Deuteronomy, which means “second law,” is a retelling by Moses of the teachings and events of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. It includes an extended review of the Ten Commandments (4:44–5:33) and Moses’ farewell address to a new generation of Israelites as they stand ready to take possession of the Promised Land. Moses reminds them of God’s faithfulness and love, but also of God’s wrath on the previous generation of Israelites because of their rebellion. Repeatedly he charges Israel to keep the Law. Deuteronomy is a solemn call to love and obey the one true God. There are blessings for faithfulness and curses for unfaithfulness. The book closes with the selection of Joshua as Israel’s new leader and the death of Moses. (Deut, 2001. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version, Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
Dt 1.1-8; Story; Israel commanded to leave Goren and go to the promised land
Dt 1.9-18; Story; Moses appoints leaders to help him govern the people
Dt 1.19-33; Story; Moses sends out spies to the promised land, they return and report
Dt 1.34-46; Story-Sin; Israel refuses to go in and the LORD condemns them to wander for a generation, they try to enter but are defeated in battle
Dt 2.1-15; Story; The forty years in the wilderness, part one, the men of war have perished
Dt 2.16-37; Story; The forty years in the wilderness, part two, a new start, early battle won
Dt 3.1-11; Story; Defeat of King Og of Bashan
Dt 3.12-22; Story; The tribes of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh claim their land, but still have to enter and fight
Dt 3.23-29; Story; Moses not allowed to enter the promised land because of Israel
Dt 4.1-8; Story; Moses commands Israel to obey the LORD’s statutes and commands
Dt 4.9-14; Story; Moses exhorts Israel not to forget their experiences with the LORD at Horeb and the Ten Commandments
Dt 4.15-24; Law; Idolatry (Ten Commandments) Reminder that idolatry is forbidden
Dt 4.25-31; Prophecy; Prediction of Idolatry – Apostasy, but they will return and the LORD will honour the covenant
Dt 4.32-40; Story; Israel is greatly blessed because of the favour the LORD has shown them. They are to remember this.
Dt 4.41-43; Story; Moses commands they set up a few cities of refuge
Dt 4.44-49; Story; Introduction to Israel’s Covenant Law
Dt 5.1-5; Story; Moses gives an introduction to the Ten Commandments. The LORD speaks with later generations.
Dt 5.6-21; Law; The Ten Commandments
- You shall have no other gods before me
- You shall not make carved images or likeness of any god and serve them
- You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain
- Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy (Salvation from Egypt)
- Honor your father and mother, promise that your days may long in the land God is giving
- You shall not murder
- You shall not commit adultery
- You shall not steal
- You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour
- You shall not covet what your neighbour has
Dt 5.22-27; Story; Moses recounts the events at Mount Sinai and the people’s fearful response to hearing the LORD
Dt 5.28-6.3; Story; Moses continues hearing the LORD and later instructs Israel to do all the LORD has commanded
Dt 6.4-5; Law; Love the LORD your God with all your heart, soul and might
Dt 6.6-9; Law; Misc, Reminders for keeping the LORD’s ways. Teach children, talk of them anytime, signs on hands and foreheads, on house doorposts and gates.
Dt 6.10-15; Story; Reminder not to sin as they did before with idolatry, but observe all the commands
Dt 6.16-19; Story; Reminder not to sin as they did at Massah, but observe all the commands. The LORD will honour his promise.
Dt 6.20-25; Story; Moses instructs Israel to pass on the LORD’s saving actions to later generations. Obedience to these covenant laws is considered righteousness for the Jews.
Dt 7.1-5; Story; Instructions on entering the promised land. They should completely destroy. Warnings against intermarriage and idolatry.
Dt 7.6-11; Story; Israel is the elect and chosen of God. Through no quality of their own, but God’s covenant love.
Dt 7.12-26; Story; The LORD tells them to trust and obey him, he will bring them into the promised land.
Dt 8.1-10; Story; Moses reminds Israel of their journey thus far, the LORD’s faithfulness to them and instructs them to keep the commandments of the LORD
Dt 8.11-20; Story; Warnings against apostasy through giving a series of examples from Israel’s past.
Dt 9.1-5; Story; When they successfully enter the promised land, Israel is not to think it is because of their righteousness.
Dt 9.6-12; Story-Sin; Moses recounts several times when they abandoned the LORD and acted corruptly
Dt 9.13-21; Story-Sin; Moses recounts the golden calf incident and how the LORD almost destroyed Aaron and Israel
Dt 9.22-29; Story-Sin; Moses recounts their rebellion at Massah and Kibroth-hattaavah and his intercession for them
Dt 10.1-5; Story; Moses recounts how he remade two new tablets for the Ten Commandments and the Ark of the Covenant
Dt 10.6-11; Story; Moses recounts how Levi’s tribe is to carry the Ark and his continued intercession for Israel
Dt 10.12-22; Story; Moses recounts the instructions the LORD gave the stubborn people. To circumcise their hearts.
Dt 11.1-7; Story; Moses urges Israel to remember the acts of God and to therefore love the LORD
Dt 11.8-32; Story; Moses instructs them with blessings and curses for obedience when entering the promised land
Dt 12.1-14; Story; On entering the promised land Israel is to destroy all other forms of worship, and worship God with sacrifices at the chosen location.
