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ОглавлениеCHAPTER 1
APPROACHING THE TEXT
This chapter is devoted to a threefold examination of Deut 10,12-11,32. It deals consecutively with the delimitation of the text, its context, and its translation with text-critical observations and evaluations. The purpose of this chapter is to define the text as precisely as possible with a view to its literary analysis and interpretation.1
1. The delimitation of the examined text
This section deals with the delimitation of the text under investigation to distinguish clearly the boundary marks of the literary unit. Changes with regard to linguistic features, characters, time, places, and themes in relation to the preceding and the following major textual units are considered as the main criteria for the delimitation. Attention is also paid to Setuma and Petucha as signs of division in the MT as additional criteria.
1.1 Deut 10,12 - the beginning of the fifth parenesis
Deut 10,12 is considered as the beginning of the fifth parenesis for the following reasons:
a) Shift in the communication: Deut 10,11 is a directly quoted speech where Moses recalls what the Lord has told him about the possession of the Promised Land, and the Lord’s command to Moses here is itself given in direct speech, i.e., we see a direct discourse within a direct discourse: The Lord said to me (ויאמר יהוה אלי), “Get up… to give them” (קום לך … לתת להם). However, in 10,12 Moses turns directly to Israel (ועתה ישׂראל) showing an urgency with regard to what follows.
b) Change of characters: From the perspective of communication, we see a shift in speaker and addressee from v11 (God → Moses) to v12 (Moses → Israel).
c) Change of place: There is a spatial shift in the narrative from 10,1-11 to 10,12-11,32. 10,1-11 narrates the restoration of the Horeb covenant and the section concludes with the narration of Moses’ stay on the mountain (v10-11). The order of Israel’s stops in the wilderness (בארת יטבתה ,גדגדה ,מוסרה ,בני־יעקן cf.10,6-7; сf. Num 33,31-33) and establishing the Levites as curators of both the ark and the stone tablets (10,8-9; cf. Num 20:22-29) also refer to Israel’s experiences in the desert. However, in 10,12-11,32 Moses tells Israel at Moab of God’s grace and forgiveness and calls them urgently to make a fresh start.
d) Change of theme: While 10,11 returns to the theme of 9,1 and rounds off the section (9,1-10,11),2 in 10,12 Moses begins a hortatory moral teaching calling on the people to make a fresh start.
e) Change of time: Temporally, there is a narrative shift from 10,1-11 to 10,12-11,32. עתה in 10,12 marks a clear distinction from בעת ההוא in 10,1.8.3 The invitation to make a commitment at the present moment is also expressed by the term היום in 10,13 (cf. 10,15; 11,2.4.8.13.26. 27. 28.32).4 Moses’ “forty days and forty nights” stay on the Mountain (10,10) is immediately contrasted with ועתה and היום in 10,13.
f) Linguistic changes:
1) The deictic clause modifier ועתה brings a logical conclusion to the historical survey of 9,7-10,115 and marks a shift to parenetic instructions.6
2) The vocative nature of the phrase ועתה ישׂראל (cf. 4,1) also indicates a clear structural break, marking a transition from historical narrative to a hortatory appeal.7
3) 10,12 also begins with a rhetorical question מה יהוה אלהיך שׁאל מעמך (12b) to draw the attention of the people and to emphasize the didactic nature of the answer.8
4) The wayyiqtol constructions )9(ויאמר ,וישׁמע in 10,10-11 are replaced by a series of infinitives in the construct state prefixed with the preposition ל in 10,12-13 (,לעבד ,לאהבה ,ללכת ,ליראה לשׁמר) and therefore there is a change in the style of language.
g) The Petucha (פ) found after 10,11 in the MT of Codex Leningradensis also suggests a new beginning and supports the preceding arguments.
Considering the arguments mentioned above based on contextual and text-linguistic grounds, I conclude that 10,10-11 close the fourth parenesis (9,1-10,11) and 10,12 marks the beginning of the fifth parenesis (10,12-11,32).10
1.2 Deut 11,32 - the end of the fifth parenesis
Although the communication and the characters do not change from 10,12-11,32 to the following unit 12,1-13,1, the following elements mark 11,32 as the end of the parenesis in 10,12-11,32.
a) Change of place: The first detailed command in 12,1-7 concerns the way Israel is to worship in the Promised Land and v5-7 tell Israel clearly to worship at the place where Yhwh puts his name, although it remains unnamed.11 While המקום in 11,5 refers to Moab and in 11,24 to every place that Israel will conquer in the Promised Land, המקום in 12,2.5 refers to sanctuaries, both the sanctuaries of the Canaanites and the place Yhwh will choose for his people.12 Thus, the emphasis on Yhwh choosing a place for his name in ch. 12 (12,5.11.14.18.21.26; cf. 14,23-25; 16,2.6-7; 17,8.10) marks a transition from Moab, the place of decision, to the place Yhwh will choose to put his name. In addition to this, the reference to Mounts Gerizim and Ebal in 11,29 and their geographical description in 11,30 is immediately contrasted with the command to demolish all the places where the nations worship their gods (12,2).
b) Change of time: In contrast to the ועתה and היום of 10,12-11,32, we see a pervasive sense of future in ch. 12.13 The asyndetic clause אלה החקים והמשׁפטים in 12,1 introduces what Israel should follow “in the land” (בארץ) and “all the days that you live upon the earth” (כל־הימים14. ( אשׁר־אתם חיים על־האדמה The imperfect verb pattern in the chapter, whether it is qal or piel or hiphil, expresses a future situation in the Promised Land, a situation in the process of accomplishment.15
c) Change of theme: The hortatory moral teaching in 10,12-11,32 is changed to specific stipulations introduced by החקים והמשׁפטים in 12,1.16
d) Linguistic changes:
1) The clause אנכי נתן לפניכם היום in 11,26b and 11,32c marks an inclusion and brings a conclusion to the final section of the parenesis.17
2) V31-32 form a short summary of the hortatory appeal in 10,12-11,30.18 The future life in the Promised Land, which begins with the crossing of the Jordan (v31), should be characterized by keeping the commandments of the Lord (v32). Thus, the exhortation to keep and carry out the commandments and the statutes of the Lord in v32 reasserts the central concern of Moses’ exhortation in 10,12-11,32, i.e. to keep the commandments of the Lord (cf. 11,1.8.13.22; cf. 4,5-6; 6,1; 8,6.11). In addition to this, the temporal clause in v31a (כי + participial sentence), functions as the protasis of v31-32, bringing an end to the whole train of thought in 10,12-11,32.19 The traditional causal rendering of כי in 11,3120 apparently suggests that v31-32 are part of the introduction to the specific stipulations in Deut 12-26. However, this cannot be substantiated in the context because Israel’s crossing the Jordan to enter and possess the land does not provide a reason for the command to “give the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal” (11,29). However, a temporal consideration of כי will adequately explain what follows: “when you cross the Jordan to enter to possess the land which the Lord …”
3) Just as Moses ends his discourse on specific stipulations with a stress on covenant blessings and curses (26,16-19), the parenetical discourse also comes to an end with a similar thrust (11,26-28).
4) The indefinite demonstrative pronoun, אלה in 12,1 also marks a new beginning in the Deuteronomic narrative.21 Clauses that begin with a formal asyndeton mark either a new beginning or an explication. What we have in 12,1 (אלה החקים והמשׁפטים) is a new beginning, introducing what follows and is not an explanation.22
5) The word pair החקים והמשׁפטים functions like a superscription in 12,1 and frames the whole of chs. 12-26 by its repetition in 26,16.23 החקים והמשׁפטים in 12,1 also introduces the genre of the specific stipulations in chs. 12-26.24
6) The use of qal perfect נתן in 12,1 in contrast to the present participle in 11,31 also suggests a new phase in the narrative.25
7) The instruction “to observe to do the statutes and the ordinances” in 12,1 finds a conclusion in 13,1 with a similar emphasis “to observe to do” 26.את כל־הדבר אשׁר אנכי מצוה אתכם
Considering the criteria and arguments mentioned above, 11,32 closes the fifth parenesis and 12,1 introduces the specific stipulations in chs. 12-26.27
1.3 Internal coherence of the unit
An examination of the linguistic patterns, vocabulary and rhetorical development of the text will confirm the internal unity of the textual unit (10,12-11,32).
• The internal coherence of the unit can easily be found by following the significance of the infinitive constructions introduced in 10,12-13: 10,20 ;10,12) ליראה את־יהוה אלהיך; cf. 11,25 פחד and ללכת ;(מורא 11,1.13.22 ;10,12) לאהבה אתו ;(11,22 ;10,12) בכל־דרכיו; cf. 10,15.18. 19; 11,28); לשׁמר את־מצות יהוה ;(11,13 ;10,12.20) לעבד את־יהוה אלהיך (10,13; 11,1.8.13.22.32). Thus, throughout the unit Israel is repeatedly exhorted to love, fear and serve the Lord and to walk in his ways and to keep the law. The verbal roots אהב and שׁמר are uniformly spread through all the sections of the unit: 10,12-22; 11,1-12; 13-25 and 26-32.
• The call to make a commitment “now” and “today” is one of the key motifs in the text and serves as a coherent factor in the unit (11,2.4.8.13.26.27.28.32 ;10,13.15 היום ;22 ,10,12 ועתה). Indeed, היום in 11,2 and 11,32 forms an inclusion for the entire ch. 11, and if we take the semantic meaning of ועתה and היום together, then the entire unit is framed with the same idea (10,12 and 11,32). The promulgation formula with היום is spread throughout the unit (10,13; 11,8. 13.22.27.28.32) and forms a linking thread in the unit (אשׁר אנכי מצוך אשׁר אנכי ;11,27.28 אשׁר אנכי מצוה אתכם היום ;11,8.13 ;10,13 היום 11,32 נתן לפניכם היום; cf. 11,22).
• The presence of the word pairs מצוה ,משׁפט ,חקה ,משׁמרת partly or fully in different parts of the unit makes it thematically connected and focused. While we have all these terms in 11,1, they are reduced to a generalized single term מצוה in 11.8.13.22.27 and 28. מצוה and חקה in 10,13 and חקה and משׁפט in 11,32 virtually mark the beginning and the end of the unit.
• The unit is also coherently connected with the theme of land. Although (10,14.19; 11,3.8.9.102x.112x..12.14.17.21.25.29.30.31)ארץ and (11,9.17.21)אדמה are interchangeably used to denote the land,28 the entire section is oriented to Israel’s future existence in the Promised Land. References to the Promised Land and its occupation form a running theme in chapter 11 (11,8-9.10-12.14-15.17.23-25).
• The entire unit is also firmly linked by the phrase “Yhwh your God” ( יהוה אלהיךx.10,123x.14.20.21.22; 11,1.122x.29; 10,17 יהוה אלהיכם; 11,2.13.22.25.27.28.31). The key word “heaven” (10,14.22 שׁמים; 11,11.17.21) appears in all the sections except the last one (11,26-32).
• The phrase אשׁר עשׁׂה appears frequently in the unit (10,21; 11,3.4.5. 6.7). אשׁר clauses are also uniformly spread throughout the unit and form a characteristic literary pattern in the unit (10,13.17.212x; 11,22x.3.42x.5.63x.7.82x.9.102x.11.12.13.17.21.22.24.252x.27.282x.29. 31.32).
• The unit begins, develops and ends with admonitions to keep the commandments (10,12f; 11,1.8.13.22.26-28.32). The unit begins with an exhortation to be obedient to the commandments of the Lord because of the nature of the Lord as the God of Israel (10,12-22). 11,1-7 exhort Israel to observe the commands of the Lord because he did great things for them in the past. 11,8-12 demand from Israel an adherence to the commands of the Lord as a requirement for possessing and living in the Promised Land. 11,13-21 exhort Israel to keep the commandments so that the land will be cared for and supervised by the Lord. 11,22-25 ask Israel to observe the commandments diligently so that the land will be protected by the Lord. 11,26-30 challenge Israel to keep the commands of the Lord with a choice of blessing and a curse. The unit ends with a final exhortation to observe the commandments of the Lord diligently (11,31-32).
Thus, the recurrence of the linguistic and vocabulary patterns and the successive admonitions to keep the commandments make 10,12-11,32 a rhetorical whole and confirm the internal coherence of the unit.
Conclusion
The examination of the beginning and the end of the text under consideration, as well as its internal coherence, show that 10,12-11,32 is an independent literary unit, distinguishing itself from the preceding textual unit of 9,1-10,11 and from the following 12,1-13,1. Deut 10,12-11,32 differentiates itself from the previous and the subsequent textual units with regard to time, place and theme, as well as by literary characteristics.
2. The context of Deut 10,12-11,32
As we have seen above, Deut 10,12-11,32 should be distinguished from the preceding unit (9,1-10,11) and the following unit (12,1-13,1). However, it does not mean that 10,12-11,32 is completely separated from them, instead forms a larger context. This section deals with identifying the larger context of 10,12-11,32, especially its connection with the preceding and following units.
2.1 The preceding context
Deut 9,1-10,11 is essentially a warning against Israel’s self-righteousness based on their former infidelity. In 9,1-10,11 Moses frequently emphasizes that the entry into the land and any success they might enjoy in the land are not to be interpreted as a sign of their own righteousness but due to Yhwh’s graciousness and faithfulness to his promises to the forefathers. The structure of the unit itself gives a strong warning to Israel in the wake of their preparation to enter the land and thus provides a preceding context for 10,12-11,32 as seen below.
9,1- 6: Israel’s self-righteousness and Yhwh’s grace
9,7- 10,5: Israel’s faithlessness and Yhwh’s faithfulness
9,7- 17: Golden calf - the offence
9,18-29: Moses’ intercession - catching up
10,1- 5: New Tablets - restoration of the covenant
10,6-11: Departure - resumption of the journey
2.1.1 Israel’s self-righteousness and Yhwh’s grace
The introductory verses of the unit (9,1-6) itself make it clear that the acquisition of the land ([7] ירשׁx; cf. 9,1.3.4a.4b.5a.b.6a) is not due to Israel’s righteousness ([3] צדקהx; cf. 9,4.5.6).29 Instead, Moses reminds them that the Lord will drive out the nations on account of their wickedness (רשׁעה [2x]; cf. 9,4.5; cf. Lev 18,1-30). Moses places Israel’s false claim to “righteousness” (צדקה) and the nations’ “wickedness” (רשׁעה) side by side to show that Israel can make no claim upon the occupation of the land. Israel is not judged in terms of the wickedness of these nations but according to their submission to the commandments of Yhwh.30 Therefore, Israel cannot claim righteousness but must understand that the possession of the land is solely due to Yhwh’s grace (9,4b).31
The unit begins with an urgent call to 9,1) שׁמע ישׁראל; cf. 4,1; 5,1; 6,4) to understand Yhwh’s faithfulness and Israel’s faithlessness to the fundamental demands of the shema (6,4-5),32 typified in making the golden calf (v7-17). The call to know (ידע) in v3 and v6 is directed to having a right knowledge of Yhwh, i.e., to know Yhwh and to deepen trust in his grace and faithfulness. Against their false claim to righteousness (9,4a), they must know that it is the Lord who destroys (9,3 שׁמד) and subdues (9,3 כנע) the nations and gives them (9,6 נתן) the land to inherit it (9,6 ירשׁ). The call to know (ידע) in v6 is also directed to knowing their nature, i.e., being stiff-necked (9,6 כי עם־קשׁה־ערף אתהb).33 Thus, in the context of their continuous unwillingness to obey the Lord Moses reminds them that they cannot claim righteousness and posses the land on their own merit but only by the grace of Yhwh.
2.1.2 Israel’s faithlessness and Yhwh’s faithfulness
9,7- 10,5 is not merely concerned with the covenant breach at Horeb, though it is recorded as the main event, but with the general sinfulness of Israel, which the golden calf typifies.34 Moses recalls their defiant nature from the time they left Egypt till they arrived at the Jordan: they are stiff-necked (3] קשׁה־ערףx] 9,6.13.27), rebellious (3] מרהx] 9,7.23.24), wicked (9,27 רשׁע; cf. 9,4-5), prone to sin (9,18.21.27 חטאת ;9,16.18 חטא) and provocative (קצף 9,7.8.22; 9,18 כעס), doing evil (9,18 הרע לעשׁות), acting corruptly (9,12 שׁחת), turning aside (9,12.16 סור) from the ways that he commanded, not believing him (9,23 אמן), and not hearing his voice (9,23 שׁמע).
