Joshua 6-8: Keeping a healthy relationship with God

Joshua 6-8: Keeping a healthy relationship with God

Joshua 6: Jericho Taken and Destroyed
Joshua 7: The Sin of Achan and Its Punishment
Joshua 8: Ai Captured by a Stratagem and Destroyed / Joshua Renews the Covenant

It would be a good idea to listen to what the Lord has said. Also, sit turns out Moses is the perfect role model for anyone who wishes to be a charismatic leader among the Israelites. After all, there was no one like him before and there will be no one like him after.

Jericho Taken and Destroyed: Joshua 6
The good news: the Israelites have holed the residents of Jericho within the fortified city. The bad news: the residents of Jericho are all behind an impenetrable wall. Fortunately, the Lord has handed Jericho over to the Israelites - and they will win it in a unique way. The Lord tells Joshya that the warriors should march the perimeter of the city once a day for six days, accompanied by priests bearing the ark and seven trumpets made of rams' horns. On the seventh day the priests will blast the horns and all the people will shout, causing the walls of the city to come down so that the people can attack.

The Israelites do this, and on the seventh day take all of the inhabitants of the city except for Rahab, who helped out the Israelite spies in Joshua 2. Before the trumpets are blown, however, Joshua commands the people to not take anything that shall go into the treasury of the Lord: silver, gold, and vessels of bronze and iron.

The people take the city, killing every living thing: "men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys. And of course, Rahab is spared by the very spies that she saved. The Israelites then burn the city, completely removing any trace of it. Joshua recites a short oath/poem cursing anyone who tries to rebuild the city.

The chapter ends on a high note: "So the Lord was with Joshua; and his fame was in all the land" (Josh. 6.27).

The Sin of Achan and Its Punishment Joshua 7
This first sentence of this chapter starts us off on a low note, in direct contrast to the last line of the previous chapter. The Israelites - all the Israelites - are said to have broken faith with the Lord in regard to devoted things. This breaking of faith can be traced back to one individual: Achan son of Carmi son of Zabdi son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah. He took some of the devoted things, and Israel suffers the anger of the Lord because of it. This information is privy to the reader only - and sets up a dramatic irony with the story that follows.

Joshua sends men to spy out the land of Ai. The men return with a report that Israel will need only two or three thousand to conquer the land. Three thousand men go, and are routed. Thirty-six Israelites are killed as they flee from the men of Ai. Now the Israelites' hearts melt and turn to water.

Joshua exhibits the traditional signs of mourning: he tears his clothes and falls on his face to the ground. He and the elders put dust on their heads. Then Joshua laments in a manner very similar to the Israelites as they complained in the wilderness:

Ah! Lord God! Why have you brought this people across the Jordan at all, to hand us over to the Amorites so as to destroy us? Would that we had been content to settle beyond the Jordan! O Lord, what can I say, now that Israel has turned their backs to their enemies! The Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and surround us, and cut off our name from the earth. Then what will you do for your great name?"
(Josh. 7-9)

...Joshua's a bit of a worrier, eh? He has lost 36 men in a battle that he should have won, but his thoughts turn to the utter destruction of the Israelites. His fear, in fact, is directed at God. Rather than wondering whether Israel has done any wrong, Joshua assumes God is inadequate in protecting his people - just as the generation in the wilderness assumed God was inadequate in providing for them.

The Lord command Joshua to stand up and informs him that Israel was defeated in battle because they have "transgressed my covenant that I imposed on them" by taking the things that were to be devoted to the Lord. This causes the Israelites to have great fear before their enemies. The Lord warns "I will be with you no more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you." The Lord then instructs Joshua on how to rectify the situation. The people are to sanctify themselves and come forward tribe by tribe. The Lord will choose a tribe, and from that tribe a clan, and from that clan a household, and from that household an individual. That individual is to be burned with all his possessions for transgressing the covenant of the Lord.

Sure enough, the next day Achan son of Carmi (household) son of Zabdi (family) son of Zerah (clan) is chosen from among the people. Joshua admits his transgression, and reveals that he has buried in his tent a beautiful mantle, two hundred shekels of silver, and a fifty-shekel bar of gold. Joshua sends messengers to the tent to verify. When this is found to be true, Achan is stoned to death - perhaps along with his family; the bible is not specific. Achan is to bring out all his possessions, livestock, and family, and "all Israel stoned him to death; they burned them with fire, cast stones on them, and raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. So who was it?

In any case, the stoning and burning is enough that the Lord turns away from his burning anger.

Ai Captured by a Stratagem and Destroyed: Joshua 8.1-29
The Israelites take Ai by a clever stratagem - but only after being told by the Lord that the city has been delivered into their hands. Israel breaks itself into groups: one croup (30,000 men in one tradition and 5,000 in another) waits in ambush to the west of Ai, while the other men along with Joshua remain in the valley to the north. The king of Ai attacks the group to the north, and when the Israelites make like they are being beaten and flee, the residents of Ai pour out of the city to pursue them. The Israelites that were waiting in ambush attack and burn the city while the men of Ai are fighting. Soon the men of Ai are surrounded by Israelites, and every one of them is killed, except for the king. The entire population of Ai - 12,000 people - dies that day. The king is hung on a tree and buried under a great heap of stones at the gates of the city.

Joshua Renews the Covenant: Joshua 8.30-35
Joshua builds on Mount Ebal the "altar of unhewn stones, on which no iron tool has been used" as the Lord had commanded Moses to write in the book of the law. Joshua is further connected with Moses in his next action: Joshua writes on stones a copy of the law of Moses. The people of Israel then stand in two formations between Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal, and the ark passes before them, carried by the priests, "as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded at the first, that they should bless the people of Israel.

Afterwards Joshua reads the book of the law to the entire congregation, which has been perfectly copied from Moses' commands. This too reveals the striking parallels between Joshua as leader and Moses as leader.

One exception though: whereas Moses had a staff (befitting of a shepherd) that was able to guide and perform miracles, Joshua's object of leadership is a sword.

Joshua 2-3: More repetitions, entering the promised land

Joshua 2: Spies Sent to Jericho
Joshua 3: Israel Crosses the Jordan

As noted yesterday, the author of Joshua is fond of repetition, and particularly of invoking the crossing miraculous crossing of the Red Sea. The author of Deuteronomy was fond of invoking Israel's deliverance from Egypt as a way to emphasize God's power and dedication to the people. In the same way, the author of Joshua emphasizes the crossing of thresholds - in this case bodies of water - as a way of emphasizing a transition into a new way of life: that body of water once divided lives of oppression and wandering. Now it divides lives of wandering and settlement, the old covenant outside the promised land and the new one within.

Spies Sent to Jericho: Joshua 2
Joshua sends two spies to scope out the promised land, especially Jericho. They enter the house of a prostitute named Rahab and spend the night there. The scene shifts to the King of Jericho, who is told "Some Israelites have come here tonight to search out the land." What he is not told is where these Israelites are staying - but the biblical author is laconic in speech and the king seems to know that Rahab is harboring the spies. He sends orders for her to "Bring out the men who have come to you, who entered your house, for they have come only to search out the whole land." Rahab responds that the men did come to her, but she doesn't know where they came from and furthermore they left before the city gate was closed at dark. She urges the king's men to pursue the men who came to her house. As soon as the pursuers leave, the city gate is shut, ironically keeping the pursuers outside their town and the pursuers within.

[The bolded terms above? Let's just say that the biblical author makes good use of diction when speaking about a prostitute, especially because "come to" can also be rendered "come into."]

The biblical author then reveals another dramatic irony [a type of irony - not irony that is dramatic] to us: "She had, however, brought them up to the roof and hidden them with the stalks of flax she had laid out on the roof." But why is she helping them? And why is she drying stalks of flax if she is a prostitute?

Rahab tells the Israelites: "I know that the Lord has given you the land, and the dread of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt in fear before you" (Josh. 2.9). The people of the promised land recognize that the Lord is very powerful, drying up the read sea and causing Israel to defeat its enemies: "The Lord you God is indeed God in heaven above and on earth below" (Josh. 2.11). This is a great compliment to the Israelites coming from a "pagan" of the promised land. It justifies Israel's actions and reassures them of their future success.

Rahab then asks that her family be spared when the Israelites attack Jericho. The spies agree, on the condition that Rahab does not tell anyone about them.

Rahab lets the spies down by a rope through the window - apparently her house is located along the outside wall of the city [meaning that this is a fortified city and she is living in what is probably a storeroom]. Rahab advises the spies to flee to the hill country, where the pursuers will not find them. The spies respond with commands that if she does not tie a crimson cord in the window, and does not keep her family in her house, and reveals the mission of the spies, then they will be released from the oath.

