Deuteronomy chapter 5 (Continued)
5:17 This verse relates to the sanctity of life. The Hebrew language has seven words related to "kill." This word is
almost always used of killing a personal enemy (ratsah), but is not confined to intentional and premeditated murder.
The prohibition applies to: (1) suicide; (2) to all accessories to the murder (2 Samuel 12:9); and (3) to all those who
have the authority of a magistrate or governor, but who fail to use it to punish known and convicted murderers (1
Kings 21:19). There were at least 16 crimes calling for the death penalty in the Old Testament: premeditated
murder, kidnapping, adultery, homosexuality, incest, bestiality, incorrigible delinquency and persistent disobedience
to parents and authorities, striking or cursing parents, offering human sacrifice, false prophecy, blasphemy,
profaning the Sabbath, sacrificing to false gods, magic and divination, unchastity, and rape of a betrothed virgin.
Only for the first crime, premeditated murder, was there no ransom or substitute acceptable (Number 35:31).
5:18 This verse relates to adultery and the sanctity of marriage. It was punishable by death and was distinguished
from fornication (Exodus 22;16; Deuteronomy 22:28, 29).
5:19 This verse relates to theft and the sanctity of property. The Old Testament taught that God owned everything
in heaven and on earth (Psalm 24:1; 115:16), and that He has only entrusted it to others. Thus, theft was actually
stealing from God as well as from man.
5:20 This ninth commandment related to false charges and the sanctity of truth. It applied to all areas of life, even
though the terminology used reflects the legal process in Israel, "false witness." To despise the truth was to despise
God whose very being was truth. "Lying" in Hosea 4:2 shows the commandment had a broad application.
5:21 The sanctity of motives is presented in the final commandment. It relates to an inner quality of contentment.
Desire (chamad), "to desire earnestly," "to long after," "to covet," is used in Genesis 3:6 as it relates to the tree and
its ability to make one wise. The word covet ('awah) also means to set one's desire on something, such as food.
This relates to the inner instinct that lies behind all acts, thoughts, and words (Matthew 15:19; Mark 7:21; Luke
12:15; Romans 1:24; 2 Corinthians 9:5; Ephesians 5:3; and 1 Timothy 6:6: "Godliness with contentment is great
gain").
Deuteronomy chapter 8
8:2 Humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart: The 40 years were a time of testing and
discipline, to discover what Israel's real motives were. The trials were designed to get them to trust God (Matthew
4:4; Luke 4:4).
8:16 To do thee good at thy latter end: The ultimate purpose of God's discipline and testing is expressed in this
phrase. After it was all over, they would enter the Promised Land if they lived by faith and trusted God.
8:18 God...he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant: Yahweh alone gave Israel
the ability to get wealth, and the blessing the nation enjoyed was the result of His covenant with the people and was
the outcome of His promised to their forefathers.
Deuteronomy chapter 9
9:1-6 The conquest will be accomplished because of Yahweh's will, not because of Israel's righteousness. The
wickedness of these nations served as the basis for Israel's victories (Genesis 15:16). Stiffnecked people: Literally,
the word is "hard of neck"; the figure may be taken from a stubborn ox that refuses to submit to the yoke.
9:7-29 There are many parallels between this narrative and the one in Exodus 24:12-18; 32; and 34. The
intercession of Moses (verses 18-20, 25-29) is set against the rebellion of Israel (verses 7-17, 21-24). In this way,
the love and mercy of Yahweh for Israel are emphasized. They had been rebellious against the Lord from the day I
knew you. Before they crossed the Red Sea they were in unbelief, and all the way to Sinai they murmured and
tested God. Then He knew them, that is, He made a covenant with them. Even then they were involved in idolatry,
as when Moses came down the mountain with the tablets of stone.
