Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy belongs to the Pentateuch, the five‑book Torah that frames Israel’s origins and covenant identity. Across ancient Near Eastern settings of migration, servitude, and wilderness, the narrative establishes who Israel is before God: a people called, delivered, instructed, and brought toward promise. In Deuteronomy, recurring themes include divine initiative, law and worship, and the formation of a community around God’s presence. The book’s final form gathers earlier traditions into a coherent story and legal corpus; its shape—genealogies, law collections, and carefully arranged episodes—invites readers to see creation, election, and covenant as a single arc. Historically, students read Deuteronomy alongside comparative texts and archaeology, noting continuity and contrast with neighboring cultures. Jewish and Christian interpretation has long treated Deuteronomy as foundational: it anchors later Scripture’s language of promise, holiness, sacrifice, and divine faithfulness, while shaping liturgy and moral imagination.
Annotated Bibliography (Chicago Style)
- Dillard, Raymond B., and Tremper Longman III. An Introduction to the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006. Standard introduction covering authorship, date, literary features, and theology for each OT book.
- Alexander, T. Desmond. From Paradise to the Promised Land: An Introduction to the Pentateuch. 3rd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2012. Thematic and historical overview of the Torah within the Old Testament story.