The spies spend three days in the hills before returning to Joshua. Unlike the return of the spies under Moses, (of whom only Joshua and Caleb gave a positive report, the spies' report this time is positive:

"Truly the Lord has given all the land into our hands; moreover all the inhabitants of the land melt in fear before us."

Israel Crosses the Jordan: Joshua 3
The Israelites set out early in the morning for the Jordan, where they camp for three days. On the third day the officers go through the camp and command the people that they are to follow the ark of the covenant (carried by the levitical priests) across the Jordan, keeping a distance of 2,000 cubits (3,000 feet). In this symbolic act, the Israelites are literally following the commands of God as they enter the promised land - anticipating the adherence to God's commands that will hopefully typify Israelite religion in the promised land. Joshua commands that the Israelites sanctify themselves in preparation for the crossing the next day.

The Lord then speaks to Joshua, telling him that he will be treated by God as Moses was and that he will be exalted by the people. The Lord tells Joshua to tell the Levitical priests to stand still when they enter the Jordan.

The scene then cuts to Joshua speaking to the Israelites. He informs them there will be a sign of the "living God" that will drive out all of Israel's enemies from the promised land. Twelve men, one from each tribe, is to be selected. When the soles of the feet of the priests touch the water, "The waters of the Jordan flowing from above shall be cut off; they shall stand in a single heap" (Josh. 3.13). This is the sign of the living God.

The cutting off of water invokes the Red Sea crossing, and in fact this is the second mention of the event in two chapters. Israel must pass through certain phases in order to enter the promised land. They must literally cross boundaries with the help of God. Both boundaries in this instance are the same: a body of water from Egypt to the wilderness, a body of water from the wilderness to the promised land. Once that threshold is crossed, Israel becomes more liberated and steps into a different relationship with God.

When the feet of the priests do touch the Jordan, the waters dam themselves and the people are able to cross.

So begins the Israelites' residence in the promised land.

Joshua 1: Repetitions in Joshua

Joshua 1: God's Commission to Joshua / Preparations for the Invasion

It seems the biblical author of Joshua is very fond of repetition. There are a number of ways that repetition can be used as a literary device, different ways each having a different function. Today's reading contains two types of repetition. The first type is a building repetition (or "parallelism") in which a phrase gains new meaning and significance throughout the text to a climax. The second type is what I call pollination repetition, in which different characters pick up a repeated phrase and use it themselves, with the same meaning. The phrase is spread to others - sometimes through means that are not explicated by the author.

God's Commission to Joshua: Joshua 1.1-9
After Moses' death, the Lord speaks to Joshua, telling him to cross the Jordan and enter the promised land. The promised land extends from the wilderness and the Lebanon to the Euphrates, to the Great Sea in the west, all the land of the Hittites. God promises Joshua: "No one shall be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you." Israel is safe from God's wrath for at least for one more generation. God then uses a series of three building repetitions urging Joshua to:

• "Be strong and courageous." There is nothing to fear because God will put the Israelites in possession of the land God promised their ancestors.
• "Only be strong and courageous." Joshua will be successful if he acts in accordance with the law. The book of the law should always be in Joshua's mind to guide his actions. This will make Joshua successful.
• " I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous." Joshua should not be afraid because the Lord is with him wherever he goes.

Preparations for the Invasion Joshua 1.10-18
Joshua commands the officers to pass through the camp, telling the people they will cross the Jordan in three days and enter the land the Lord has given them. He then reminds the Reubenite, Gadite, and Mahassite males of their promise to help conquer the promised land, though they will eventually reside on the other (east) side of the Jordan - which is where their wives, children, and livestock will remain. The men agree to uphold their pledge, curiously using the words of God himself:

All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you.Only may the Lord your God be with you, as he was with Moses! Whoever rebels against your orders and disobeys your words, whatever you command, shall be put to death. Only be strong and courageous."

The emphasized portions denote echoes of God's commands to Joshua at the beginning of the chapter: Obedience is acknowledged (this time Israelite to Joshua, rather than Joshua to God), God's relationship with Joshua is likened to God's relationship with Moses, and the repeated climatic phrase "only be strong and courageous is echoed verbatim.

This echoing technique creates irony because the Israelites have no knowledge of God's conversation with Joshua. But at the same time it validates the ideas; now these ideas have two different sources that agree with each other. To the biblical author, this was an effective technique of backing up a key idea: just have someone else say it in addition to God.

The biblical author does not reveal how the Israelites picked up the phrase "Be strong and courageous." This is a phrase that was uttered to Joshua and not one that Joshua explicitly passed along to the Israelites. However, it makes sense within the story, because it supports the idea the author is trying to make: namely that the Israelites should remain strong and courageous. It would be considered something of a textual lapse by today's standards, but to the laconic biblical author, this might not have been a problem. This is why I call this method of repetition "pollination." We see the source of the idea and we see where it has spread, but how it has spread there (whether through animal or wind or what-have-you) is not revealed.

Tomorrow: Spies in Jericho.

Deuteronomy 34 / Wrap Up: Moses' death / looking back / looking ahead

Deuteronomy 34: Moses Dies and is Buried in the Land of Moab
Deuteronomy Wrap-up

Moses Dies and is Buried in the Land of Moab: Deuteronomy 34
The tale of the central character of four biblical books finally comes to an end in the last chapter of the last book of the Torah.

Moses ascends Mount Nebo, as the Lord commanded. There he finally sees the promised land sworn to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. Moses then dies, and is buried in Moab, "opposite Beth-peor, but no one knows his burial place to this day" (Deut. 34.6). Though Moses dies at age 120, the biblical author tells us he was still vigorous and had perfect vision - attributes befitting such a storied leader.

The Israelites mourn Moses 30 days, and are then led into the promised land by Joshua, who has been imbued with Moses' "spirit of wisdom."

The biblical author closes with a testament to Moses' greatness and importance.

Never since has there arisen a prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face. He was unequaled for all the signs and wonders that the Lord sent him to perform in the land of Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants and his entire land, and for all the mighty deeds and all the terrifying displays of power that Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.
(Deut. 34.10-12)

So ends the fifth book of the bible - and the fourth in which Moses was the protagonist. Moses receives the second-longest tale of all the characters of the Hebrew Scriptures. The longest? God. Then again, the entire book is about him.

Deuteronomy Wrap-up

The Story
The bible until this point has been very much concerned with the relationship between God and humankind. It is a strained relationship, and not one of equality. Inequality is in fact the basis for the relationship between God and Israel and gives the story its plot and curious nuances. God is always faithful to his chosen people of the Israelite line. The relationship began with Adam and continued through his son Seth to Noah, and eventually to Abraham. It was the covenant between God and Abraham that established his descendants as God's people. From that point forward, God would be ever-faithful to the covenant, promising land and progeny to the patriarchs.

The covenant changes as Israel prepares to enter the promised land. Here the covenant is not a promise of anything, for the promise of progeny has been fulfilled and the promise of land nearly-so. Now the covenant is based on the behavior of the people. God demands that the people obey him, and if they do, all will be well for them. Whereas the covenant with Abraham required only the action of God, the covenant with the people requires action from both God and his people. And yet God will never break the contract. If the Israelites break the contract by making false idols, God will punish them with the curses listed in the Torah. However, the covenant will always stand. The curses in a very real way define the covenant; their existence proves that the bond between God and his people is unbreakable, no matter how badly the Israelites screw up. God is always willing to again support his people once they begin again to follow his ways.

Fiction and History
The bible so far is a work of historicized fiction. It is a work of fiction that appears to be real with all of the place and character names, dates, and locations. These elements serve to add realism to the story. But in reality, many of these things probably never happened. The story is therefore a fiction that is historicized with realistic elements. Historicized fiction lacks a factual basis - all the facts are made up. However, it would be unfair to call historicized fiction "untrue." While the tales may not have hard facts, they do reveal "truths" about life or "the human condition." In fact, these "truths" may be the most effective way of making a point.

I would argue that some of the greatest historicized fiction written today falls under the genre of science fiction. In this case, the "history" is in fact the future, but the level of creativity the author must employ in creating this fiction is astounding. Names, dates, places must be created in order to set the fiction in time and place - to historicize it. This is exactly what the biblical authors did, albeit it was a number of people over a very long period of time.

The counterpart to historicized fiction is fictionalized history. This is pretty similar to historical fiction but has more of a poetic license in changing and creating names and numbers. Fictionalized history is concerned with actual events, and applies to them fictional people, numbers, names, etc. This method was used by the biblical authors to in effect flesh out the biblical narrative and give it a point of view. Because the authors are concerned with story-telling, the chronicle "X people died at the battle of Y" is expanded upon to yield a richer story. Little if no fictionalized history has cropped up yet, but it will become more and more common as the biblical story moves through the years toward modern day.

