(Originally written May 23, 2008 in the Journal)
Chapter 1
"Do not fear or lose heart" (Deuteronomy 1:21, New American Bible)
Chapter 2
The Lord would not give the Israelites any land of the Seir or of Moab because they are the descendants of Esau and Lot. He would also not give the land of the Ammonites to the Israelites because they too were the descendants of Lot. The Ammonites, Moabites and the descendants of Esau had all driven out the inhabitants of their land with the help of God. The previous inhabitants were the strong and tall people like the Anakim.
Who are the Anakim? Is there any other reference to them? In mythology? In archeology?
The Lord first delivered Heshbon, the kingdom of the Amorite ruler Sihon to the Israelites. The Israelites doomed them all, man, woman and child.
Chapter 3
The Lord then delivered the Kingdom of Bashan to the Israelites. They defeated King Og and captured over sixty cities. They left no survivors.
Og, the King of Bashan was the last of the Rephaim. His sarcophagus was nine cubits long and four cubits wide.
Moses asked the Lord to allow him to enter the kingdom of the Promised Land, but the Lord refused and showed it to him from a high hill.
Chapter 4
For the Israelites, Egypt was the iron foundry. God allowed the Israelites to be afflicted there for the sake of their spiritual purification. Contrast that with the furnace of affliction in Isaiah 48.
Lord, am I in the iron foundry or the furnace of affliction? I have sinned and deserve the latter. Yet, I am redeemed by the blood of Christ. I am atoned. If this is the foundry then continue the smelting so that I can be pure and strong. If this is the furnace of affliction Lord, cool the fires of your righteous rage and heal me with the balm of your merciful touch. Hear my prayer oh God, for you answer those who call to you. Hear me for the sake of your righteousness and look on me with pity and mercy and love.
Moses warns the Israelites not to be tempted by Idolatry.
"Since the Lord, your God, is a merciful God, He will not abandon and destroy you, nor forget the covenant which under oath he made with your fathers" (Deuteronomy 4:31, New American Bible)
Chapter 5
The retelling of the commandments
Chapter 6
Follow the statutes of the Lord and He will prosper you.
Chapter 7
Do not take mercy or pity on the enemies of God. Loathe and abhor everything that is doomed lest you be doomed by it.
Chapter 8
Do not allow prosperity to make you forget the Lord your God.
Chapter 9
Understand that the Lord gives you good land not because the merits of your heart, but because of the wickedness of others.
Chapter 10
Circumcise your hearts; be receptive to divine grace and guidance.
Chapter 11
You will be blessed and rewarded for obedience to God. You will be cursed for disobedience.
Chapter 12
Destroy all the strongholds and places of idol worship. You will worship the Lord in the place he appoints for you, not wherever you fancy.
Chapter 13
Do not follow a prophet who correctly tells the future but leads you to other gods for the Lord is testing you. Stone to death even your brother, wife or friend if they tempt you to stray to a false god. If a city is led to idolatry, kill all the inhabitants and burn the city. Do not rebuild it.
Chapter 14
Do not follow pagan mourning rituals.
Chapter 15
About the slaves and the poor
Chapter 16
The observation of Passover, Pentecost and the feast of the Booths.
There should be judges in communities whose end should only be justice without partiality.
Do not worship as the pagans do.
Chapter 17
You must stone idol worshippers, but there must be at least two or three witnesses to put a man to death. You must purge evil from the community.
When judges cannot decide they must refer them to the Levitical priests. They will hand down the decision after studying the case.
If you decide to take a king he will be appointed by God. He must not have many wives, horses or silver.
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