DEUTERONOMY Introduction The title “Deuteronomy” comes from the Greek word deuteronomion, which was used in 17:18 to translate a Hebrew phrase meaning “a copy of this instruction” (HCSB). However, this Greek word means “second law” and is therefore a mistranslation. It is also a poor title since this book does not contain a second law but an explanation of the law originally given on Mount Sinai almost 40 years earlier. The Hebrew title is taken from the first two words of the Hebrew text and is translated “these are the words.” This title is more accurate since the book records several speeches from Moses directed toward the second generation of Israelites. This book flows directly from Numbers, which ends with the people “on the plains of Moab by the Jordan” (36:13). They are just about ready to enter the land of Canaan. As with the previous four books, Moses is most likely the author of Deuteronomy, and he probably wrote it around 1400 BC. Outline A variety of approaches have been taken to the book of Deuteronomy. Some writers see an expanded version of the Ten Commandments. Perhaps the most popular approach today is to compare the book to ancient Hittite treaties. But while this comparison is legitimate in a general sense, it does not provide an exact match. The best approach to Deuteronomy is simply to observe the natural breaks in the text that reflect the speeches of Moses. 1. First Speech of Moses: Remembering (1:1–4:43) The first five verses confirm that the end of Numbers is the setting for Deuteronomy. The Israelites are camped just across the Jordan River 40 years after they left Egypt. They have just defeated Sihon and Og, which was recorded in Numbers 21. At this time Moses “began to explain this law” (1:5)—the law that the people had already been given on Mount Sinai. This statement confirms that Moses was not giving a second law but was simply explaining the law they already had. The main focus of Moses’s first speech is on remembering what has happened to them. Chapter 1 reviews what happened to the first generation. After they left Horeb and Moses appointed leaders, they disobeyed God at Kadesh-barnea when they refused to enter the Land of Canaan. Deuteronomy 1:22 states that the idea of sending spies came from the people, while Numbers 13:2 suggests that the idea came from God. Most likely God simply gave permission to the people’s request. Probably God allowed this spy mission as a test for the people. The roughly 38 years in the wilderness is summarized in 1:46 and 2:1. The people stayed at Kadesh for a long time after their disobedience, and then they traveled around the hill country of Seir for many days. But then God told them to stop their wilderness wanderings. The time had come to head for the Land of Canaan again. But first they would have to travel past Seir, Moab, and Ammon. God would not let the Israelites fight against their brothers, the descendants of Esau (2:8). He had given the land of Seir to them as an inheritance. The same was true with the Moabites and the Ammonites with regard to their land. They were also distant relatives of the Israelites through Lot, Abraham’s nephew. But the Israelites had no relationship with the Amorites and the people of Bashan. God handed Sihon and Og over to them, and they completely destroyed them. Moses then gave this conquered territory to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh. This victory was to serve as a model for the conquest of Canaan (3:21). The difference was that the people would be led by Joshua, not Moses. Moses begged God to let him cross over the Jordan River and see the beautiful Land of Canaan (3:25). God refused this request, but He did let Moses see the land from a high mountain. 1

This first speech began with a look at the past with the sin of the old generation. Then it turned to the present with the victory of the new generation. Now in chapter 4 the focus moves to the future. Moses urges the people to obey God’s law, which he is about to expound for them. The people know what God has done for them when they obey and against them when they disobey. They know that He wants them to worship Him alone and not idols. If they are to be successful in their mission and stay in the land for a long time, they must obey Him. But even if they disobeyed and were sent into captivity, God would have mercy on them and not forget about them. This section ends with verses 41–43, which record how Moses set aside three cities of refuge on the east side of the Jordan. If someone accidentally killed another person, he could flee to one of these cities and be safe. The cities of refuge will be dealt with in more detail later in Deuteronomy 19, but a brief statement is included in chapter 4 because the context has been dealing with the conquest of the territory east of the Jordan. Even before the Land of Canaan is captured, the people are to live according to the instructions given by God. 2. Second Speech of Moses: Explaining (4:44–29:1) a. Introduction (4:44–49) The second speech of Moses is easily the longest section in the book. It is the middle of the three speeches and is therefore the heart of the book. Here is where Moses explains the law given previously on Mount Sinai for the benefit of the new generation. In verses 44–49 the background details are reviewed, including the location and recent events. This information is basically repeated from chapter 1. b. Law (5–26) The explanation of the law dominates Moses’s second speech. It can be broken down into two major sections: general and specific. The general section focuses on the big picture of the law, and the specific section reviews the more detailed instructions. (1) General (5–11) The first item on Moses’s agenda when explaining the law should come as no surprise: the Ten Commandments. It is repeated almost verbatim from Exodus 20, except for a slight change in the motivation for the fourth commandment. A reminder is given about the Israelites being slaves in Egypt (verse 15), which would have been helpful since most people from the new generation would not remember being slaves very well. The Ten Commandments function the same way in Deuteronomy that they did in Exodus. They serve as the foundational principles of the law. Then chapters 6–8 focus on Israel’s relationship with Yahweh. First, they were to recognize who He is (6:4). Their foundation confession was that “Yahweh is our God—Yahweh alone.” This translation is preferable to “Yahweh our God, Yahweh is one.” The focus of the context is not on the unity of God but on His exclusivity. He alone was to be the God of the Israelites. They were not to worship other gods. This confession about Yahweh should naturally lead to love for Him (6:5). The need to love God with one’s entire being is stated by Jesus as being the most important command (Matthew 22:37–38). Moses then commands the Israelites not only to love God with their hearts but to put His commands in their hearts (6:6). Love for God should lead to obedience. These commands should be passed along to the next generation (6:7). Parents are to teach their children about God and His commands in all sorts of times and situations, even mundane ones like sitting down at home and taking a walk. God’s commands are to be remembered and obeyed by everyone. 2

The rest of chapter 6 as well as chapters 7–8 expand on this general theme of loving and obeying God. The Israelites were not to forget about God when they are successful in conquering the Land of Canaan. When they are tempted to forget about God (6:12; 8:14), they must remember what He did for them in Egypt. They must worship Him alone and completely destroy the Canaanites so that they do not worship their gods. God will help them to do so, just like He helped them defeat the Egyptians. They must remember that God chose them when they were insignificant and blessed them (7:7–8). He is the one who gives them power to gain wealth (8:18). Chapter 9 presents a warning to the Israelites about what will happen if they don’t obey God. Verses 1–6 state that God is destroying the Canaanites because of their wickedness and not because of Israel’s righteousness. They are a stiff-necked people, and the proof is in what happened with the golden calf. They continued to rebel against God after that time as well. But God was faithful toward them despite their lack of faithfulness and did not destroy them. Now that they are ready to enter the land (10:11), they must love God and keep His commands. They have seen God’s mighty acts; therefore they must worship Him alone. If they obey, they will be blessed; if they disobey, they will be cursed (11:26–28). (2) Specific (12–26) The mention of statutes and ordinances in the last verse of chapter 11 and the first verse of chapter 12 indicates a transition. Now Moses is reviewing more specific commands. The focus continues to be on God, and the emphasis is on how He is to be worshiped: through sacrifice. The Israelites need to use the proper sacrifices in the proper place and in the proper way. They are not to worship God the way the Canaanites worship their gods (12:30). If a prophet advocates worshiping other gods, he is to be put to death (13:1–5). Even if a close relative or friend advocates idolatry, there must be no pity (13:6–8). Whole cities must be destroyed if necessary. Idolatry is to be avoided at all costs. The first 21 verses of chapter 14 deal with clean and unclean foods. This topic was addressed more thoroughly in Leviticus 11. But in Deuteronomy this section is sandwiched by seemingly strange commands. First, Moses commands the Israelites not to cut themselves or make bald spots on their heads (verse 1). These practices seem harmless, but Moses connects them to the dead. Apparently they were pagan in nature and related to mourning customs. The command not to boil a young goat in its mother’s milk (verse 21) is not given any explanation, but it also may have been a pagan practice. Moses reminds the Israelites that they are God’s holy people and belong to Him (14:2, 21). They must be set apart and not like their pagan neighbors. Pagan practices change over time, and Christians must be careful in every generation to avoid those that do not glorify God. We must not be conformed to this world (Romans 12:2). Then beginning in 14:22 we see that God wants His people to worship them through giving. Each year the people were to set aside a tithe or a tenth of all their produce. Then they would eat this tenth in the place chosen by God. If the place was far away, the people could sell the produce and then purchase whatever they want to eat and drink when they arrive. These instructions were already given in basic form back in 12:5–7 and 12:17–19. In fact, tithing has already been mentioned in Leviticus 27:30–33 and Numbers 18:21. Leviticus 27 states that every tenth of the land’s produce belongs to God, and Numbers 18 states that God has given the Levites every tenth. These two passages can be reconciled easily: the produce belongs to God, but He has chosen to give it to the Levites.

