deuteronomy 1 and 2

Read Deuteronomy 1 and 2 at Bible Gateway.

Several times in Numbers, the LORD told Moses that he was to go up to the mountain, look at the land which Israel was to inherit, then die. In fact, in Num 31:1-2, the LORD said to Moses that he would be gathered to his people after he had taken vengeance on the Midianites.

Vengeance was taken on the Midianites in Numbers. So what is happening in Deuteronomy? Deuteronomy is a series of final speeches that Moses gave to the children of Israel, right before he went up to the mountain. The purpose of the speeches is given in Deu 1:5:

On this side of the Jordan in the land of Moab, Moses began to explain this law (torah), saying … Deu 1:5

So the law we will be reading will not be new law, but an explanation of the law already given. Now my outline of these first chapters of Deuteronomy according to the Hebrew paragraph divisions:

Deu 1:1-2:1 {s} The failure of the unbelieving generation to possess the land;
Deu 2:2-8a {s} YHVH has given Mount Seir as a possession to Esau (the paragraph break falls after “Ezion Geber.” “We turned” begins the new paragraph);
Deu 2:8b-16 {s} YHVH has given Moab as a possession to Lot;
Deu 2:17-30 {s} YHVH has given Ammon as a possession to Lot;
Deu 2:31-3:22 {s} YHVH gave the kingdoms of the Amorites to Israel as a possession.

Moses is encouraging the second generation, not to make the same mistake that the first generation made! The reason the first generation gave for not going in to possess the land, was that there were giants in the land (the Anakim). Moses is saying, Listen, there were giants who dwelt in Mount Seir before Esau, but because the LORD has given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession, Esau defeated the giants. There were giants who dwelt in Moab before the Moabites, but because the LORD has given Moab to the children of Lot, they defeated the giants. There were giants who dwelt in Ammon before the Ammonites, but because the LORD has given Ammon to the children of Lot, they defeated the giants. The unspoken message is, the people who do not even have a covenant with YHVH as you do, defeated the giants who were in the land before them, because the LORD dispossessed the giants. How much more will you, who walk in covenant with the LORD your God, dispossess the giants before you?

The first chapter chiastic structure:

1a) Deu 1:1-2, Journey from Sinai through the wilderness to Kadesh Barnea;

1b) Deu 1:3-5, Moses spoke YHVH’s commandments + defeat of the Amorites;

1c) Deu 1:6-7, Turn toward your Land;

1d) Deu 1:8, YHVH set the Land before them + go in and possess it;

1e) Deu 1:9-18, YHVH established judges and justice for them;

1f) Deu 1:19, Journey through the wilderness;

1g) Deu 1:20-21, YHVH set the Land before them + do not fear + believe + go in;

1h) Deu 1:21, Do not be discouraged;

1i) Deu 1:22-24, Twelve men go up to the Land;

central axis) Deu 1:25, The Land is good;

2i) Deu 1:26-27, The congregation will not go up to the Land;

2h) Deu 1:28, Our brothers have discouraged our hearts;

2g) Deu 1:29-33, YHVH set the Land before them + do not fear + unbelief + refusal to go in;

2f) Deu 1:34a, The unbelievers will journey through the wilderness;

2e) Deu 1:34b-38, YHVH established His judgment: unbelievers will not go in + Moses will not go in + Caleb and Joshua will go in;

2d) Deu 1:39, YHVH has set the Land before them + they will go in to possess it;

2c) Deu 1:40, Turn back toward the wilderness;

2b) Deu 1:41-45, Rebellion against YHVH’s commandment + Israel defeated by the Amorites;

2a) Deu 1:46-2:1 {s} Journey from Kadesh Barnea through the wilderness to the Red Sea.