My Journey
I started this blog the day after my college graduation - the day I entered to so-called "real world" of living with my parents while searching for a job. It has been a long journey so far - but the majority of the text lies ahead.. I first posted to this blog Sunday, May 23, 2010. 127 posts and 486 page views later, i'm still writing, but much has changed.

Four months later I landed a full-time job as a staff writer in the Provost Office of Stevens Institute of Technology, which means that most of my day is spent writing or otherwise communicating in one way or another, whether it is through text, video, images, or web development. I blog every morning on the train ride into Hoboken and if my eyes do not fail me by the end of the day I try to blog a little more on the way home.

One of my original goals was to present a non-gender specific image of God, which I see now imposes my own view on the bible. In fact, the God of the Hebrew bible is portrayed as male. I adopted the language of the bible, referring to God as "he" in order to better represent the language and ideas of the biblical authors. A number of other changes to style and content have been made. This blog will surely evolve as I write more and learn more about the bible.

This was my first time reading completely through the rules and regulation, and I am sure at times that the tedious nature of some of these passages seeps into my writing. I don't expect everyone to find the bible fascinating. However, if there is something you like or do not like, please let me know in the comments below. I would love to hear what you think of the blog, and am open to suggestions for improvement.

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoy this blog as it continues to grow.

Deuteronomy 33: Moses' final blessing on Israel

Deuteronomy 32 (part II): Moses' Death Foretold
Deuteronomy 33: Moses' Final Blessing on Israel

Moses' Death Foretold: Deuteronomy 33.48-52
As promised, God allows Moses to see the promised land before he dies. Moses is told to ascend Mount Nebo in Moab to view Canaan. Moses will die there on the mountain. Neither he nor Aaron will enter the promised land because of the incident a Meribath-kadesh, an apparent breach of faith with the Lord.

Moses' Final Blessing on Israel: Deuteronomy 33.1-29-
The blessings are all in verse, and as such exhibit all the classic characteristics of biblical poetry. Note that Simeon does not appear here. There are only ten blessings; Zebulun and Issachar are lumped together.

Introduction
As a literary convention, an invocation calls on a divine being for help in composition. Moses' final blessing begins with something that is not quite an invocation. It presents an image of the Lord first and foremost, but the Lord is not called upon to help the biblical author compose this work.

The Lord is presented coming down from Sinai with "myriads of holy ones...a host of his own" that aid the Israelites in battle. This is how the Lord wins in battle; a heavenly militia that accompanies him and therefore attacks with his chosen people, Israel.

With the codification and revelation of the law, says the verses, the "united tribes of Israel" forms as well.

Then begin the blessings. I paraphrase:

Reuben
The continuance of the tribe, though its members are hew.

Judah
Strengthen his hands, and help him against adversaries.

Levi
The Levites obey the Lord and should be blessed for this. The Lord is called upon to "crush the loins of his adversaries....so that they do not rise again." [It is quite clear that the bible associates genitalia with power.]

Benjamin
The beloved of the Lord is completely wrapped up in God.

Joseph
Blessed and bountiful land is called for. Joseph was the favored child of not only Jacob but God as well, and therefore his section of the poem is longest, while Levi, whose family comprises the servants of the Lord, receives the second-longest section.

Zebulun and Issachar
These tribes live in the mountains, where they offer proper sacrifice. Also, "they suck the affluence of the seas / and the hidden treasures of the sand."

Gad
Gad's tribe will be enlarged. Gad is like a lion, and takes the best portion for himself.

Dan
Dan's blessing is the shortest: "Dan is a Lion's whelp / that leaps forth from Bashan."

Naphtali
Blessed by the Lord, Naphtali possesses the west and south

Asher
The Asherites are well-protected and strong, the favorite of their brothers.

Conclusion
The blessing concludes with an image of YHWH Sabaoth protecting the people, acting as sword and shield to deliver Jacob's descendants to "a land of grain and wine, / where the heavens drop down dew."

Deuteronomy 32: The Song of Moses

Deuteronomy 32: The Song of Moses

Yesterday's reading speaks of a song that the Lord gives to Moses to teach the people. It is a song to remind the Israelites of their broken covenant when they turn away from God. Today we will analyze the song, whose poetic verses comprise most of Deuteronomy 32. I would recommend following the link above to read the song in its entirety. It is a beautiful piece of literature. However, the narrator shifts a few times throughout the song, so when reading it be careful to discern who is saying what.

The Song of Moses: Deuteronomy 32.1-47

You might remember from Deuteronomy 30 that the Lord's new covenant with Israel calls on the heavens and earth as witnesses. These witnesses are invoked in the very first line of the song:

Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak;
let the earth hear the words of my mouth

The heavens and earth comprise the universe; there is nothing that is not a witness to this contract. The witnesses of the covenant are omnipresent in order to ensure that God is eternally in his people's hearts and on their lips.

Next we are to consider God's speech/teaching in four different forms of water droplets: rain, dew, gentle rain, and showers. These are all synonymous in the sense that they come down upon the earth and yield growth.

Next we are presented with the Lord as Rock, a motif that will appear throughout the rest of the poem. The rock is perfect and just and faithful and upright. His "degenerate children," on the other hand, are perverse and crooked, foolish and senseless. This generation of Israelites is rebuked, and asked to remember their creation and protection by the hands of God.

Then comes a primeval image of the Most High (Elyon) apportioning nations and fixing boundaries "according to the number of the gods." The Israelites are kept by God as his own portion. This seems to suggest monolatry - the belief that there is more than one god but worshipping one only. This version of monolatry even suggests a hierarchy, with Elyon as the most high God, capable of assigning other gods to other peoples. From the Israelite point of view (in this verse at least), the Israelites are a protected people of the High God, and are justified in maintaining their convictions in the face of foreign peoples. [God, of course, just wants the Israelites to obey God.]

An eagle simile appears after to convey how God shields and cared for God's people in the wilderness. God protects and cares for the Israelites as an eagle protects its young. The Lord covers, bears, guides Israel, sets the nation "atop the heights of the land" (the location of eagle nests), feeds it, nurses it "with honey form the crags."

The Israelites grow fat, bloated, gorged, and then abandon God. This is a recurrent motif throughout the bible; when the Israelites get full access to food, they stuff themselves, grow complacent, and turn against the Lord. They follow strange gods, sacrifice to demons, forget the Rock that bore them.

The Lord sees this and "hides his face" from his people - meaning he will no longer support them. Just as the Israelites turned to another god, the Lord will support another people temporarily in order to seek revenge on the Israelites a la "eye for an eye."

The anger of the Lord is fiery like a volcano. It burns to the depths of Sheol [a shady place where souls go after death, though not a place where souls are tortured, like Hell) and "sets on fire the foundations of the mountains." The Lord will wage war against the Israelites with arrows, hunger, disease, and deadly animals. Young and old alike will die, their names blotted out.

Israel's enemies will not understand that they are successful because the Lord has given Israel into their hands:

They are a nation void of sense;
there is no understanding in them.
If they were wise, they would understand this;
they would discern what the end would be.
How could one have routed a thousand,
and two put a myriad to flight,
unless their Rock had sold them,
the Lord had given them up?
Indeed their rock is not like our Rock;
our enemies are fools.
(Deut. 32.28-32)

Even when the Lord turns his face from the Israelites, he is still their one and only God. There will always be that connection between them. Other people have other false gods, but YHWH is the one true God that can make armies win and lose as YHWH Sabaoth. And so the Lord will vindicate his people, and their enemies will realize that their gods are naught.

God then declares monotheism:

See now that I, even I, am he;
there is no god beside me.

God kills and makes alive, wounds and heals. God is omnipotent and will take vengeance on those who hate him. Those arrows that were before aimed at the Israelites will now be used against their enemies:

I will make my arrows drunk with blood,
and my sword shall devour flesh.

The people are told to worship God, as are the false "gods" of the foreign people. This is not meant to acknowledge that these gods exist, but rather is a rhetorical device to demonstrate YHWH's power. Even false gods would bow down to YHWH. And God will take vengeance and cleanse the land for his people.

These are the words that Moses recites for the people to remember after they have crossed the Jordan.

Deuteronomy 31: Confronting Moses' death

Deuteronomy 31: Joshua Becomes Moses' Successor / The Law to be Read Every Seventh Year / Moses and Joshua Receive God's Charge

Soon the 120-year-old Moses is to die. Before he does, there is some business to take care of.

Joshua Becomes Moses' Successor: Deuteronomy 31.1-8
Moses, if you recall, has been dictating God's law to Israel for the entire book of Deuteronomy. Here he finishes an old man - not old because he spoke so long, but because he is blessed by the Lord with a long life. Yet because of the iniquity of the people he will not enter the promised land. It is God that will lead the Israelites across the Jordan and God that will ensure the Israelites destroy the people living there, just as God did to Sihon and Og. Moses urges his audience to have no fear, because the Lord is with them and will not forsake them.

