The Mekhilta, the tannaitic midrash on Exodus compiled in the 2nd century CE, traces another instance of the Bible's "as He spoke" formula — a device the rabbis use to link later promises back to their original source at Sinai.
The verse under examination is (Deuteronomy 12:20): "When the Lord your God broadens your boundary, as He spoke to you." Moses is addressing the people near the end of his life, telling them that when their territory expands, they will be permitted to eat meat freely — not only sacrificial meat, but ordinary slaughter. The key phrase is "as He spoke." When did God first promise to broaden their borders?
The Mekhilta identifies two source verses. The first is (Exodus 34:24): "For I shall drive out nations from before you and I shall broaden your boundary." This comes from the covenant renewal after the sin of the Golden Calf — God reaffirming His commitment to Israel even after their greatest betrayal. The second is (Exodus 23:31): "And I shall set your boundary from the Red Sea," which describes the full extent of the promised territory from sea to river.
Together, these verses show that the expansion of Israel's borders was not a vague aspiration. It was a specific, repeated covenant promise — made first at Sinai, renewed after the Golden Calf, and restated by Moses on the plains of Moab. Three statements, one unbroken commitment. The Mekhilta's method reveals that Deuteronomy looks backward as often as it looks forward.