The Book of Deuteronomy: Chapters 1–11
The Book of Deuteronomy: Chapters 1–11
Semi-technical
Evangelical

The Book of Deuteronomy: Chapters 1–11

in New International Commentary on the Old Testament

by Bill T. Arnold

4.5 Rank Score: 4.64 from 1 reviews, 0 featured collections, and 2 user libraries
Pages 720
Publisher Eerdmans
Published 2022
ISBN-13 9780802821706
“The book of Deuteronomy can rightly be called a compendium of the most important ideas of the Old Testament.” So begins this commentary on the book of Deuteronomy, which Bill Arnold treats as the heart of the Torah and the fulcrum of the Old Testament—crystallizing the themes of the first four books of the Bible and establishing the theological foundation of the books that follow.

After a thorough introduction that explores these and other matters, Arnold provides an original translation of the first eleven chapters of Deuteronomy along with verse-by-verse commentary (with the translation and commentary of the remaining chapters following in a second volume). As with the other entries in the New International Commentary on the Old Testament, Arnold remains rooted in the book’s historical context while focusing on its meaning and use as Christian Scripture today. Ideal for pastors, students, scholars, and interested laypersons, this commentary is an authoritative yet accessible companion to the book of Deuteronomy.

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For each passage, Arnold gives his own fresh translation of the Hebrew text and provides extensive textual critical notes with rationale, which is a special component of this commentary. He even incorporates the apparatus of the currently-in-progress BH into his discussion and thus is very thorough in discussing text-critical issues. After the translation and text-critical sections for each passage, Arnold provides comprehensive discussion of each verse, accompanied by copious footnotes in support of his arguments and providing resources for further study... In addition, those who consult this commentary will find not only solid grammatical and extended exegetical discussions but also discussion of frequently debated issues in Deuteronomic studies. For example, Arnold addresses how to translate and understand the Shema Deut 6:4) with its simple wording but complex syntax, the importance of the creedal passage of Exodus 34:4 6 in conjunction with Deuteronomy (p. 325), or how to deal with the parallel passages in Exodus and Numbers (p. 549).... This book does an excellent job of unpacking the riches of what is arguably the most important theological book of the OT, and I am sure that it will of great service to many a future user seeking grammatical, syntactical, and exe-gerical wisdom from hasebonomy 1-11. However, the wonderful information in this commentary (perhaps because of the limitations of technical exegetical commentaries like those in the NICOT series) is presented in a style devoid of direct personal appeal to the reader to respond in tangible ways; this runs counter to what I think Deuteronomy is intended to do for readers who engage it. The later OT prophets draw heavily upon Deuteronomy to call God's people to actively and lovingly live out their covenant agreement at Sinai, and even Jesus used Deuteronomy in practical ways in defeating the devil's temptations (Matt 4). Those who use this great resource are encouraged to soak in all the information it provides and then deeply reflect on what it looks like in their own setting to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might" (Deut 6:5).