About This Book
Deuteronomy, meaning 'second law,' records Moses' final sermons to Israel before they enter the Promised Land. Standing on the plains of Moab, Moses addresses the new generation born during the wilderness wanderings, rehearsing Israel's history and God's faithfulness. He reminds them of their parents' failures, particularly the refusal to enter Canaan from Kadesh-barnea, which resulted in forty years of wandering. Moses emphasizes that this new opportunity requires wholehearted obedience and warns against the idolatry that destroyed the previous generation.
The heart of the book is the repetition and expansion of God's law. Moses restates the Ten Commandments and elaborates on loving God with all one's heart, soul, and strength—the Shema that becomes central to Jewish identity. He provides detailed laws governing worship, civil life, warfare, family relationships, social justice, and care for the vulnerable. These laws distinguish Israel from surrounding nations and demonstrate God's character.
Moses warns that obedience brings blessing while disobedience brings curses, including eventual exile from the land. However, he also prophesies that after judgment, God will restore a repentant Israel. Moses appoints Joshua as his successor and writes the law in a book to be kept beside the ark. The book concludes with Moses viewing Canaan from Mount Nebo before his death.
God Himself buries Moses in an unknown location. Deuteronomy emphasizes God's covenant faithfulness, the necessity of loving obedience, and serves as the theological foundation referenced throughout the rest of Scripture.