In the final movement of Deuteronomy, there’s a pretty lengthy list of curses that will fall upon Israel if they break their covenant with Yahweh. But what exactly is a curse? Why are there so many of them, and what do they have to do with Israel’s covenant with Yahweh? In this episode, Tim and Jon talk about blessings and curses, ancient Near Eastern law code, and the choice all humans have between death or life.

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Timestamps 

• Part one (00:00-18:28)
• Part two (18:28-40:25)
• Part three (40:25-58:02)

Referenced Resources

• The Context of Scripture: Canonical Compositions, Monumental Inscriptions, and Archival Documents from the Biblical World, William W. Hallo
• Interested in more? Check out Tim’s library here.
• You can experience the literary themes and movements we’re tracing on the podcast in the BibleProject app, available for Android and iOS.

Show Music 

• “Defender (Instrumental)” by TENTS
• “In Minutes” by Shrimpnose
• “I Won’t Wait for You (feat. Philanthrope)” by Psalm Trees and Guillaume Muschalle

Show produced by Cooper Peltz with Associate Producer Lindsey Ponder. Edited by Dan Gummel, Tyler Bailey, and Frank Garza. Podcast annotations for the BibleProject app by Hannah Woo.

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