The double imperative of 9,7, זכר אל־תשׁכח calls to mind Israel’s persistent sinfulness and rebelliousness (למן־היום אשׁר־יצאת מארץ מצרים עד־באכם 9,7 עד־המקום הזה). The use of both verb and noun from √חטא also adequately demonstrates the sinful behaviour of Israel (qal in vl6.18; noun in v18.21. 27).35 Making the golden calf, which is a “sinful thing” (9,21 ואת־חטאתכם) is indeed a clear infringement of the first two commandments (cf. 5,6-11; 6,4). The seriousness of Israel’s sin is manifested by the anger of Yhwh (אנף v8; קצף v19), that even Aaron stood under the wrath of Yhwh (אנף v20) and his decision to destroy them (שׁחת ;9,8.14.19.20.25 שׁמד v26). They are basically stiff-necked (36(9,6.13.27 קשׁה־ערף and rebellious (9,7.23.24 מרה). V22-24 list various places where Israel sinned showing their continual rebellion.
Moses’ fasting and intercession (v18-29) averts the perilous situation after the covenant break in Horeb (v7-17).37 However, it is the sinful behaviour which is crucial for Israel, and Moses never overlooks Israel’s sin but openly mentions it.38 His fasting for forty days and nights is placed between the breaking of the stone tablets (v17) and the crushing of the golden calf into dust (v21) showing the gravity of their sin. In v18b Moses characterizes Israel’s crime as ‘all the sin they had sinned by doing evil in the Lord’s eyes’. Indeed v27b is a clear statement of Israel’s inherent sinfulness referring back to v6-7, with words such as stubborn, wicked and sinful.39 Yhwh is asked simply to overlook this on account of his character and the promise he made to the patriarchs (v26-28).40 Therefore, the grounds of Moses’ intercession are not their merit but God’s unique relationship with them and the mighty deeds he did for them (v26), the promise he made to their forefathers (v27) and his reputation among the nations (v28).
In contrast to the negative portrait of the people, v18-29 bring forth the powerful intercessory role of Moses. It is the intercession of Moses that moves the Lord to a new affinity towards the rebellious Israel. He fasts forty days and nights twice (9,9.18) risking his life in the context of the Lord’s great anger and wrath (9,19). Moses’ actions in v15-17 correspond to Yhwh’s instructions in v12-14. Thus, the sinfulness of the people (v12.16) is contrasted with Moses’ obedience in response to Yhwh.41 Moses intercedes for both Israel (v19a) and Aaron (v20) in the wake of Yhwh’s anger and wrath against them and so Yhwh spares their life. He destroys the golden calf - the fruit of their sin (“your sin” 9,21 חטאתכם). He mitigates Yhwh’s anger (אנף v8.20; קצף v19) to destroy the people to the point of his ‘unwillingness to destroy’ them (10,10 לא־אבה יהוה השׁחיתך). He enjoys an extraordinary relationship with Yhwh - i.e., Yhwh listens to him whenever he prays (10,10 ;9,19 וישׁמע יהוה אלי). Therefore, as they are preparing to cross the Jordan they must understand that it is Moses - Yhwh’s chosen one - whose intercessions make possible a future in the land.
The reinstatement of the two stone tablets in 10,1-5 resolves the crisis of the golden calf and restores the covenant relations between Israel and Yhwh. בעת ההוא of 10,1 links the actions of 10,1-5 with Moses’ intercession (9,25-29), showing that his prayer is heard.42 10,1-5 emphasize that the new tablets are identical to the original stone tablets: “like the first” כראשׁנים (v1), “that were on the first tablets” אשׁר היו על־הלחת הראשׁנים (v2), “like the first” כראשׁנים (v3), “as the first writing” כמכתב הראשׁון (v4). V4 further stresses that it was the Lord himself who wrote the tablets at the first ‘writing’ and gave them to Moses. Thus, v1-5 shows that it is the same covenant which is reinstated without any conditions43 and the restoration of the covenant is solely due to divine grace.44
2.1.3 Resumption of Israel’s journey
Deut 10,6-11 describe a new turn in the narrative, i.e. the resumption of Israel’s journey to the Promised Land. Because of Moses’ successful intercession the covenant is renewed and now they may resume their journey to the land. Deut 10,6-11 resolve the problem of Israel’s sin. The mention of the death of Aaron in v6b shows that Moses’ prayer for Aaron (9,20) is answered. The positive tone of the itinerary mentioned in v6-745 replaces the rebellious tone of the itinerary in 9,22-23. V8-9 shows Yhwh’s commitment to an ongoing relationship with the Levites whose נחלה (cf. v9; 9,26.29) is Yhwh himself, showing that the Aaronic priesthood continues through his son Eleazar.46 The command to continue the journey in 10,11 (cf. 2,2) shows that the promises to the patriarchs will be fulfilled despite the people’s sin.47 The explicit reference to the land in v11 also shows the resolution of the ‘spy incident’ mentioned in 9,23-24.48 Thus, all the sins of Israel’s past are now forgiven and Israel is asked to cross the Jordan to possess the land. In short, 10,6-11 functions as a transitional passage to 10,12-11,32.
2.1.4 Explicit connections between 9,1-10,11 and 10,12-11,32
The repetition of certain phrases, themes and motifs of 9,1-10,11 in 10,12-11,32 shows their intrinsic relationship to each other and provides a contextual significance for 10,12-11,32.
• Deut 9,1-10,11 begin by mentioning that Israel is to cross the Jordan to take possession of the nations (אתה עבר היום את־הירדן לבא לרשׁת גוים 9,1). Similarly, 10,12-11,32 end with an assertion that Israel is to cross the Jordan to take possession of the land which the Lord is giving them (11,31 אתם עברים את־הירדן לבא לרשׁת את־הארץ). Therefore, as they are preparing to cross the Jordan, the events mentioned in between, especially the golden calf incident (9,7-10,5), have an exhortative and teaching function. The descriptions of the nations in 9,1 and 11,23 (גוים גדלים ועצמים מכם) go hand in hand, and in 11,23 Moses recalls once again that it is the Lord who drives out all these nations (11,23 והורישׁ יהוה), a theme repeatedly introduced in the introductory verses 9,1-5 (cf. ירשׁ hiphil [3x] 9,3.4.5). Yhwh’s swearing (11,9.21 ;10,11 ;9,5 שׁבע) to the “fathers” forms a link to 10,12-11,32 (11,9.21 אבתיכם →10,11 אבתם ;9,5 אבתיך; cf. 9,28 אשׁר־דבר להם 11,25 כאשׁר דבר לכם →). The prayer to remember “your servants” (9,27 עבדיך) Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in 9,27 is grounded in 10,15.22 by specifying Yhwh’s elective choice and special love towards their fathers (10,15.22 אבתיך).
• The “stiff-necked” (9,6.13.27 קשׁה־ערף) nature of Israel is taken up again in 10,16 exhorting them not to stiffen their neck any more (10,16 וערפכם לא תקשׁו עודb). In the wake of their continuous rebelliousness what is required is an unconditional attachment to the Lord, i.e, to “circumcise the foreskin of your heart” (ומלתם את ערלת 10,16 לבבכםa).
• 9,1-10,11 make clear that the acquisition of the land (9] ירשׁx] 9,1.3. 4a.4b.5a.b.6a.23; 10,11) is not due to Israel’s righteousness but Yhwh’s grace. 10,12-11,32 take up this issue again and assert that the possession of the land (6] ירשׁx] 11,8.10.11.23.29.31) is solely a Yhwh’s gift (4] נתןx] 11,9.17.21.31; cf. 9,6.23; 10, 11).
• The weqatal forms of וידעת in 9,3.6 and 11,2 are meant to know the nature and deeds of the Lord. While the weqatal וידעת in 9,3 calls attention to the deeds of the Lord in dispossessing the nations in the future, the weqatal וידעתם in 11,2 draws attention to the Lord’s mighty deeds in Egypt, at the Sea of Reeds and in the wilderness in the past (v2-7).
• Deut 9,1-10,11 show how Israel has provoked (כעס ;9,7.8.22 קצף 9,18) the Lord to anger and how he was angry with them (אנף v8.20; קצף v19). Deut 11,16-17 warn Israel again to stay away from all sorts of apostasy, lest the anger of the Lord be kindled against them (11,17 וחרה אף־יהוה בכם).
• Israel’s tendency to turn aside (9,12.16 סרו) from the way which is commanded them (9,12.16 מן־הדרך אשׁר צויתם) is the characteristic of their sin. In 11,16 Moses again cautions against Israel’s tendency to turn aside (11,16 סרו) and serve other gods.
• In 9,23 Moses recalls Israel’s disobedience (ולא שׁמעתם בקלו → שׁמע; cf. 1,19-45) by refusing to enter the land at Kadesh-Barnea. In 11, 13-17 Moses makes it clear that the entry into the land and their future prosperity in the land (cf.11,9-12) will be in accordance with their obedience (2] 11,13 שׁמעx]) to the commandments of the Lord. Similarly, being blessed or cursed in the land depends also upon their obedience or disobedience (11,27.28 שׁמע).
• In 9,1-10,11 Moses recalls their exodus from Egypt and Yhwh’s saving deeds in Egypt and in the wilderness (9,7.12.26.29). In 10,12-11,32 Moses reminds them again of their status in Egypt and Yhwh’s liberative deeds in Egypt, at the Sea of Reeds and in the wilderness (10,19.22; 11,2-7).
Summary: In the wake of crossing the Jordan, Moses makes it clear that the acquisition of the land will not be due to Israel’s righteousness but by Yhwh’s grace (9,1-6). Moses substantiates this by narrating the covenant breach at Horeb. He shows that they are recalcitrant, sinful by their nature and deeds (9,7-17). The covenant is restored solely because of Yhwh’s grace and faithfulness to his promises (10,1-5), as urged by Moses’ prayer (9,18-29). All the problems of Israel’s past sins are resolved by Yhwh’s grace and they are asked to cross the Jordan to possess the land (10,6-11). Thus, 10,6-11 lead the narrative smoothly to 10,12-11,32 with a command to resume their journey.
Deut 9,1-10,11 function like a negative foil of Israel’s past to provide lessons for their future life in the Promised Land. They have been saved from their past sinfulness and preserved in covenant relationship solely by virtue of Yhwh’s mercy and not by their own merit. Moses, therefore, passionately presents Israel’s failures in the past (9,7-10,5) as a criterion for their future life in the land (11,8-32). The memory of the broken tablets should be a permanent warning (9,7 זכר אל־תשׁכח) for their life in the land. The recurrence of the themes and the motifs of 9,1-10,11 in 10,12-11,32 shows their continual significance for their future existence in the land. Thus, the negative portrait of Israel in 9,1-10,11, i.e. Israel’s faithlessness and rebelliousness, has been used to teach Israel to walk in Yhwh’s ways in future. Thus, as they are preparing to resume their journey to take possession of the land (10,11) Moses prepares Israel to answer a very important question: “And now what does the Lord require of you?” (10,12).
2.2 The succeeding context
Deut 11 by and large deals with Yhwh’s giving of the land to Israel and their possession of it. In ch. 12 Moses begins to give detailed instructions to the people, beginning with their worship of the Lord, and how Israel is to live in the land that the Lord is going to give them. Deut 12, as the commencement of the specific stipulations, thus clarifies where and how Yhwh could properly be worshipped. Israel’s attitude to the sanctuaries of foreign nations (12,2-4.29-13,1) and the importance of “the place which Yhwh your God will choose” (12,5.11.14.18.21.26) stress that there has to be only one acceptable sanctuary for the whole of the land (v14) and Israel should bring there (12,5.6.11.26) the produce of the land as an offering to the Lord (12,6.11.13.14). We shall now look at ch. 12 as to how it is connected to and, at the same time, differs from 10,12-11,32.
2.2.1 Explicit connections between 10,12-11,32 and 12,1-31
As in the case of 9,1-10,11 and 10,12-11,32, the repetition of certain themes and motifs of 10,12-11,32 in 12,1-13,1 shows their mutual relationship and provides a larger context for 10,12-11,32, although 12,1-13,1 remain distinct.
a) Continuity in the communication: As far as the communication pattern in 12,1-13,1 is concerned, there is a continuity from 10,12-11,32 with regard to the speaker49 and the addressees.50 Moses in 12,1-13,1 continues to address the people of Israel giving specific instructtions regarding the right worship of Yhwh and the destructtion of pagan altars when they enter the land.
b) 11,31-32 as a bridge to Deut 12: Deut 11,31-32 form a transition and introduction to ch. 12. 12,1, for example, is closely related to 11,31-32 by repeating references to the gift of the land, statutes and judgments, showing a clear bridge between the general and specific stipulations.51
you (11,31 אתם)
land (ארץ) Yhwh is giving (נתן qal ptc.) you (11,31)
keep (שׁמר) the statutes and the judgments (11,32)
keep (שׁמר) the statutes and the judgments (12,1)
land (ארץ) Yhwh has given (נתן qal pf.) you (12,1)
you (12,1 אתם)
Thus, Yhwh’s gift of the land and Israel’s obedience to the commandments of the Lord in 11,31-32 is reiterated at the outset of the Law Code in 12,1. 11,31-32 are also largely repeated in 12,10 with an emphasis on crossing the Jordan (12,10 ;11,32 עבר ירדן), on taking possession of the land (12,10 ;11,32 ארץ) which the Lord is giving (12,10 נחל ;11,31 נתן) them, and on living (ישׁב 11,32; 12,102x) in it.
c) Other Common Motifs:
• The superscription in 12,1 (אלה החקים והמשׁפטים) introduces what Israel has to keep as laws when they live in the land.52 However, the אשׁר clauses in 12,1 connect החקים והמשׁפטים to the already introduced motifs in 10,12-11,32, i.e. keeping the law in the land (אשׁר תשׁמרון בארץ לעשׁׂות; cf. שׁמר in 10,13; 11,1.8.16.22.32), the land as a gift to their fathers (אשׁר נתן יהוה אלהי אבתיך לך לרשׁתה; cf. 11,9.21.25), the gift of land for all the days that they live upon the earth (אשׁר־אתם חיים על־האדמה; cf. 11,9.21). Thus, 12,1 links the promises of the land and its possession to the right worship of Yhwh, which is the content of ch. 12.
• The hortatory command to keep (cf. שׁמר in 10,13; 11,1.8.16.22.32) the commandments is taken up again in ch. 12 (cf. שׁמר in 12,1.28; 13,1; see also 12,13.19.30) in the context of their arrival in the land. Similarly, the exhortation to obey (11,132x שׁמע.27.28) the commandments is repeated in 12,28 (שׁמע) in the context of their life in future.
• The land in ch. 11 is characteristically described as Yhwh’s gift to Israel (4] נתןx] 11,9.17.21.31) in tune with his promise to the fathers (11,9.21 אשׁר נשׁבע יהוה לאבתיכם; cf. 11,25 כאשׁר דבר לכם). Ch. 12 recalls once again that the land is Yhwh’s gift to their fathers (בארץ 12,1 אשׁר נתן יהוה אלהי אבתיך לך; cf. 12,20 כאשׁר דבר־לך ;12,1.9.10 נתן). Similarly, the acquisition of the land in ch. 11 (6] ירשׁx] 11,8.10.11. 23.29.31) is solely Yhwh’s initiative and a consequence of Israel’s obedience to the commandments. Ch. 12 stresses again that the possession of the land (12,1.2.29 ירשׁ) is Yhwh’s generous gift (12,1 נתן. 9.10) and a result of their execution of Yhwh’s command to destroy all the places of pagan worship (12,2.3).
• Deut 11,16.28 show the ever-present danger of Israel being seduced (פתה v16) by other gods and their tendency to turn aside (סור v16.28) from the ways of the Lord, by serving other gods (עבד v16), and worshiping them (ללכת אחרי אלהים אחרים ;11,16 והשׁתחויתם להם 11,28). Ch. 12 makes this clear and warns Israel against their continual tendency to be ensnared to follow them (תנקשׁ אחריהם v30) and to inquire (דרשׁ v30) about their gods (12,2.3.30.312x את־אלהיהם), how they have served them (עבד v30) with the intention of imitating them (ואעשׁׂה־כן גם־אני v30). Therefore, Israel is asked to destroy (אבד 12,2.3) all their religious sites and objects (v2-3).
• Deut 11,23 makes it explicit that it is the Lord who drives out (ירשׁ hiphil) all the nations (11,23 את־כל־הגוים) and assures Israel that they will dispossess (ירשׁ qal) nations greater and mightier than themselves (11,23 וירשׁתם גוים גדלים ועצמים מכם). Deut 12,29 repeats this assurance of Yhwh’s cutting down (כרת) of the nations (12,29 הגוים; cf. 12,2.30) and Israel’s dispossession of them (ירשׁ qal2x). In 12,2 “nations” are described as those nations that Israel will dispossess (12,2 אשׁר אתם ירשׁים אתם את־אלהיהם).
