READ IT! - Introduction to Deuteronomy 25-31

Readings for this week

Monday: Deuteronomy 25

Tuesday: Deuteronomy 26

Wednesday: Deuteronomy 27

Thursday: Deuteronomy 28

Friday: Deuteronomy 29

Saturday: Deuteronomy 30

Sunday: Deuteronomy 31

Introduction to Deuteronomy 25-31

Chapter 25

The words of Moses: A judge may give up to forty lashes. If a man dies and has no son, his brother shall marry his widow. You shall have honest weights.

Chapter 26

The words of Moses: Bring the firstfruits of the land to the LORD. Bring a tithe in the third year and say to the LORD, "Look down and bless your people."

Chapter 27

The words of Moses: Write the law on large stones. The Levites will say, "Cursed is anyone who does not keep the law," and the people will reply, "Amen."

Chapter 28

Moses commanded the tribes of Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin to stand on top of Mount Gerizim once they had entered the Promised Land and pronounce the blessings that would take affect if Israel was faithful to the Covenant.

Moses commanded the tribes of Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali to stand on top of Mount Ebal once they had entered the Promised Land and pronounce the curses that would take affect if Israel was unfaithful to the Covenant.

“If you obey the LORD he will bless you above all nations; if not, you will be cursed and the LORD will send a nation to destroy you.”

Modern English translators have sometimes found awkward passages in the Bible that they felt would be offensive to many Christian readers, so they sometimes rephrased some rather blunt and at times crass language into more polite renderings.

Deuteronomy 28:30 is an example of this. Modern translators have that verse read: "You will betroth a wife, but another man will lie with her." However, in Hebrew the phrase we translate as "lie with her" is much stronger and is not considered a very nice word at all.

In fact, the closest English equivalent would be the "f-word."

So yeah... that's in the Bible...

Chapter 29

The words of Moses: You have seen all that the LORD has done so keep this covenant. If you break it the land will be cursed and the LORD will uproot you.

Chapter 30

The words of Moses: When you return to the LORD he will have compassion; he will circumcise your heart. I have set before you life and death. Choose life.

Chapter 31

Moses wrote down The Law of the LORD and placed it with the Ark of the Covenant for future generations to read. Moses told Joshua to “be strong and courageous” as he would be the new leader of Israel. Moses predicted that after his own death Israel would surely turn away from God and worship other gods. Moses said that God would eventually destroy their land because of this.