Deuteronomy 28:68

into Egypt A startling climax but one very natural to D, which has dwelt so frequently on the evils endured by Israel in the house of bondmen(see on Deuteronomy 6:12, and cp. Deuteronomy 17:16). Even Hosea (Hosea 8:13) had predicted a return to Egypt as a punishment for Israel's sins. Therefore here again there is no datum incompatible with a pre-exilic authorship. Vatke (Einl. 385) sees in this v. proof of a date subsequent to the defeat of Josiah by Egypt at Megiddo.

69. Editorial Note

This v. along with the next definitely divides the addresses which precede and follow it. To which does it belong? Thesemay refer to either.

By some (Knob., Kuen., Westph., Dri., Moore, Robinson) it is taken as the subscription to the preceding discourse and original to D, on the grounds that words of the covenant= terms of the covenant, and is more applicable to the laws, Deuteronomy 28:12-26 (with the attached blessings and curses in 28) than to the general exhortations of Deuteronomy 28:29 f. By others (Ew., Dillm., Addis, Steuern., Berth., Oxf. Hex., Cullen) the v. is taken as the superscription to the following discourse on these grounds, that there are no subscriptions elsewhere in Deut., that the language is not D's, that D does not use covenantof the law-giving in Moab, but that the idea of this as a covenantprevails in 29 (Deuteronomy 28:9; Deuteronomy 28:12; Deuteronomy 28:14).

Neither opinion is wholly right; for probably the v. belonged originally neither to what precedes nor to what follows it. Steuern."s interpretation of words of the covenantas words spoken at the close or settlement of this -the sermon on the conclusion of the covenant" is in itself forced and is contradicted by Deuteronomy 29:9, which says that Israel are to keepand to dothe words of the covenant, vbs. applied elsewhere to the laws given in Moab, the statutes and judgements. Therefore Deuteronomy 29:1 clearly refers to the contents of D's law-book, 12 26. But it cannot be original to this. For it has children of Israel(as has the editorial Deuteronomy 4:44 ff. q.v.) instead of D's all Israel; and its word for besidesis one which appears only in later Heb. writings, save for the doubtful exception of Deuteronomy 4:35 (which possibly is also late). Moreover the following discourse has already a superscription.