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However, most Jewish interpreters and some Christian interpreters understand Deuteronomy 14 to refer to a second and separate tenth. The main reason for this position is that in this passage the people are to eat the tenth (verse 23). But this problem is not difficult to resolve. Moses does not ignore the Levites in this chapter. In fact, he reminds the people not to neglect the Levites (verse 27). The implication is that the Levites were to share in the celebration and eat along with the people. This view is confirmed in Deuteronomy 12:18–19. The people would not have been able to eat the whole tenth or even most of it during the celebration. In keeping with Numbers 18, the leftovers would have been given to the Levites. They could have sold them to provide for their needs during the rest of the year. Deuteronomy 14:28–29 makes additional provision for the Levites. Every three years the people were to bring a tenth of all their produce for that year and store it within their gates. This practice was done for the benefit of not only the Levites but also foreigners, orphans, and widows. This tenth could be viewed as separate from the one mentioned in verses 22–27, but more likely it is the same tenth. The difference is the location where the tithe is delivered. In the first two years it is taken to a central location, and in the third year it is kept at the local communities. This view that the Israelites gave just one tenth each year best reflects the purpose of Deuteronomy as explaining the law already given at Sinai and not introducing a second law. Moses is simply clarifying the basic laws already given in Leviticus and Numbers. Does God require Christians to give a tenth today? No. Tithing is never commanded in the New Testament. It was part of the Mosaic Law, which does not apply as a unit to Christians today. God does command believers to give to the church, but the amount is a matter of freedom. Whatever the amount is, people should give generously (2 Corinthians 9:6). In many cases people can afford to give more than 10% and should do so. But they should not give out of necessity (2 Corinthians 9:7). Giving in the New Testament is much more like a freewill offering than tithing, which was basically a tax. After all, the Israelites were a nation, and their leaders needed financial support. The church’s leaders deserve to be compensated also (1 Timothy 5:17), but the church is not a physical nation like Israel. Deuteronomy 15 continues the theme of wealth. The end of chapter 14 deals with what would happen every three years. The beginning of chapter 15 deals with what would happen every seven years. Debts were to be canceled, and the people should not refrain from lending to the poor as the seventh year approaches. In addition, Hebrew slaves were to be set free in the seventh year, and their masters were to give to them generously when they left. But a Hebrew slave could choose voluntarily to remain someone’s slave for life. The end of chapter 15 returns to the subject of worship through sacrifice. The firstborn of the flock belonged to God and were to be sacrificed and eaten. This subject naturally leads to the celebration of the Passover and other feasts in chapter 16. Deuteronomy 12:1–16:17 was focused mainly on worship. Now beginning in 16:18 the focus is on leadership. The first leaders mentioned are judges. Justice is very important to God; He hates partiality and bribery (verse 19). Starting in verse 21 Moses gives laws to help the judges make legal decisions. Most of these laws are related to worship and idolatry, but 17:8–13 deals with difficult cases related to human relationships. If a judge cannot come to a decision, he is to consult the priests and a chief judge and follow their decision. The second type of leader addressed by Moses is a king (17:14–20). Israel did not currently have a human king, but as a prophet Moses accurately foresaw a time in the future when the people 4

would want a king. Much earlier God had told Abraham that kings would be among his and Sarah’s descendants (Genesis 17:6, 16). Moses told the people to appoint the king chosen by God. He must not be a foreigner, and he must not acquire many horses, wives, or wealth for himself. He must write a copy of the law for himself and read from it daily so that he can learn to fear and obey God. Unfortunately, most of Israel’s future kings did not follow these instructions. The third leaders mentioned are the priests and Levites (18:1–8). Only a brief summary is given compared to the extensive amount of material devoted to them in the original law. The fourth and final leaders are the prophets (18:9–22). The people must not seek God’s will through pagan practices. Instead they are to listen to God’s prophets. Moses even states that one day God will raise up a prophet like himself. The New Testament applies this statement to Jesus (Acts 3:22; 7:37). Moses also helps the people recognize a false prophet: the prophecy must be fulfilled (18:22). True prophets from God always predict the future accurately. Now that the foundational material related to worship and leaders has been addressed, a variety of civil laws are covered (19:1–22:12). Moses commands three cities to be set aside as cities of refuge for those who kill someone accidentally. Three cities had already been set up on the east side of the Jordan River (4:41–43). Eventually three cities would need to be set up on the west side of the Jordan. Moses also commanded that boundary markers for property were not to be moved (19:14). Then he gave instructions about witnesses in court. One witness wasn’t enough; two or three were needed to establish facts (verse 15). False witnesses must be punished. Moses then