Ulangan 1:34

Judgment at Kadesh Barnea

1:34 When the Lord heard you, he became angry and made this vow: ¹ 

Ulangan 2:13

2:13 Now, get up and cross the Wadi Zered.” ²  So we did so. ³ 

Ulangan 7:11

7:11 So keep the commandments, statutes, and ordinances that I today am commanding you to do.

Ulangan 12:32

Idolatry and False Prophets

12:32 (13:1) ⁴  You ⁵  must be careful to do everything I am commanding you. Do not add to it or subtract from it! ⁶ 

Ulangan 27:8

27:8 You must inscribe on the stones all the words of this law, making them clear.”

Ulangan 27:26

27:26 ‘Cursed is the one who refuses to keep the words of this law.’ Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’

Ulangan 29:9

The Present Covenant Setting

29:9 “Therefore, keep the terms ⁷  of this covenant and obey them so that you may be successful in everything you do.

Ulangan 30:8

30:8 You will return and obey the Lord, keeping all his commandments I am giving ⁸  you today.

Ulangan 31:24

Anticipation of Disobedience

31:24 When Moses finished writing on a scroll the words of this law in their entirety,

[1:34]  ¹ tn Heb “and swore,” i.e., made an oath or vow.

[2:13]  ² sn Wadi Zered. Now known as Wadi el-H£esa, this valley marked the boundary between Moab to the north and Edom to the south.

[2:13]  ³ tn Heb “we crossed the Wadi Zered.” This has been translated as “we did so” for stylistic reasons, to avoid redundancy.

[12:32]  ⁴ sn Beginning with 12:32, the verse numbers through 13:18 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), with 12:32 ET = 13:1 HT, 13:1 ET = 13:2 HT, 13:2 ET = 13:3 HT, etc., through 13:18 ET = 13:19 HT. With 14:1 the verse numbers in the ET and HT are again the same.

[12:32]  ⁵ tn This verse highlights a phenomenon found throughout Deuteronomy, but most especially in chap. 12, namely, the alternation of grammatical singular and plural forms of the pronoun (known as Numeruswechsel in German scholarship). Critical scholarship in general resolves the “problem” by suggesting varying literary traditions – one favorable to the singular pronoun and the other to the plural – which appear in the (obviously rough) redacted text at hand. Even the ancient versions were troubled by the lack of harmony of grammatical number and in this verse, for example, offered a number of alternate readings. The MT reads “Everything I am commanding you (plural) you (plural) must be careful to do; you (singular) must not add to it nor should you (singular) subtract form it.” Smr, LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate suggest singular for the first two pronouns but a few Smr mss propose plural for the last two. What both ancient and modern scholars tend to overlook, however, is the covenantal theological tone of the Book of Deuteronomy, one that views Israel as a collective body (singular) made up of many individuals (plural). See M. Weinfeld, Deuteronomy 1–11 (AB), 15-16; J. A. Thompson, Deuteronomy (TOTC), 21-23.

[12:32]  ⁶ sn Do not add to it or subtract from it. This prohibition makes at least two profound theological points: (1) This work by Moses is of divine origination (i.e., it is inspired) and therefore can tolerate no human alteration; and (2) the work is complete as it stands (i.e., it is canonical).

[29:9]  ⁷ tn Heb “words.”

[30:8]  ⁸ tn Heb “commanding”; NAB “which I now enjoin on you.”