B. Israel Begins to Possess the Land (2:1-3:22)
Dt 2:1-3:22 develops a success model of Israel. Israel’s obedience to Yahweh is affirmed several times. They are commanded not to touch the lands that Yahweh had given to the descendants of Esau (2:8), Moabites (v.9), and Ammonites (v.19). They carefully obey (vv.8, 37 and implied in the other cases) and do not encroach upon these peoples' lands but pay for food and water (vv.6, 28). The men of the rebellious generation have died by the Lord’s judgment (vv.14-15), and Israel is now open to a new beginning.
A new generation might produce a successful model for the future. This is Yahweh’s hope and appeal (4:1, 4, 14, 20, 38). This time Israel follows the Lord’s commands in every way (2:32-35; 3:6-7). Joshua is assured that the same success can accompany his leadership (3:22). In all of this, it is evident that Yahweh is giving the land; Israel is not taking it by force (2:5, 25, 31, 36; 3:3, 18, 20), a fact they acknowledge.
The writer makes it clear that Israel’s inheritance of the land is not unique. The Lord drove out the previous inhabitants for the descendants of Esau and for the Ammonites just as he had done for the Israelites (2:5, 9, 12, 19, 21; cf. Am 9:7). Israel received its land in order to be the unique ethical-religious people of Yahweh through trusting him and by observing his great Torah. This relationship depends on more than mere possession of land. The land does not uniquely define them so much as do Yahweh’s righteous decrees and laws (4:5-8). A true Israelite was one who had Yahweh’s righteous decrees and laws on his heart, one who had made a willing commitment to love and obey God (cf. Ro 2:25-29). A specter of warning, however, haunts 2:1-3:11. Yahweh, the owner of all the land, repeatedly has caused various peoples to be dispossessed. In turn, he has caused nations to take possession of the land. The land is Yahweh’s. Israel can forfeit the land and be dispossessed.
The total destruction (ḥerem) of the conquered territory and its inhabitants was enjoined upon Israel by Yahweh (2:34; 3:6, where naḥarēm is used). Herem is a technical term used to describe something given over to Yahweh for total destruction, immediately or in the near future. If Israel kept any of the things devoted to destruction before the Lord, they themselves would be set apart for destruction (7:25-26; herem is used).
The taking of the land was not based on any capricious partiality of Yahweh for Israel per se. Only since he had chosen them and as they responded to him were they special. The solidarity of Israel was vitally important; all Israelites were one. Those who had received their inheritance in the Transjordanian region (Reubenites, Gadites, and one-half of the tribe of Manasseh) were to affirm this solidarity by helping other tribes take the land that Yahweh was giving to them (3:18-22). The possibility of an early division in Israel’s unique community would be lessened if this process was followed. The western tribes could not claim that others were disheartening them, since the Transjordanian tribes would help them conquer their territory. Future references of Moses to all of Israel entering the land refers also to the Transjordanian group, for in fact all Israel went over to possess the land.