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Land Formulas and Ideas of the Land in Deut 10:12-11:32
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Mi-Sook Lee
Lecturer at Presbyterian College and Theological Seminary
Presbyterian College and Theological Seminary, Th.D.
The 'land formulas' such as (the land that Yahweh has given), (the land that Yahweh swore),
/ (the land that you are coming/crossing to possess), and
(a land flowing with milk and honey) are apparently and frequently found in the book of Deuteronomy. The present study argues that the unconditional promise of the land and the conditional one subject to the obedience to the law are not separate departments but an integrate theological principle combined - specifically, as an example, Deut 10: 12 - 11: 32 are examined here. It asks, in terms of commentarial and theological tasks, why a certain land formula is located in a particular text. First of all, it examines Deut 10: 12 - 11: 32 analysing the structure and contents of the text's literary units in order to see how the land formulas articulate the theme of 'land.' Then, it observes intertextuality of the textual units in which the land formulas are employed, in and out of the book of Deuteronomy. And, in the end, the role and significance of the formulas are discussed.
In Deut 10: 12 - 11: 7, Moses' commandments have their authority on the foundation of fundamental understanding of YHWH and His acts. Therefore Israel is well supposed to obey the law, responding to YHWH's salvific and merciful deeds to her. In Deut 11: 8-25 it is repeatedly emphasized that the conditional promises subject to the obedience to the law are under the authority of YHWH and His management(Deut 11: 12, 14, 17, 23, 25). From on Deut 1: 8, where there is a shift to 'promise', the land formulas set to appear. The sequential repetitions of the types of occupation where Israel is the occupier(Deut 11: 8, 11, 12), they are actually employed to signify a point of time and the move of location of what described in the commandments. The land formula that concerns of the descendants(Deut 11: 9, 21) makes it possible to read that the old and new generations are all historical entities who observe YHWH's law and the land is where one may have a theological experience of YHWH, the endower of the land. Deut 11: 31-32, which is a conclusive part of Deut 1-11, cleary indicates that the comman- dants encouraging to obey the law after occupying the land in fact aim to address that the ultimate goal of occupying the land is observing YHWH's commandments and stipulations. Moreover, mentioning YHWH as an endower of the land, it reminds of the authority of YHWH that will be working manifestly in occupying the land (Det 11: 31).
Observing the law is to walk on the way to life by obeying YHWH, and this is an innovative way of living no other nations ever walked on. The occupation of the land, the foundation of this way of living, is not subject to the works or achievements of Israel, but would be realized only when the Israelites spontaneously respond to the salvation and mercy YHWH has shown to them. In conclusion, the unconditional promise of the land and the conditional promise subject to the observation of the law, probably they are not separate ideas developed from the former to the latter, or vice versa, by the need of a certain historical context, but an indigenous integral idea composed from the very beginning.