Moses the charges Joshua to be strong and bold, because he will lead the people into the Land. [Joshua will take the place of Moses as the mouthpiece of God to th Israelites.] The Lord is with him and will not forsake him.

The Law to be Read Every Seventh Year: Deuteronomy 31.9-13
Moses then writes down the law he dictated to the Israelites. he gives it to the Levites, who carry it to the ark of the covenant and the elders of Israel.

Moses commands that the book of the law should be read every seventh year at the festival of booths, when all of Israel appears before God in the place of consolidated worship.

[The reading of the law every seven years is an attempt to ensure that the commandments are all fresh in the minds of the Israelites, and obeyed. Of course, seven years is a long time...]

Moses and Joshua Receive God's Charge: Deuteronomy 31.14-29
The Lord tells Moses that Moses will soon die, and that Joshua should be brought to the tent of meeting, so that he may be commissioned [as Moses was]. The Lord appears at the tent in a pillar of cloud, the traditional representation of God throughout Israel's journey through the wilderness.

God tells Moses that after his death, the people will begin to fall away from God. They will eat their fill and grow fat and complacent. They will turn to other Gods. In that time, the Lord will turn away from the people. The Lord therefore gives Moses a song to teach the people, that will be passed down through the generations. When the people sing this song, they will remember their broken covenant with the Lord.

The Lord then commissions Joshua son of Nun: "Be strong and bold, for you shall bring the Israelites into the land that I promised them; I will be with you" (Deut. 31.23). This seems to stand in contrast to what God just said, and perhaps God realizes this. A leader can only do so much, after all, in leading the people. The people themselves must want to follow God and there is only so much that God can do to sustain their fidelity.

When Moses finishes the writing of the law, he gives it to the Levites to put beside the ark of the covenant. But you know this already. Why does the bible repeat itself? In this instance it is to clarify something. The first time this story is told the phrasing goes: "Then Moses wrote down this law" (Deut. 31.9). The second time the phrasing goes: "When Moses had finished writing down in a book the words of this law to the very end" (Deut. 31.24). In the second verse the emphasis is on the fact that Moses wrote down these words to the very end. If we assume that what he wrote comprises the book of Deuteronomy, then Moses would have had to write the story of his own death. And indeed, there is a tradition that champions this idea, and also that Moses wrote the entire Torah by himself. Nowhere does the bible explicitly state this. Nevertheless, the idea commanded quite a following until very recently.

The reason the book is to be placed beside the ark of the covenant is that it is to remain as a witness. Moses calls the people out on being rebellious - and imagines how much more rebellious they will be after he is gone. Moses then calls for the elders and officials to be assembled, that he may recite the words of the law to them, as a way to guard against corruption. The witness Moses calls for this is the heaven and the earth, which just so happens to be the witness called to witness the covenant that closed in yesterday's post.

Funny how things work out like that.

Deuteronomy 30: A gentler part of the covenant

- or -
Covenant at Moab, part II of II

Deuteronomy 30: God's Fidelity Assured / Exhortation to Choose Life

View the first part of this covenant in yesterday's post. This is to be the last covenant before the Israelites enter the promised land.

God's Fidelity Assured: Deuteronomy 30.1-10
If the people disobey God and are cursed by him and are driven out among foreign nations, there is still hope. The people simply need to remember the blessings and curses that God has set before them and return to the Lord. When the people return to the Lord with all their hear, the Lord will restore them and once again have compassion on them. Such is the devotion of the Lord to his people - as long as they are obedient, the Lord will love them.

That is, God maintains fidelity to God's people, even through the times when the people do not reciprocate.

After returning to God in their hearts, the people will physically return to the land of their ancestors and be more numerous and prosperous than their ancestors were. The Lord will circumcise Israel's hearts so they will follow him. The Lord will curse their enemies and those that took advantage of them.

Exhortation to Choose Life: Deuteronomy 30.11-20
One of the distinguishing features of God's covenant with God's people is that it is accessible. It is not difficult to follow because the people have all the terms. The biblical author writing the Lord's speech puts this sentiment about the covenant in beautiful prose:

It is not in heaven, that you should say, "Who will go up to heaven for us, and get it for us so that we may hear it and observe it?" Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, "Who will cross to the other side of the sea for us, and get it for us so that we may hear it and observe it?" No, the word is very near to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart for you to observe.
(Deut. 30.12-14)

The choice, God says, is up to you. You can obey the commandments of the Lord and be blessed, or disobey and be cursed. The terms of the contract are quite explicit, and most importantly, are present. God will not act on a whim, but rather only as he is required to act by the choices God's chosen people make. And it is a requirement that God acts on. This is a contract that God must keep.

And so the covenant closes, with heaven and earth as witness to a contract that began with the patriarchs as an unconditional promise of land and progeny:

I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him; for that means life to you and length of days, so that you may live in the land that the Lord swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
(Deut. 30.19-20)

Deuteronomy 29: A new covenant / textual unity

- or -
Covenant at Moab, part I of II

Deuteronomy 29: The Covenant Renewed in Moab

Note: Occam's Razor refers to the theory of William of Ockam that the most likely answer to a given problem is the simplest one. Keep that in mind for today's reading.

The Covenant Renewed in Moab: Deuteronomy 29

Something weird happens here. See if you can catch what it is.

(2) Moses summoned all Israel and said to them: You have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land, (3) the great trials that your eyes saw, the signs, and those great wonders. (4) But to this day the Lord has not given you a mind to understand, or eyes to see, or ears to hear. (5) I have led you forty years in the wilderness. The clothes on your back have not worn out, and the sandals on your feet have not worn out; (6) you have not eaten bread, and you have not drunk wine or strong drink - so that you may know that I am the Lord your God. (7) When you came to this place, King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan came out against us for battle, but we defeated them....

Notice anything peculiar about the above section? The narrator shifts from Moses to God! Verse 2 sets Moses as the speaker, and as for the actual speech part of the verses 2 through 3, the voice is ambiguous. It is just as easy to imagine God speaking those words as Moses. Applying Occam's Razor, we should assume this actually was spoken by Moses. Verse 4 is most likely spoken by Moses as well because the reference to the Lord would otherwise be in the third person. The Lord speaking of himself as the Lord is not unprecedented, but again for the sake of simplicity we should assume that Moses is speaking these words because there is no reason not to believe he spoke all the previous ones. Let us then apply Occam's Razor to verse 5. Verse 6 gets a little weird. The speaker in this verse is clearly YHWH: "I am the Lord your God." Why is this? Moses is not God. So why does the narrator shift? The answer is probably a mixing of traditions - a speech of Moses with a speech of God. But the problem could also be solved by assuming that the biblical author really wasn't paying attention and just threw in the clause "so that you may know that I am the Lord your God." If that is removed, the rest of the passage appears as a unified whole. With it, though, there are many questions about the composition of this section - questions we do not have the answer to. What is clear is that for the rest of the speech the speaker is Moses - the Lord never again appears to refer to himself.

The Lord makes another covenant with the Israel at Moab, though the people gathered include aliens, so probably they are part of the covenant too. It is a very inclusive covenant, including even the unborn. Now you don't even have to agree to a covenant to be held to it - you may simply be born into it.

Israel is told not to worship idols as the foreign nations did in Egypt. Anyone who doubts the command of the Lord - who thinks "we are safe even though we go stubborn in our ways" will suffer the wrath of the Lord. The curses written in Deuteronomy will fall upon them and their names will be blotted out from under heaven. All the curses promised yesterday will befall Israel if they are not faithful to the Lord. Those that come upon the promised land will see the destruction and understand that the Lord's people turned away from the Lord.

The warning section of the covenant ends with a maxim that calls for obedience by assuring Israel that there are things the Lord knows that they do not, and all they need to do is to obey:

The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the revealed things belong to use and to our children forever, to observe all the words of this law.

We are not yet through with the covenant's renewal. Tomorrow we will examine the more positive aspect of the covenant: the assurance of God's fidelity, and the exhortation to choose life. Thus will end the re-establishment of the covenant.

Deuteronomy 27: Cursed are those

Deuteronomy 27: The Inscribed Stones and the Altar on Mount Ebal / Twelve Curses

Moses has wrapped up the regulations that the Lord has given to the Israelites from Mount Horeb. Now it is time for some blessings and curses, and maybe some narrative if we're lucky. The key theme will still be "follow the Lord," but the mode of this communication will change.