Deuteronomy chapter 10
10:12-22 God's requirement of Israel was Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more
stiffnecked. An uncircumcised heart is one that is closed and impervious to God's incoming, just as an
uncircumcised ear (Jeremiah 6:10) is one that hears imperfectly, being covered over; and uncircumcised lips
(Exodus 6:12, 30) are lips that speak incoherently because they are sealed wholly or in part. If that which hinders is
cut away, there will be a submission to the will of God and the end of stubbornness. Certainly the Old Testament
went beyond the physical to the spiritual (Romans 2:29; Philippians 3:3; Colossians 2:11) in the same sense as the
New Testament. Fatherless: The items mentioned are not unique to Israel's God. Mesopotamian literature has
examples of kings who expressed concern for the welfare of widows and orphans. But in Deuteronomy, and other
parts of the Old Testament, Israel is urged to show kindness to such people (1:16; 10:19; 24:14, 17; 27:19; Exodus
23:9). Note James 1:27 in the New Testament.
Deuteronomy chapter 11
11:1-32 This section continues the portion of God's requirement of Israel with an appeal to the past, depicting the
relation of obedience to blessing in verses 1-9 and then conveying the thought that Yahweh's blessing in the
Promised Land is only for obedient people (verses 10-25). Charge occurs only here in Deuteronomy and means
that which is to be guarded or observed in relation to God. In other Pentateuch books it is frequently used of the
charge of the tabernacle (Leviticus 8:35; 18:30; 22:9; Numbers 9:19, 23), or more generally to any demand
Yahweh may make (Genesis 26:5; Joshua 22:3; 1 Kings 2:3). Chastisement is the Hebrew word musar. In Proverbs
it occurs 36 times, and conveys the ideas of chastening, correcting, instructing, and providing (Proverbs 1:7, 8;
3:11, 12; 8:10; 15:5, 32; 22:15). The therefore of verse 8 emphasizes the fact that Yahweh's claim to Israel's
obedience rests on what He has done for them. The conjunction that (in Hebrews "in order that") adds a strong
contingency. The fulfillment of the promise was not automatic. That is why, beginning in verse 26, there is laid
before you [them] this day a blessing and a curse--they must choose what it will be. The topic is dealt with in
chapter 27. Gerizim...Ebal were the two most prominent hills in the natural center of Palestine used to represent
symbolically the blessing and the curse. Gerizim was on the south, or right-hand side as one looked east. This was
considered the side of favor, and therefore the side of blessing. Ebal was on the north.
Deuteronomy chapter 12
12:1-32 This portion corresponds to 5:6-10 and the concept of worship as it relates to the first two commandments.
Involved in this discussion is the intermingling of instructions on correct ways to worship and the prohibition against
false worship. There are five main parts in the content of the chapter: (1) the title or preface (verse 1); (2) the
destruction of pagan altars (verses 2, 3); (3) the establishment of the true place for worship (verses 4-12); (4) the
provision for sacrifices in this place (verses 13-28); and (5) the prohibition against false gods (verses 29-31). Each
of the subsections enlarges on the fact that there is no other God besides the Lord God.
12:1 In the land: The immediate entry to the land of Canaan governs all that follows (12:10; 26:1).
12:2 Utterly destroy: The land must be cleansed from all idolatry so it can be holy to the Lord (Leviticus 11:44, 45).
This duty is implicit in the first two commandments. Hills: Worship at these places was accompanied by depraved
rites. The god was thought to live in the mountain or on the hill. By ascending the mountain, the worshiper was in
some symbolic sense closer to the deity. Under every green tree: Certain trees were considered to be sacred and
symbolized fertility, a dominant theme in Canaanite religion.
12:5 The place is opposite in meaning to the places of verse 2 where the Canaanites worshiped. This legislation
does not either prohibit or permit other sanctuaries. Though there were only one tabernacle, it would be moved
from place to place. There would be many places over the course of time, but only one place at a time. Gilgal,
Bethel, and Shiloh were temporary centers before the temple was built in Jerusalem.
12:7, 8 This tithe had to be taken to the central sanctuary and is known as the second tithe. The first went to the
Levites (Leviticus 27:30; Numbers 18:21); and this one was brought to Jerusalem for the Lord's feast (14:22).
