_third_ epoch begins with the
second arrival of Israel at Kadesh, and this is crowded with great
events--the death of Miriam, the exclusion of Moses and Aaron from the
promised land, with the death of the latter at Mount Hor, the refusal of
Edom to allow a passage through his territory, the wearisome journey of
the people "to compass the land of Edom," with their sins and
sufferings, the conquest of Arad, Sihon, and Og, and thus the arrival of
the people at the plains of Moab opposite Jericho. Chaps. 20-22:1. Then
follows the history of Balaam and his prophecies, the idolatry and
punishment of the people, a second numbering of the people, the
appointment of Joshua as the leader of the people, the conquest of the
Midianites, the division of the region beyond Jordan to the tribes of
Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and a review of the
journeyings of the people. With all this are intermingled various
additional ordinances.

V. DEUTERONOMY.

12. The Jewish name of this book is _Elle haddebharim_, _these are the
words_. The Greek name _Deuteronomion_, whence the Latin _Deuteronomium_
and the English _Deuteronomy_, signifies _second_ law, or _repetition of
the law_, as it is also called by the later Jews. The book consists of
discourses delivered by Moses to Israel in the plains of Moab over
against Jericho, in the eleventh month of the fortieth year of the
exodus. Deut. 1:1, 3. The peculiar character of this book and its
relation to the preceding books have been already considered in the
first part of the present work (Chap. 9, No. 10), to which the reader is
referred. It is generally divided into three parts. The _first_ is
mainly a recapitulation of the past history of Israel under Moses, with
appropriate warnings and exhortations, followed by a notice of the
appointment of three cities of refuge on the east side of Jordan. Chaps.
1-4. The second discourse begins with a restatement of the law given on
Sinai. Exhortations to hearty obedience follow, which are full of
fatherly love and tenderness. Various precepts of the law are then
added, with some modifications and additions, such as the altered
circumstances of the people required. Chaps. 5-26. In the _third_ part
the blessings and the curses of the law are prominently set forth as
motives to obedience. Chaps. 27-30. The remainder of the book is
occupied with Moses' charge to Joshua, his direction for depositing the
law in the sanctuary by the side of