Dt 12.15-28; Story; Instructions for eating various foods and sacrifices with respect to the location of the place the LORD will choose.
Dt 12.29-31; Story; Warnings against apostasy
Dt 12.32; Story; Summary statement for all the repeated instructions
Dt 13.1-18; Story; Warnings against idolatry and apostasy. Instructions on how to deal with it.
Dt 14.1-2; Law; You are the sons of the LORD. Don’t cut or make yourself bald for the dead.
Dt 14.3-21; Law; Food laws, clean and unclean animals to eat. Foreigners may eat.
Dt 14.22-29; Law; Tithes, providing food for the levered
Dt 15.1-18; Law; The poor, the jubilee and care for the poor
Dt 15.19-23; Law; Sacrifice and Worship; Offering the firstborn
Dt 16.1-8; Law; Festivals, Passover and feast of unleavened bread
Dt 16.9-12; Law; Festivals, Feast of weeks
Dt 16.13-15; Law; Festivals, Feast of booths
Dt 16.16-17; Story; Summary statement for festivals
Dt 16.18-20; Story; Instruction to appoint judges to dispense justice
Dt 16.21-22; Law; Sacrifice and Worship, Forbidden forms of worship
Dt 17.1-7; Law; Misc, Repeated laws concerning worship and idolatry
Dt 17.8-13; Law; Judges, Instructions to obey the levitical priests and their decisions
Dt 17.14-20; Law; Kings, future appointment and duties of kings
Dt 18.1-8; Law; Levites, Provisions for the Levites
Dt 18.9-14; Law; Sacrifice and worship, forbidden worship and mystical practices
Dt 18.15-22; Prophecy, The LORD will raise up a prophet. Telling which prophet to fear.
Dt 19.1-13; Law; Cities of refuge, instructions to setup cities and rules for manslayers and murderers.
Dt 19.14; Law; Property, Do not change property boundaries.
Dt 19.15-21; Law; Judges, Witnesses required to determine a judgement.
Dt 20.1-20; Law; War, Instructions for courage, for peace, for destruction, for plunder.
Dt 21.1-9; Law; Judges, Instructions for investigating murder. Atoning for unresolved murders.
Dt 21.10-14; Law; The poor, caring for captured females. Marrying and releasing them.
Dt 21.15-17; Law; Family, Instructions to honour the firstborn’s rights
Dt 21.18-21; Law; Family, Instructions for rebellious sons
Dt 21.22-23; Story; A man hanged on a tree is cursed
Dt 22.1-12; Law; Misc, various common sense laws for protecting people
Dt 22.13-30; Law; Sexual immorality, rules for sex and marriage. Punishment for immorality.
Dt 23.1-8; Law; Family, rules for determining who the people of Israel are
Dt 23.9-14; Law; War, remaining clean before the battle.
Dt 23.15-25; Law; Misc, various instructions for slaves, finances, vows and property.
Dt 24.1-5; Law; Family, Instructions for divorce and remarriage
Dt 24.6-22; Law; Misc, various instructions concerning theft, skin diseases, finances, consideration for the poor and judgement
Dt 25.1-4; Law; Misc, various instructions for ruling judgment. Forty stripes given for punishment
Dt 25.5-10; Law; Family, Continuing the family line of a deceased brother
Dt 25.11-16; Law; Misc, Instructions concerning grabbing testicles and measurements
Dt 25.17-19; Story; Remember Amalek and destroy them for what they did
Dt 26.1-15; Story; Instructions for Israel to remember the LORD’s doings and pledge themselves on entering the promised land.
Dt 26.16-19; Story; Summary statement for all the laws so far. Blessings for obedience.
Dt 27.1-8; Story; Instructions to build an altar and write the commands on it on entering
Dt 27.9-26; Story; Levites in the presence of Israel are to pronounce curses on those who break the commands given.
Dt 28.1-14; Prophecy; Blessings for faithfulness
Dt 28.15-68; Prophecy; Curses for apostasy
Dt 29.1-29; Prophecy; Exhortations to obey all the commands of the covenant, prediction and warnings for apostasy
Dt 30.1-10; Prophecy; Israel will return to the LORD, he will circumcise their hearts and cause them to obey.
Dt 30.11-20; Story; Moses offers them the choice between life and death
Dt 31.1-8; Story; Moses appointed Joshua as leader and exhorts him and Israel to be strong and courageous.
Dt 31.9-13; Story; Moses instructs all Israel to come and hear the law every seven years during the feast of booths
Dt 31.14-29; Story; Moses says the book of the law is a witness against the Jews for their stubborn and hard heartedness.
Dt 31.30; Song; Introduction to the Song of Moses
Dt 32.1-43; Song; The Song of Moses
32.1-4 Description of God
32.5-14 God’s faithfulness to Israel
32.15-18 Israel rejects God and worships other gods.
32.19-43 The LORD’s response to apostate Israel
Dt 32.44-47; Story; Moses exhorts Israel to take his words to heart
Dt 32.48-52; Story; The LORD commands Moses to see the promised land and die.
Dt 33.1-29; Story; Moses’ blessing on the twelve tribes of Israel
Dt 34.1-8; Story; The LORD shows Moses the promised land, Moses does and the LORD buried him.
Dt 34.9-12; Story; Joshua takes over as leader. Final praise of Moses’ life and ministry.