Editing Book of Deuteronomy (section)

===Israel===
The themes of Deuteronomy in relation to Israel are election, faithfulness, obedience, and Yahweh's promise of blessings, all expressed through the covenant: "obedience is not primarily a duty imposed by one party on another, but an expression of covenantal relationship."<ref>Block, p.172</ref> Yahweh has elected Israel as his special property (Deuteronomy 7:6 and elsewhere),<ref>McKenzie, p.266</ref> and Moses stresses to the Israelites the need for obedience to God and covenant, and the consequences of unfaithfulness and disobedience.<ref>Bultman, p.135</ref> Yet the first several chapters of Deuteronomy are a long retelling of Israel's past disobedience – but also God's gracious care, leading to a long call to Israel to choose life over death and blessing over curse (chapters 7–11).