Bible Commentaries
Deuteronomy 11

Introduction

Deuteronomy 5-11. Moses’ Second Address.— This contains laws ( Deuteronomy 5:6-21) and (mainly) exhortation based on the fundamental conception of Yahweh’ s uniqueness. This discourse had probably an independent origin, but it is exceedingly homogeneous, and conforms throughout with the type of composition characteristic of D. Many of the best scholars, including Driver, regard Deuteronomy 5-26 with Deuteronomy 28 as one continuous composition, not improbably (they think) the original D code.

Deuteronomy 6-11. Consists of a lengthy homily based on the first commandment ( Deuteronomy 5:6). Israel is to worship and serve Yahweh alone.

Verses 1-32

Deuteronomy 11. Continues the exhortation to love and obey Yahweh, giving motives and promises and pointing out the consequence of disobedience.

Deuteronomy 11:2-7. Read (adding one Heb. consonant), “ for ye are not as your children who know not and have not seen . . . midst of all Israel: for your eves, etc.”— chastisement: Deuteronomy 4:36 *.

Deuteronomy 11:5 . See Exodus 15, Numbers 32.

Deuteronomy 11:6 . See Numbers 16:25; Numbers 16:27; Numbers 16:32 (JE). Dt. using JE is silent about Korah mentioned by P ( Numbers 26:9-11).

Deuteronomy 11:8 b. See Deuteronomy 4:1.

Deuteronomy 11:9 . land . . . honey: Exodus 3:8 *.

Deuteronomy 11:10 . wateredst . . . foot: probably some irrigation contrivance is meant, by which water sluices communicating with the Nile were opened and closed. Erman affirms, but W. Max Mü ller denies, that the water-wheel ( cf. modern Egypt) was used in ancient Egypt. A plentiful supply of rain, a great necessity in Palestine, is often mentioned in the OT as a proof of Yahweh’ s loving care; see Leviticus 26:4, Isaiah 55:10 f., Ezekiel 34:26, Hosea 6:3.

Deuteronomy 11:14 . former rain: in November and December after seed-sowing.— latter rain: in March to April, it matures the grain, vitalised by the autumnal showers.

Deuteronomy 11:18-20 . Almost verbatim as Deuteronomy 6:6-9 *, though Deuteronomy 11:21 ( cf. Deuteronomy 11:9) adds a promise. Steuernagel and Bertholet omit Deuteronomy 11:18-21.

Deuteronomy 11:24 . Read, “ from the wilderness” (in the S.) “ to Lebanon” (in the N.) “ and from the great river” (Euphrates in the E.) “ to the western sea” (the Mediterranean). For these ideal boundaries, see Deuteronomy 1:7 *. The Hebrews commonly named the cardinal points from their direction looking east, hence “ hinder” = west.

Deuteronomy 11:30 . Read, “ Are they” (Gerizim and Ebal) “ not on the other side of the Jordan, west of it” (adding one consonant) “ on the western road in the land of the Canaanites, opposite to that Gilgal which is alongside the diviner’ s terebinth?” Omit which dwell in the Araban: it is senseless. The Gilgal named is the modern Julejib, 2½ miles SE. of Nablous (Shechem).— oaks of Moreh: render, “ the diviner’ s terebinth” ( Genesis 12:6; Genesis 13:18; Genesis 18:1, Joshua 24:26, Judges 6:11). The oak (including the terebinth) was among the ancient Semites and Kelts a sacred tree; hence oracles were sought from the deity supposed to dwell in it.