CHAPTER VIII.

DEUTERONOMY,-DISCREPANCIES WITH PREVIOUS NARRATIVE

AND LAWS.

(BISHOP COLENSO, PART III., CHAP. IV.-XIII. (IN PART).)

WE come now to the subject-matter of Deuteronomy, and have to examine into its agreement or disagreement with that of the earlier books. It is alleged by Bishop Colenso, that there are 'numerous contradictions' between the two records, such as would naturally be expected to arise. . . when a later writer was adding freely from his own mind, and from his own point of view, to writings of an older time, and was not careful to preserve strictly the unity of the different parts of the story'. These discrepancies are said to exist, in respect to both narrative and laws, under which two heads we shall now proceed to consider them.

SECTION I.

DISCREPANCIES IN NARRATIVE.

Several of the most striking incidents in the sojourn in the wilderness are referred to by Moses in his parting addresses, especially in those recorded in the first ten chapters. Before comparing these, however, with the narratives of Exodus and Numbers, it will be well first of all to ascertain in what way they are referred to, that we may rightly estimate the value to be placed upon agreement or disagreement. The first portion of the Deuteronomistic narrative, chap. i.-iii., consists of a con

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secutive and well-ordered account of their journeyings, from the time of their leaving Horeb to the time then present, a continuation in fact of Moses' own history in Ex.iii.-xl., taking up the thread of the narrative precisely where he had left it. This is the only portion of Deuteronomy which can be properly called a narrative. There are, indeed, numerous allusions to their past history, and especially to the giving of the law, in the addresses immediately following; but they are scattered and disconnected, and were evidently not intended as formal history, but merely as illustrative references, or isolated facts on which pointed exhortations might be founded. An analysis of chap. iv.-x., will be the best way of shewing what

we mean.

iv.1-2 introductory exhortation to observance of the commands in their integrity; v.3-4 the plague because of Baal Peor; v.5-9 the peculiar privileges of Israel; v.10-5 the assembly of the people at Horeb and delivery of the ten commandments; v.16-9 warnings against idolatry; v.20 Israel a chosen people from the land of Egypt; v.21-2 the exclusion of Moses from the promised land; v.23-31 further warnings against idolatry, the punishments with which it should be visited, and the efficacy of repentance; v.32-8 Israel's peculiar privileges, with special reference to the giving of the law, the deliverance from Egypt, and the conquest of Canaan; v.39-40 concluding exhortations on the benefits of obedience. [v.41-9 non-mosaic.]

v.1, introductory exhortation; v.2-31 account of the giving of the law, with a repetition of the ten commandments, and the people's request to Moses to be their mediator; v.32-3 exhortation to abide by these commandents; vi., summary of the law, with exhortations to teach their children, not to be seduced by the good things of Canaan, nor follow other gods, with an allusion to their trying God at Massah (v.16); vii.-viii.1 directions as to their conduct in the land of Canaan, and the consequences which should result from it, with numerous references to Egypt and the Exodus; viii.2-5 God's fatherly care over them forty years in the wilderness; v.6-20 further exhortations concerning Canaan, with another allusion to their sojourn in the desert (v.15-6); ix.1-6 the land given them by God, but not for their righteousness; v.7 general statement of their rebellion in the wilderness; v.8-21 their rebellion in the matter of the golden calf; v.22 their rebellion at Taberah, Massah, and Kibroth-Hattaavah, v.23 their rebellion at Kadesh-Barnea; v.24 another general statement of their rebellion; v.25-9 resumed account of the golden calf and Moses' intercession on behalf of the people; x.1-5 the making of two new tables of stone;

[v.6-8 non-mosaic]; v.9 the separation of the tribe of Levi; v.10-1 conclusion of Moses' intercession and its results; v.12-22 general exhortations.

It is plain, that Moses, in referring to these incidents in their past history, had no intention of forming them into a regular narrative. It needs not to compare his allusions with any other history to perceive the utter disregard of chronology which characterizes them, his own orderly narrative of the events of the last 39 years, immediately preceding, is quite sufficient to convict him on this point. To suppose that he really meant to place the rebellions at Massah, or Kibroth-Hattaavah, or KadeshBarnea, in the midst of the history of the golden calf is absurd. Yet is this as clearly implied (if order of mention be regarded as indicative of order of occurrence), as the making of the ark before his second ascent into the mount, on which Bishop Colenso lays such stress. To treat these incidental references, then, as formal history is contrary to all just principles of reasoning, since it is clear that the author of Deuteronomy never intended them to be regarded in that light. So far as the facts alluded to are concerned the comparison may fairly be made, but divergences from the true order of events cannot be regarded as any proof of nonveracity, or lack of acquaintance with the true state of the case. Thus much premised, we proceed to the detailed discussion of the discrepancies alleged.