• The motif of long life in the land (;11,9 ולמען תאריכו ימים על־האדמה 11,21 למען ירבו ימיכם וימי בניכם על האדמה) could be seen in the assertion to live all the days upon the earth in 12,1 (כל־הימים אשׁר־אתם חיים 12,1 על־האדמה). Similarly, the motif “for your good” (10,13 לטוב לך) is reflected in the twice repeated affirmation “that all may go well with you” (12,25.28 למען ייטב לך).
• The grain, the most and the oil (11,14 דגנך ותירשׁך ויצהרך) are gifts of Yhwh’s blessing. Therefore, the Israelites must bring their tithe to the place the Lord will choose and they shall not eat them within their towns (12,17).
• The motif of eating (12,152x אכל.16.17.18.20.21.22.23.24.25.27) in ch. 12 could be seen as an extension of Yhwh’s blessing of food, for eating (אכל) and for being satiated (שׁבע) in 11,5.
Thus, there are many close thematic and verbal connections between 10,12-11,32 and 12,1-13,1. Therefore, considering the continuity in the communication, the bridging role of 11,29-12,1 and various common motifs, we can conclude that 10,12-11,32 is organically related to 12,1-31 both literarily and theologically.
2.2.2 Distinguishing characteristics of Deut 12,1-13,1
The following considerations help us to distinguish Deut 10,12-11,32 from Deut 12,1-31, although they are connected by the common elements listed above.
a) Change of place: The emphasis on Yhwh choosing the place (המקום) for his name in ch. 12 (12,5.11.14.18.21 אשׁר־יבחר יהוה אלהיכם המקום. 26) marks a transition from המקום of 11,5 (Moab, cf. 1,5),53 i.e. from the place of decision of the people to the place Yhwh will choose (54(בחר to put his name. In addition to this, we see an immediate spatial change from 11,29-32 to 12,1-3. Deut 11,29-32 are directed toward the ritual performance of the blessing on Mount Gerizim (29 על־הר גרזיםd) and the curse on Mount Ebal (29 על־הר עיבלd)55 when they cross the Jordan (31 ירדןa) to possess the land (31 ארץb). In 12,1-3 Israel is asked to demolish all the cultic places (המקום) of the nations (12,2) when they possess the land.56
b) Change of time: There is a consistent concern to draw attention to the decision that Israel makes “now” and “today” in 10,12-11,32 (11.2.4.8.13.26.27.28.32 ;10,13.15 היום ;10,12.22 ועתה), which is almost absent in 12,1-13,1.57 Although, there is a future orientation in ch. 12, it is different from the pervasive future sense in ch. 11. In ch. 11 it focuses on the arrival and possession of the land (11,8-17), the instruction of the commandments to the future generations, the con- quest of the land (11,18-25), and the enactment of the ritual ceremony of blessing and curse on Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal when they possess the land (11,26-32). However, the future envisaged in ch. 12 shows further progressive elements of their life in the land. While 12,1 (cf.12,19) assures life in the land all the days that they live upon the earth, v10.20.29 bring three distinctive future moments of their life in the land through the agency of Yhwh, such as rest from all their enemies (12,10), enlargement of the territory of their land (12,20) and the dispossession of the nations before them (12,29). Thus, in 12,1-31 Israel is asked to bring their offering to the place which the Lord will choose when they enjoy rest from all their enemies (12,10), when Yhwh enlarges the territory of their land (12,20) and when Yhwh cuts off the nations before them (12,29).58
c) Change of characters: Although we do not see a change of the major characters from 10,12-11,32 to 12,1-13,1 the repeated mentioning of “nations” (הגוים) and “their gods” (אלהיהם) in 12,2-4.29-31 gives a new focus in ch.12.
d) Change of theme and genre: The hortatory teaching in 10,12-11,32 is changed into specific stipulations59 introduced by החקים והמשׁפטים in 12,1.60 The noticeable change in vocabulary also suggests a new phase of narration, for example, vocabulary related to the chosen place (v5.11.13.14.18.21.26), sacrifice (v6.11.13.14.27), votive offerings (v11.17.26) and non-sacrificial slaughter and meals (v15.16. 20-25), Canaanite religion (v2-4.29-31) etc. We also see a thematic progression in the chapter, such as the centralization of the cult: you shall seek and go to the place which the Lord will choose (v5) → you shall bring there all that I command (v11) → you shall bring there all that I command and offer there your burnt offerings (v14) → you shall eat and rejoice there before the Lord (v18) → you shall come there with holy things (v26).61
e) Ch.12 begins with a formal asyndeton (12,1 אלה) which is characteristic of a new beginning (cf. 1,1; 4,44-45; 12,1; 28,69).62
f) Change of style:
Frequent repetitions mark the style of ch. 12, e.g., “the place Yhwh your God will choose” 12,5 המקום אשׁר־יבחר יהוה אלהיכם. 11.14.18.21.2663; “You shall bring there” 12,5.6.11 והבאתם שׁמה. 26; “rejoice before your God” 12,7.12 ושׁמחתם לפני יהוה אלהיכם. 18;64 “you shall not do” 12,4.8.31 לא־תעשׁון; “you shall keep to do” 13,1 ;12,1 תשׁמרון לעשׁות; “that it may go well with you” ייטב 12,25.28 לך למען; “you shall not eat the blood …” הדם לא תאכלו 12,16.23.24.27; “you shall (not) eat” 12,152x אכל.16.17.18.20. 21.22.23.24.25.27; “your sons and your daughters…” אתם 12,12.18 ובניכם ובנתיכם; “the unclean and clean” הטמא והטהור 12,15.22; “you shall offer your burnt offerings” תעלה עלתיך 12,13.14; “your burnt offerings and your sacrifices” עולתיכם 12,6.11 וזבחיכם. Thus, the repetitive style in ch. 12 can be identified as: prohibition (v4.8-9.13.16-17.23-25); requirement for centralization (v5-6.10-11.14.18.21.26); invitation to eat and rejoice before the Lord (v7.12.18); concern for inclusiveness (v7.12.18.19); sacrifice and offerings (v6.11.14.17). Some of the elements of v13-19 are duplicated in v20-28: permission → v15 and 20-22; prohibition → v16-17 and 23-25; command → v18 and 26-27; persuasion → v19 and 28.
g) Beginning and ending:
a) As noted above 12,1 follows closely 11,31-32 by repeating the references to the gift of the land, statutes and judgments. Thus, it shows that there is a smooth transition from 10,12-11,32 to the Law Code (chs. 12-26).65
b) Deut 12 opens with the command to destroy the religious sites and objects of the “nations” (v2-4) and closes with a similar warning not to follow the ways of the nations (v29-31). Thus, v2-4 and v29-31 encompass the entire unit with an emphasis on the polemic behavior of the nations, how they “served their gods” and inviting Israel to remain distinct from the surroundding nations. The identical vocabulary of v4 and v31 (לא־תעשׂון כן ליהוה אלהיכם) also suggests an intrinsic relationship between these surrounding units (12,1-4 and 12,29-31).66
c) Deut 12,29-31 also serve as a transitional passage to ch. 13. Deut 13,1 complements 12,31a: Israel may worship Yhwh only in the ways he commands, no less and no more. Therefore, as a transitional unit, 12,29-13,1 function as a bridge between ch. 12 and ch. 13, expressing two related principles: Israel should not worship the Lord in the ways that the “nations” worship their gods (12,29-31), and they should not add to Yhwh’s commandments nor subtract from them (13,1). Furthermore, the question at v30 (how do these nations serve their gods?) anticipates the three temptations described in ch. 13 (cf. 13,2.6.13). Thus, there is a natural link between the closing verses of ch. 12 (v29-31) and ch. 13.67
Considering the arguments mentioned above, on contextual and text-linguistic grounds, we can conclude that ch. 12 is separate from 10,12-11,32 and begins the specific stipulations of the Law Code.
2.2.3 Conclusion
As we have seen in 2.1 and 2.2, Deut 9,1-10,11 and 12,1-31 remain distinct from Deut 10,12-11,32 on contextual and text-linguistic grounds. However, the repetition of certain phrases, themes and motifs shows their mutual relationship and provides a larger contextual significance to 10,12-11,32.
As the people of Israel is preparing to resume its journey to take possession of the land (10,11) its negative portrait in 9,1-10,11 is intended to provide lessons for its future life in the land (11,8-32). The memory of their sin - sin of idolatry - and the broken tablets (covenantal breach in Horeb in 9,7-10,5) should be a permanent warning (9,7 זכר אל־תשׁכח) for their life in the land. The conceit of their self-righteousness (9,1-6) will only lead them away from the Lord and to the punishment by Yhwh. And the acquisition of the land will not be due to their righteousness (9,4.5.6 צדקה) but owing to Yhwh’s graciousness and faithfulness to his promises to their forefathers. Thus, the negative foil of Israel’s past in 9,1-10,11 motivates them to love and serve the Lord alone (cf. 10,12-11,7) and to be instrumental in acquiring the land that the Lord is giving to them (cf. 11,8-32).
The instructions in ch. 12 initiate ‘the statutes and the judgments’ to which Israel must adhere in the land and for which Moses has prepared the people at length in 10,12-11,32 (chs. 1-11). The keeping of ‘the statutes and the judgments’ is closely related to Israel’s life in the land (v1). Israel’s undivided loyalty to the Lord, i.e. the way Israel worships its God, will determine the quality of their future life in the land. Yhwh has given them a land as he promised to their fathers (11,9.21.25; 12,1.20; cf. 7] נתןx]: 11,9. 17.21.31; 12,1.9.10) and now as a faithful response they must bring the produce of the land to the place he chooses (12,5.11.14.18.21.26), as an offering to the Lord (12,6.11.13.14). It is this place that Israel must seek (v5) and not the gods of the land (v30) and the detestable practices associated with their cult (v2-4.29-31).
In short, Deut 10,12-11,32 stand between 9,1-10,11 and 12,1-31 focusing on Israel’s single devotion to the Lord. This positioning of Deut 10,12-11,32 can be graphically depicted as follows:
3. Translation and text-critical notes on the text
The text wil be translated as literal as possible and the variant readings in the textual witnesses will be examined to clarify the textual difficulties, as well as linguistic and stylistic matters.68 A comparison with the important textual witnesses, such as the Samaritan Pentateuch (Smr),69 Septuagint (LXX)70 and the Qumran manuscripts71 will also bring out the adequacy of the MT as the basis for the exegesis.
3.1 Qumran Manuscripts
The following Qumran manuscripts attest the text under consideration:
| Texts Attested | Manuscript | Publication | Date of the Manuscripts |
| 10,12-15 | 4Q38 (4QDeutl) | DJD XIV72 | ca. 50 BCE73 |
| 10,12-11,17; 11,18-21 | 4Q128 (4QPhyla) | DJD VI74 | between the middle of 2nd century BCE and 1st Jewish – Roman war75 |
| 10,12-11,7; 11,7-12 | 4Q138 (4QPhylk) | DJD VI76 | between 1st century BCE and 1st century CE |
| 10,22-11,3; 11,18-21 | 4Q143 (4QPhylp) | DJD VI77 | ” |
| 10,14-11,2 | 4Q150 (4QMezb) | DJD VI78 | middle of 1st century CE79 |
| 10,12-20 | 4Q151 (4QMezc) | DJD VI80 | 2nd part of 1st century BCE81 |
| 10,12-19; 10,21-23;11,2-3; 11,1; 11,6-12 | 8Q3 (8QPhyl) | DJD III82 | 1st century CE83 |
| 10,12-11,21 | 8Q4 (8QMez) | DJD III84 | 37- 4 BCE85 |
| 10,17-18; 10,21-11,1; 11,8-11 | 1Q13 (1QPhyl) | DJD I86 | |
| 11,3; 11,9-13.18 | 4Q30 (4QDeutc) | DJD XIV87 | 150-100 BCE88 |
| 11,4-8 | 4Q144 (4QPhylq) | DJD VI89 | between 1st century BCE and 1st century CE |
| 11,4 | 4Q122 (4QLXXDeut) | DJD IX90 | early or middle 2nd century BCE91 |
| 11,6-13 | 4Q38 (4QDeutj) | DJD XIV92 | ca. 50 CE93 |
| 11,6-13 | 4Q38 (4QDeutk1) | DJD XIV94 | 30-1 BCE95 |
| 11,13-21 | 4Q130 (4QPhylc) | DJD VI96 | beginning of 1st century CE97 |
| 11,13-17. 19-21 | 4Q131 (4QPhyld) | DJD VI98 | between 1st century BCE and 1st century CE |
| 11,13-21 | 4Q136 (4QPhyli) | DJD VI99 | ” |
| 11,19-21 | 4Q146 (4QPhyls) | DJD VI100 | ” |
| 11,28; 11,30-12,1 | 4Q45 (4QPaleoDeutr) | DJD IX101 | 100-25 BCE102 |
| 11,27-30 | 1Q4 (1QDeuta) | DJD I103 | 50-25 BCE104 |
| 11,30-31 | 1Q5 (1QDeutb) | DJD I105 | 30-1 BCE106 |
Qumran manuscripts, all dated before the second century CE, provide extensive information on the MT and the relation between the textual witnesses. Even though some of these manuscripts are quite fragmentary, all of them appear to follow the full orthography typical of Qumran manuscripts. Though it is rather difficult to assign a textual affiliation to these manuscripts due to their fragmentary nature, some of the manuscripts show resemblance with the Smr and LXX.107 In general, most of the manuscripts agree with the MT, although in some cases they differ with some significant variants as we see below.