Possibly every third year, the second tithe was kept at home and used for the poor (14:28).
12:31 Burnt in the fire: This practice was forbidden in Israel's law (Leviticus 18:21; 20:2-5), since it was tantamount
to murder regardless of the supposedly religious reason for it. Both Ahaz (2 Chronicles 28:3) and Manasseh (2
Kings 21:6) were guilty of child sacrifice. As verse 30 depicts, this could lead to expulsion from the land, as in fact
did in the case of the northern kingdom (2 Kings 17:17, 18). See further, the note on 2 Kings 16:3, 4.
Deuteronomy chapter 13
13:1-18 Deuteronomy 13:1--14:27 are expansions of the injunction not to take the name of the Lord God in vain,
which is the third commandment. Chapter 13 teaches the sanctity of God's name by warning Israel against three
persons: (1) the word of apostasy from a prophet (verses 2-5); (2) the word of apostasy from a brother (verses
6-11); and (3) the word of apostasy from a scoundrel (verses 12-18).
13:2 Sign or the wonder come to pass: The fact that the predicted sign or wonder came to pass would normally be
one indication of the validity of the prophet (18:22). However, false prophets also had these powers (Exodus
7:10-12; Matthew 7:22; 24:24; Revelations 19:20).
13:6-12 Any close relative who might entice one secretly to go after other gods is to be stoned with stones (verse
10). It is a capital offense.
13:13-19 Children of Belial: The Hebrew term means "without worth." It is used here of those involved in idolatry. It
is also used of drunkenness (1 Samuel 1:16), rebellion (1 Samuel 2:12), unbelief, and sodomy (Judges 19:22). The
concept of Belial became a proper name for the prince of evil, satan, in the pseudepigraphic literature, the Zadokite
Document, and the War Scroll of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Belial is virtually synonymous with satan in the New
Testament (2 Corinthians 6:15; 2 Thessalonians 2:3).
Deuteronomy chapter 14
14:1-29 This chapter continues the condemnation of apostasy with an emphasis on holiness. It applies the third
commandment and its restrictions. The contents of the chapter are: (1) a prohibition of pagan rites (verses 1, 2);
(2)a prohibition against eating unclean flesh, which is called an abomination (verses 3-20); and (3) some traditional
laws against pagan customs of the Canaanites (verses 21-29).
14:1, 2 Two things are evident as to the practices in verse 1: (1) The laceration of the body with the consequent
flow of blood was a part of the mourning customs employed in religious outside of Israel. (2) Laceration may have
been part of a seasonal rite within the Canaanite fertility cult. In this context, the rite may have been a type of
imitative magic, designed to revitalize the god Baal on whom the fertility of the land was believed to depend (1 Kings
18:28).
14:3 Any abominable thing: The term is used in the Old Testament for something impure, unclean, and totally
devoid of holiness (7:25, 26; 14:3; 17:1, 4; 18:9; 20:18). In 7:25 and 12:31, it is employed in association with pagan
religious rites. Perhaps part of the reason for the prohibition against eating certain types of meat was the
association existing between those animals and foreign, pagan religions.
14:21 Seethe a kid in his mother's milk: Most take this as a prohibition directed against a Canaanite practice. No
one seems certain of what it actually involved, but it does appear at the end of the laws on festivals in the covenant
code (Exodus 23:19; 34:26). Some think the unnatural custom might have been practiced superstitiously, perhaps
to promote fertility.
14:22-29 The rabbis suggested that, in addition to the normal tithe given to the Levites and priests, there was a
second tithe consisting of a festal meal eaten by the offerer and his guests at the sanctuary (verses 22-27), and
that there was a third tithe gathered in the third and sixth years of a sabbatical period (verses 28, 29). Some
scholars suggest that the tithe of verses 28 and 29 is the only additional one and hence is the second tithe. Still
others contend that there was but one tithe, which varied in accordance with the dictates of the sacred times and
circumstances.