Chapter 11 brings to a close the section that began with the Ten Commandments in chapter 5 and its exposition of the central principle of the ten words before he gives the exposition of these commandments in chapters 12–26. The fundamental commandment is to “Love the Lord your God” (11:1), with “commandment” appearing in the singular form (cf. Deut. 6:5). They are to keep his “charge” or “requirements,” this word used uniquely here in Deuteronomy.

Even though those in the new generation are not the eyewitnesses of God’s mighty acts in the past or of his “discipline” (the Hebrew term has not just the idea of punishment, but his “chastening instruction”), nevertheless many others did witness the exodus (11:4) and the revolt of Dathan, Abiram, and the sons of Eliab (11:6; cf. Num. 16:1–50).…