Structures for Growth: The recollection of this particular event out of all the memories of the wilderness period is a key to one of the book’s main purposes, which was to provide Israel with a social, political, moral, and spiritual charter (cf. McBride, “Polity”). Here, and in greater detail in 16:18–18:22, the people are provided with different levels and structures of leadership. Those leaders are then given their primary responsibilities. Deuteronomy thus outlines a theology and an ethos of leadership in the people of God that has both spiritual dimensions and social applications.

1:8–11 This moving forward was grounded in God’s promise. The covenant with Abraham had three main elements (cf. Gen. 12:1–3) and all of them are woven into vv. 8–11.

People (v. 10). God had promised to make A…