3.2 Translation and textual notes
Deut 10,12-22
| ועתה ישׁראל | 12a | And now Israel, |
| מה יהוה אלהיך שׁאל מעמך | 12b | what does the Lord your God demand108 from you, |
| כי אם־ליראה את־יהוה אלהיך | 12c | but to fear the Lord your God |
| ללכת בכל־דרכיו | 12d | to walk in all His ways |
| ולאהבה אתו | 12e | and to love Him, |
| ולעבד את־יהוה אלהיך | 12f | and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, |
| בכל־לבבך ובכל־נפשׁך | ||
| לשׁמר את־מצות יהוה ואת־חקתיו | 13a | to keep the commandments of the Lord and his statutes |
| אשׁר אנכי מצוך היום לטוב לך: | 13b | which I command you this day for your good? |
| הן ליהוה אלהיך השׁמים ושׁמי השׁמים הארץ וכל־אשׁר־בה | 14a | Behold, to the Lord your God belong the heavens and the heaven of heavens,109 the earth and all that is in it. |
| רק באבתיך חשׁק יהוה | 15a | Only110 in your fathers the Lord attached111 |
| לאהבה אותם | 15b | to love them, |
| ויבחר בזרעם אחריהם | 15c | and he chose their seed after them, |
| בכם מכל־העמים כיום הזה | 15d | you, from all the peoples, as this day. |
| ומלתם את ערלת לבבכם | 16a | And circumcize the foreskin112 of your heart, |
| וערפכם לא תקשׁו עוד: | 16b | and stiffen your neck no more! |
| האלהים כי יהוה אלהיכם הוא אלהי | 17a | For the Lord your God, he is the God of gods |
| ואדני האדנים | 17b | and the Lord of lords |
| האל הגדל הגבר והנורא | 17c | the great God, the mighty and the awesome |
| אשׁר לא־ישׂא פנים | 17d | who does not lift up faces |
| ולא יקח שׁחד: | 17e | and takes no bribe. |
| עשׂה משׁפט יתום ואלמנה | 18a | He does justice for the orphan and the widow |
| ואהב גר | 18b | and he loves the stranger |
| לתת לו לחם ושׂמלה: | 18c | by giving him food and clothing. |
| ואהבתם את־הגר | 19a | And you shall love the stranger, |
| כי־גרים הייתם בארץ מצרים: | 19b | for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. |
| את־יהוה אלהיך תירא | 20a | You shall fear the Lord your God; |
| אתו תעבד | 20b | him shall you serve, |
| ובו תדבק | 20c | and to him you shall cleave |
| ובשׁמו תשׁבע: | 20d | and by his name you shall swear. |
| הוא תהלתך | 21a | He is your praise |
| והוא אלהיך | 21b | and he is your God, |
| אשׁר־עשׂה אתך את־הגדלת | 21c | who has done for you113 these great and |
| ואת־הנוראת האלה | awesome things | |
| אשׁר ראו עיניך: | 21d | which your eyes have seen. |
| בשׁבעים נפשׁ ירדו אבתיך | 22a | With seventy persons114 your fathers went |
| מצרימה | down to Egypt | |
| ועתה שׂמך יהוה אלהיך ככוכבי | 22b | and now the Lord your God has made you |
| השׁמים לרב: | as the stars of heaven for multitude. |
Deut 11
| ואהבת את יהוה אלהיך | 11:1a | And you shall love the Lord your God, |
| ושׁמרת משׁמרתו וחקתיו ומשׁפטיו | 1b | and you shall keep his charge, |
| ומצותיו כל־הימים: | and his statutes and his judgments and his commandments115all the days. | |
| וידעתם היום | 2a | And you shall know this day |
| כי לא את־בניכם | 2b | for not your children116 |
| אשׁר לא־ידעו | 2c | who have not known |
| ואשׁר לא־ראו את־מוסר יהוה | 2d | and who have not seen the discipline of the |
| אלהיכם | Lord your God | |
| את־גדל את־ידו החזקה וזרעו | 2e | his greatness, his mighty hand, |
| הנטויה: | and his outstretched arm | |
| ואת־אתתיו ואת־מעשׂיו | 3a | and his signs and his works117 |
| אשׁר עשׁה בתוך מצרים לפרעה | 3b | which he did in the midst of Egypt unto |
| מלך־מצרים ולכל־ארצו: | Pharaoh the king of Egypt, and to all his land; | |
| ואשׁר עשׂה לחיל מצרים לסוסיו ולרכבו | 4a | And what he did to the army of Egypt to their horses, to their chariots; |
| אשׁר הציף את־מי ים־סוף על־פניהם | 4b | how he made the water of the Sea of Reeds flow upon their faces, |
| ברדפם אחריכם | 4c | as they pursued after you, |
| ויאבדם יהוה עד היום הזה: | 4d | and the Lord has destroyed them unto this day |
| ואשׁר עשׂה לכם במדבר עד־באכם | 5a | and what he did to you in the wilderness |
| עד־המקום הזה: | until you came to this place; | |
| ואשׁר עשׂה לדתן ולאבירם בני | 6a | And what he did to Dathan and Abiram, |
| אליאב בן־ראובן | the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben: | |
| אשׁר פצתה הארץ את־פיה | 6b | how the earth opened her mouth, |
| ותבלעם ואת־בתיהם ואת־אהליהם ואת כל־היקום | 6c | and swallowed their houses and their tents, and every stock |
| אשׁר ברגליהם בקרב כל־ישׂראל | 6d | that followed them, in the midst of all Israel: |
| כי עיניכם הראת את־כל־מעשׂה יהוה הגדל | 7a | But your eyes have seen all the great work of the Lord118 |
| אשׁר עשׂה: | 7b | which he did. |
| ושׁמרתם את־כל־המצוה | 8a | And you shall keep all the commandments119 |
| אשׁר אנכי מצוך היום | 8b | which I command you this day, |
| למען תחזקו | 8c | that you may be strong,120 |
| ובאתם | 8d | and you go in |
| וירשׁתם את־הארץ | 8e | and you take possession of the land |
| אשׁר אתם עברים שׁמה לרשׁתה | 8f | which you are crossing there to possess it |
| ולמען תאריכו ימים על־האדמה | 9a | and that you may lengthen days on the land |
| אשׁר נשׁבע יהוה לאבתיכם | 9b | which the Lord swore to your fathers |
| לתת להם ולזרעם ארץ זבת חלב | 9c | to give to them and to their descendants, a |
| ודבשׁ: | land flowing with milk and honey. | |
| כי הארץ | 10a | For the land121 |
| אשׁר אתה בא־שׁמה לרשׁתה | 10b | which you are entering there to take possession of it, |
| לא כארץ מצרים הוא | 10c | is not as the land of Egypt, |
| אשׁר יצאתם משׁם | 10d | from where you went out, |
| אשׁר תזרע את־זרעך | 10e | where you sowed your seed |
| והשׁקית ברגלך כגן הירק: | 10f | and watered it with your foot122 like a garden of vegetables. |
| והארץ | 11a | But the land |
| אשׁר אתם עברים שׁמה לרשׁתה | 11b | which you are crossing there123 to possess it |
| ארץ הרים ובקעת | 11a | is a land of hills and valleys, |
| למטר השׁמים תשׁתה־מים | 11c | it drinks water from the rain of heaven, |
| ארץ אשׁר־יהוה אלהיך דרשׁ אתה | 12a | a land which the Lord your God looks for |
| it: | ||
| תמיד עיני יהוה אלהיך בה מרשׁית השׁנה ועד אחרית שׁנה | 12b | the eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year until the end of the year.124 |
| והיה | 13a | And it will be: |
| אם־שׁמע תשׁמעו אל־מצותי | 13b | If you truly listen to my commandments |
| אשׁר אנכי מצוה אתכם היום | 13c | which I command you today, |
| לאהבה את־יהוה אלהיכם | 13d | to love the Lord your God, |
| ולעבדו בכל־לבבכם | 13e | and to serve him with all your heart |
| ובכל־נפשׁכם | and with all your soul, | |
| ונתתי מטר־ארצכם בעתו | 14a | then I will give125 the rain for126 your land in its season, |
| יורה ומלקושׁ | 14b | early rain and late rain |
| ואספת דגנך ותירשׁך ויצהרך: | 14c | that you may gather your grain and your must127 and your oil. |
| ונתתי עשׂב בשׂדך לבהמתך | 15a | And I will give grass in your field for your cattle, |
| ואכלת | 15b | and you shall eat |
| ושׂבעת: | 15c | and you shall become satiated.128 |
| השׁמרו לכם | 16a | Take heed to yourselves, |
| פן יפתה לבבכם | 16b | lest your hearts be deceived |
| וסרתם | 16c | and you turn away |
| ועבדתם אלהים אחרים | 16d | and you serve other gods |
| והשׁתחויתם להם: | 16e | and you worship them, |
| וחרה אף־יהוה בכם | 17a | and the anger of the Lord will burn against you |
| ועצר את־השׁמים | 17b | and he will shut up the heavens, |
| ולא־יהיה מטר | 17c | and there will be no rain |
| והאדמה לא תתן את־יבולה | 17d | and the ground will not yield its fruit; |
| ואבדתם מהרה מעל הארץ הטבה | 17e | and you will perish quickly from the good land |
| אשׁר יהוה נתן לכם: | 17f | which the Lord is giving you. |
| ושׁמתם את־דברי אלה על־לבבכם | 18a | And you shall put these my words 129 in |
| ועל־נפשׁכם | your heart and soul, | |
| וקשׁרתם אתם לאות על־ידכם | 18b | and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, |
| והיו לטוטפת בין עיניכם: | 18c | and they shall be as frontlets130 between your eyes |
| ולמדתם אתם את־בניכם | 19a | And you shall teach them to your sons, |
| לדבר בם | 19b | by reciting them131 |
| בשׁבתך בביתך | 19c | when you sit in your house |
| ובלכתך בדרך | 19d | and when you walk along the road |
| ובשׁכבך | 19e | and when you lie down |
| ובקומך: | 19f | and when you rise up. |
| וכתבתם על־מזוזות ביתך | 20a | And you shall write them |
| ובשׁעריך: | upon the doorposts of your houses and upon your gates, | |
| למען ירבו ימיכם וימי בניכם על האדמה | 21a | so that your days may be multiplied and the days of your sons in the land |
| אשׁר נשׁבע יהוה לאבתיכם | 21b | which the Lord swore to your fathers |
| לתת להם | 21c | to give to them, |
| כימי השׁמים על־הארץ: | 21a | as the days of the heavens upon the earth |
| כי אם־שׁמר תשׁמרון את־כל־המצוה הזאת | 22a | If you shall diligently keep132 all this commandment |
| אשׁר אנכי מצוה אתכם לעשׂתה | 22b | which I command you to do it, |
| לאהבה את־יהוה אלהיכם | 22c | to love the Lord your God, |
| ללכת בכל־דרכיו | 22d | to walk in all his ways |
| ולדבקה־בו: | 22e | and to cleave unto him; |
| והורישׁ יהוה את־כל־הגוים האלה | 23a | And the Lord will disinherit |
| מלפניכם | all these nations from your face | |
| וירשׁתם גוים גדלים ועצמים | 23b | and you will dispossess nations |
| מכם: | greater and mightier than yourselves. | |
| כל־המקום | 24a | Every place |
| אשׁר תדרך כף־רגלכם בו | 24b | where the soles of your feet shall tread |
| לכם יהיה | 24a | shall be yours: |
| מן־המדבר והלבנון מן־הנהר | 24c | from the wilderness and the Lebanon,133 |
| נהר־פרת ועד הים האחרון יהיה | from the river,134 the river Euphrates, | |
| גבלכם: | to the western sea shall be your territory. | |
| לא־יתיצב אישׁ בפניכם | 25a | No man shall be able to stand before your face: |
| פחדכם ומוראכם יתן יהוה אלהיכם על־פני כל־הארץ | 25b | the Lord your God will lay the dread of you and the fear of you upon all the land |
| אשׁר תדרכו־בה | 25c | that you will tread upon, |
| כאשׁר דבר לכם: | 25d | as he has said unto you. |
| ראה | 26a | See, |
| אנכי נתן לפניכם היום ברכה וקללה: | 26b | I am placing before you today blessing and curse; |
| את־הברכה | 27a | the blessing, |
| אשׁר תשׁמעו אל־מצות יהוה אלהיכם | 27b | if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, |
| אשׁר אנכי מצוה אתכם היום: | 27c | which I command you this day: |
| והקללה | 28a | and the curse |
| אם־לא תשׁמעו אל־מצות יהוה אלהיכם | 28b | if you do not listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, |
| וסרתם מן־הדרך | 28c | but turn aside from the way |
| אשׁר אנכי מצוה אתכם היום | 28d | which I command you this day, |
| ללכת אחרי אלהים אחרים | 28e | to go after other gods, |
| אשׁר לא־ידעתם: | 28f | whom you have not known. |
| והיה | 29a | And it will be: |
| כי יביאך יהוה אלהיך אל־הארץ | 29b | When the Lord, your God, brings you to the land |
| אשׁר־אתה בא־שׁמה לרשׁתה | 29c | which you are entering there to possess it, |
| ונתתה את־הברכה על־הר גרזים | 29d | then you shall place the blessing on Mount |
| ואת־הקללה על־הר עיבל: | Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal. | |
| הלא־המה בעבר הירדן אחרי דרך מבוא השׁמשׁ בארץ הכנעני | 30a | Are they not on the other side of the |
| Jordan, beyond the road of sunset, in the land of the Canaanites | ||
| הישׁב בערבה מול הגלגל אצל אלוני מרה: | 30b | who live in the Arabah, opposite Gilgal, beside the Oaks of Moreh?135 |
| כי אתם עברים את־הירדן | 31a | When you cross the Jordan |
| לבא לרשׁת את־הארץ | 31b | to enter to possess the land |
| אשׁר־יהוה אלהיכם נתן לכם | 31c | which the Lord your God is giving you, |
| וירשׁתם אתה | 31d | and you shall possess it |
| וישׁבתם־בה: | 31e | and you shall live in it, |
| ושׁמרתם | 32a | then you shall be careful |
| לעשׂות את כל־החקים ואת־המשׁפטים | 32b | to do all the statutes and the judgments |
| אשׁר אנכי נתן לפניכם היום: | 32c | which I am setting before you today. |
3.3 Observations on the MT and the Smr
Most of the variants of the Smr from MT are characterized either by features of orthographical and grammatical change or by expansion based on parallel passages or by the addition of certain Samaritan words to highlight its ideology.136
3.3.1 Harmonizing alterations
Most of the variant readings in Smr show a certain harmonizing tendency to remove contradictions in the text.137 This is done mostly by synchronizing the text with another biblical passage.
• In 10,13a the Smr adds אלהיך to create the expected formula “the Lord your God” (cf. 4,2; 6,17; 8,6; 11,27.28; 28,9.13).
• In 11,1b the Smr follows the sequence of וחקתיו ומצותיו ומשׁפטיו (cf. 8,11; 26,17; 30,16) in contrast to MT’s ושׁמרת משׁמרתו וחקתיו.
• In 11,6a the Smr adds ואת כל־האדם אשׁר לקרח along with ולאבירם לדתן as in Num 16,32.
• In 11,8f the Smr has באים שׁמה (cf. 4,5; 30,18) instead of עברים שׁמה (cf. 4,14; 6,1; 11,11).
• In 11,17e the Smr reads מהר in place of מהרה as in the case of 4,26; 7,4; 9,3; 12,16 and 28,20.
• In 11,18b the Smr has ידיכם instead of the singular ידכם in tune with 6,6-9.
• In 11,19c the Smr reads בבית instead of בביתך corresponding to 6,7.
• In 11,22a the Smr adds היום to מצוה אתכם as in v13.27.28.
• In 11,25a the Smr reads לפניכם instead of בפניכם as in the case of 9,2; 7,24; 11,26b.32c.
• In 11,30b the Smr reads singular אלון מורה as in Gen 12,6 instead of the MT’s אלוני מרה.
• In 11,32b the Smr adds כל before המשׁפטים to harmonize with the preceding phrase את כל־החקים.
3.3.2 Alterations related to content and ideology
Some of the readings of the Smr differ from the MT with regard to their content and the theological concerns of the Samaritan community. For example:
• The addition of מול שׁכם in 11,30b reflects the Samaritans belief that Shechem is the chosen place of worship.138
3.3.3 Linguistic corrections
The Smr tends to adopt a more formal conception of the grammar, as if correcting the inconsistencies in the text.139
• The Smr corrects the non-agreement of the predicate with the subject in number and gender: In 10,22a the Smr reads אבות instead of אבתיך in the MT. In 11,10b the singular אתה בא is treated as plural in the Smr אתם באים. In 11,10f the idiom והשׁקית ברגלך is changed into the plural 140.והשׁקית ברגליך In 11,20 the singular ביתך is changed into the plural בתיך in the Smr. In 11,14a the Smr has ארצך instead of the MT’s ארצכם. In 11,23 the Smr reads מלפניך instead of the MT’s מלפניכם. In 11,8b instead of the MT’s מצוך the Smr has מצוה אתכם.
• In 10,17b the Smr uses the singular האדון instead of the MT’s ואדני so that the phrase becomes grammatically correct (“the Lord of the lords” vs “the Lords of the lords”).
• In 11,14-15 the Smr has removed the inconsistency of the narration by substituting the 3rd person throughout (ונתן v14a.15a) instead of the 1st person in the MT (ונתתי v14a.15a).
• The presence and absence of the definite article with שׁנה in 11,12b is corrected in the Smr by placing the definite article in both instances.
• In certain cases the Smr tends to add the conjunction ו in order to connect it to the preceding verse or phrases (10,13 לשׁמר → ולשׁמרa; והגבור → 10,17 הגברc; 11,2 את־ידו → ואת ידוe; מן־הנהר → ומן־הנהר 11,24c).
3.3.4 Orthographical changes
Some of the variant readings of the Smr confirm the orthographical pattern of the Smr.141
• In certain cases a ו is used to mark o in the Smr: האדנים → האדונים, והגבור → 10,17 הגברc; 10,17 הגדל → הגדולc; 11,7 הראת → הראותa; 11,18 לטוטפת → לטטפותc; 11,31 לבא → לבואb.
• In certain cases א is used to mark e in the Smr: מרשׁית → מראשׁית 11,12b and in certain cases ה is replaced by 11,14 יורה → יורא) אb).
• In some cases the Smr uses the short form in place of the MT’s longer form (17 מהרה → מהרe; 11,30 המה → הםa).
3.3.5 Alterations by the omission of words
Some of the variant readings of the Smr occur as a result of the omission of certain words. For example:
• In 11,9c the Smr leaves out להם of the MT. In 11,3b the Smr skips the explanatory gloss מלך־מצרים of the MT.
Summary: Although the Smr differs from the MT in a number of details, the Smr bears a close relationship to the MT. Most of the significant variations are in tune with the harmonizing or interpreting tendency of the Smr or due to its morphological and orthographical features.
3.4 Observations on the MT and the LXX
The LXX frequently reproduces the MT by a literal rendering of their original, although it differs at times from the MT.142 The LXX contains a relatively large number of significant variants which bear on the literary criticism of the Old Testament.143 Though there is no common pattern for these variant readings, one can identify certain characteristics such as, harmonization, interpretation, additions, linguistic corrections etc.
3.4.1 Harmonizing alterations
One of the dominant features of the LXX’s variant readings is its harmonizing tendency, especially to harmonize the text with another biblical passage.144
• The LXX never translates the bound phrase בארץ מצרים by the genitive but always by the dative ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ (10,19; cf. 5,15; 15,15; 24,22; 29,1.15; 34,11).
• The LXX routinely translates כל־המצוה with the plural form τὰς ἐντολὰς (11, 8a; cf. 6,25; 8,1; 15,5; 27,1).
• In 11,1b the LXX follows the sequence of וחקתיו ומצותיו ומשׁפטיו as in 8,11 (cf. 26,17; 30,16).