The Inscribed Stones and the Altar on Mount Ebal: Deuteronomy 27.1-10

Moses and the elders of Israel - people that will not enter the promised land because of God's destruction of the wandering generation - give the people a commandment. When they enter the promised land, they are to set up large stones on Mount Ebal and cover them with plaster. An altar is to be built there of stone - one which iron tools have not touched. The words of God's commandments are to be inscribed there. This is were the Israelites shall make sacrifices.

Moses and the levitical priests then inform Israel: "This very day you have become the people of the Lord your God" (Deut. 27.9). Through following God's commandments the ancient covenant with their ancestors has been reestablished in them.

On Metaphor.

The fact that no tools are used in construction of the altar jells with the commandment that no false idol is to be made. That is, a sacred space of the Lord is not to be constructed by humans' tools, just as humans' tools are incapable of properly constructing an image of God. Also, to mark the stones with tools would desecrate them, bestowing a profane mark on a holy object. The stones of the altar are to be separate - just as Israel is a separate people.

Twelve Curses: Deuteronomy 27.11-26

Moses further charges the people that when they enter the promised land they should split the tribes in half. Six tribes will stand on Mount Gerizim to receive the blessing of the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, Benjamin. Six tribes will stand on Mount Ebal to receive the curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, Naphtali. Then the Levites will warn the Israelites of twelve curses to which they will respond "Amen."

"Cursed be anyone who..."

1. Makes an idol
2. Dishonors father or mother
3. Moves a neighbor's boundary marker
4. Misleads a blind person on the road,
5. Deprives an alien, orphan, or widow of justice
6. Lies with his father's wife
7. Lies with an animal
8. Lies with his sister (or sister-in-law)
9. Lies with his mother-in-law
10. Kills a neighbor in secret
11. Takes a bribe to shed innocent blood
12. Anyone who does not observe these laws

Of these, 4 are concerned with family life, 3 with social justice, 2 with worship/proper practice before the Lord, 2 with murder, and 1 with having sex with animals. For that matter, 4 are concerned with sex.

Priorities.

Deuteronomy 18-19: The beginning of grab bag regulations

Deuteronomy 18: Privileges of Priests and Levites / Avoiding Pagan Practices / A New Prophet
Deuteronomy 19: Laws Concerning Cities of Refuge / Property Boundaries / Laws Concerning Witnesses

Laws continue. Today's reading is something of a grab bag of regulations, spoken by Moses to the congregation.

Privileges of Priests and Levites: Deuteronomy 18.1-8
The priests receive no inheritance of land because they are dedicated to the service of the Lord. As such, they receive special privileges, such as the right to eat a portion of any sacrificed animal, consisting of the shoulder, the jowls, and the stomach. Priests also receive the first fruits of grain, wine, oil, and fleece of the sheep (presumably so that they may make clothing).

As they have no home, a Levite is allowed to wander to a town the Lord designates for him, where he will minister like his fellow Levites in the town.

Avoiding Pagan Practices: Deuteronomy 18.9-14
The Lord has said that he will cast out the peoples of Canaan because they act wickedly. Why then should the Israelites pick up their practices? The Israelites are therefore prohibited from practicing divination, augury, and sorcery, child sacrifice, casting spells, and consulting the dead. Thereby the Israelites will remain completely faithful to God.

A New Prophet: Deuteronomy 18.15-22
At some point a new prophet, like Moses, will arise to deliver the words of the Lord to the people. This person is to be trusted unless he either speaks the words of another god or speaks commands contrary to the Lord's commandments. In this case, the person is to die in a manner unspecified. Whether it is the congregation's or God's duty to execute this justice is likewise unstated.

Laws Concerning Cities of Refuge: Deuteronomy 19.1-13
Numbers speaks of designating six cities of refuge where one who accidently kills another may flee. In Deuteronomy six cities will be established as well, but they will be created in two phases of three cities each.

Three equidistant cities are to be established to which an accidental killer may flee. The example of two people chopping down a tree is given: if one is chopping a tree and the ax head flies off the handle and strikes the other so that he dies, the accidental killer is allowed to flee to one of the cities of refuge because the killing was not intentional.

An additional command is to set up three more cities when the Lord enlarges the territory of the israelites.

If an intentional murder is committed, and the murderer flees to a city of refuge, the elders of that killer's city will send for the culprit to be handed over so that he may be put to death. No pity is to be shown in purging the guilt of innocent blood from Israel.

Property Boundaries: Deuteronomy 19.14
Land boundaries that go back generations are not to be changed.

Laws Concerning Witnesses: Deuteronomy 19.15-21
As stated yesterday, for a crime, two or more witnesses are needed in order for a charge to be sustained. If a witness makes a false claim, a thorough inquiry will be made. If the witness turns out to be a false witness (that is, he is lying) he is to receive the punishment that was wished upon the alleged criminal. No pity is to be shown when exacting justice:

Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
(Deut. 19.21)

Deuteronomy 11: The Last Command for Obedience

Deuteronomy 11: Rewards for Obedience

I am beginning to grow tired of this whole "keep the charge of the Lord thing," having blogged on it every day for the past week. The problem might be that the chunks I am analyzing are too small. However, the repetitiveness is intentional. The biblical author wants his reader to understand exactly what is going on, so he writes on and one about it for 11 chapters (a necessary anachronism: chapters are a much later addition). The biblical author is highly effective at conveying his message. All that writing ensures that the reader understands the dialectical tensions. We have read again and again how the Israelites disobeyed the Lord and the Lord was about to kill them and the Lord will kill them if they do not obey the Lord. That's what this is all about: getting the audience to understand that all that matters is obedience to God. Without this, the Israelites will never survive.

Rewards for Obedience: Deuteronomy 11
Moses continues his speech to the Israelites:

The Israelites are to love the Lord and keep his charge, as well as pass down their love of the Lord and obedience to his commandments to their children. The Israelites are to remember their escape from Egypt, how God delivered them and crashed the Red Sea on the Egyptian army. They are to remember their time in the wilderness, particularly how the the Lord caused the Earth to swallow up Dathan and Abiram for their disobedience, along with all their possessions.

Remembering this - in addition to all the Lord's commandments - will give the Israelites the strength to occupy the land promised to their ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey.

Here appears some new information - some useful knowledge concerning the promised land the Israelites will soon enter:
The promised land is not like the irrigated land of Egypt. Rather it is a land of hills and valleys. The Israelites will depend on rain to grow crops. [Unlike in Egypt, where the Nile allows for the fixed watering method of irrigation.] The Lord will bring rain only if the people follow all his commands. No obedience, no fruit for the people and grass for the livestock.

The Lord continuously looks after this land, so not only is he able to control the climate, but he is also able to determine when the people loose faith in him.

To combat belief atrophy, God's commands should be kept in the heart and soul, bout to the hand and forehead, taught to children, discussed at home and away in the morning and evening. They should be written on doorposts of houses and on gates, so that the ancient covenantal promise of land and progeny may be fulfilled.

Again Moses states that observance of the Lord's commandments will cause the Lord to drive out the other nations of the land. The Israelites will be feared by all in the area. The Israelites will drive out great nations to occupy an area that extends from the wilderness to the Lebanon and form the Euphrates to the Mediterranean sea. [This just so happens to be about the dimensions of Israel during the Davidic monarchy. Not that it was necessarily written then, just that the synchronized proportions give us an understanding of when the biblical author might have written and what references he used.]

Moses then sets a blessing and a curse before the people, which concludes this section of Dueteronomy. The Israelites will be blessed if they adhere to the Lord's commandments. They will be cursed if they do not. The Israelites are to remember the blessing and the curse by writing them down. The blessing shall appear on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal.

This is the second example in this chapter of the literal writing of God's commandments. The biblical author was very concerned with establishing a written record of God's commandments. The most famous of these is the two stone tablets comprising the ten commandments. But the Israelites are also to keep the commandments and blessings in their minds and written on their entryways. The word of God, in a religious sense, is to completely engulf Israelite society. The Lord is literally never to be far from a person. God establishes many precautions to ensure that his chosen people follow him.

And yet for some reason they don't.

And that is the biblical story.

Deuteronomy 8: The history of the future

Deuteronomy 8: A Warning Not to Forget God in Prosperity

Writers right for an audience, right? Literature of any kind - prose, poetry, journalism, instruction manuals - serves a purpose, whether this is to entertain, inform, instruct, etc.  Without an audience to read and interpret, literature is simply words on a page (or screen, as is increasingly the case). It would be safe to say that the biblical author in Deuteronomy is trying to tell his audience something about its relationship with God. In fact, that has been the theme of the first seven chapters, and the message continues into and beyond today's reading.

