part of Canaan. The God who once appeared in the burning bush would give them special power, so that they would become the leading tribes in the northern kingdom (13-17).
Zebulun and Issachar would prosper through the commercial activity and agricultural richness that characterized their region (18-19). The people of Gad chose their land east of Jordan, but they kept their promise to help other tribes conquer Canaan. They were fierce fighters (20-21). Dan would prove to be a treacherous tribe (e.g. Judg 18:1-31), but Naphtali would be content with a quiet life in the fertile highlands around the Lake of Galilee. Asher would live in a well protected fertile area that would become famous for its olives and the high quality oil they produced (22-25). Protected and blessed by God, all Israel would enjoy victory, prosperity and happiness (26-29).
Death of Moses (34:1-12)
Before Moses died, God allowed him to climb to the peak (Pisgah) of Mount Nebo in the Abarim Range (near the Israelite camp on the plains of Moab) and view the full extent of the magnificent land his people were soon to possess (34:1-4).
The editor responsible for this final chapter adds the note that the exact location of Moses' grave was unknown (5-8). Joshua was the new leader, but neither he nor any who came after him had the unique experience of Moses, who met God face to face, who knew his thoughts and who performed his mighty works (9-12).
Joshua
The book of Joshua is concerned largely with Israel's conquest of Canaan and the division of the land among its tribes. As early as the time of Abraham God promised that this land would belong to Israel (Gen 13:14-17), but several hundred years passed before Israel was large enough to conquer and occupy it.
Most of Israel's population growth took place in Egypt, and when God's time arrived Moses led the people out of Egypt towards Canaan (Exod 3:7-10; 12:40-41). However, when the people were close enough to Canaan to prepare for attack, they became fearful of the Canaanites and rebellious against God. Except for two of their tribal leaders, Joshua and Caleb, the people stubbornly refused to trust God and advance into Canaan. In punishment God left them in the wilderness, till the whole adult generation (except Joshua and Caleb) died and a new generation grew up (Num 14:28-35). Now, forty years after their parents left Egypt, the people of this new generation were about to enter Canaan. They were camped on the plains east of the Jordan River opposite Jericho (Num 22:1), Moses had just died (Deut 34:1-5), and Joshua was now the nation's new leader (Deut 34:9; Josh 1:1-2).
Israel's new leader
Joshua had grown up as a slave in Egypt, but the years of hardship helped him develop a strength of character and a faith in God that would one day make him an important national figure. When the Israelites at last escaped from Egypt, Joshua soon showed his leadership qualities by quickly organizing a fighting force and driving off an Amalekite attack (Exod 17:8-16). By the time Israel reached Mt Sinai, Joshua was Moses' chief assistant. He alone went with Moses up into the mountain and kept watch while Moses entered the presence of God (Exod 24:13). Likewise he kept watch outside the tent where Moses met with God (Exod 33:11; cf. Num 11:28).
On the occasion of Israel's rebellion against God in the wilderness, Joshua demonstrated his faith and his courage when he and Caleb stood firm against them (Num 14:6-9). His faith in God gave him patience and kept him from selfish ambition. He showed no jealousy of Moses as Israel's leader, and even tried to defend him against any action that might have appeared to threaten his exalted position (Num 11:26-30).
God chose Joshua to succeed Moses as leader, but he made it clear that Joshua would not exercise the absolute authority that Moses had exercised. Moses' position was unique, and he spoke to God face to face. But after his death the civil leadership and the religious leadership were separated. From that time on the usual procedure was for the civil leader to receive God's instructions through the high priest (Num 27:18-23). Nevertheless, Joshua was a person who understood God. His experience as a spiritual guide, a civil administrator and a military leader fitted him well to lead the people of Israel into the new land and the new era that lay before them (Deut 31:7,14,23; 34:9).
Style of the book
The book of Joshua takes its name from the leading person in the story, but it does not record who wrote it. The writer may have based his material partly on what Joshua himself wrote (Josh 24:25-26), partly on other historical books of the era (Josh 10:13), and partly on various national and tribal records relating to places, families and events (Josh 18:8-9).