• In 11,3a the LXX has καὶ τὰ σημεῖα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ τέρατα αὐτοῦ instead of the MT’s ואת־אתתיו ואת־מעשׁיו to harmonize with the common pair as in 4,34; 6,22; 7,19; 26,8; 29,2 and 34,11.145
• In 11,8c the LXX reads למען תחזקו as ἵνα ζῆτε καὶ πολυπλασιασθῆτε in conformity with 8,1 (למען תחיון ורביתם; cf 4,1; 16,20). The ἵνα clause with its four verbs is not a literal translation of the MT but a word for word repetition of 8,1 and it recalls the promise given to their ancestors.
• In 11,11b the LXX’s reading εἰσπορεύῃ instead of עברים is in tune with the preceding verse.146
• 11,22a the LXX adds היום to מצוה אתכם as in 11,13.27.28.
• In 11,24c the LXX reads הנהר הגדול as in 1,7 (τοῦ ποταμοῦ τοῦ μεγάλου; cf. Gen 15,18; Josh 1,4).147
• In 11,30b the LXX reads τῆς δρυὸς τῆς ὑψηλῆς as in Gen 12,6 instead of the MT’s אלוני מרה (cf. the note at 11,30b).
3.4.2 Theological interpretation
Another significant feature of the LXX’s variant readings is its theological concerns. Since the LXX reflects the theological interests of the translator, it gives insights into how the MT was understood and interpreted at the time of its translation.148
• The figurative language of the MT in 10,6 is translated with a theological focus in the LXX. The LXX lacks a corresponding term for ערלת in 10,16a but it is translated by περιτεμεῖσθε τὴν σκληροκαρδίαν ὑμῶν, giving a moral interpretation to the foreskin.
• In 11,13-15 the LXX does not alter the sequence of narration, but synchronizes the first person references מצותי (my commandments) and ונתתי (I will give) with the third person references (τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ and δώσει). In these references, the first person could hardly be Moses, rather it refers to God. Therefore, the LXX has changed all these to the third person references.
• In 11,22a the LXX’s reading of שׁמר תשׁמרון is more theological in nature. The MT has the verbal structure שׁמר תשׁמרון but the LXX has ἀκοῇ ἀκούσητε. The LXX follows closely 11,13 and replaces שׁמר תשׁמרון with שׁמע תשׁמעו, making 11,22-25 parallel to 11,13-21, whereas, the MT’s usage is in tune with 6,17. Thus, the LXX makes a change in the verb שׁמע/שׁמר probably to indicate that by obeying the commandments Israel will not only gain prosperity and longevity but will also conquer the promised land.149
3.4.3 Alterations by additions
At times the LXX introduces certain interpretative elements into the text. These elements are evident in the addition of certain words or phrases.150 For example:
• In 10,13a the LXX adds κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου to define the personal relationship to the Lord and the individual commitment of the Israelites.
• In 10,15a the LXX uses an adverbial conjunction πλὴν to denote a contrast. The LXX also differentiates the meaning of חשׁק by using a compound verb προείλατο …. ἀγαπᾶν “to choose to love” and then ἐξελέξατο to render יבחר.
• In 10,18a the LXX corresponds to the traditional trio format ,אלמנה גר ,יתום (cf. 14,28; 16,11.14; 24,17.19.20.21; 26,12.13). The MT lacks גר in 10,18a but places it in the second part of the verse.
• In 11,7 the LXX expands the MT to interpret the Lord’s great deeds as a permanent reality. The MT refers to את־כל־מעשׂה יהוה הגדל אשׁר עשׂה. The LXX not only changes into the plural (πάντα τὰ ἔργα κυρίου τὰ μεγάλα) but also adds to the relative clause ὅσα ἐποίησεν ὑμῖν σήμερον. The addition of the pronoun could be taken as a construction ad sensum but the addition of σήμερον is meant to take ἐποίησεν as a present reality.
• The MT’s ולמדתם אתם את־בניכם at 11,19a is interpreted by adding a complementary infinitive λαλεῖν.
3.4.4 Linguistic corrections
At times the LXX makes some grammatical changes to bring out more clarity. For example:
• In 11,10f the LXX changes the verb into the third person plural for the entire ὅταν clause (ὅταν σπείρωσιν τὸν σπόρον καὶ ποτίζωσιν τοῖς ποσὶν ὡσεὶ κῆπον λαχανείας), referring to all Egyptians.151
• In11,14a the LXX’s treatment of the bound phrase מטר־ארצכם in the dative (ὑετὸν τῇ γῇ σου) makes sense since the rain is ‘for the ground’ and not ‘of the ground’.
• In 11,15 the narrative sequence witnesses to another shift from 15b as it renders the second person singular ואכלת ושׂבעת. The LXX makes use of the participles φαγὼν and ἐμπλησθεὶς for these finite verbs and subordinates them to πρόσεχε in v16. Though השׁמרו is plural in the MT, the LXX does not change it to the plural until v16b with παραβῆτε.
• In 11,20a the LXX changes the singular format of the verse into the plural. For example, the LXX reads וכתבתם as plural (γράψετε) and adds αὐτὰ ad sensum. The plural usage is also continued in the plural pronouns: τῶν οἰκιῶν ὑμῶν and τῶν πυλῶν ὑμῶν. Naturally, the plural sequence of 6,9 is followed in these instances.152
Summary: The MT and the LXX in most parts resemble each other in terms of the content, sequence and the word order. The variant readings in the LXX mostly reflect its tendency to harmonize and to make interpretative notes. The interpretative and explanatory elements in the LXX mostly bring out the the theology of the translators’ time. In short, the LXX variants, when used intelligently, can become an important aid for understanding the Hebrew text.153
3.5 Observations on the MT and the Qumran texts
The Qumran manuscripts, of course, are by no means flawless, but they help us to demonstrate the adequacy of the MT. A comparison of the Qumran texts with the MT gives us a better perspective on the textual variants.154 Most of the textual variants in the Qumran texts come either from orthographical differences or from their tendency to harmonize the text with the Smr and the LXX or from certain linguistic corrections.
3.5.1 Orthographical changes
The Qumran profile shows many variations and most of them are due to the orthographical features of the Qumran texts. Although the orthography of Qumran texts is usually close to that of the MT, there are certain orthographical patterns which distinguish Qumran texts from the MT.155 For example, 4QDeutk1, 4QDeutc and 4QPhyla use a fairly full orthography with certain specific characteristics.156 In 4QDeutk1:
• A waw is generally used to mark ā → o when it is accented (11,10c לא ,לוא [MT]; 11,11a ובקעת ,ובקעות [MT]) or unaccented (11,9b לאבתיכם ,לאבותיכם [MT]; 11,12a אלהיך ,אלוהיכה [MT]).
• u → o is also marked with a waw in both accented and unaccented syllables (unaccented, 11,6 passim כל ,כול [MT]; 11,7a הגדל ,הגדולים [MT])
• While the afformative of the perfect in the singular is sometimes written in the longer form (11,10f והשׁקית ,והשׁקיתה [MT]), the afformative in the plural is written in the shorter form (11,8f ,עוברים עברים [MT]; 11,10d יצאתם ,יצאתם [MT]).
• The singular pronominal suffix is written in the longer form (11,10f ברגלך ,ברגליכה [MT]; 11,12a אלהיך ,אלוהיכה [MT]).
• Independent pronouns are written in the long form (11,10b ,אתמה אתה [MT]; 11,10c הוא ,היאה [MT]).
• In 11,10a כיא is written with a double mater lectionis (כי MT).157
Similar orthographical patterns can be seen in 4QDeutc and 4QPhyla: 4QDeutc → 11,10f ברגלך ,ברגליך [MT]; 11,12a אתה ,אותה [MT]; 11,13a, שׁמע ,שׁמוע [MT]; 4QPhyla → 10,22a מצרימה ,מצרים [MT]; 11,17e מהרה ,מהר [MT]; 11,21a על ,מעל [MT].
3.5.2 Harmonizing alterations
Another dominant feature of the Qumran variant readings is their harmonizing tendency, especially to harmonize the text with another biblical passage.
• In 10,13a 8QPhyl, 8Qmez, 4QPhyla and 4QPhylk add אלהיך to harmonize with the formula “the Lord your God” (cf. 4,2; 6,17; 8,6; 11,27.28; 28,9.13).
• In 10,16a 8QMez has the plural ערלות to synchronize with לבבכם instead of the MT’s ערלת.
• In 10,18b 4QPhylk corresponds with the traditional triad format גר ,יתום ,אלמנה as in 14,29; 16,11.14; 24,17.19.20.21; 26,12.13; 27, 19.158
• In 11,6a 4QPhylk, 4QPhyla and 8QMez read ואת כל־האדם אשׁר לקרח as in Num 16,32.159
• In 11,8f 1QPhyl, 4QPhyla, 8QPhyl, 8QMez have באים שׁמה as in 4,5; 30,18 instead of MT’s עברים שׁמה.
3.5.3 Resemblance to the LXX and the Smr
Another significant feature of the Qumran variants is their close resemblance to the LXX160 and the Smr. Unique links between the Qumran texts and the LXX and the Smr illuminate one another in regard to their linguistic features.161
• In 10,17b 4QPhylk has singular האדון as in the case of the Smr.
• In 10,18b 4QPhylk has the traditional triad format גר ,יתום ,אלמנה as in the LXX.
• In 11,4a 4QPhylk, 4QPhyla and 8QMez read לסוסיו ולרכבו corresponding to the LXX.162
• In 11,6a 4QPhylk, 4QPhyla and 8QMez have ואת כל־האדם אשׁר לקרח as in the Smr.
• In 11,8f 1QPhyl, 4QPhyla, 8QPhyl, 8QMez have באים שׁמה as in the Smr instead of the MT’s 163.עברים שׁמה
• In 11,10b 4QPhyla, 4QPhylk and 8QPhyl recall the Smr reading אתם באים instead of אתה בא in the MT.164
• In 11,11b 4QPhylk and 8QMez have the LXX’s reading of sionopsúp (באים) instead of the MT’s עברים.
3.5.4 Alterations by addition/omission of words and linguistic correction
The texts of the Phylacteries and the Mezuzot are often expanded and exhibit signs of correction.
• In 10,15a 8QPhyl replaces the Hebrew verb with an Aramaic verb, presenting the full phrase as בעי את אבתיכם in place of the MT’s 8 .באבתיך חשׁקQPhyl also renders על־כן instead of רק.
• In 10,20c 8QPhyl has תקרב instead of the MT’s תדבק.
• In 10,20d 8QPhyl has ובעמו which is probably an uncertain reading for the MT’s ובשׁמו.
• In 10,21a 4QPhylk the sentence begins with the כי conjunction כי הואה.
• In 10,21c האלה is omitted in 8QPhyl and it has הנוראו with a I, which is probably understood for the plural הנוראות.
• In 10,21d 8QPhyl has ביעניכם instead of the MT’s 165.ראו עיניך
• In10,22a 8QPhyl has בשׁבע instead of the MT’s בשׁבעים. In 8QMez and 4QPhylk the verse begins with the כי conjunction (כי בשׁבעים).
• In 11,9a 8QPhyl reads ירבו ימיכם in place of MT’s תאריכו ימים.
• In 11,10b the Qumran texts, such as 4QPhyla, 4QPhylk and 8QPhyl repeat the Smr reading אתם באים instead of אתה בא.
3.5.5 Variations among the Qumran manuscripts
There are also instances where the Qumran readings differ from each other.166 Most of the variations among the Qumran texts are due to additions, omissions, orthographical or morphological changes and altered sequences in the texts. For example:
• In 10,13a the Qumran texts show variations in the treatment of חקתיו. While 4QPhylk has 8,חקתיוQPhyl has only חקיו and 4QPhyla has a different word order with the addition of the pronominal suffix את חוקו ומצאותו.
• In 10,22a while 8QPhyl has 4,אבתיךQPhylk has אבותיכה.
• In 11,1b 4QPhylk and 8QMez support the MT’s reading ושׁמרת משׁמרתו וחקתיו while 8QPhyl reflects the Smr with a slight variation of חקיו. Regarding the sequence of 4 ,וחקתיו ומשׁפטיו ומצותיוQPhylp and 8QMez follow the sequence of וחקתיו ומצותיו ומשׁפטיו (cf. 8,11; 26,17; 30,16), while 4QPhylk and 8QPhyl follow the sequence of the MT.
• While in 11,6d, 4QDeutk1 has 4 ,בקרבQDeutj has מקרב.
• In 11,8a 4QDeutj and 4QDeutk1 expand המצוה as החקים והמשׁפטים as in 5,31; 6,1; 7,11. However, 8QMez lacks המצוה.
• In11,8c 8QPhyl (תחיו ויטבו ימים) and 4QPhylk (תחזקו ועברתמה) show significant differences in their renderings of תחזקו.
• In 11,10f 1QDeuta has 4 ,והשׁקית ברגלךQDeutc has a corrected plural version ברגליך. However, we see a slightly different version (ברגליכה) in 4QDeutk1.
• In 11,12b 4QDeutkl and 4QPhylk leave שׁנה indefinite, while 8QPhyl makes it definite.
Summary: Most of the Qumran manuscripts differ only a little from the consonantal text of the MT, and thus come close to the MT. The basic agreement among the Qumran texts suggests that all go back to a common or at least to a similar origin. Many of the variant readings are in orthography, with a strong preference for plene spellings and morphological details. Certain Qumran Texts have a textual character similar to that of the Smr or the LXX, although it is difficult to ascertain a certain textual character due to their fragmentary nature. The texts of Phylacteries and Mezuzot are by and large expanded by the addition of certain words or phrases and show signs of linguistic corrections. The differences among the Qumran texts are characterized mainly by additions, omissions, orthographical changes and altered sequences in the texts.
3.6 Conclusion
Basically, the Smr, the LXX and the Qumran manuscripts agree in most parts with the MT in terms of content, sequence and word order. Therefore, the Smr, the LXX and the Qumran manuscripts provide insight into the state of the MT in that period. The variants encountered in the Smr, the LXX and in the Qumran manuscripts can be mostly described as additions, omissions, changes and altered sequences in the texts. Apart from the orthographical changes, most of the alterations in the Smr, the LXX and in the Qumran manuscripts are either due to the theological interests of the translator, the community or because of the harmonizing tendency of the Smr, the LXX and the Qumran manuscripts. Thus, the variant readings of the Smr, the LXX and the Qumran manuscripts can become an important aid for understanding the MT when used reasonably.
1 For the methodological significance of delimiting the text, identifying its context and translating it literarily adhering closely to the MT and making text-critical evaluations for the interpretation of the text, see FISCHER, Wege, 6-9.
2 In 10,11 Moses ends the account begun in 9,1 by giving a concluding summary which has its climax in Yhwh’s command to Moses to return to the people to lead them to the Promised Land, cf. LOHFINK, Hauptgebot, 207-218; MCCONVILLE, Deuteronomy,190-191; NIELSON, Deuteronomium, 119.
3 בעת ההוא is a formula which refers mostly to a time or period in the past, cf. JENNI, 953 ,עת. In a narrative discourse this phrase is generally used with a wayyiqtol to introduce or connect the subsequent narration (cf. Gen 21,22; Judg 3,29; Josh 5,2). However, this phrase appears in certain retrospective nominal clauses (cf. Num 22,4; Judg 4,4; 14,4) and in certain prophetical promises and threats (cf. Isa 18,7; Jer 3,17; 4,11; 31,1; Zeph 3,20). In Deuteronomy this phrase is used to distinguish between the narrative time of the speaker and the specific events that took place in the history of Israel. Thirteen of the fifteen occurrences of בעת ההוא in Deuteronomy, which are restricted to the chapters 1-10, are related to Yhwh’s command in the past and the subsequent obedience to that command (cf. 1,9.16.18; 2,34; 3,4. 8.12.18.21; 4,14; 5,5; 10,1. 8; cf. 3,23; 9,20).
4 היום in Deuteronomy has different temporal significance, varying from Israel’s past stay in Horeb, Kadesh, Arnon, to their present situation in Moab, to their future life in the Promised Land, to their retrospection of exilic situation. However, the call to the present moment and its actualization take precedence over its past and future references, cf. MARKL, Frameworks, 277. For a detailed analysis of the various temporal nuances of היום in Deuteronomy, see also MARKL, Volk, 70-79, especially the table in 77; idem, Heute, 7-9; According to VON RAD, Theology II, 90-106, many OT passages describe the present as the opportune time for God’s intervention in history and in Deuteronomy this is especially expressed by היום. For a similar discussion, see also SCHMIDT, Vergegenwärtigung, 169-200.
5 ועתה can function either as an adverbial temporal marker with a logical force or as a logical conclusion of a topic that directly precedes it, cf. NICCACCI, Syntax, 100-101; BHRG §4:44.6.1. In a narrative discourse, עתה usually introduces a speech and moves away from the circumstances of the actual situation of the discourse, inviting a reaction from the audience, cf. JENNI, 957-58 ,עת. The logical ground for ועתה can extend to many chapters, cf. BHRG §4:44.6.1. On the pragmatical function of ועתה, cf. JENNI, Verwendung, 43-50.
