Cheat Sheet
- The core of Deuteronomy from the 7th century BCE, with some earlier traditions woven in.
- Rabbinic literature refers to Deuteronomy as mishnehtorah, meaning a repetition of the Torah. Accordingly, Deuteronimon in Greek means second law. The problem is that Deuteronomy has a lot of unique content that exists nowhere else in the Torah.
- The Deuteronomist reflects a die hard monotheism and rejects monolatry.
- Other Deuteronomist material found in Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Jeremiah
Tamara Eskenazi
(יג) הָב֣וּ לָ֠כֶ֠ם אֲנָשִׁ֨ים חֲכָמִ֧ים וּנְבֹנִ֛ים וִידֻעִ֖ים לְשִׁבְטֵיכֶ֑ם וַאֲשִׂימֵ֖ם בְּרָאשֵׁיכֶֽם׃(יד) וַֽתַּעֲנ֖וּ אֹתִ֑י וַתֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ טֽוֹב־הַדָּבָ֥ר אֲשֶׁר־דִּבַּ֖רְתָּ לַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃
(13) Pick from each of your tribes candidates*candidates Lit. “participants whose involvement defines the depicted situation”; trad. “men.” See the Dictionary under ’ish. who are wise, discerning, and experienced, and I will appoint them as your heads.”(14) You answered me and said, “What you propose to do is good.”
דברים יב:יב וְעַתָּה֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מָ֚ה יְ־הֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ שֹׁאֵ֖ל מֵעִמָּ֑ךְ כִּ֣י אִם לְ֠יִרְאָה אֶת יְ־הֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ לָלֶ֤כֶת בְּכָל דְּרָכָיו֙ וּלְאַהֲבָ֣ה אֹת֔וֹ וְלַֽעֲבֹד֙ אֶת יְ־הֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ֖ וּבְכָל נַפְשֶֽׁךָ: יב:יג לִשְׁמֹ֞ר אֶת מִצְוֹ֤ת יְ־הֹוָה֙ וְאֶת חֻקֹּתָ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּ֑וֹם לְט֖וֹב לָֽךְ:
Deut 12:12 “And now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God demand of you? Simply to fear the Lord your God, to walk in his ways, and to love him and to serve the Lord your God with all of your heart and soul, 12:13 to observe the Lord’s commandments and statutes, which I charge you today, for your good” (author’s translation).
[The Deuteronomist] appears to be closely connected to the world of wisdom. Wisdom was an international pursuit in the ancient Near East, carried on by sages in different countries. Indeed, wisdom was something like scientific research nowadays, and like scientists, wisdom writers had their own characteristic vocabulary and themes. The word "wise" itself was almost a code word (and certainly more specific than "wise" sounds in English); like "scientist," "wise" meant someone who pursued a certain way of knowledge.
Many of these wisdom elements have been found to be present in Deuteronomy. Thus, God's commandments, statutes, and ordinances, as well as "this book of law[or Torah]," are spoken of in Deuteronomy in much the same way that wisdom is spoken of in the biblical book of Proverbs and other wisdom texts: people are urged to "cling" to the Torah, to "guard" it, to "bind it as a sign," and so forth. Those who administer the laws - judges and other officials - ought themselves to be "wise" (16:19), and the country's leaders should likewise be "individuals who are wise, discerning, and reputable" (1:13). Similarly important is the central theme of reward and punishment to its adherence to God's laws. All these elements seem to whisper: "wisdom." Indeed, at one point Deuteronomy suggests that its laws are themselves the equivalent of collections of wise sayings elsewhere:
How to Read the Bible, James L. Kugel
(ו) וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֮ וַעֲשִׂיתֶם֒ כִּ֣י הִ֤וא חָכְמַתְכֶם֙ וּבִ֣ינַתְכֶ֔ם לְעֵינֵ֖י הָעַמִּ֑ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִשְׁמְע֗וּן אֵ֚ת כָּל־הַחֻקִּ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה וְאָמְר֗וּ רַ֚ק עַם־חָכָ֣ם וְנָב֔וֹן הַגּ֥וֹי הַגָּד֖וֹל הַזֶּֽה׃
(6) Observe them faithfully, for that will be proof of your wisdom and discernment to other peoples, who on hearing of all these laws will say, “Surely, that great nation is a wise and discerning people.”
Deuteronomy may be the book discovered (written) in the time of King Josiah (rules 640 - 608 BCE), a time of revival after the loss of the norther kingdom. Presenting this history of what Moses said on the other side of the Jordan is intended to effect that revival of faith and practice.
Moses not being allowed into the land fits the theological theme of Deuteronomy. Bad community behavior results in national and individual disaster.
"At that time" emphasizes the historical nature of the text. Perhaps the message is: Your ancestors should have followed the advice Moses gave at that time.
According to the Sifri, the numerous place names listed here are not landmarks indicating where Moses spoke these words—indeed, some of these places do not even exist as geographical locations. Rather, these are words of rebuke by Moses to the people of Israel. Instead of mentioning their sins outright, he alluded to them with these place names. ~Sifri, Rashi