Deuteronomy so far:
History 1 and 2
Obedience
The Ten Commandments
More Obedience
A Chosen People

These readings are all concerned with Israel's relationship with God. There are many warnings that link disobeying God with God abandoning or actively working against Israel. The messages are prophetic, but not in the sense that we usually think of prophecy. One misconception about biblical prophecy is that it is making predictions about events that will happen long into the future. This is not the case. Biblical prophecy is not like Nostradamus predicting the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Rather, the biblical prophet takes a look at the world around him and warns that something bad will happen, usually because it will: you will be invaded, you will be destroyed, etc. Educated guesses are made based on the political circumstances of the time. What distinguishes the prophet's writing is that this political upheaval is linked to God's will. This is why dialectical tensions are so important in the bible. Dialectical tensions create a framework to which prophecy may be applied. The prophet attaches religious meaning to political events. Instead of simply saying, "the enemy will soon be at your gates because your enemy has been conquering everyone in sight," prophecy says, "the enemy will soon be at your gates because you disobeyed the Lord.

If a prophet warns that disobedience results in tragedy, whenever tragedy occurs it is reckoned that the cause is disobedience. These things are easy to prove in hindsight. And that is what we are working through right now. This section, and the prophetic sections ahead, reveal the history of the future. That is, it is a story of the past created by contemporary writers to explain the current situation in terms of fulfillment of the covenant.

Here are the words of the Lord, as delivered by Moses to the people of Israel as they wait to enter the promised land.

A Warning Not to Forget God in Prosperity: Deuteronomy 8
Remember learning about similes and metaphors in elementary school? The biblical author uses a number of these in an attempt to describe the relationship between God and his chosen people.

The Lord claims that the reason the people wandered forty years in the wilderness was so that he could humble them to test whether they trusted in the Lord: "Know then in your heart that as a parent disciplines a child so the Lord your god disciplines you" (Deut. 8.5). He made them hungry before giving them manna - a food never before eaten by the Israelites and their ancestors. The manna has a metaphorical quality for the Lord, given to the Israelites "in order to make you understand that one does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of the Lord" (Deut. 8.3). In other words, obedience to the Lord's commandments is as important as (if not more than) physical food. It was with God's protection that they survived the journey through the wilderness.

The Lord promises a land of bountiful food sources, with precious metals and abundant water sources. The people will bless the Lord for what they have ben given.

But the people must not grow complacent. They must always recognize the God that has chosen them as his people. They must remember that the power and wealth they have has only been attained with the blessing of God. If the Israelites abandon YHWH for other gods, they will perish like the people they are about to drive out of the promised land.

So What?
The promised land was set aside by God for the Israelites as far back as the time of Abraham. The biblical author asserts that it is rightfully theirs, but only if they worship YHWH exclusively. Therefore, if the people are ever expelled from the promised land, which will happen by the time this text was written, it is because they did not keep God's commandments. This is the history of the future at work.]

Deuteronomy 7: A chosen people

Deuteronomy 7: A Chosen People / Blessings for Obedience

Yesterday we learned that the greatest commandment the Israelites have to follow is that YHWH alone should be worshiped as God. The Israelites are to live their lives as a constant reminder that YHWH is their God. The Israelites are a holy (that is, separate) people. Below Moses' recitation of the word of God is analyzed.

A Chosen People: Deuteronomy 7.1-11
Being the chosen people means a complete separation from the rest of the world, but it also means that God is on your side. The Lord will drive out seven nations that inhabit the promised land: Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, Jebusites. But the way God drives out the inhabitants is by having the Israelites defeat them. The Israelites may make no covenant with them, not intermarry, and show them no mercy in battle (which won't be a problem if in fact these populations are completely destroyed).

The Israelites must destroy all the altars and objects of worship of the foreign peoples. This is seemingly so that there is no temptation to worship foreign Gods - just as the law against intermarriage prevents the children from worshiping foreign gods.

The Lord did not choose the Israelites because they were numerous and strong. It was in fulfillment of the covenant to the ancestors. The Lord's loyalty to the covenant therefore must be matched by the Israelites' obedience to him.

Blessings for Obedience: Deuteronomy 7.12-26
Loyalty to the covenant is rewarded with progeny, bountiful harvests, and no barrenness among the people or livestock. The people will not become ill and will be able to devour the people of the promised land - showing them no mercy.

The Lord tells the Israelites that they should not fear the great nations that inhabit the promised land. They will be saved as they were from Egypt. The Lord will send pestilence against them and destroy them little by little - destroying them to quickly would result in wild animals taking over the promised land in the absence of the Israelites before they make it to the cities and fields and vineyards.

The Lord will deliver Israel's enemies into their hands. The Israelites should in turn destroy all the idols they find and not be tempted to take their precious metals or other possessions. If the Israelites take these into their house, the Lord will destroy them. Such is the importance of separation between the Israelites and other peoples. The Israelites are a people apart.

Deuteronomy 6: Obedience

Deuteronomy 6: The Great Commandment / Caution Against Disobedience

From a religious as well as a literary perspective, this portion of the bible is one of the most meaningful. Here we get at the crux of Israelite faith - and the biblical story.

The Great Commandment: Deuteronomy 6.1-9
Moses, speaking the words of God, begins to deliver the commandments of God to the Israelites. Obedience by the Israelites (or "fear of God) will result in longevity of the people for generations. This promise invokes the ancestral covenant of land and progeny; if the Israelites follow this newly established covenant, "it may go well with you," and the Israelites will "multiply greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey" as the Lord has promised.

The great commandment (after, of course, the ten big ones): The Lord alone is your God. The great corollary: Your entire life should acknowledge this fact. The commandment is dogma, the guiding principle of Israelite life. The corollary is praxis, the actual practice of the religion:

Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
(Deut. 6.4-9)

Dogma may guide the religion, but for this biblical author it is proper practice that ensures God's blessing. It is no wonder, therefore, that dialectical tensions feature so much in the bible - it is a story of God versus Israel, and Israel does not always wish to obey God. But if Israel obeys God, it will be blessed and kept by the Lord. Is it any wonder so much of the early books of the bible focuses on law? The author is very concerned with the fact that the Israelites, and later on the Hebrews, obeyed these laws in order to please God.

As the next section will demonstrate, disobedience is

Caution Against Disobedience: Deuteronomy 6.10-25
Moses, speaking the word of God, commands obedience by putting the Israelites' situation into perspective. A covenant was established with these peoples' ancestors: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, before it was ever established with the Israelites. [Therefore obedience honors the past, in addition to protecting the future.] Furthermore, Israel is to receive the promised land filled with ammenities that they did no work for [except wandering in the desert, though really that was for the congregation's mistrust of the Lord]. The promised land comes complete with "large cities that you did not build, houses filled with all sorts of goods that you did not fill, hewn cisterns that you did not hew, vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant" (Deut 6.10-11). The Lord gives Israel a new home after years of enslavement in Egypt and wandering in the desert.

The people must not forget the Lord - and fear him and swear by him only. The Lord is a jealous God and as he has demonstrated is capable of blotting any human from the earth. Obedience will be rewarded and is in fact a requisite for thrusting Israel's enemies from the promised land.

The story and the requisite obedience are to be passed down for generations. The story of the Exodus is to survive through an oral tradition of parent to offspring. When children ask about the Lord's statutes, parents are to answer that the Lord brought the Israelites out of Egypt with a mighty hand that did great signs and wonders against Pharaoh and his household. The Lord then brought the Israelites into the promised land in fulfillment of the ancient covenant. Through proper practice the Israelites ensure their survival in the world:

"If we diligently observe this entire commandment before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us, we will be in the right.”
(Deut. 6.25)

Deuteronomy 5: The ten commandments redux

Deuteronomy 5: The Ten Commandments / Moses the Mediator of God's Will

The ten commandments first appeared in Exodus 20. Below is the second version given by Moses, a reiteration of the commandments given at Horeb directly to the people. The commandments remain the same, but the wording is different. Moses is careful to state that this is a new covenant for the people entering the promised land, separate from the covenant of land and progeny given to the ancestors. Here that covenant is fulfilled and a new covenant begins, one that is requisite on the Israelites' strict obedience to God.

The Ten Commandments: Deuteronomy 5.1-21

One: No other Gods
"I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me."

Two: No idols
"You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and fourth generation of those who reject me, but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments."

[Given God's statement on monotheism that appeared in yesterday's reading, it is no surprise that this commandment takes up so much space. The author here is attempting to differentiate the religious readers of his text from outsiders who do not follow YHWH exclusively. For the biblical author, one of the most important aspects of God was that God could not be portrayed in an idol and worshipped; God is too mighty to be understood in those simple terms.

Actually, non-Israelites probably recognized that the idols did not represent Gods, but were a means of channeling thoughts and prayers to God. In the same way that Catholics might pray through the Virgin Mary, these people might have prayed through their idols to reach their gods. For more on this, check out A History of God by Karen Armstrong.

