DEUTERONOMY, or "Re peated Law,) the title applied in Greek, Latin and modern versions of the Old Testament to the fifth book of the Pentateuch (q.v.). The name arose from a mistranslation of the phrase 'copy of law) (Deut. xvii, 18; also Josh. viii, 32), yet it has had in the past a certain de scriptive force in contrasting this code of law as promulgated at the end of the wilderness sojourn with the codes of Exodus and Leviticus as given at Sinai. In Hebrew editions of the text the title is °These Words," taken from the beginning of the book.
The central portion of Deuteronomy consists of an hortatory address. (v-xi) and a code of laws (xii-xxvi). Introductory matter is pre fixed to this, chiefly an historical review (i-m), and an exhortation (iv, 1-40). The closing chapters (xxvii-xxxiv) consist of miscellaneous matter concerning obedience to the law and the last days of Moses.
Deuteronomy has been one of the pivotal VOL. 9 - 3 points in the diacttssiOns of the pays P century as to the true order of growth of the Old Testament literature and re. ligion. It is now generally recognized among those who apply the principles of historical investigation to the Biblical writings that, in the development of Hebrew law, Deuteronomy stands between the liriefe and simpler codes of Exodus xxxiv and xxiii and the elaborate, priestly law of Levitia cus. With some slight modifications, almost the entire contents of the °Book of the Cov enant° (Ex. xx, 20^.XXiii, 33) is taken up into this new code, which may itself be counted Mosaic in the sense that all the written law of Israel is an organic growth springing in the first instance from the creative work of that great leader. A comparison of the thought and style of Deuteronomy with the historical and prophetic writings similarly suggests its composition between the historical documents of the 9th and 8th centuries and the 8th century prophets (Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Micah) on the one hand and, on the other, the historical writings and the prophets (Jeremiah, Ezekiel) of the end of the 7th and beginning of the 6th centuries. A further comparison of the con, tents of Deuteronomy with the account of the finding of the book of the law and the reforms based upon it in the 18th year of Josiah's reign (2 Kings xxii-xxiii) makes it clear that the law promulgated in 621 B.C. was that of Deu
teronomy and no other. The composition of the main body of the book may thus be assigned to the period between 700 and 621 a.c. The introductory and concluding chapters seem to have been added not long after 621.
The great prophets of the 8th century had called upon the people to reform their entire civic, economic, and religious life in conformity with the newly apprehended requirements of a sole Deity, who demanded justice and mercy rather than religious ceremonies. The prophets had applied these demands to dishonest business dealings, bribery, oppressive monopoly and to established religious customs in a way that united religious conservative and selfish ex ploiter against the much needed reforms. In the reign of Manasseh beginning early in the 7th century there was a great reaction against the reforms undertaken; now anyone who dared to teach publicly the doctrines of the recent prophets met speedy death. It was probably at this time that followers of the prophets secretly compiled the central law code of Deu teronomy and composed the wonderful horta tory address of chapters v-xi, which bases its appeal to obey the law upon the most generous motives of gratitude to God and sympathy for man. The book was probably laid away in one of the Temple chambers until a favorable time for its public reading should be found. Its authors may already have been dead when it came to light in the repairing of the Temple instituted by Manasseh's grandson, Josiah.
The prophets of the previous century had made an antithesis between spiritual religion and worship. Deuteronomy undertook a great synthesis of the two, seeking to purify worship from pagan license and to use it as an expression of love to God and kindness to man. In order to purify, Deuteronomy changed the old law that permitted altars in various places (Ex. xx, 24) and centralized the cultus at Jerusalem.