Deuteronomy Flashcards
Describe the three final speeches of Moses.
Dateline: PLAINS OF MOAB Three final speeches of Moses Moses’s First Speech: On the Journey (1:1-4:49) Moses’s Second Speech: Covenant (4:44-28:68) Proclamation of laws – 12-26 Covenant renewal at Shechem -- 27-28 Moses’s Third Speech: Succession and Farewell (29:1-34:12)
Who wrote the book of Deuteronomy?
- 622 BCE a book was found in Josiah’s rejuvenation of the temple; supposedly, it was discovered as an already old book.
- Others posit that the book was not found but rather was written during the time that it was “found” in 622.
- Many of the goals of the Josianic Revolution (repression of idolatry, cultic centralization, establishing the passover) are shared in Deuteronomy.
What is the history of the fall of the Northern Kingdom?
When the Northern Kingdom fell in 722 BCE (during the rise of the Neo-Assyrians), the Northern refugees shared many cultural/linguistic similarities with (but were very different from) those in Judah, especially sole fealty of God. King Manasseh died in 640, was replaced by Ammon (who died after two years by the court), people of the land killed the assassins and put Ammon’s son Josiah on the throne at the age of 8. Josiah was used to bring about a series of religious reforms.
What was one source critic’s take on most of Deuteronomy?
De Wette suggested that Ch. 5-26 are the new law that the bloc tried to institute through Josiah’s reign.
How might Deuteronomy have functioned in the relationship between Judah-ites and Neo-Assyrians?
Judah signed a treaty with the Neo-Assyrians acknowledging their power but, as the Assyrians’ power started to fade, the Judah-ites replaced the covenant with the Assyrians with the covenants outlined in the book of Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy 5:21 could be understood as…
Deut 5:21 could be understood as a treaty to replace the Neo-Assyrian gods and kings with YHWH so that there is now a treaty between the people and God.
How did the destruction of the temple affect the construction of Deuteronomy?
The destruction of the temple in 587 prompted a reconsideration of the story in Deuteronomy. Ch. 1-4 and 29-30 are added to the central core of Deuteronomy during the exile to work out the problem of destruction due to disobeying God.
What interpolations have been found in Deuteronomy?
In the middle of Deuteronomy there are veiled references to communities in exile; the exilic editors might have dropped that in.
What does Dr. LeMon suggest is a way to read Deuteronomy?
Perhaps we read Deut as a reflection on/reframing of laws that were operant in a previous generation but now re-appropriated for a new generation as part of developing a complex new theology.