1. In the account of the events immediately subsequent to the giving of the law,-the sin of the golden calf &c.,-there are several important variations between the narratives of Deuteronomy and Exodus. Thus (a) there is no mention in Exodus of Moses fasting during the first forty days, Deut.ix.9; (b) there is no mention in Deuteronomy of Moses' first intercession on behalf of the people, Ex.xxxii.11-3; (c) Exodus says that Moses fasted during the second forty days, xxxiv.28, Deuteronomy that he fell down as at the first', ix.18,25; (d) Exodus represents the command to hew two fresh tables of stone as given before the second forty days, xxxiv. 1,28,Deuteronomy after it, x.1; (e) there is no mention in Exodus of Jehovah's anger against Aaron, and Moses' intercession for him, Deut.ix.20; (f) Exodus places the making of the ark after the final descent from

the Mount, xxxiv.29,xxxv. 10-12,xxxvii. 1-5, Deuteronomy before the carrying up of the two tables, x.1,3,5.

Three out of these six alleged variations (a) (b) (e) are merely cases of omission, on the part of one narrative, of points mentioned in the other, which merely serve to show their independence, and so confirm the general truthfulness of both. One of them, moreover, is after all only a partial omission, since there can be little doubt but that the expression I threw myself before Jehovah as at the first, forty days and nights (I did neither eat bread nor drink water) because of all your sins', &c., refers to the previous intercession.* The words of intercession recorded in ix.26-9 are also clearly a summary of what Moses had said on both occasions (comp.Ex.xxxiii.11-3,xxxiv.9). One of the other objections (c) is founded on a partial quotation, it being clearly set forth in Exodus, as well as in Deuteronomy, that Moses did intercede for the people during his second stay in the Mount (Ex.xxxiv.9). The remaining two are questions of order, and as such have been already disposed of by the general remarks above. Similar variations will be found in the very parallel case of the history of St. Paul's conversion, as recorded by Luke (probably under his direction) in Acts,ix.1-20, and as recounted by himself on two different occasions (Acts,xxii.1-16 and xxvi.1-20). In the case now before us they furnish a very strong presumption that the author of Deuteronomy was

*The punctuation here followed is that of De Wette, which seems to bring out the sense most clearly. E. V. and Benisch read before Jehovah as at the first, forty days and forty nights; I did neither eat bread &c.' The other passage cited by Bishop Colenso as containing this phrase at the first' (on which he appears to wish to lay some stress, though for what purpose it is difficult to see) does not contain it at all. Literally translated, it runs as follows, And I threw myself before Jehovah the forty days and the forty nights which I had thrown myself' (ix.25), i.e. the same forty days and nights of which I spoke just now as having thrown myself' (comp.v.18). And so De Wette and Benisch. The words 'at the first' are inserted in E. V. in italics; Bishop Colenso quotes them as part of the text.

speaking of these events, not from book knowledge (in which case he would surely have endeavoured to be as consistent with older authorities as possible), but from personal acquaintance. How it came about that Jeremiah should have 'allowed himself such important variations from the older narratives', Bishop Colenso does not tell us.

2. The account of the appointment of officers in Deut.i.6-18 involves several inconsistencies with the earlier history. Thus (a) Ex.xviii.25-6 places it before the giving of the law, here it is placed just before their departure from Horeb, or nearly twelve months later; (b) both accounts differ from Nu.xi.14-7, which speaks of the appointment of helps to Moses as occurring after they had left Horeb; (c) in Ex.xviii.25 it is said that Moses chose them, in Deut.i.13 that they were merely brought to him to confirm their appointment; (d) in Ex.xviii.21, they are said to be such as feared God, men of truth, hating covetousness', in Nu.xi.17,29 those on whom Jehovah put His Spirit', in Deut.i.13,15 wise men and known'.

This difficulty has been in great part already considered and removed. When discussing the origin of Ex.xviii. we saw strong internal reasons (apart from the evidence of Deuteronomy) for regarding it as out of chronological position, and the events it narrates as having taken place towards the end of the sojourn at Horeb, not at the beginning (see p.132-3). What authority Bishop Colenso has for supposing the account of the seventy elders who prophesied (Nu.xi.), to refer to the same event as the appointment of 'officers over thousands (some 600), and officers over hundreds (some 6,000), and officers over fifties (some 12,000), and officers over tens (some 60,000)', we are at a loss to imagine. Nor yet how this multitude of officers, who were appointed for the maintenance of law and order among the people, could in any way alleviate Moses' responsibility as leader of the people, of which he complained in Nu.xi.11-5.* The other

* The mention of bailiffs' in Nu.xi.16 shews clearly that their appointment was prior to the encampment at Kibroth-Hattaavah, the first great resting-place after leaving Horeb.