AUTHOR, Moses (commonly accepted)

NAME. Derived from two Greek words, “deuteros,” meaning second, and “nomos,” law.

HISTORICAL OCCASION. The former generation of Israel had died in the wilderness; hence it was important that the law should be repeated and expounded to the new generation before they entered the Promised Land.

CONTENTS. A series of discourses and exhortations given by Moses on the plains of Moab before the crossing of the Jordan. # De 1:1

MAIN THEME. A rehearsal of the Laws proclaimed at Sinai, with a call to obedience, interspersed with a review of the experiences of the old generation.

KEY THOUGHT. The divine requirement of obedience. # De 10:12,13

SYNOPSIS
(1) A rehearsal of God’s dealings with Israel in the past, chs. 1-4 # De 1:1 – 4:1
(2) A repetition of the decalogue and references to the choice of Israel to be a separated people, obedient to the Divine Commandments, chs. 5-11 # De 5:1 – 11:1
(3) A code of laws to be observed in Canaan, chs. 12-26 # De 12:1 – 26:1
(4) Blessings pronounced on obedience and curses on disobedience. Death and life set before the people, chs. 27-30 # De 27:1 – 30:1
(5) The final words of Moses, his song, blessing, &c., chs. 31-33 # De 31:1 – 33:1
(6) Supplemental account of the last vision and death of Moses, ch. 34 # De 34:1

KEY WORD, “Remember.” It is frequently repeated throughout the entire book.
Remember
(a) The giving of the law # De 4:9,10
(b) The Covenant # De 4:23
(c) The Past Slavery # De 5:15
(d) The Great Deliverance # De 7:18
(e) The Divine Leadership, and Supplies # De 8:2-6
(f) The Sins of the Past # De 9:7
(g) The Divine Judgments # De 24:9
(h) The Ancient Days # De 32:7

NOTABLE PASSAGES.
(a) The great commandment and the importance of remembering God’s Word # De 6:4-12
(b) The riches of the divine supplies, and the danger of forgetfulness and idolatry, ch. 8 # De 8:1
(c) The blessings of obedience, and the curse of sin, ch. 28 # De 28:1