Bible Commentaries

Deuteronomy 29:1 belongs, as in the Heb. Bible, to the preceding chapter. It is the formal ending of the great discourse (Deuteronomy 4:44, Deuteronomy 12-26, Deuteronomy 28). Deuteronomy 29 (except Deuteronomy 29:1) and Deuteronomy 30 form ostensibly Moses' third address, in the course of which Israel is urged to obey Yahweh and to enter into covenant relations with Him (Deuteronomy 29:2-15), words of warning (Deuteronomy 29:16-29) being followed by words of promise (Deuteronomy 30:1-10) and of exhortation (Deuteronomy 31:11-20). These chapters are probably later than D proper: (a) The Exile in Babylon is implied (see Deuteronomy 29:28) and also the Return (Deuteronomy 30:1-10). (b) There are several words and phrases that are absent from Deuteronomy 12 ff. (see Addis, Hexateuch, i. p. 139). (c) They have much in common with Deuteronomy 4:1-40, which also implies the Exile. Perhaps all these belong to one writer who desired to point out the lessons of the Exile.

Deuteronomy 29:3. See Deuteronomy 4:34*.

Deuteronomy 29:5. See Deuteronomy 8:2, Amos 2:10.

Deuteronomy 29:7. See Deuteronomy 2:32 f., Deuteronomy 3:1 f., Deuteronomy 3:12 f.

Deuteronomy 29:9. covenant: Deuteronomy 4:13*.

Deuteronomy 29:10-29. Deuteronomy 29:10. tribes: read (as implied in LXX, "judges" (Heb. letters much alike). See Joshua 8:33; Joshua 23:2; Joshua 24:1.

Deuteronomy 29:11. The inclusion of the sojourner (EV "stranger," Deuteronomy 1:16*) and the hewer of wood, etc. (Joshua 9:21-27* P) in the Israelitish community that covenants with Yahweh belongs to post-exilic times (see HSDB, Stranger).

Deuteronomy 29:17. abominations: the Heb. word, frequent in Jer. and Ezek., is not that usually so translated; cf. Deuteronomy 7:25, etc.: render, "detestable things." The word (gillul, lit. what is rolled, blocks of wood or stone) rendered idols is common in Ezek.

Deuteronomy 29:18. lest, etc.: render, "Beware lest," etc. The Heb. word translated "lest" implies the word supplied; so Isaiah 36:18, Job 32:13; Job 36:18, Jeremiah 51:46; or render, "let there not be," etc.—a root, etc.: referring to the fruits of idolatry (see Hebrews 12:15).—gall: Heb. poison (Jeremiah 8:14*).—wormwood: represents bitterness (see Deuteronomy 32:32). Both words occur in Lamentations 3:19; cf. Amos 6:12, Hosea 10:4. The Heb. word rendered "curse" (Deuteronomy 29:19-21) is translated "oath" in Deuteronomy 29:12; Deuteronomy 29:14. In Deuteronomy 28:15 the Heb. word rendered "curses" means "what bring into contempt," the Heb. for "cursed" in Deuteronomy 29:16 having a third (different) root. The spoken word of blessing or curse was believed as such to realise itself (Genesis 9:25-27*); see Magic, Divination, and Demonology among the Hebrews, by the present writer, pp. 32ff.