The first part of Deuteronomy 29 again repeats what Moses has been talking about for the past several
chapters: the second covenant. Abravanel probes Moses’ thinking: What was the need for a second
covenant. After all, God already entered into a covenant at Sinai.
“And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them. You have seen all
that God did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh, and
unto his servants, and unto all his land.”
Abravanel advances two rationales, one of which he explains here. Moses had choice words for the
people, specifically with respect to their tepid attitude toward the first covenant. Simply, their hearts
weren’t in it; the prophet scolded them.
Fueling the prophet’s disappointment of the people’s bad attitude was the timing: the nation stood
poised to enter into the land. Seeing that the matter was at hand, the Hebrews, he reasoned, needed a
jolt. A second, new covenant was just the thing to fortify them.
Importantly, the new covenant would facilitate closeness with the Maker. This bond was seen as vital,
for purposes of enlisting God’s aid so fundamental for conquering Israel. Moses, of course, noted the
nation’s stubborn streak and transgression, this despite having eye witnessed miracles and wonders of
the first order: “You have seen all that God did before your eyes in the land of Egypt.” Seemingly, the
older generation hardly gave the momentous events a moment’s thought, let alone reflected upon
them. Yet, the people, collectively, were made of the right stuff.
If so, why didn’t all this potential pan out? To answer these queries and put us on better footing,
Abravanel infuses a branch of philosophy known as epistemology, the study of knowledge. How does
man know things? How does he process reality?
When Moses convened his brethren, he explained what he was driving at. The audience heard that the
knowledge of the miracles the people witnessed came via the sense of sight. “You have seen all that God
did before your eyes” and “The great trials which your eyes saw, the signs and those great wonders.”
The prophet stressed to them what their eyes, an excellent purveyor of knowledge, beheld. Seeing, the
adage goes, is believing. Well, sort of. In Egypt, the Hebrews saw plenty. They eye witnessed what befell
the Egyptians, signs galore: “And it came to pass at midnight, that God smote all the firstborn in the land
of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh…unto the firstborn captive…and all the firstborn cattle.”
In our verse and context, it means that Jews beheld various events unfold. “You have seen all that God
did before your eyes in the land of Egypt…” Big miracles include the take down of Pharaoh. Middle-sized
wonders, if you will, cover what happened to the king’s servants. Finally, “little signs” featured a front
row viewing of the punishment of the land.
Seeing should have been believing. But it didn’t quite work out that way. Moses wanted to avoid giving
the people a way out. He did not condone lame excuses whereby they might decry their knowledge of
the miracles derived from man’s senses as second rate or insufficient.
“But has God not given you a heart to know, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day?” He
demanded to know: Had God created them without brain cells by which to discern? Had He blinded
them from seeing, clogged their ears from hearing? Moses knew his brethren had smarts. The Creator
had given them inquiring minds enough to contemplate or process abstract ideas. This, then, is one
reason behind the second compact; it cemented their commitment to the commandments and it held
the key to liberate Canaan.