6 Cf. WEINFELD, Deuteronomy, 435; VEIJOLA, Bundestheologie, 208.
7 The only other occurrence of ועתה ישׂראל in Deuteronomy is in 4,1 where Moses begins a new didactic discourse by calling for the people’s attention. TALSTRA, Observations, 196, relates ועתה ישׂראל to the other imperative vocative pattern in 9,1 and 9,7 and shows that these verses mark a new structural beginning.
8 Cf. Deut 3,23; 4,7-8.32-34; 5,25-26; 6, 20-25; 29,24; 30,12-13; 32,6.34; 33,29.
9 V10 begins with the qal perfect עמדתי which is preceded by ואנכי for emphasis, cf. BDB § 659.
10 This division also agrees with the view of the majority of biblical scholars who consider 9,1-10,11 a literary whole and Deut 10,12 signals the beginning of the final part of the parenesis in Deuteronomy (10,12-11,32), cf. LOHFINK, Hauptgebot, 219-220; OTTO, Deuteronomium, 1018; BRAULIK, Deuteronomium, 84; VEIJOLA, Deuteronomium, 244-245; NIELSON, Deuteronomium, 119-121; FINSTERBUSCH, Deuteronomium, 94-95; MCCONVILLE, Deuteronomy, 193-198; WEINFELD, Deuteronomy, 453-455; BRUEGGEMANN, Deuteronomy, 128-129; MAYES, Deuteronomy, 207; NELSON, Deuteronomy, 129-135; BOCK, Deuteronomy, 268. However, CRAIGIE, Deuteronomy, 201-211, considers 10,11-11,25 to be a literary whole, and according to him 10,11 “serves as a transition from the substance of the previous passage to the new emphasis of Moses’ address”, ibid., 203.
11 For a detailed discussion of the various suggestions proposed for the chosen place, see MCCONVILLE, Time, 117-124.
12 There is a certain ambiguity in the use of המקום in 12,3 as it raises the question whether it refers to a sanctuary or land. Deut 12,2 commands to the destruction of all המקמות of foreign worship and 12,3 continues this command of 12,2 to destroy their name from המקום. Naturally one would expect the plural המקמות in 12,3 instead of the singular המקום. Therefore it is logical to conclude that it may not be referring to the sanctuaries but to the land. For a similar discussion, cf. MCCONVILLE, Time, 131-137.
13 The commands to make a ritual ceremony of blessing and curse on Mounts Gerizim and Ebal (11,29), and to observe all the statutes and judgments of the Lord (11,32) when they possess the land (11,31) make a smooth transition to the future orientation in ch.12.
14 According to LOHFINK, Neubegrenzung, 249-52, the future indicated in the law code applies only to the period when Israel occupies the land. He substantiates this argument with the synonymous use of אדמה for ארץ in 12,1. In contrast to Lohfink, MCCONVILLE, Time, 126-130, thinks that law and life in the land are co-extensive since obedience to the Law is an imperative to live in the Promised Land, in relationship with Yhwh. PLÖGER, Deuteronomium, 61, tries to explain the pervasive future in the Law Code as eschatological. According to him, land as “Heilsgabe” is both present and eschatological because the land is given to Israel as a fulfilment of the promise given to their ancestors.
15 The verbal instructions, such as ,(12,3) תגדעון ,תשׂרפון ,(12,2) תאבדון ,(12,1) תשׁמרון 12,8) תעשׂון ,(12,7) ושׂמחתם ,ואכלתם ,(12,6) והבאתם ,(12,5) תדרשׂו ,(12,4) תעשׂון) etc., are actions which are about to take place, and may continue for a shorter or longer time in the future. All these intended actions and instructions represent a sphere of future time or act in some way as conditional. V8-9 express this future notion in a subtle way as פה היום in 12,8 is contrasted with the idea of going over into the land in 12,9 (“you shall not act as we are acting here today … for you have not come into the rest …”). This is further substantiated with the conditional promise in v10-11. The imperfect with לא in 12,4 and 8 expresses the definite expectation that something will not happen, cf. GKC, § 1070.
16 The details contained in the specific stipulation are varied and are focused on the religious, ceremonial and ethical dimensions of Israel’s Yhwh-centred existence in the Promised Land. This is sharply in contrast with the general stipulations in chs. 5-11 which are based on the love of Yhwh and love for Yhwh. On this distinction, cf. BALTZER, Covenant,10; CRAIGIE, Deuteronomy, 22-23.
17 Cf. LOHFINK, Hauptgebot, 233; BRAULIK, Deuteronomium 1-16,17, 91; WEINFELD, Deuteronomy, 451.
18 There are attempts among scholars to consider v31-32 as the beginning of the next textual unit. Authors like TIGAY, Deuteronomy, 118, ROFÉ, Strata, 222-23 and SEITZ, Studien, 38-40, view these verses as an introduction to the next unit, while WEINFELD, Deuteronomy, 453 and NELSON, Deuteronomy, 141, suggest that they can be regarded both as conclusion and introduction. Although the chiastic structure which is centred on the phrase 11,32) החקים והמשׁפטים and 12,1) helps one to consider v31-32 as introduction to the Law Code, cf. SEITZ, Studien, 40, this does not prevent one from considering it as a conclusion to the parenesis in 10,12-11-32, because the occurrence of the word pair החקים והמשׁפטים outside of chapter 4 functions as a boundary marker of various textual units (5,1; 11,32; 12,1 and 26,16). GEIGER, Gottesräume, 257 and MCCONVILLE, Deuteronomy, 207, understand v31-32 as transitional verses to the Law Code in chs. 12-26.
19 Cf. GEIGER, Gottesräume, 257; cf. MCCONVILLE, Deuteronomy, 197.
20 כי in 11,31 is traditionally rendered as causal as “for” by many scholars and translations, cf. CRAIGIE, Deuteronomy, 212; CHRISTENSEN, Deuteronomy 1-21:9, 226; KJV; RSV; NAS; JNB; ESV. Although WEINFELD, Deuteronomy 1-11, 453, translates כי with “for”, he also suggests that a temporal meaning is possible. SEITZ, Studien, 38-40, takes it as a conditional clause. Most contemporary scholars tend to take it as a temporal clause, cf. LOHFINK, Hauptgebot, 113-14, 233; ROFÉ, Strata, 222-23; TIGAY, Deuteronomy, 118; MCCONVILLE, Dueteronomy, 197; NELSON, Deuteronomy, 141; NIELSEN, Deuteronomium, 128.
21 The other occurrences of the asyndetic אלה in Deuteronomy are in 1,1; 4,45 and 28,69, and all stand at the boundaries of a new narrative unit. The use of אלה in 12,1 is similar to that of the cleft structure pattern in 1,1; 4,45 and 28,69. The structural pattern, namely a nominal clause with a demonstrative pronoun followed by a relative clause containing a finite verb is characteristic of a cleft sentence: אלה/זה (this/these) + nominal clause + אשׁר (that) + verb, cf. CRYSTAL, Linguistics, 75. Though אלה is used in 27,12 its construction is different from the structural pattern mentioned above.
22 DEROUCHIE, Call, 53.
23 LOHFINK, Neubegrenzung, 244-48, makes a detailed study of its other occurrences in 4,45; 5,1; 5,31; 6,1 and 11,32 and shows that their function and linguistic character are different from 12,1. The superscript in 12,1 is unlike the other superscriptions in Deuteronomy (cf. 1,1; 4,44; 28,69; 33,1) as it literally stands out from them. While the superscriptions in 1,1; 4,44; 28,69 and 33,1 are placed in the narrator’s perspective, the superscript in 12,1 is uttered by Moses himself, cf. LOHFINK, Deuteronomium, 15-16. According to BRAULIK, Ausdrücke, 19, החקים והמשׁפטים forms an inclusion in the parenetic section (5-11) and the Law Code (12-26) in Deuteronomy, and as a “Struktursignal” it shows how the pareneses in 5-11 is related to the Law Code proper. For various theological and semantic senses of the phrase והמשׁפטים החקים in 12,1, cf. LOHFINK, Neubegrenzung, 229-256; idem., Dtn 12,1, 257-85; idem., Verständnis, 287-292. OTTO, Deuteronomium, 1018, takes 12,1 as epexegesis of חקים and משׁפטים in 11,32.
24 GEIGER, Gottesräume, 261.
25 It is interesting to note that the participle נתן is used regularly with the ‘land-grant formula’ in Deuteronomy except in 12,1 and 28,52. LOHFINK, Samen, 271, relates the use of qal perfect נתן in 12,1 to God’s speech to Abraham in Gen 15,18. According to him the perfect נתן in 12,1 recognizes an allusion to Gen 15,18 because the gift of the land has already been accomplished.
26 Cf. NIELSON, Deuteronomium, 143; MCCONVILLE, Deuteronomy, 213; ROSE, Mose 12-25, 9-26 and BRUEGGEMANN, Deuteronomy, 142-148. This is the last time that the instruction “to observe to do the statutes and the ordinances” appears in relation to the gift of land in Deuteronomy (cf. 4,1.5.14; 5,31; 6,1). BRAULIK, Deuteronomium 1-16,17, 90, identifies the land as the purpose of the instruction to observe to do the statutes and the ordinances, cf. also GEIGER, Gottesräume, 261. HOWEVER, DRIVER, Deuteronomy, 151 and MERILL, Deuteronomy, 229, consider that 13,1 introduces a new theme in ch. 13, i.e., the case of the false prophet. The role of 13,1b may further speculate the beginning of a new section in 13,1, for example BRAULIK, Deuteronomium I, 39, and LABUSCHAGNE, Speech, 122-123 identify it as a ״Kanonformel“. OTTO, Deuteronomium I, 539; REUTER, Dtn 13,1, 107-114 and RÜTERSWÖRDEN, Deuteronomium, 84, call it „Wortsicherungsformel“, while FINSTERBUSCH, Deuteronomium, 111, identifies it as „Autoritätssicherungsformel“.
27 This demarcation also agrees with the majority of biblical scholars who consider 11,32 as the end of the pareneses in chs. 6-11 and 12,1 as the beginning of the Law Code in Deuteronomy, cf. LOHFINK, Hauptgebot, 234; OTTO, Deuteronomium, 1019; BRAULIK, Deuteronomium, 91-92; NIELSON, Deuteronomium, 128-130; FINSTERBUSCH, Deuteronomium, 95-97; MCCONVILLE, Deuteronomy, 205-207; WEINFELD, Deuteronomy, 453; BRUEGGEMANN, Deuteronomy, 142; NELSON, Deuteronomy, 141-142; WRIGHT, Deuteronomy, 158-159. CRAIGIE, Deuteronomy, 215.
28 For the synonymous use of ארץ and אדמה, see PLÖGER, Deuteronomium, 121-29.
29 BRAULIK, Gesetz, 149-150 does not see צדקה in Deuteronomy as an act but as an attitude and according to him it is measured vertically, not horizontally.
30 Cf. BARKER, Grace, 79; MILLER, Deuteronomy, 121.
31 Cf. BRAULIK, Siebengruppierungen, 38; idem, Rechtsfertigungslehre, 328. LOHFINK, Hauptgebot, 202, MILLER, Deuteronomy, 120, CHRISTENSEN, Deuteronomy 111, 183, and BARKER, Grace, 79, consider 4b as the central element of v1-6.
32 For the allusion to the Shema of 6,4-5, cf. MERRILL, Deuteronomy, 189; MAYES, Deuteronomy 196; MILLAR, Living, 63, 66.
33 BARKER, Grace, 81, states: “The statement כי עם־קשׁה־ערף אתה in v6b is not a description of Israel’s past, though subsequent verses give evidence from the past to support the contention. Rather, v6b stands emphatically at the end of the section as a definition of the present nature of the people”. For the similar treatment of Israel’s present nature of stiff-neckedness, cf. VON RAD, Deuteronomy, 74; GOLDINGAY, Diversity, 155; WATTS, Deuteronomy, 229; MILLER, Deuteronomy, 121; BRAULIK, Deuteronomium 1-11, 75.
34 Unlike the parallel in Exodus, Deuteronomy emphasizes Israel’s sin of which the calf they have made is a symbol, cf. PECKHAM, Composition, 36; MERRILL, Deuteronomy, 191. For example in Exodus 32,19, Moses sees the calf and people dancing, while in Deuteronomy 9,16 he sees that the people have sinned (חטאתם). BARKER, Grace, 89, states: “that the issue of this section is broader than the golden calf and concerns the general sinfulness of Israel, which the golden calf typifies, is reflected in the addition of כל in v18”.
35 The use of both verb and noun from √הטא in vl8 fuses vl6 and v21 and thus summarizes the sinfulness of Israel. The addition of כל in v18 also suggests that Moses is talking about their sins in general, or their continual sinfulness which the golden calf symbolizes. Moreover, in 9,18 Moses describes Israel’s sinfulness as doing what is evil in the sight of the Lord and provoking him (לעשׁות הרע בעיני יהוה להכעיסו). Both verb and noun from חטא occur together only here in Deuteronomy, cf. PECKHAM, Composition, 32-33; WEINFELD, Deuteronomic School, 339-340.
36 Stiff-neckedness suggests Israel’s unwillingness to submit to the will of Yhwh, cf. BARKER, Grace, 82; MERRILL, Deuteronomy, 190. On the occurrences of קשׁה־ערף in the Old Testament, see KALLAND, Deuteronomy, 79.
37 Unlike Exod 32,11-13 (cf. Num 14,13-19) there is no repentance here, but it is a pure intercession of Moses, cf. BRAULIK, Deuteronomium I, 80-81; GREENBERG, Prayer, 25. BARKER, Grace, 95, states: “This lack of repentance and forgiveness in Deuteronomy is the recognition that Yahweh’s standards are too high …”. MILLAR, Deuteronomy, 238, holds: “It is not forgiveness which dominates, but Yahweh’s faithfulness”.
38 Cf. MILLER, Prayer, 270. BARKER, Grace, 86, argues that “Israel’s sinfulness is seen in the delay of the content of Moses’ prayer until vv25-29”.
39 Cf. PECKHAM, Composition, 44.
40 Cf. CAIRNS, Deuteronomy, 106. MILLER, Prayer, 93-94 and SCHNEIDER, Moses, 116, consider that Yhwh’s faithfulness to the promise to the patriarchs is the fundamental reason for his forgiveness. The importance of the promises to the patriarchs in Moses’ prayer can also be seen by the word play on personal pronouns in the narrative. In 9,12 Yhwh disowns Israel and makes Moses responsible for their failure (כי שׁהת עמך אשׁר הוצאת ממצרים v12). However, Moses in v26 and v29 refutes this by arguing that the people belong to Yhwh (עמך [v26.29] - the exact reverse of v12), and calls them as נהלתך (v26.29). He attributes their redemption from Egypt to Yhwh and not to himself (אשׁר פדית בגדלך אשׁר־הוצאת ממצרים ביד הזקה v26; אשׁר הוצאת בכהך הגדל ובזרעך הנטויה v29). Note also that v26 repeats the verb שׁהת (piel in v12; hiphil in v26; cf.10,10). In v27 Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are also addressed as ‘your servants’ (עבדיך v27). In v28, Moses identifies himself with the people (אשׁר הוצאתנו v28), which is again a refutation of Yhwh’s disowning of Israel in v12. See also BARKER, Grace, 97; GREENBERG, Prayer, 31.
41 BOORER, Land, 295.
42 CHRISTENSEN, Deuteronomy, 196 and MERRILL, Deuteronomy, 198, argue that the very instructions to prepare two more stone tablets at the beginning of the chapter indicate that Moses’ intercession is answered.
43 Cf. WEINFELD, Deuteronomy, 418; PECKHAM, Composition, 49-51; THOMPSON, Deuteronomy, 144; MERRILL, Deuteronomy, 198.
44 Cf. KLINE, Treaty, 75; DRIVER, Deuteronomy, 117.
45 Most scholars consider v6-7 as a priestly parenthesis, resuming the travel narrative of chapters 1-3, cf. CRAIGIE, Deuteronomy, 200; THOMPSON, Deuteronomy 145; DRIVER, Deuteronomy 119; KALLAND, Deuteronomy, 85; CHRISTENSEN, Deuteronomy, 196; WEINFELD, Deuteronomy, 419. However, BARKER, Grace, 100, says “the mention of travel in these verses also suggests a future for the people and, hence, answered prayer”. The order of Israel’s stops in the wilderness listed in v6-7 seem to contradict the sequence in Num 33,31-33. This apparent discrepancy disappears, when we consider Num 33,37. The list of stops in v6-7 includes the locations after they stayed at Kadesh, which is mentioned in Numbers 33,37.