In any case, YHWH is to be worshipped by the Israelites as their only God, and no image was to be made in an attempt to define "him" (even that pronoun in a way defines God!).]

Three: Don't misuse the Lord's name
"You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name."

Four: Observe the sabbath
"Observe the sabbath day and keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, or your son or your daughter, or your male or female slave, or your ox or your donkey, or any of your livestock, or the resident alien in your towns, so that your male and female slave may rest as well as you. Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the sabbath day."

[The sabbath seems to be a metaphor for remembering God in a time of work. Perhaps God is not in the mind of those who are working - therefore a day is established exclusively for God. It might even get more complicated. In Egypt the Israelites were enslaved - and enslavement or any life at all outside of the promised land in the bible represents a separation from God. Therefore work is done on the days it is needed, but on the sabbath the people return to God entirely; they are no longer enslaved and may rest in the Lord. Every seven days comes a respite from labor that parallels salvation from slavery.]

Five: Honor your mother and father
"Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you, so that your days may be long and that it may go well with you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you."

Six: Don't Kill
"You shall not murder."

Seven: Don't commit adultery
"Neither shall you commit adultery."

Eight: Don't steal
"Neither shall you steal."

Nine: Don't lie
"Neither shall you bear false witness against your neighbor."

Ten: Don't Covet
"Neither shall you covet your neighbor’s wife. Neither shall you desire your neighbor’s house, or field, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."

Moses the Mediator of God's Will: Deuteronomy 5.22-33
The people are afraid upon hearing the word of the Lord. Who has hear the word of God an lived? The heads of the tribes and the elders approach Moses and express their fear that the fire from the mountain should consume them and they should all die. Therefore they tell Moses to speak to the Lord himself, so that the congregation will not perish.

The Lord appreciates the sentiment of the people, but laments the fact that it will not always be this way:

"If only they had such a mind as this, to fear me and to keep all my commandments always, so that it might go well with them and with their children forever!"
(Deut. 5.29)

But it will not be this way, as we shall see. (And I hope you are seeing that Deuteronomy is very much more prophetic than the previous books!)

Moses stays with God on the mountain and receives the commandments of the Lord, which we will begin to explore tomorrow.

Deuteronomy 4: Obey the Lord

Deuteronomy 4: Moses Commands Obedience / Cities of Refuge East of the Jordan / Transition to the second address

Moses' address to the Israelites, which began in Deuteronomy 1 and continued in chapters 2 and 3, continues here today. Moses has wrapped up the historical part, reiterating the successes and failures of the Israelites (but mostly failures). Israel has been a bit remiss in following the Lord. Moses therefore now delivers a message commanding obedience.

Moses Commands Obedience: Deuteronomy 4.1-40
What is God? Don't worry - I am not getting existential on you. I would just like to point out that this section explores many ways in which to understand - and not to understand - God.

Moses asks Israel to heed the commandments that are being given, and to not add or subtract any of them. The people saw firsthand in the Baal of Peor incident that the Lord will discriminate in killing certain Israelites that do not obey his commandments.

The commandments give the Israelites wisdom and discernment; others who hear the laws will say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and discerning people!" (Deut 4.6). Moses rhetorically asks what other nation has so near and personal a god, and what other nation has such great statutes. But the people must not forget these commandments, and how the Israelites once stood before God at Horeb (they are standing before God at Horeb) and saw the blazing mountains and dark clouds and heard the Lord speaking out of the fire. It seems that the Lord speaks through something like a volcano: a blazing mountain and thick cloud and noise. The people do not see the embodiment of the - they only hear his words. And the covenant, the ten commandments which the Israelites are charged to observe is written by the Lord on two stone tablets and taught by Moses.

The question of what God looks like is left unanswered. But we do know that guessing is a bad idea; the Lord commands that because no form appeared at Horeb, no one knows what the Lord looks like and no one should attempt to reproduce his image in an idol. There shall be no likeness, whether male or female, animal or bird or fish. The Lord is not the sun, moon, or stars; in fact, the Lord made these for all humanity. But the Israelites - they are the Lord's chosen people, brought out of the iron-smelter of Egypt and in the Lord's own possession.

Moses laments that he will die for the congregation's mistrust of the Lord, so they should be careful not to forget their covenant with God or make an idol. "For the Lord your God is a devouring fire, a jealous God" (Deut. 4.24). The Lord can easily destroy anyone (or anything) he desires.

Then Moses delivers a prophetic message to the people. If their ancestors become complacent in following the Lord and begin to worship an idol, they will not live long in the promised land. The Lord will scatter the people, and only a few will remain. Away from the promised land Israel will "serve other gods made by human hands, objects of wood and stone that neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell" (Deut. 4.28). In fact, this does happen in the future. But the people will eventually return to the Lord. In fact, this happens as well. And the Lord (who cannot be portrayed but who is able to see, hear, eat, and smell) will always keep Israel as his people:

"Because the Lord your God is a merciful God, he will neither abandon you nor destroy you; he will not forget the covenant with your ancestors that he sword to them" (Deut. 4.31)

God is great; the greatest thing in all history. God allows people to hear his voice from a fire and live. God takes a nation for himself, transports them, defends them, leads them by signs and terrifying displays of power. And there is no other besides him. It is for the love of ancestors that the Lord continues to protect Israel. It is also in fulfillment of the covenant.

Here God shifts from monolatry to monotheism. Before it was possible that more than one God existed and that God was simply the greatest. Here it is specifically stated:

So acknowledge today and take to heart that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other. Keep his statutes and his commandments, which I am commanding you today for your own well-being and that of your descendants after you, so that you may long remain in the land that the Lord your God is giving you for all time.
(Deut. 4.39-40)

Cities of Refuge East of the Jordan: Deuteronomy 4.41-43
Moses designates the cities of refuge that lie east of the Jordan. Bezer belongs to the Reubenites, Bezer belongs to the Reubenites, and Golan belongs to the Manassites.

Transition to the Second Address: Deuteronomy 4.44-49
An editorial note wraps up the first four chapters as "the law that Moses set before the Israelites" as they waited beyond the Jordan, "under the slopes of Pisgah," where poignantly Moses saw, but was not allowed to enter, the promised land.

Tomorrow: The (second) ten commandments.

Deuteronomy 2-3: A brief history of the last 40 years, part 2

See yesterday's post: part 1.

Deuteronomy 2: The Desert Years / Defeat of King Sihon
Deuteronomy 3: Defeat of King Og / Moses Views Canaan from Pisgah

This brief history is an account of Moses telling the congregation of the last 40 years spent wandering in the wilderness. It concludes today with some familiar stories from Numbers, though the details of these stories do not always match up.

The Desert Years: Deuteronomy 1.46-2.25
Israel wanders for a while in the wilderness, until the Lord commands them to pass through Seir, the territory of Esau's descendants. [Esau, if you remember, is Jacob's older twin brother. Jacob tried to get the better of Esau since birth, when he came out gripping his brother's heel. Jacob subsequently convinced Esau to see his birthright and stole Esau's blessing. Despite this, Esau received Jacob surprisingly well when they met years later.]

The Lord commands the Israelites to not fight the residents of Seir (Esau's land that God gave him); "for I  will not give you so much as a foot's length of their land, since I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession" (Deut. 2.5). This is logical; why should the house of Jacob steal anything more from the house of Esau? The Israelites may purchase food and drink.

The Israelites then head to the wilderness of Moab, and are commanded by God not to harass Moab or fight them, because this land too has been granted to a protected people. The land, known as Ar, has been given to the descendants of Lot, who was saved from the destruction of Sodom. Presumably the residents of this land are the ancestors of an incestuous drunken tryst between Lot and his daughters. [It's a good story. Check it out!]

An editorial note informs the reader that this land was preciously inhabited by the large and numerous Emim, who were "as tall as the Anakim," which I suppose is pretty gigantic. Apparently Emim are usually called Rephaim, though the Moabites refer to them as Emim. Go figure! Oh, and the Horim also lived there back in the day, "but the descendants of Esa disposessed them, destroying them and settling in their place, as Israel has done in the land that the Lord gave them as a possession" (Deut. 2.12). That's a pretty remarkable statement. The victory of the descendants of  Esau is put on the same level as that of the Israelites. God can seemingly aid those who are not even Israelite. [Another important note: the destruction and settling is anachronistic; Israel has not yet settled the promised land. This is key evidence that the book was written after the time of Moses, and not by Moses himself, as some believe.

They cross the Wadi Zered, which marks 38 years since their doubt that they would be able to settle in the promised land. The Wadi Zered is a literal as well as a figurative threshold - at this point the entire generation of warriors that had doubted God's protection have died and a new generation is set to enter the promised land. In fact, the Lord commands Moses to cross the boundary as soon as the old generation has died off.

