ABSTRACT
The writing of the book of Deuteronomy was part of the process: Deuteronomy, as 'book', is part of the heritage of the Book of Two Houses –not the other way round. Deuteronomy is intimately connected to Joshua and Kings; but to call these books Deuteronomistic may be to misread the direction of influence. Once Deuteronomy itself was substantially complete, it may have provided inspiration and wording for some supplements to the narrative books, but not the impetus for their composition. It is widely supposed that two or three, main sources were available to the Deuteronomistic author or authors who wrote the Books of Kings. The royal chronicles were first combined, by integrating the Israel records into those of Judah, and achieving a joint chronology; the prophetic stories were added, and then the whole was interpreted by the Deuteronomists–sometimes by brief, formulaic annotations, sometimes in longer fresh compositions. 'Theology' is no less contested a term than 'history'.