46 Cf. PECKHAM, Composition, 54; BARKER, Grace, 100.
47 MILLAR, Living, 67; PECKHAM, Composition, 56-57; BRAULIK, Deuteronomium, 83, and ROSE, Mose, 515, consider that the command to arise and lead the people to possess the land is the climax of the whole account of the golden calf. CAIRNS, Deuteronomy, 110, considers 10,10 as a reversal and summary of 9,9-29, especially alluding to 9,9.19.25.
48 Cf. BOORER, Land, 295-296.
49 Deuteronomy basically contains three major addresses (1,6-4,40; 5,1b-26,19/28, 1-69; 29,1-30,20) and two poems (32,1-43; 33,2-29) of Moses. In addition to these, there are the words of Moses together with the elders of Israel (27,1), the Levitical priests (27,9-10), and the words of the blessings and curses that are to be recited in the covenant renewal ceremony (27,12-26) and the narrative conclusion to the song of Moses (32,46b-47). We hear Yhwh’s voice in 31,14b.16b-21.23b; 32,49-52 and 34,4b. The narrator’s voice is identified in 1,1-5; 2,10-12.20-23; 3,9. 11.13b-14; 4,41-43.44-5,1a; 10,6-9; 27,1a.9a.11; 28,68; 29,1; 31,1-2a.7a.9-10a.14a. 14c-16a.22-23a.24-25.30; 32,44-46a.48; 33,1-2a; 34,1-4a.5-12.
50 The second person addressee in the chapter shifts largely from the second person plural (v1-12) to the second person singular (v13-31), although there are internal inconsistencies within these sections. For example, there is an alternation of 2mp to 2ms in 12,1 itself. LOHFINK, Opfer, 26, identifies the number change (“Numeruswechsel”) in Deut 12 and classifies the laws in Deut 12 accordingly. See also, LEVINSON, Deuteronomy, 24-25. For more detailed studies on “Numeruswechsel” in Deuteronomy see, LOHFINK, Hauptgebot, 239-257; BEGG, Numeruswechsel, 116 -124; MITCHELL, Use, 61-109.
51 For a chiastic relationship between 11,31-32 and 12,1, cf. SEITZ, Studien, 40; MC-CONVILLE, Deuteronomy, 212; WOODS, Deuteronomy, 184.
52 Similar references to a time in the future when Israel will keep specific laws ‘in the land’are found in 17,14; 18,9; 26,1; cf. Exod 12,25; 13,11; Lev 14,34; 19,23; 25,2; Num 15,2.18.
53 There is a clear distinction in the use of המקום in ch. 11 and ch. 12. In 11,5 המקום refers to Moab (cf. 1,5); in 11,24 המקום refers to every place within the land which Israel will subdue. In 12,2-5 המקום refers to sanctuaries, both the sanctuary of the nations (v2.3), and that of the place, Yhwh will choose for his people (v5). MCCONVILLE, Time, 131, concludes that “there is a clear progression of “places” in the transition from ch. 11 to ch. 12”.
54 MCCONVILLE, Law, 30-31, claims that it is the idea of Yhwh’s choosing the place that is in the foreground rather than the notion of a single place. The object of Yhwh’s choice in 21 out of 25 occurrences of the verb בחר in Deut 12-26 is “the place” (cf.12,5.11.14.18.21.26; 14,23.24.25; 15,20; 16,2.6.7.11.15.16; 17,8.10; 18,6; 23,17; 26,2). In other instances Yhwh chooses Israel itself (14,2), the kings (17,15), and the priests (18,5; 21,5).
55 Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal are geographically concretized in v30 by mentioning 30) ירדןa), 30) בארץ הכנעניa), 30) ערבהb) 30) גלגלb) 30) אצל אלוני מרהb).
56 See also that the command to seek out and go to the place (המקום) which Yhwh will choose in v5-7 is set in deliberate contrast to the command to destroy the places (המקום) of the nations in v2-3.
57 12,8) היום) appears only once in 12,1-31 to remind Israel not to do in the land what they are used doing in the plains of Moab.
58 V8-11 draw the line between the present and a time in the future when the conditions are conducive for right worship. V8-9 bring Israel back to the plains of Moab as they imply that they have not yet come to their inheritance. But v8-11 assures them of a future point in time, and a place to which they shall bring their offerings, the tithe etc., cf. THELLE, Place, 68-72; MCCONVILLE, Time, 124.
59 Deut 12 can be divided into four specific laws concerning cultic centralization and a concluding law concerned with cultic purity: v2-7 cultic purification and centralization; v8-12 temporal condition for centralization; v13-19 centralization and secular slaughter; v20-28 geographical condition for slaughter; v29-31 cultic purification. Cf. VON RAD, Deuteronomy, 89; MAYES, Deuteronomy, 22; LEVINSON, Deuteronomy, 24-25. BRAULIK, Gesetze, 23-29 and LEVINSON, Deuteronomy, 25-26, show a chiastic pattern of these laws.
60 Cf. no. 23.
61 In Deuteronomy המקום is usually accompanied by the verb בוא. However, we may notice a subtle contrast in their usage. The combination of המקום and בוא in Deut 1-11 shows the agency of Yhwh in Israel’s coming into the Promised Land. This is explicitly clear in the hiphil use of בוא with Yhwh as subject (cf. 4,38; 6,10.23; 7,1.26 etc.). However, the collocation of בוא and מקום in Deut 12-26 demands a response from Israel, for example, the hiphil use of בוא in Deut 12-26 demands an explicit response from the people (cf.12,6.11; 21,12; 23,19; 26,2.9.10). Although there are exceptions to this position (e.g., 26,9 [hiphil] and 26,1-3 [all in the qal] show the instrumentality of Yhwh) the combination of בוא and מקום in Deut 12-26 demands a faithful response from Israel. For the theological significance of the collocation of בוא and מקום in Deuteronomy, cf. MCCONVILLE, Law, 33-35.
62 Cf. no. 21. Actually the beginning clause אלה העדת והחקים והמשׁפטים in 4,45 does not appear to be a fresh beginning but an explanation of the heading וזאת התורה אשׁר־שׂם משׁה לפני בני ישׂראל in 4,44, cf. DEROUCHIE, Call, 49-50. To see how asyndetic sentences are frequently used in explicatory sense, cf. DEMPSTER, Linguistic Features, 46. For a synonymous reading of 4,44-45, see CRAIGIE, Deuteronomy, 146. LONGACRE, Building, 29-30, sees 4,44-45 as cleft sentences, and notes how such constructions often lie on the boundaries of text units (cf. 6,1; 12,1; 28,69). However, LOHFINK, Neubegrenzung, 237-38, and DRIVER, Deuteronomy, 79-80, consider 4,44 as a secondary intrusion in the final composition of Deuteronomy.
63 We come across variations on the centralization formula in the chapter (“the place that Yhwh your God will choose” המקום אשׁר־יבחר יהוה אלהיכם; v5.11.14.18.21.26). There is a short form without any further elaboration (v18.26; cf.14,25; 15,20; 16,7.15.16; 17,8.10; 18,6; 31,11), and a long form with various additions: with “out of all your tribes” (v5); “in one of your tribes” (v14); “to put his name there” (v5.21; cf. 14,24); “to make his name dwell there” (v5.11; cf. 14,23; 16,2.6.11; 26,2). For a detailed analysis of the centralization formula in Deuteronomy, cf. HALPERN, Formula, 20-38; LEVINSON, Deuteronomy, 23-50; LOHFINK, Zentralisationformel, 357-85; ROFÉ, Centralization, 221-26; SUZUKI, Place, 338-52; WEIPPERT, Ort, 76-94; BRAULIK, Gesetze, 23-33.
64 שׂמח occurs in seven centralization formulae (12,7.12.18; 14,26; 16,11.14; 26,11). On this theme see, BRAULIK, Freude, 161-218; WILLIS, Rejoice, 276-94.
65 On the rhetorical connections between the closing verses of ch. 11 and the beginning of ch. 12, see LOHFINK, Neubegrenzung, 249-250.
66 MCCONVILLE, Law, 64 and NELSON, Deuteronomy, 157, observe that certain features of the prohibition in 12,1-4 reappear in reverse order in 12,29-13,1, i.e. there is an inversion between “you shall observe to do” (v1) + examples of pagan worship (v2) + “you shall not do so toward Yhwh” (v4) and “you shall not do so toward Yhwh” (v31) + an example of pagan worship (v31) + “you shall observe to do” (13,1).
67 For the connections between the closing verses of ch. 12 and ch. 13, cf. HARMAN, Deuteronomy, 154; WOODS, Deuteronomy, 192.
68 The basic source for translation and text-critical notes on the text is MCCARTHY, BHQ Deuteronomy.
69 Gall’s critical edition is used for comparing the texts in this study, cf. GALL, Samaritaner, 387-390. Observations on the differences between the Smr and the MT are cited in, KENNICOTT, Vetus Testamentum, 1776-1780; TSEDAKA, Samaritan, 432-435.
70 Wevers, in his critical eclectic edition for the Göttingen Septuagint Project, has collated all the available manuscript evidence and grouped it into families, cf. WEVERS, Deuteronomium, 14-15.
71 For an overview of the important Qumran manuscripts of Deuteronomy, cf. DAHMEN, Qumran, 271-273.
72 DUNCAN, Cave 4 IX, 109-112.
73 Ibid., 109.
74 MILIK, Grotte 4 II, 48-51.
75 Most of the phylacteries of 4Q are dated between the 1st century BCE and the 1st century CE. However, the dates of the phylacteries vary according to their type. For example, the phylacteries classified as “Essenes” belong to the period between the middle of the 2nd century BCE and the first Jewish-Roman war (66-73), and the phylacteries classified as “Pharisees” belong to the period beginning in the 1st century CE, cf. ibid., 46-47.
76 Ibid., 67-69.
77 Ibid., 75-76.
78 Ibid., 80-81.
79 MILIK, Grotte 4 II, 81.
80 Ibid., 82-83.
81 Ibid., 82.
82 BAILLET, Les ‘Petites Grottes’, 149-157.
83 Ibid., 149.
84 Ibid., 158-161.
85 The calligraphy of the manuscript is Herodian, cf. ibid., 158.
86 BARTHELEMY- MILIK, Cave 1, 72-76.
87 CRAWFORD, Cave 4 IX, 15-34.
88 DAHMEN, Qumran, 271.
89 MILIK, Grotte 4 II, 77-78.
90 SKEHAN, Cave 4 IV, 195-97.
91 Ibid., 195.
92 DUNCAN, Cave 4 IX, 75-88.
93 Ibid., 77.
94 Ibid., 93-98.
95 DAHMEN, Qumran, 272.
96 MILIK, Grotte 4 II, 53-55.
97 Ibid., 53.
98 Ibid., 55-56.
99 Ibid., 62-63.
100 Ibid., 78.
101 SKEHAN, Cave 4 IV, 131-152.
102 DAHMEN, Qumran, 272.
103 BARTHELEMY - MILIK, Cave 1, 54-57.
104 DAHMEN, Qumran, 271.
105 BARTHELEMY - MILIK, Cave 1, 57-62.
106 DAHMEN, Qumran, 271.
107 However, some of the editors of the manuscripts do make cautious remarks: for example, CRAWFORD, Cave 4 IX, 17, states that 4QDeutc cannot be a manuscript of the Samaritan tradition. The editors of 4QPaleoDeutr state that it appears to have agreed with the MT and LXX and in minor variants the manuscript most often presents a unique reading, cf. SKEHAN, Cave 4 IV, 134.
108 The verb שׁאל may represent the semantic meanings of ‘ask’ and ‘request’, bringing the basic meanings together, namely ‘demand’, cf. WESTERMANN, Begriffe, 9, or ‘appeal to someone, seek something’, cf. Gerleman, 1282 ,שׁאל. However, I prefer to translate ‘demand’ here, as the context suggests a contractual relationship and obligation, cf. FUHS, 261 ,שׁאל. The LXX also uses αἰτεῖται, an indicative present middle verb with a claim to a receipt of an answer or a demand to render the participial predicate שׁאל.
109 A substantive in the construct state before the plural of the same word (which is naturally to be regarded as a partitive genitive) is used as a periphrasis for the superlative. ושׁמי השׁמים is such a usage in this context, cf. GKC 431; cf. 1Kgs 8,27; Ps 68,34; 148,4; Neh 9,6; 2 Chr 2,5.
110 The particle רק here has an affirmative, assertive force, cf. MURAOKA, Grammar 131, and therefore the phrase is to be understood with a contrasting sense here as “[Yet] only….”. The LXX uses an adverbial conjunction πλὴν to denote a contrast.
111 חשׁק literally means ‘attached’ or “lusted after you” or “hung on you” (cf. Gen 34,8; Deut 21,11; Ps 91,14) and for the physical sense “to stick, bind to,” (cf. Exod 27,17; 38,17.28). LXX has differentiated it by προείλατο …. ἀγαπᾶν “to choose to love” and then by ἐξελέξατο to render יבחר, cf. WEVERS, Notes, 182.
112 LXX lacks a corresponding term for ערלת but it is translated by περιτεμεῖσθε τὴν σκληροκαρδίαν ὑμῶν. giving a moral interpretation to the foreskin, i.e., the hardness of your heart, cf. WEVERS, Notes, 182.
113 את in אתך is taken as a preposition of advantage (cf. 1,30).
114 The prepositional use of ב is here identified as beth essentiae, cf. GKC, 119 i.
115 Along with the Smr, BHS suggests reading ושׁמרת משׁמרתו וחקתיו as ושׁמרת משׁמרת חקתיו. This suggestion seems to have no strong textual support as the Kennicott manuscripts are of little textual significance and the reference to Josh 22,3 is not a close parallel text. Regarding the sequence of וחקתיו ומשׁפטיו ומצותיו, LXX, Smr, 4QPhylp and 8QMez follow the sequence of וחקתיו ומצותיו ומשׁפטיו, cf. 8,11; 26,17; 30,16; MCCARTHY, BHQ, 81-82; OTTO, Deuteronomium, 1014. The identical initial and final consonant pairs of ומצותיו ומשׁפטיו might have facilitated the transposition. The Masora of BHS makes a note on the mnemonic sequence giving the correct order: ומצותיו) צ ,(ומשׁפטיו) פ ,(וחקתיו) ק).
116 The basic issue of the syntax of v2-7 lies in understanding two problems:
1. How do we understand the particle את before בניכם with no verb governing it?
The particle את before בניכם cannot be taken as an accusative particle as there is no verb governing it. Another possibility is to take את as the preposition “with” and interpret the phrase as elliptical for, “for it is not with your children that I speak …”, cf. GKC §117 l. Therefore, considering את as a direct object marker or preposition would imply a missing verb. However, given the rhetorical context of Moses’ speech the particle את before בניכם can be best understood as an emphatic particle, cf. HALOT, 470; BDB, 85; TIGAY, Deuteronomy, 110; ARAÚJO, Theologie, 209; SCHULMEISTER, Befreiung, 72.
2. How do we understand מוסר in 2d?
a) מוסר can be taken as the direct object of ידעתם in v2a, as it is suggested by the masoretic punctuation and the translation would be: “And you shall know today - for not your children who have not known or seen - the discipline of….”, cf. WEINFELD, Deuteronomy, 442.
b) Since the verbs ידע and ראה in v2cd lack an expressed object, they may anticipate מוסר as their object and therefore the translation would be: “And you shall know today - for not your children who have not known or seen the discipline of the Lord your God - his greatness…” OTTO, Deuteronomium, 1014; WEVERS, Notes, 187 and NELSON, Deuteronomy, 129, go along with this suggestion by reading v2b-2d in parenthesis taking 2e (… את־גדל) as the object of ידעתם in v2a.
However, considering the rhetorical nature of these verses, I suggest taking מוסר as the object of ידע and ראה and v2e-6 as a prolonged continuation of the phrase את־מוסר יהוה אלהיכם in v2d.
117 Instead of MT’s ואת־אתתיו ואת־מעשׂיו LXX has καὶ τὰ σημεῖα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ τέρατα αὐτοῦ. LXX seems to harmonize with the common pair as in 4,34; 6,22; 7,19; 26,8; 29,2 and 34,11.