deals with laws related to war in chapter 20. God has already commanded the Israelites to fight against the wicked Canaanites. Therefore war is inevitable. Moses makes allowances for certain men to be excused from the army: those who have a new house, vineyard, or wife, or those who are afraid. Then he gives the rules of engagement. They can make an offer of peace to nations that are far away, but those in the land of Canaan must be completely destroyed (verses 15–16). In the beginning of chapter 21, Moses talks about how to deal with unsolved murders. Then he returns to the subject of war and the spoils of war, particularly the women from a distant nation who weren’t killed. They could be taken as wives by the Israelite men. Then Moses naturally deals with children. Jacob gets put under the microscope since a law is given that directly opposes his favoritism toward Joseph. A man with two wives cannot show favoritism to son of the wife he loves more. He must give the rights of the firstborn to the actual firstborn, even if he is the son of the unloved wife. This section does not approve of polygamy but simply regulates it. Then Moses addresses the subject of a rebellious son who stubbornly refuses to obey his parents. He must be stoned to death (verse 21). The end of chapter 21 deals with a situation related to the death penalty that was just addressed. If someone is executed and hung on a tree, he must be buried that day and not left hanging overnight (verse 22–23). The reason is that anyone hung on a tree is under God’s curse. This verse is quoted in Galatians 3:13 and applied to Jesus. He redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us when He was crucified and hung on a tree. The beginning of chapter 22 addresses a variety of topics that deal with animals, clothing, and property. If a person loses an animal or a piece of clothing, it must be returned to him. Men and women must wear distinct clothing. This command is probably rooted in pagan idolatry and abnormal sexuality based on the presence of the strong word “detestable.” Mercy must be shown 5

to a mother bird. A house must be built with safety in mind. Distinctiveness must be maintained between seeds for planting, animals for plowing, and materials for clothing. Moses then turns to the subject of purity (22:13–23:18). Sexual purity is the major focus here. The possibility of marital infidelity is covered first along with the method for dealing with it (22:13–21). Then a variety of sexual sins are addressed that move from married women to engaged virgins to non-engaged virgins (22:22–30). An engaged virgin is treated just like a married woman. A non-engaged virgin who is violated apparently must marry the man. However, the original law allowed for the possibility of the father’s refusal (Exodus 22:16–17), and that possibility should be understood here as well. Moses is not giving a thorough explanation of all previous laws. The beginning of chapter 23 deals with those who are not allowed into God’s assembly. The first type of person mentioned provides a natural connection to chapter 22 and the focus on sexuality. Men who had defective or mutilated sexual organs could not enter the assembly. Then a variety of other disqualifications are mentioned, mostly related to being a foreigner. The focus on physical purity continues with a discussion of bodily uncleanness during a time of war. Then the issue of escaped slaves is mentioned. This topic does not seem to fit under the subject of purity, but it is included probably because of its relation to war. The escaped slaves are likely foreigners who came into contact with Israel because of the army’s close proximity. The subject of purity ends with a mention of cult prostitutes. Prostitution was so detestable to God that even their wages were not accepted as gifts in the house of God. Various laws regarding relationships are then covered (23:19–25:19). First, interest should not be charged to fellow Israelites but could be charged to foreigners. The section on vows (23:21–23) addresses one’s relationship with God and is included because of the connection with the previous section with regard to finances. The next section returns to one’s relationship with other people and their crops. Food can be eaten when passing through but cannot be gathered for later. All three of these small sections are connected through the theme of theft. The beginning of chapter 24 discusses marriage relationships: one negative and one positive. The negative one takes place when a man divorces his wife. If she remarries another man and is divorced again, she cannot be remarried to her first husband. This passage does not give license to just any basis for divorce but is simply regulating divorce and remarriage. The New Testament seems to allow for divorce and remarriage in very limited circumstances, but the priority in Scripture is on remaining married to one’s first spouse. The positive marriage relationship is when a man first takes a bride. He is not allowed to join the army for one year so that he can bring joy to his new wife (verse 5). Verses 6–9 give several commands regarding the importance of life. The millstone was the basic instrument for making bread. Kidnapping for the purpose of slavery deserved death. An infectious skin disease could result in death if not handled properly. Verses 10–22 then focus mainly on the poor and how the rest of society should relate to them with compassion. The Israelites are reminded twice (verses 18, 22) about how they were once slaves in Egypt. Their state of poverty there should help motivate them be kind to poor people now. Verse 16 seems out of place in the center of this section, but it provides the connection between guilt (verse 15) and justice (verse 17).

