Bible Commentaries
Deuteronomy 1

Verse 1

Deuteronomy

Walking Thru The Bible

DEUTERONOMY

INTRODUCTION

The first five books of the Bible are referred to as the Books of Law, or The Books of Moses.

DEUTERONOMY

The title of the last book of the Pentateuch in the English comes from the Greek Deuteronomion, which means "the second law" or "the repeated law."

The book was given just before they entered Canaan in the 40th year after they had come out of Egypt (Deut 1:3). It was given because many of them had not witnessed the transactions at Mt. Sinai, the former generation having all died except Joshua and Caleb. It was given to impress their hearts with a deep sense of their obligation to God, and to prepare them for the inheritance which God had prepared for them.

While Leviticus was addressed to the spiritual leaders of Israel, Deuteronomy was addressed to the common people for every day guidelines for godliness.

The ordinances of Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers had regulated their nomadic life in the wilderness. Now as they were about to settle down in their own land some adjustments were necessary. This book provides these.

Their Charge: "Go in and possess the land which I have given you." (Deuteronomy 1:8, Deuteronomy 1:21; Deuteronomy 1:39; Deuteronomy 2:5, Deuteronomy 2:9, Deuteronomy 2:19).

Contents of the Book: There are five separate discourses of Moses in the book plus a song of Moses and the final chapter containing a record of the death of Moses which is believed to have been written by Joshua. Three "Looks" of the book:

1) Looking back over the forty years, ch. 1-4

a. Learning from the past

2) Looking up to know God’s will, ch. 5-26

a. A review of God’s Laws for Israel

3) Looking out into the future, ch. 27-34

a. A solemn warning, ch. 27-28

b. The Covenant renewed, ch. 29-30

c. The last counsels of Moses, ch. 31

d. The Song of Moses, ch. 32

e. Moses final charge and farewell, ch. 33

f. The death of Moses, ch. 34

Deuteronomy in the NT: The book is quoted some 85 times in the NT and only six NT books fail to quote it. It ranks among the four most quoted OT books. It was one of the favorites of Jesus and was often quoted by him.

[The five books of Moses are equal to almost a quarter of the Old Testament and as large as the entire New Testament.]

Deut 1.1

Verse Comments

Deuteronomy 1:1