The Second Law

Deuteronomy begins with a narrator (Deuteronomy 1:1-5) who sets the context for the speeches of Moses. After a not too long a speech by Moses describing their Exodus journey, the narrator appears again to give an introduction to the Law about which Moses, earlier on, praised as enshrining the wisdom and righteousness of the Israelites (Deuteronomy 4:6, 8). Starting from Deuteronomy 4:21, the narrator described the setting up of three refuge cities and in Deuteronomy 5, Moses began to comment on the Ten Commandments once more. It is a good exercise to compare these 10 Commandments with those in Exodus 20.

The first difference is geography. In Exodus, the covenant was set up at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:23) whereas in Deuteronomy, it was in Mount Horeb (Deuteronomy 5:2). Were they the one, same Mount but having different names; or were they different? They are the same. The northern kingdom called it Horeb while the southern Sinai. Elijah, a prophet in Israel the northern kingdom, once hid in Mount Horeb and Yahweh appeared to him there (1 Kings 19:1-21). This different convention of naming the same location suggests that the Pentateuch, the Five Books of Moses, were actually a collection of texts from different traditions. At most, Moses was one of the redactors, not the author.

The next difference deals with the Commandment about Sabbath. It is good to compare the two versions side by side.

Exodus 20:8-11

Deuteronomy 5:12-15

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your manservant, or your maidservant, or your cattle, or the sojourner who is within your gates; for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it.

Observe the sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, or your manservant, or your maidservant, or your ox, or your ass, or any of your cattle, or the sojourner who is within your gates, that your manservant and your maidservant may rest as well as you. You shall remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out thence with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the sabbath day.

The crucial difference lies in the reasons to rest. In Exodus, it was because of Creation. In Deuteronomy, it was Redemption. Truly, both are good reasons for celebration but the theologies are totally different. In Deuteronomy, it is about social justice, about the abolition of slavery whereas in Exodus, it is about cultic rituals, about priestly roles of prayers and offering of sacrifices. It seems that there existed/developed two different traditions about Sabbath. Both traditions survive and occupy two different niches.

Minor differences can be found in the Commandment to honour one's parents.

Exodus 20:12	Deuteronomy 5:16
Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which the LORD your God gives you.	Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God commanded you; that your days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with you, in the land which the LORD your God gives you.

The difference is obvious. No wonder the book is called Deuteronomy, the Second Law. Its elaboration shows that it appeared in the later development of the understanding of the Law.

The difference in the last Commandment is more dramatic.

Exodus 20:17	Deuteronomy 5:21
You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant, or his maidservant, or his ox, or his ass, or anything that is your neighbor's	Neither shall you covet your neighbor's wife; and you shall not desire your neighbor's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or anything that is your neighbor's.

Pay attention to the position of wife. Women were not treated as an object belonging to the husband just like any other property. Rather, she had an outstanding status gained from her faith and humility. Therefore, the Catholic Church is justified in separating the wife from the rest of the property to make an independent Commandment.

Dear Lord, I have invited my colleagues to read Deuteronomy in this Lent season. I pray that we may be able to share our reflections and build up the habit of reading the Bible more in the future. Amen.