when was deuteronomy written
Deuteronomy doesn’t have a single universally agreed “date.” Instead, there are two major timelines people talk about: a traditional one and a scholarly one.
Short answer
- Traditional religious view: Deuteronomy was written by Moses near the end of Israel’s 40 years in the wilderness, around 1406–1400 BCE, just before his death.
- Mainstream scholarly view: The core of Deuteronomy was written much later, mainly in the 7th century BCE (around the time of kings Hezekiah or Josiah), with edits and additions continuing into the exilic or post‑exilic period (6th–5th centuries BCE).
Traditional timeline (Moses in the Late Bronze Age)
From a conservative Jewish and Christian standpoint, Deuteronomy records Moses’ final speeches on the plains of Moab before Israel entered the Promised Land.
Key points from this view:
- Moses is seen as the main human author, speaking and then writing the law in the last year of his life.
- The setting is tied to the 40th year after the Exodus, which some chronologies place around the mid‑15th century BCE, giving a date near 1406–1400 BCE.
- Internal references to Moses writing down the law are read straightforwardly as historical notes.
In this framework, you’d answer “when was Deuteronomy written?” as: “around the late 15th–early 14th century BCE, shortly before Moses died.”
Scholarly timeline (Deuteronomistic period)
Most modern academic biblical scholars argue that Deuteronomy reached written form centuries after Moses.
Common scholarly claims:
- Mosaic authorship is generally rejected; instead, authors are often called the Deuteronomists , likely priestly/Levitical circles in Judah.
- The central law section (chapters 12–26) is usually dated to the 7th century BCE, in Jerusalem, tied to religious reforms under kings like Hezekiah or Josiah.
- Some scholars see further editing or expansion during the Babylonian exile or shortly after (6th–5th centuries BCE), giving a range from about the 600s–400s BCE for the book’s final form.
In this view, a typical answer is: “its core was written in the 7th century BCE, with later revisions into the exilic or post‑exilic period.”
How different views line up
Here’s a compact comparison:
| Viewpoint | When was Deuteronomy written? | Who wrote/compiled it? |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional Jewish/Christian | Late 15th–early 14th century BCE, near the end of the wilderness wanderings. | [7][1]Moses as the primary author, writing his final speeches. | [1][7]
| Mainstream critical scholarship | Core in 7th century BCE; final form 7th–5th centuries BCE. | [6][9][3][5]Later priestly/Levitical writers often called the Deuteronomists. | [5][6]
Mini “forum-style” take
If this were a forum thread titled “when was Deuteronomy written,” you’d see answers clustering like:
“If you go with the traditional dating, it’s Moses on the plains of Moab, around 1400 BCE, finishing his last speeches before Israel crosses the Jordan.”
“If you follow mainstream scholarship, Deuteronomy is a much later product, rooted in 7th‑century BCE Judah and then edited during and after the exile, so think 600s–400s BCE overall.”
TL;DR
- Religious‑traditional answer: about 1400 BCE , written by Moses before his death.
- Scholarly‑critical answer: mainly 7th century BCE , revised through the 6th–5th centuries BCE by later writers and editors.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.
