College Press NIV Commentary: Deuteronomy
Overview
Deuteronomy has been a controversial book for at least the last 120 years. At that time what is known as the critical school developed which insisted that the book could neither have been written at the time of the exodus and wandering nor could it have been written by Moses. Hall has cogently and thoroughly defended the conservative position which holds to the traditional view which the book claims for itself. By carefully delineating the structure of the book both holistically and in many disputed passages, he demonstrates that Deuteronomy was originally a single piece of legal history, not a hodgepodge of writings from various times in Israel's history put together by a series of editors in the years after the exile.
Top Highlights
“As God’s people we are expected to reflect God’s character in our lives just as Israel was expected to do” (Page 131)
“The law was to be repeated wherever they went and wherever they were, which is the force of the double merism19 (when you sit … when you walk; when you lie down … when you get up). In the parallel passage in 11:19 the verb ‘to teach’ replaces ‘impress/repeat’ confirming the nuance here (see on 4:1 and references there). The covenant community had an obligation to pass on the covenant requirements to the next generation. Failure to do so jeopardized the people of God, and God’s witness in the world faced extinction.” (Page 139)
“The tithe was intended to benefit others also. Every third year it was to be deposited in storage in the home village and used to feed the poor and the Levite (cf. 26:12–14). This reflects again the fact that God’s concern for the poor and oppressed was to be reflected in the life of his covenant people (cf. 10:18–19). The result of this generosity would be more blessings (v. 29c), which in Deuteronomy meant more goods to share with God and the poor.” (Page 246)
“They are seven in number, probably a whole number intended to reflect completeness, that is, these seven represent all the people in Canaan who will be driven out.” (Page 150)
“Since covenant preceded law, it was important that Moses begin with a statement about the covenant before getting to law” (Pages 112–113)
