Again, Abinadi used the knowledge that was imparted to the priests by the Hebrew Scriptures, a copy of which was in their possession. Abinadi quoted passages to them from the Book of Moses which has now been divided into five parts. (See p. 205, v. 23, also p. 450, Vol.. I, COMMENTARY ON THE BOOK OF MORMON) These five parts, or books, are known as the Pentateuch. Deuteronomy is the last book of the Pentateuch, or the fifth of the Bible. With what is now called Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers, it was included on the brass plates of Laban. It means"the repetition of," or "the second time the Law is given.
"Principally, Deuteronomy contains three sermons preached by Moses to all Israel at the end of their long sojourn in the wilderness. Israel was then encamped on the Plains of Moab, eastwardly of the Dead Sea. This was at the time just prior to their crossing of the Jordan River and the subsequent march of the armies of Israel, under Joshua, into the Promised Land.
In his sermons, Moses told Israel of God's love for those who served Him diligently, and reminded them of God's watchful care over them during their forty year exodus. He reviewed the experience of their wanderings and renewed to them the commandments and ordinances God had given them at Mount Sinai.
During their years of bondage, many of the Children of Israel had forgotten the "God of their fathers" and had adopted the customs and habits of the Egyptians. They toiled, as did their taskmasters, on the day the Lord had set apart as their day of rest and one on which to think of Him. They took great oaths, as did also the Egyptians, and they made for themselves gods of wood and gods of stone and of precious metals. To these they bowed down and worshiped. Moses then gave them, what the Master called, "The first and great commandment." (Matt. 22:38)Moses said, "Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children... "(Deut. 6:4-7) (See p. 483, Vol.. I, Verse 2, COMMENTARY ON THE BOOK OF MORMON.)
A short time previous to giving the "first and great command," "Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes, and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them." (Deut. 5:1)
"Hear O Israel; hear and heed, hear and remember, hear, that you may learn, and keep, and do; else your learning is to no purpose. When we hear the word of God we must set ourselves to learn it, that we may have it ready to use on all occasions, and what we have learned we must put in practice, for that is the end of hearing and learning; not to fill our heads with notions, or our mouths with talk, but to rectify and direct our affections and conversations." (Matthew Henry)
In the words of an inspired prayer, Moroni said, "... and witness unto thee, O God the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him, and keep his commandments which he hath given them, that they may always have his Spirit to be with them." Moro. 4:3)
This is the prayer of all the Saints who have dwelt in this land. (See Morm. 9:36-37)
"Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: That thou mightest fear the Lord your God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life;...Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it...." (Deut. 6:1-3)