Two interesting sources to read along with this reading (here and here):
These above sources directly relate to Deuteronomy 20. Scientists have found what happened to the Canaanites: they werenāt destroyed. At least not completely. DNA evidence shows that ā90 percent of the genetic ancestry of people in Lebanon came from the Canaanitesā (Washington Post article). Thatās cool. I also think itās cool that this came out while Iām reading the Bible. I think I wouldāve paid attention to this story, but it wouldnāt have meant as much to me as it does now if I werenāt doing this Bible study.
Deuteronomy 19: We see a retelling of how to handle people who killed someone else that was originally addressed in Numbers 35. This relates to the idea of cities of refuge. Other areas addressed are property laws and rules for testimony. This just follows the trend from earlier chapters in Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy 20: This chapter addresses rules for warfare. It starts with God making it clear that they shouldnāt be afraid because God is on their side. Then, God gives many of the soldiers an āoutā when it comes to war. They can leave for multiple reasons: if someone built a new home but hasnāt dedicated it yet, if someone planted a new vineyard but hasnāt really used it yet, if someone is engaged, or if someone is afraid or discouraged.
Kinda strange!
Then God emphasizes that they should first seek peace. If that doesnāt work, then destroy the town, kill all the males, and keep everything (including the women) as the spoils of war. Then they are told to kill everything in the cities that currently occupy the lands of their inheritance.
Deuteronomy 21: More rules and regulations are shared. The discussion of foreign wives is a little interesting. You can take a foreign wife, but if it doesnāt work out, you need to send her back to her town. Your oldest son gets ā of everything you own, no matter if heās from the wife you love or the wife you donāt (great example of family values), and rebellious children are to be stoned to death. Um…what??? THATāS JUST NUTS!!!
Acts 27: Paulās perilous journey to Rome. It seems to take a long time. They travel by boat in winter and it doesnāt go very well. Thereās a return of the āweā passages here as well. I still find that to be really interesting.
As I continue to read Acts I find that I just want to read more about Paul and learn more about him. I need to start finding some additional sources to read about him.
You are now dealing with another source contributer to the Hebrew Testament. ..how do you compare these authors with those you have already experienced? What do you think their “voice” is trying to preserve?
It reads more like a narrative than Leviticus and Numbers. It’s an easier read and more interesting, even though there’s a lot of retelling. As for what their “voice” is trying to preserve, perhaps order? The way everything was presented in the earlier books didn’t work, so maybe a new way of presenting the information. Am I on the right track?