118 LXX’s treatment of this verse differs from MT for two reasons. First of all, the singular מעשׂה יהוה הגדל (cf. Judg 2,7) is translated plural, as πάντα τὰ ἔργα κυρίου τὰ μεγάλα. Though πάντα τὰ ἔργα κυρίου τὰ μεγάλα could be taken as a translation ad sensum of כל־מעשׂה יהוה הגדל, LXX generally translates כל modifying a singular noun literally (cf. 8,3). LXX’s translation is supported by Vg, Syr, TN, 4QDeutj, 4QDeutk1 and 4QPhylk. MCCARTHY, BHQ, 81, suggests that “the form מעשׂה may have been understood as a plural form since the phonetic identity of מעשׁי/מעשׁה is fairly common in biblical Hebrew”, see also QIMRON, Hebrew § 100.34. Otto’s explanation that מעשׂה יהוה forms an inclusion between 11,3 and 11,7 seems more convincing, and that therefore could be a harmonization in 11,7, cf. OTTO, Deuteronomium 1014-15. The plural הגדולים in 4QDeutk1 also corresponds to LXX (τὰ μεγάλα), which is also supported by Vg, Syr, TN. Secondly, in LXX we see an addition of ὑμῖν σήμερον which seems to correspond to 11,4d, where Egypt is described as ויאבדם יהוה עד היום הזה.
119 The singular המצוה may stand for the commandments in general as in 5,31; 6,1 and 7,11. The expansion attested in 4QDeutj and 4QDeutk1 (החקים והמשׁפטים) may well have come from the above mentioned parallel passages. LXX routinely translates כל־המצוה with the plural form (cf. 6,25; 8,1; 15,5; 27,1).
120 LXX reads למען תחזקו as ἵνα ζῆτε καὶ πολυπλασιασθῆτε. This is in conformity with 8,1 למען תחיון ורביתם (cf. 4,1; 16,20).
121 הארץ functions here as a rhetorical absolute. Similar fronted pendant constructions with nominal elements in extraposition can be seen in 7,15a; 10,9b. Similarly, with adverbial elements in extra position, it can be seen in 11,13b; 11,29b, cf. WILLIAMS, Syntax § 35.
122 The idiom והשׁקית ברגלך may refer to the irrigation method used in Egypt where the water wheel is operated by foot, cf. MCCARTHY, BHQ, 82, and DRIVER, Deuteronomy, 129. LXX changes the verb into third person plural for the entire ὅταν clause.
123 LXX’s reading of εἰσπορεύῃ instead of עברים is in tune with the preceding verse.
124 The presence and absence of the definite article with שׁנה is odd. This imbalance is corrected in Smr by placing the definite article in both the instances.
125 With ונתתי, the narrative in v14-15a makes a shift from Moses’ reference to Yhwh in the 3rd person to Yhwh himself speaking in the 1st person. LXX and Smr have removed the inconsistency by substituting the 3rd person throughout.
126 The LXX’s treatment of the bound phrase מטר־ארצכם, ὑετὸν τῇ γῇ σου makes sense since the rain is ‘for the ground’ and not ‘of the ground’.
127 Most of the English versions translate תירושׁ as wine or new wine (cf. NRSV, KJV, NAS, NAU, NET, NIV, NLT, etc.). However, the etymology of תירושׁ is not certain. HALOT II, 1727, states that “there is no Semitic etymology for תִּי ר(וֹ)שׁ but it has been introduced into Hebrew as a cultural word from the Mediterranean area”. For example, RABIN, Words, 137-138, suggests that it is a loanword from hieroglyphic Hittite tuwarsa (wine), occurring in Greek as Θύρσος. HALOT II, 1727-28, suggests three possible meanings for 1 :תירושׁ) Deriving from the Semitic root ירשׁ, it would mean “to tread down” or “to drive out” or “to press wine”, cf. HAUPT, Notes, 223; HAUPT, Etymologies, 215. 2) As a word in the cognate languages תירושׁ would mean unfermented wine or must, cf. DALMAN, Wörterbuch, 442a. 3) As a substantive in Hebrew it would mean sweet wine or must, cf. CLASSEN, Text, 298. Considering the context of gathering grain and oil in v14c, it is better to translate תירושׁ as ‘must’ referring to unfermented or fresh wine.
128 The sequence in the exhortation witnesses another shift from 15b as it renders the second person singular ואכלת ושׂבעת. LXX makes use of the participles φαγὼν and ἐμπλησθεὶς for these finite verbs and subordinates them to πρόσεχε in v16. Though השׁמח־ is plural in MT, LXX does not change it to the plural until v16b with παραβῆτε.
129 The absence of the definite article in דברי אלה could be explained by the presence of the suffix, cf. GKC, 112y. This variation stands in contrast to הדברים האלה of 6,6.
130 טוטפת is a rare word, meaning “frontlets, phylacteries” occurring only three times in the OT (Deut 6,8; 11,18; Exod 13,16; cf. HALOT I, 373). According to Gamberoni, “the defective Masoretic spelling, the use of a corresponding singular in Ex 13,9, and the Greek, Syriac and Vulgate suggest the possible assimilation of a segholate singular ending to the preceding אות”, GAMBERONI, 320 ,טוטפת. The LXX translation of טוטפת is rather ambiguous. LXX uses an adjective ἀσάλευτον, meaning “immovable” to translate this rare word, which in itself does not convey the meaning of טוטפת, cf. WEVERS, Notes, 117.
131 The usual translation of לדבר בם “talking of them” (NAU, RSV, NRSV), “speaking of them” (KJV, NAS), “and speak of them” (NET, NIB, NIV), “and keep on telling them” (NJB) is less challenging. Since 11,18-21 is almost an exact repetition of 6,6-9, the translation of לדבר בם should follow the context of ודברת בם in 6,7, cf. FISCHER-LOHFINK, Worte, 190-191. In the context of teaching Torah to the children, לדבר בם could be translated as “by reciting them” as a way of instructing the children. The children should learn the Torah by seeing their parents reciting it. The gerundive use of לדבר בם depends on למד in v19a and consequently Israel remains as the subject of the infinitive construct לדבר. For a detailed discussion of various linguistic and cultural elements related to the translation of ודברת בם in 6,7 and לדבר בם in 11,19, cf. FISCHER-LOHFINK, Worte, 181-203.
132 LXX reads שׁמר תשׁמרון as ἀκοῇ ἀκούσητε. LXX follows closely 11,13 and replaces תשׁמרון שׁמר with שׁמע תשׁמעו, making 11,22-25 parallel to 11,13-21, whereas MT’s usage is in tune with 6,17. Thus, the LXX makes a change in the verb שׁמע/שׁמר probably to indicate that by obeying the commandments Israel will not only gain prosperity and longevity but will also conquer the Promised Land, cf. WEINFELD, Deuteronomy 1-11, 431. Therefore the LXX reading could be more theological in nature. Smr, LXX and Syr have also added היום to אתכם מצוה as in v13.27 and 28.
133 MT has מן־המדבר והלבנון as in Josh 1,4. However, Josh 1,4 continues with ועד־הנהר הגדול. The problem arises partly due to the double occurrence of מן while ועד occurs just once. Many scholars propose to incorporate a second ועד before הלבנון, cf. BHS; MCCARTHY, BHQ, 83; DRIVER, Deuteronomy, 131; NIELSON, Deuterononmium, 127; MCCONVILLE, Deuteronomy, 196. Lohfink suggests moving the Atnach to והלבנון to avoid the confusion. This would allow reading the text as “from the wilderness and the Lebanon”, cf. LOHFINK, Samen, 204. While Lohfink’s suggestion seems to be convincing, Josh 1,4 might have read the text in a slightly different way.
134 A few Hebrew Mss, TgJ, Vg and LXX read הנהר הגדול as in 1,7; Gen 15,18; Josh 1,4. Since this verse is intrinsically related to 1,7 and Josh 1,4, OTTO, Deuteronomium, 1017, suggests the possibility of a homoioarkton as in the case of 34,2.
135 Smr, LXX and Syr read singular אלון מורה as in Gen 12,6 instead of MT’s אלוני מרה. MT’s reading corresponds with Gen 13,18; 14,13 and 18,1 (באלני ממרא), but does not replace מרה with ממרא as in the case of Syr and TJ. Thus a comparison of Gen 12,6 vs 13,18; 14,13 and 18,1 shows a logical incongruity between Oaks of Moreh, located in Shechem, and Oaks of Mamre, located in Hebron. Smr further adds “in front of Shechem” at the end of the verse. The Smr reading reflects the Samaritans’ belief that Shechem is the chosen place of worship. MCCARTHY, BHQ, 83, suggests that the addition of “in front of Shechem” at the end of the verse “is to neutralize the earlier phrase ‘in front of Gilgal’”. Driver understands מרה as an appellative referring to the authoritative direction given by priests to those coming to consult the oracle, cf. DRIVER, Deuteronomy, 134. LXX’s rendering of מרה (τῆς δρυὸς τῆς ὑψηλῆς) is also ambiguous. WEVERS, Notes, 204, suggests that, “the translator(s), not recognizing the place name Moreh, tried to make sense out of the name by transposing it as רמה, hence ὑψηλῆς”.
136 GESENIUS, Samaritanorum, 14, classifies the variant readings of the Smr under the following headings: 1) grammatical changes, 2) explanations in the text, 3) assumed changes in order to remove textual difficulties, 4) changes based on parallel passages, 5) expansion based on parallel passages, 6) harmonizing of chronologies, 7) Samaritan words and 8) sectarian readings based on Samaritan theology and cult practice. Interestingly, for these reasons Gesenius holds the view that the Smr is merely a corrupt edition of the Pentateuch based on a relatively late Jewish textual tradition, and he does not consider the Smr as a useful tool for text-critical studies. See also, PURVIS, Samaritan, 75 and WALTKE, Samaritan, 228-232. However, subsequent scholarship challenged Gesenius’ position and showed its significance for the textual criticism, cf. KAHLE, Untersuchungen, 399-439; ALBRIGHT, Early Recensions, 27-33; CROSS, Contribution, 278-292; TOV, Criticism, 80-100.
137 According to HJELM, Samaritans, 93, “the common assertion that Samaritans expanded their texts with harmonizations of various sorts is unfounded because it has not been proven these additions meet any need of clarification.” I partially agree with Hjelm to the extent that every addition in the text does not clarify or explain the text. However, we can see the Smr’s tendency to harmonize the readings within Deuteronomy and in the Pentateuch. Variant readings of this unit illustrate this harmonizing pattern. See, TOV, Criticism, 85-89, who asserts the harmonizing tendency of the Smr. In his words, “The harmonizations in Smr reflect a tendency not to leave in the Pentateuchal text any internal contradiction or irregularity which could be taken as harmful to the sanctity of the text.”
138 The question of the place of worship forms the focus of the alterations related to ideology. The Smr Decalogue (Exod 20,17b; Deut 5,18b) states that the Lord is to be worshipped on Mount Gerizzim. גריזים is used in all instances where Jerusalem is alluded to in the Torah, cf. TOV, Criticism, 95. The Smr’s tenth commandment mentions Deut 11,29a; 27,2b-3a. 4a. 5-7 and 11,30.
139 Cf. TOV, Samaritan, ix; TOV, Criticism, 89-91.
140 While 1QDeuta supports the singular version of the MT, 4QDeutc has a corrected plural version ברגליך. This shows clearly that the scribe of 4QDeutc knows about an authoritative text.
141 The orthography of the Smr is characterized by the full use of internal matres, in contrast to the more restrictive orthography of the MT. The internal matres lectionis י and ו are extensively used and א is also sometimes used as an internal mater, cf. PURVIS, Samaritan, 54. According to TSEDAKA, Samaritan, xxix, among the ca. 6,000 differences between the Smr and the MT, approximately 50 percent of them are orthographic. See also ROBERTS, Text, 192; KAHLE, Untersuchungen, 402-410; WÜRTHWEIN, Text, 31.
142 The differences may have arisen from various factors. Jobes and Silva suggest a few of them: 1) The Hebrew Vorlage from which it was translated was different from the Hebrew text extant today, 2) the translation process was unprecedented and therefore does not reveal a pattern, 3) the translator made a mistake, 4) the translator had an interpretative bias, 5) some complicated combination of these circumstances affected the resulting translation” cf. JOBES-SILVA, Septuagint, 92.
143 Cf. TOV, Septuagint, 272.
144 As JOOSTEN, Septuagint, 237, says “it is not always easy to decide at what stage harmonizations entered the text. In several passages, the harmonizations may already have existed in the Hebrew source text used by the translators.”
145 The LXX reading seems to be appropriated as it alludes to the signs in Exodus (cf. Exod 7,3.9; 11,9.10).
146 According to MCCARTHY, BHQ 82, the LXX treatment suggests a Vorlage with בוא.
147 Since this verse is intrinsically related to 1,7 and Josh 1,4, OTTO, Deuteronomium, 1017, suggests the possibility of a homoioarkton as in 34,2.
148 Cf. JOBES - SILVA, Septuagint, 22. See also, TOV, Exegesis, 215-233, to see how the LXX is influenced by the theology of the time of the translator.
149 Cf. WEINFELD, Deuteronomy 1-11, 431.
150 According to JOBES – SILVA, Septuagint, 93, “an element may be added to clarify or specify the thought, to harmonize the text with another biblical passage, or to make a historical or theological point”.
151 According to Wevers, this change is intentional as it is not necessary to remind the Alexandrian Jews of their work in the past as agricultural slaves in Egypt and that in the present Egypt they have to cultivate their own land, cf. WEVERS, Notes, 192.
152 Cf. OTTO, Deuteronomium, 1016.
153 In Tov’s words, the LXX contains “more significant variants than all other textual witnesses together. Furthermore, apart from a few scrolls from Qumran, the LXX is the only source that contains a relatively large number of variants which bear on the literary criticism of the OT”, TOV, Use, 272.
154 Tov’s identification of five text categories in the Qumran manuscripts may give some idea of the variant readings of the Qumran texts. According to him, the Qumran texts originate from: 1) the school of the Qumran scribes, 2) the protoMasoretic texts, 3) the pre-Samaritan texts, 4) texts close to the Hebrew Vorlage of the LXX and 5) non-aligned texts which exhibit no consistent patterns related to any one of these groups, cf. TOV, Criticism 114-16. However, as ULRICH, Scrolls, 84, notes, there are manuscripts that could be grouped into more than one category, at least for certain readings. See also his comments on the special Qumran practice and his elaborations on successive literary editions, cf. ULRICH, Editions 78-105.
155 Tov has suggested that orthography can be a clue to knowing whether a manuscript was copied outside Qumran or at Qumran, cf. TOV, Orthography, 31-57; TOV, Manuscripts, 23-25. He also suggests a special orthographic system that reflects a special Qumran practice, TOV, Manuscripts, 25.
156 The examples of the morphological and orthographical variations given below are only illustrative. Manuscripts like 4QDeutk1, 4QDeutc and 4QPhyla are taken for this illustrative study.
157 Cf. QIMRON § 100.51.
158 Cf. MCCARTHY, BHQ, 80.
159 However, the Qumran texts differ from the Smr as they add ואת כל־האדם אשׁר לקרח after ואת־אהליהם and not after ואת־בתיהם as in the Smr.
160 Tov’s methodological observations for comparing the LXX with the Qumran scrolls will provide a basis for an adequate comparison of both the LXX with the Qumran texts. Some of his observations include: the reconstruction of the Vorlage of the LXX is tentative; only fragments have been preserved in the Qumran scrolls; the known statistics of the relationship between the LXX and the Qumran texts are incomplete; different types of readings common to the LXX and the scrolls must be distinguished; agreements in readings common to the scrolls, the LXX, and the additional sources are less persuasive than agreements shared only by the scrolls and the LXX; the generally accepted view of the relationship between the scrolls, the LXX and MT, and in particular the use of the term text-type, must be revised, cf. Tov, Scrolls, 45-67.
161 Cf. JOOSTEN, Septuagint, 113-120, esp. 114. The agreement of the Qumran texts with the LXX and the Smr against the MT may also confirm the existence of Hebrew texts that differed from the MT. For example, there are passages in which the MT differs from the LXX, but the Qumran texts agree with the LXX. According to VANDERKAM, Scrolls, 127, “such instances are important for textual critics because they show that in these examples at least the Greek translators did not invent their variant readings. Rather, they were translating a Hebrew text that differed from the Masoretic Text.”
162 Cf. MCCARTHY, BHQ, 81.
163 However, 4QDeutk1 reads עברים with an addition of הירדן (cf. 30,18; 31,13; 4,26; 11,31).
164 However, the text of 4QDeutj is corrected. Initially it was written in plural but then corrected to the singular: the ם of אתם is erased and dots added above and below where ם once stood, cf. DUNCAN, Cave 4, 87. This means that the Scribe of 4QDeutj may have been aware of an original text and he corrected it accordingly, cf. OTTO, Deuteronomium, 1015.
165 The wording of 8Q Phyl is close to TJ which reads דחמיתון בעיניכון “which you saw with your eyes”, whereas the MT has אשׁר ראו עיניך “which your eyes have seen” (cf. 4,9; 7,19; 29,3).
166 These variant readings may be due to texts that were written in different periods and places, cf. TOV, Criticism, 107.