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Verses 1–3 in chapter 25 focus on the administration of justice in the court. Punishment should not be excessive; no more than 40 lashes can be given. Later on the Jews were afraid of exceeding this amount through miscounting, so they subtracted one to be safe. The apostle Paul states that he received 39 lashes from the Jews on five different occasions (2 Corinthians 11:24). Verse 4 seems out of place, but since oxen were often flogged, it fits nicely with verses 1–3. They should be allowed to eat as they worked instead of being mistreated. The apostle Paul applies this principle to the payment of elders (1 Timothy 5:17–18). Verses 5–12 provide protection for male sexuality. Verses 5–10 give instructions about what should happen if a married man dies without having a son. If the man has a brother who lived on the family property, then he was obligated to marry his brother’s widow. The primary concern was not for her, since she could return to her father’s house and then remarry someone else. The main priority was to continue the dead brother’s name. The firstborn son would fulfill this role. The brother could refuse to marry his sister-in-law, but this refusal would result in significant shame in the community. The apostle Paul appears to release New Testament believers from this law when he states that a widow is free to remarry anyone she wants, as long as he is a believer (1 Corinthians 7:39). Verses 11–12 protect male sexuality in a more literal sense during a fight. Verses 13–16 then deal with business relationships. Honesty should be maintained when making transactions requiring weights. The section on relationships ends with Israel’s relationship with the Amalekites (verses 17–19). The Amalekites had attacked the Israelites without being provoked before the Israelites reached Mount Sinai (Exodus 17:8–16). God had already told Moses that He would completely blot out the memory of Amalek under heaven (Exodus 17:14). Now He is commanding the Israelites to perform this task, though not until they conquer Canaan (Deuteronomy 25:19). This task would fall to King Saul, who would fail to perform it in full obedience (1 Samuel 15). His failure would lead to his rejection as the first king of Israel. The specific commands in chapters 12–26 end the same way that they start—with a focus on worship. When the Israelites enter the land and take possession of it, they must respond with a worship ceremony celebrating the faithfulness of God (26:1–11). Verse 12 repeats 14:28–29 in discussing the tenth that is to be given every third year. Another statement is presented that is to be repeated by the Israelites (verses 13–15). This section ends with a concluding statement in verses 16–19. c. Curses and Blessings (27:1–29:1) Chapters 27–28 focus on the blessings that come with obedience and especially the curses that come with disobedience. Chapter 27 seems to contain several short speeches. Non-spoken material is found in verses 1, 9, and 11. Moses and the elders speak in verses 1–8, Moses and the priests speak in verse 9–10, and Moses speaks in verses 11–26. But chapter 28 has only spoken material in it. This inconsistency suggests that chapter 27 may have been inserted after the first draft of this book because of the connection between the curses at the end of chapter 27 and the curses in chapter 28. The curses strongly dominate the blessings in this section. Chapter 27 does not contain any blessings, and chapter 28 has a much longer section of curses (verses 15–68) than blessings (verses 1–14). This imbalance is reminiscent of the blessings and curses in Leviticus 26. The strong hint from the prophet Moses is that the Israelites will disobey repeatedly in the future and subject themselves to these curses. The first verse of chapter 29 seems to function as the concluding summary to the second speech of Moses. It serves as the final verse of chapter 28 in the Hebrew text.

