Deuteronomy Chapter 10

830 Words2 Pages

Deuteronomy Chapter 10

The book of Deuteronomy is the second reading of the law. It is located in the Old Testament and is the last book of Pentateuch. Deuteronomistic theories of interpretation are utilized as a means to better comprehend the relationship between God and the people of Israel and their implications at the time of publication. Deuteronomistic history is composed of many works, contributed by various individuals. The earliest writings were dated as early as 609 BC and the final edition was completed during the post exhilic period. (1) The adoption of both the earlier and the later versions greatly contributes to the difficulty surrounding the ideal meaning and its interpretation. Chapter ten of the book of Deuteronomy mainly concentrates on God's mercy to Israel after the rebellion and the exhortation to obedience.

God's reconciliation with the people of Israel is the underlying essence of Chapter ten. It attempts to depict and explain the omniscient components of God and his mercy. Moses is set forth in order to retrieve and renew the tablets of the covenant. Moses was told, "…cut two tablets of stone like the former; then come up to the mountain with me." He carved two tablets and brought them before the Lord. The manual labor involved can represent how man created the basis for the law of man; each of us answering to a higher power, "come up the mountain to me." When God inscribes the commandments on the tablets in verse two, it is evident that God possesses humanistic qualities such as forgiveness; he forgives the people for breaking the laws of the first two tablets. When the new, clean tablets were carried up the mountain to the Lord, the ways in which the people of Israel hold the Lord and his wor...

... middle of paper ...

... were held more sacred then, perhaps because people conformed to their standards of society. Today, conformity is opposed and frowned upon; everybody wants to be an individual and live by his or her own standards.

Every interpretation of the Bible and its passages are different. Some passages criticize intended wrong moral behavior while others condone it. However, it is important to interpret what you read from an objective point of view. "Circumcise your hearts.." The meaning of the Law of God, from a literary standpoint is inconsistent. The interpretation is only as genuine as the morals and beliefs of the person who reads it.

Bibliography:

Works Cited

1. Harrington, Daniel J. Interpreting the Old Testament. Delaware: Michael Glazier, Inc., 1981

2. Senior, Donald, ed.: The Cathoplic Study Bible. N.Y: Oxford University, Press, 1990

Open Document