In a parallel passage to the one above, the Israelites are not to harass the Ammonites on the other side, for this land too has been divinely granted to Lot's ancestors. There is also a parallel editorial note: THe land of the Amonites is known as Rephaim, for they formerly inhabited it, though the Ammonites called them Zamzummin, and they were strong and numerous and tall as the Anakim. The Lord [actively] destroyed them so the Ammonites could dispossess them and settle there [again, the Lord can act as a divine agent for people who are not his]. The Lord also destroyed the Horim in the same manner for the descendants of Esau. And for something completely outside the Israelite story, the narrator informs us the Avvim were destroyed by the Caphtorim.

The Israelites are instructed to begin their conquest:

This day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you upon the peoples everywhere under heaven; when they hear report of you, they will tremble and be in anguish because of you.
(Deut. 2.25)

Defeat of King Sihon: Deuteronomy 2.26-37
Moses sends messengers to King Sihon of Heshbon asking for safe passage. However, the Lord hardens King Sihon's spirit and makes his heart defiant. The Israelite conquest of Heshbon is approved. In opposition to the Numbers account, not a man, woman, or child survives. Only the livestock survive, and are taken along with the spoils of the towns.

Defeat of King Og: Deuteronomy 3.1-22
King Og of Bashan comes out against the Israelites to do battle at Edrei. The Israelites leave no survivor. They take the towns and fortresses and keep the plunder and livestock.

Apparently King Og was a big guy: his iron bed measured 9 cubits by 4 cubits (13.5 feet by 6 feet) and "can still be seen in Rabbah of the Ammonites."

The land is given to the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and the biblical author explains how the land is divided.

The men of these tribes are still required to fight to drive out the residents of the promised land. But as long as the Israelites trust in the Lord, the Reubenites, Gadites, and Manassites will live to see their families again. As Moses tells Joshua:

“Your own eyes have seen everything that the Lord your God has done to these two kings; so the Lord will do to all the kingdoms into which you are about to cross. Do not fear them, for it is the Lord your God who fights for you.”
(Deut. 3.21-22)

Moses Views Canaan from Pisgah: Deuteronomy 3.23-29
This passage is so poignant that I will put it here in its entirety. One wonders exactly what Moses did wrong; it seems that it was the Israelites who doubted God, not Moses. Moses speaks with God:

At that time, too, I entreated the Lord, saying: “O Lord God, you have only begun to show your servant your greatness and your might; what god in heaven or on earth can perform deeds and mighty acts like yours! Let me cross over to see the good land beyond the Jordan, that good hill country and the Lebanon.” But the Lord was angry with me on your account and would not heed me. The Lord said to me, “Enough from you! Never speak to me of this matter again! Go up to the top of Pisgah and look around you to the west, to the north, to the south, and to the east. Look well, for you shall not cross over this Jordan. But charge Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, because it is he who shall cross over at the head of this people and who shall secure their possession of the land that you will see.”
(Deut. 3.23-28)

Deuteronomy 1: A brief history of the last 40 years, part 1

Deuteronomy 1: Events at Horeb Recalled / Appointment of the Tribal Leaders / Israel's Refusal to Enter the Land / The Penalty for Israel's Rebellion

Deuteronomy is the fifth book of the Pentateuch, the first five books of the bible. It recalls the journey of the Israelites and codifies their laws before they enter the promised land. Get ready for an exciting journey into history and literature.

Events at Horeb Recalled: Deuteronomy 1.1-8
Moses delivers an address to all of Israel as they are outside the promised land, in Moab, "beyond the Jordan." This is in the fortieth year of the exodus, on the first day of the eleventh month. The address is divinely inspired; Moses speaks "just as the Lord had commanded him to speak to them" (Deut. 1.3). The biblical author uses verses 1 through 5 to set us in place and time. A description of the location is given, and in addition to the date given since the Israelites left Egypt, the time during the biblical narrative is also given; this is after Israel has had victories against King Sihon of the Amorites and King Og of Bashan.

The biblical author also is setting up Moses' very lengthy speech that will span most of Deuteronomy. The speech will flesh out the law that has been revealed somewhat willy-nilly throughout the previous four books. It is Deuteronomy that connects the God's law with the rest of the bible, in which people follow or do not follow God's law. Thus far I have been emphasizing that the plot of the biblical narrative follows the relationship between God and God's people as they obey or disobey him. The obedience and disobedience form the dialectical tensions that move the plot forward. In fact, the portion of the speech to be analyzed today, which recounts the exodus up to this point, reveals the very difficult relationship God has had with his people since they left Egypt.

Moses begins his speech:

The Lord told Israel at Mount Horeb that they had stayed long enough and should resume their journey so that they may take possession of the promised land that was sworn to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and that will be inherited by their ancestors for generations.

Appointment of the Tribal Leaders: Deuteronomy 1.9-18
The divine promise of progeny has been made good, so that Moses has difficulty settling disputes between people "as numerous as the stars of heaven." Therefore, in an episode reminiscent of Exodus 18, the tribes choose leaders among themselves as judges - and yet the judgment will be God's. In the Exodus account, however, Moses' father-in-law Jethro gives Moses this idea, and Moses (rather than the people) designates the judges.

Israel's Refusal to Enter the Land: Deuteronomy 1.19-33
In a retelling of the narrative of Numbers 13 and Numbers 14, spies are sent into the hill country of the Amorites, part of the promised land. At the congregation's request, Moses selects 12 spies to send into the promised land to scope it out. They return with a positive report, a la Exodus 13. However, the people are unwilling to go and rebel against God. They complain that the Amorites will defeat them, and it would have been better if they never left Egypt. Moses advocates trusting in the Lord.

The Penalty for Israel's Rebellion: Deuteronomy 1.34-45
Of course, the people do not listen, and the Lord swears that none of the "evil generation" that doubted the Lord will survive to see the promised land, save Caleb and Joshua. Even Moses will be punished for the iniquity of his generation. The children "who today do not yet know right from wrong"will inherit the land. The people lament, and against Moses' advice go to fight the Amorites in an attempt to redeem themselves. But God does not act as a protector (as YHWH Sabaoth, that is) and the Amorites force Israel's retreat.

Join me tomorrow for stages 2 and 3 of Israel's journey

Numbers 32: Autonomy and disobedience

Numbers 32: Settling Down Outside Canaan

Generally dialectical tensions - the disconnect between God's will and human action - involves an expression of disapproval by God, delivered through his intermediary Moses. Today's reading shows Moses directly defending God's will seemingly without God's input. This is an odd position for Moses to take, as he is generally portrayed as a reluctant leader. But he has reason enough to be angry, as we shall see.

Settling Down Outside Canaan: Numbers 32
Two tribes of Israel, the Reubenites and the Gadites, realize the land the Israelites have just captured is great for raising cattle. They approach Moses and ask to live there to raise cattle. The Lord "subdued" this land and they do not wish to cross the Jordan into Canaan.

Moses responds angrily that they are letting down the other tribes, who will have to fight for every inch of Canaan once they cross the Jordan. They are also abandoning the land promised to their ancestors - Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Moses takes their desire to settle down as a fear to fight more, which is in fact plausible. Moses cuts to the heart of the issue, saying that the spies that were sent into Canaan pulled a similar trick, lying about the ferocity and size of the Canaanite warriors so that the Israelites would not have to enter Canaan and fight. This in turn distressed the people so that they lost faith in God. For this reason no one of the Egyptian generation will enter the promised land, with the exception of Caleb and Joshua. Moses essentially accuses the Reubenites and Gadites of attempting to strike a similar fear into the heart of the Israelites. And if the Israelites turn away, or if the Reubenites and Gadites do not remain loyal to God, the Lord will turn away and the Israelites will be destroyed.

R&G strike a bargain with Moses. They will build fortified towns for their women and children, then accompany the rest of the Israelites into Canaan. They will not inherit any land there, and will not return to their towns until every tribe gets its land.

Moses remarkably agrees, but warns that if they back out of the agreement and sin against the Lord, the Lord will see it.

Moses instructs Eleazar, the heads of the tribes, and Joshua of the agreement.

In the end, Manasseh joins R&G in keeping land opposite the Jordan of the Promised Land. A list is then given of the towns each conquers and inhabits.

Ostensibly this warfare is done without God's protection, since God protects Israel as a whole. This is a very interesting demonstration of autonomy, then. These tribes are not really cowardly, because they do fight with the rest of Israel, and fight also without God's protection in other wars. But they do not want the land that was promised to them. They have abandoned the future their ancestors wanted them to have. And that, for the biblical author, is a disappointment.