Day 70: National Laws

This definitely sounds like it was written later. Prophecies about the Messiah, talk of a King, none of that fits with the time of Moses. Today I think I’m going to come across some editing done much later.
Settling of controversies
Deuteronomy 17:8-13
The choice of a king
Deuteronomy 17:14-20
Provision for the Levites
Deuteronomy 18:1-8
Abominations to be avoided
Deuteronomy 18:9-14
Christ the great Prophet
Deuteronomy 18:15-22
Landmarks not to be removed
Deuteronomy 19:14
The punishment of the false witnesses
Deuteronomy 19:15-21
Proclamation regarding war
Deuteronomy 20:1-9
Instructions about captured cities
Deuteronomy 20:10-20
Various instructions
Deuteronomy 21:1-14

And sure enough, there is a passage that sounds very like it was added later, at the time when the Kings of Israel were leading people astray. An early warning was planted here, so that people could say Look, God told us so. It isn’t out of character with the rest of what Moses says, except that its anachronistic.
Later, there is mention of the mysterious Prophet. People have seem this as a foretelling of Christ - the Messiah. Certainly there was expectation in late years that a great prophet would arise, as important as Moses. The surrounding text talks about prophets in general, and how to be sure they were speaking the truth from God, but this little verse seems to indicate something different.
Instructions are given about how the Israelites are to conduct themselves in battle. Soldiers that might have their minds elsewhere are allowed to go home, to be married, or dedicate their new house, or just because they are afraid. I don’t need numbers, God is implying, I will give you victory anyway.
Harsh instructions to completely obliterate the Canaanites follow, mingled with more merciful tactics to be employed against enemies beyond their allotted territory, even to the extent of allowing marriage to foreign women (21: 10-14) This is extraordinary, and seems to contradict what is said elsewhere, that marrying foreigners will lead people away from God. I don’t know what to make of this.