Overview
Deuteronomy contains a series of addresses delivered by Moses to the new generation on the plains of Moab, immediately before the crossing of the Jordan. Moses reviews the history of the wilderness years, restates the Torah of the Sinai covenant, and exhorts the people to love YHWH alone and to keep His commandments. The book concludes with the renewal of the covenant, the succession of Joshua, and the death of Moses.
Theme The renewal of the covenant and the restatement of the Torah for the generation about to enter the promised land
Historical background
Deuteronomy is set in the fortieth year after the Exodus, while Israel was encamped on the plains of Moab preparing to enter Canaan. Its structure is frequently compared with the ancient Near Eastern suzerainty treaty, comprising preamble, historical prologue, stipulations, and blessings and curses. Some scholars associate Deuteronomy with the book of the law discovered in the temple in the reign of Josiah (2 Kings 22).