Abstract:
The Babylonian Exile was a historical catalyst compelling Jewish authors of the Second
Temple period to deal with their respective situations in the course of history according to –
or against – various predicaments from which they suffered in an unprecedented manner.
Second Temple Jews were faced with the most fundamental uneasiness: it seemed that God
abandoned his people owing to their breaking of the covenant. Therefore, it was important
to reconceptualise their worldview into which creation, history, and covenant could be
incorporated and which could vouchsafe the ongoing relationship with God to their
respective situations.
Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: In this article, the worldview of
Second Temple Judaism is reflected on by observing how different communities in Second
Temple Judaism engaged the Song of Moses in Deuteronomy 31–32. This article focusses on
the interpretations of this passage in Second Temple Judaism, with specific reference to selected
texts from Qumran, Tobit, the Testament of Moses, Philo, Josephus and Sifre Deuteronomy.
Implicated disciplines are Old Testament studies, Apocryphal studies, Dead Sea Scroll studies
and New Testament studies.
