© Charles Chandler

 

He refered to events covered in other books in a synoptic tone, suggesting that this was written after the fact, perhaps long after. It certainly shows evidence of later redactions. But it explicitly states that Moses delivered it to the people while in Moab, just before he passed away. He recounts the story of leaving Egypt, for the benefit of the Habirus who weren't on the 1312-Exodus, while he reminds those who were of the plagues of Egypt, which could befall them again if they don't follow Mosaic Law. And the content is precisely what would have come from Moses — it lays out how the people should live & worship. This is also consistent with the Deuteronomist History being from the perspective of the Habirus on the East Bank, starting with Joshua (who actually came earlier).

 

Oddly, it implores the Hebrews to slaughter everybody that they fight, and not to blend in with any indigenous culture — this would have hardened the hearts of the Canaanites, making conquest considerably more difficult. Perhaps that was the intent, for the Hebrews to stay marginalized on the East Bank, or to get themselves annihilated attempting to conquer Canaan. This wouldn't have been Moses' agenda, but rather, the pharaoh's.

 

It also says to treat the Edomites as friends¹ — this was before the Covenant was rewritten in Jacob's name (in 1302 bce), so Esau was still the senior official in Canaan, who was to be respected.

 

It's noteworthy that Moses issued his blessings/curses to the tribes of Israel (i.e., Jacob's sons), including Levi, who elsewhere in the Torah was Moses' grandfather — clearly Moses & Jacob were contemporaries. Moses' own priesthood is called the Levites, which would have been the name assigned later — at the time, they were the Atenist priests, and the descendants of Aaron.