An Atheist Explores the Bible Part 32: Lets do Exodus all over again (Deuteronomy 1-5)

Deuteronomy 1-5
Lets do Exodus all over again.

Welcome to another instalment of An Atheist Explores Sacred Texts (Bible version).

In this series I work my way chapter-by-chapter through the King James Bible, commenting on it from the point of view of the text as literature and mythology. 

For more detail, see the introductory post http://bit.ly/2F8f9JT

For the online KJV I use, see here http://bit.ly/2m0zVUP

And now:

Deuteronomy 1
“These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain over against the Red sea, between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Dizahab.”

This chapter is a precis of what has gone before in the story of the Exodus, told from the point of view of Moses, and after the meandering of Numbers it is refreshingly well written. It is told looking back in the fortieth year after escaping from the Egyptians, starting from Mount Horeb (Sinai) and covers the divisions of the tribes into military groups, the appointment of judges, and the events where the Israelites fear the Amorites. We get another tantalising mention of the fearsome Anakim (what happened to them?). God threatens to send the faint-hearted back into the wilderness and the people relent, although God still tells them that they will not see the promised land, but that their children will.

This was quite handy since the back-and-forth between Exodus and Numbers got quite confusing with where the Israelites were and at what time they were doing things. Also, as I mentioned, the writing is better, a combination of the first person perspective and some better poetry.

Deuteronomy 2

“And the LORD said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle: for I will not give thee of their land for a possession; because I have given Ar unto the children of Lot for a possession.”

The summary continues, with some interesting snippets. The Israelites pass peacefully through the lands of Moabites (didn’t they massacre them at the end of Numbers?), the Ammonites and the lands of the descendants of Esau, and there’s a nice recognition that the people of Esau are related to the Israelites. The Israelites also try to pass peacefully through the lands of King Sihon of Heshbon, but this king is less reasonable and attacks them; it doesn’t end well for him.

There are some more intriguing hints of races of giants (or a race of giants known by different names in different lands – the Anakim, the Emim and the Zamzummims). These mysterious beings may or may not still exist; their origins are a mystery as they cannot, surely, be related to the “giants in those days” of Genesis, as these would have been wiped out in the flood. These were hinted as being the descendants of angels and humans, possibly, in one way of reading it. But the Anakim etc. can’t be of this origin. Are they just particularly tall humans? Who knows. Maybe Goliath will turn out to be one of them, we shall see.

Deuteronomy 3

“So the LORD our God delivered into our hands Og also, the king of Bashan, and all his people: and we smote him until none was left to him remaining.”

The summary continues. King Og of Bashan is also destroyed, and with Heshbon these two lands comprise the lands of the Amorites. We get a reminder that the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and one half of the tribe of Manasseh settle in these lands with the proviso that the men continue to fight for the Israelites. God grants Moses a view of the promised lands, but tells him that he will not enter them; that honour is reserved for Joshua to lead the Israelites.

Once again, it’s nice to get everything put into place. A few points – once again the men, women and children of Heshbon are all killed in short order; not particularly pleasant. On a different tack, it is mentioned that King Og has giantish ancestry and has a really big iron bed. I’m not sure what the purpose of this is, perhaps in part de-humanising the enemy. I think he sounds quite cool.

Deuteronomy 4

“Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you.”

This chapter re-iterates the forging of the covenant between God and the Israelites, and of the making of the ten commandments. It urges the Israelites not to make graven images, of any kind of living thing. The intent here seems to be so that the images don’t get worshipped as gods, with “Baalpeor” as an example; it could also be read not to make images of any kind, ever, as seems to be the Islamic tradition, but apart from some forays into iconoclasm during the Byzantine Empire and the actions of some Puritans I don’t think this interpretation seems to be so rigorously enforced in Judeo-Christian traditions.

Even if the people turn away from God they can regain His favour if they earnestly return to His worship, and there is some more re-iteration of the victories that the Israelites have won under God’s auspices. I’m still at a bit of a loss what it was about Abraham that made God decide to favour his people above all others forever more, but that’s the story so I’ll go with it.

Finally the chapter ends with the establishment of three of the sanctuary cities mentioned in the last book; these three are on the near side of the River Jordan, as the Israelites have yet to cross it, and are named Bezer, Ramoth and Golan. (Golan Heights?)

One other note that comes up here – Moses has forfeited the right to live to enter the promised land, not, according to this chapter, due to his own actions, but as a substitute for the people who have angered or disobeyed God; so we have here another kind of scapegoat sacrifice almost, and the first suggestion that a leader must be prepared to put his own interests aside for the good of the people. Just this little snippet adds a level of tragedy to the Moses story and adds a great deal of humanity to the episodes where the Israelites were complaining or afraid.

Deuteronomy 5

“And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them.”

I’m getting worried. I’m getting worried that we’re going to be treated to all of the laws of Leviticus all over again. This chapter re-tells the giving of the ten commandments on Mount Horeb (as Sinai is called in Deuteronomy). Actually the wording here is more like the form I remember, I guess once again the greater clarity of the writing in Deuteronomy is the reason. I can’t be the only one for whom V17 “Thou shalt not kill” doesn’t square with killing everyone down to the children of Bashan. Maybe “..each other” is the unspoken addendum?

The rest is pretty much glorification of God. The people are frightened of the voice speaking from the flame upon Mt. Horeb and hide from it, leaving only Moses to do the inscribing of the laws, and God to wish that the people would always remain this scared and respectful, the better to keep His laws. And for me to ponder if Horeb was an active volcano, which would be a pretty terrifying and god-like thing to behold, or maybe the events were some terrible mountain storm, because, of course, I’m always looking for a rational natural explanation for these divine phenomena.

Final note: I’ve not capitalised the ten commandments here, or previously, because that specific term hasn’t been used in the Bible so far. Likewise the promised land; this particular expression has not yet been used. “land that was promised” is about the closest I can recall.