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3. Third Speech of Moses: Renewing (29:2–30:20) The third speech of Moses is very brief and covers only two chapters. As his brief first speech prepares for the lengthy second speech, so also his brief third speech serves as a follow up to the central second speech. The second speech ends with a focus on blessings and especially curses. Is there any hope for the people if they disobey and fall under the curses? Yes. After chapter 29 reminds the Israelites of the seriousness of their covenant with God and the danger of being cursed, chapter 30 reassures them that God will restore their fortunes if they repent and obey Him. God will renew His covenant with them and bless them again. This chapter concludes by presenting a choice to the Israelites: life or death (verse 15). 4. Death of Moses (31–34) Chapters 31–34 contain more speeches from Moses, but they are not sermonic like the rest of the book. These four chapters serve as the conclusion to the book. The focus is on the death of Moses. Chapter 31 begins with Moses acknowledging that he can no longer act as Israel’s leader. He will be replaced by Joshua. During Joshua’s commissioning ceremony, God reveals to Moses that the Israelites will break the covenant He made with them (31:16). He commanded Moses to write down a song that would be a witness (31:19) and a warning (32:46). Moses presented this song to the Israelites in chapter 32. It focuses on how God is like a rock (verses 4, 15, 18, 30–31). But the Israelites will abandon God and seek refuge in other rocks (verse 37). God is steadfast and unwavering, but the Israelites are not. The end of chapter 32 again focuses on the impending death of Moses. God will allow him to see the land of Canaan but not enter it. Before he leaves the Israelites, he blesses them in chapter 33. He addresses a number of different tribes in much the same way that Jacob did in Genesis 49 on his deathbed. Then chapter 34 records his death, which apparently was written by someone else. Verse 9 records that the leadership transition to Joshua went smoothly, and verses 10–12 present a fitting eulogy for Moses. Conclusion The main theme of Deuteronomy is Yahweh God. His attributes are on full display throughout the book. His commands are to be obeyed by the people He chose, the Israelites. If they follow Him obediently, then He will bless them. If not (and He warns that they won’t), then they will be cursed. The purpose of the book can be stated this way: Moses urged the Israelites to be faithful to God and obey His commands so that they could possess the Land of Canaan. Deuteronomy is the final book in what is commonly called the Pentateuch, the five books of the law. However, these five books were originally viewed as just one book. As we have seen, the second through fifth books each flow smoothly from the preceding book. The New Testament views these five books of the law as a unity. Galatians 3:10 refers to “the book of the law,” and Mark 12:26 refers to “the book of Moses.” This last reference has many parallels that confirm our earlier assertions regarding the authorship of Moses for the law as a whole, though he probably did not write every last word (such as Deuteronomy 34). The Jews actually broke the Old Testament down into three sections: law, prophets, and writings. This structure is reflected by Jesus in Luke 24:44, where “Psalms” is used for the writings since it is the first and most preeminent book in that section. In this class we will be following the Hebrew canonical order instead of the order found in our English Bibles. The first five books are the same in both. But the prophets and writings are different than the order we are used to. The prophets can be divided into two sections: former prophets and latter prophets. The former prophets contain Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings. (Samuel and Kings are considered unified books in the Hebrew canon.) The latter prophets contain Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the 12 Minor Prophets (in the same order we are used to). 8

The writings can be broken down into three groups. The first group has three books: Psalms, Job, and Proverbs. The second group has five books: Ruth, Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes, Lamentations, and Esther. The third group has three books: Daniel, Ezra/Nehemiah, and Chronicles. (Ezra and Nehemiah are considered one book, and so are the two books of Chronicles.) The first group has large poetical books, the second group has a variety of shorter books, and the third group has historical books. There is some disagreement about the original order of these books in the writings, especially in the second group. The order followed here is the one used in the current edition of the Hebrew Bible. As for the law, it breaks down into three sections more naturally than five: Genesis 1–50, Exodus 1– Numbers 25, and Numbers 26–Deuteronomy 34. The key is to recognize the repetition found in Genesis 49:1, Numbers 24:14, and Deuteronomy 31:28–29. Each of these three passages records a key figure (Jacob, Balaam, and Moses) proclaiming what will happen “in the days to come” or “in the future.” A poetic section follows each of these passages (Genesis 49:1–27; Numbers 24:15–24; Deuteronomy 32:1–47), and a brief, concluding narrative is given before each section ends. Each of these three sections focuses on a different era of history. Genesis 1–50 covers a very broad period of time beginning with creation and concluding with the death of Joseph. Exodus 1–Numbers 25 covers the generation that left Egypt. Numbers 26–Deuteronomy 34 covers the second generation that was ready to enter the Land of Canaan.

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