Book of Deuteronomy Themes
Fear
Is it better to be feared or loved? Both. Michael Scott, Machiavelli, and God all agree. In Deuteronomy, the Israelites act like the humans they are, freaking out when they see giants protecting th...
Memory and the Past
Deuteronomy is like AP Israelite History for the ancients. Why does Moses retell all this stuff that we already heard in Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers? Well, as your history teacher has told you a...
Foreignness and the Other
Deuteronomy wants to have its cake and eat it too—be nice to strangers, massacre your enemies, and go home happy. This tension between local law and political rhetoric drives the whole book, but...
Visions of the Promised Land
Picture this: you're driving through Minnesota in the dead of winter with no heat. Suddenly, you come upon a magical place where it's 72 and sunny, there are warm-water beaches, all Apple products...
Justice and Judgment
Take a deep breath, because we're about to get technical for a second. Ready? Go.There are at least two different types of laws in Deuteronomy: apodictic and casuistic. Wait, don't freak out. We're...