Unity of Deuteronomy and the Laws of the Intermediate Books
Chapter Thirteen(TOC)
Unity of Deuteronomy and the Laws of the Intermediate Books
On the essential unity of Deuteronomy 5-26, all critics agree. They differ somewhat in opinion as to the subsequent parts of the book. Also, the introductory chapters have been severed from the bulk of the book, which is legal. Still, they are often attributed to the same author, who forged the Code, and composed them afterwards to unite his book with the Jehovistic document. For example, Graf holds that Jeremiah was the author of Deuteronomy 1-30. Kayser ascribes to one and the same author 4:44; 26, 27 in part, and 28. He does not decide whether the introductory and closing chapters belong to him or not (p. 141). Kuenen thinks that chapter 1:1-32:47 were composed as one piece.
When we speak here of unity, it is obviously in a wider sense than before. The Sinaitic legislation was given within a few months, whilst between it and Deuteronomy fall more than forty years. It is not unity of time, much less of circumstances and environment, but unity of authorship of spirit and aim, and of underlying ideas, which we seek. Even the old view of Delitzsch, who held that a man like Joshua, or one of the elders, mynqz, on whom the spirit of Moses rested, supplemented the Elohistic narrative by writing Deuteronomy, maintains the essential unity in this wide sense. Kleinert's view, on the other hand, that Deuteronomy was written in the time of Samuel, would already give it up; and to speak of laws, originating in as late a period as that of the Kings, as Mosaic, is not only inaccurate, but misleading.
We are chiefly concerned with two questions here—
1. Does a relative unity between Deuteronomy and the middle books exist?