Word Biblical Commentary Vol. 6b, Deuteronomy 21:10-34:12 (christensen)

In this conclusion to his commentary on Deuteronomy, Dr. Duane Christensen continues his tradition of providing exegesis, history, and theology of the last book of the Pentateuch. The scholar, pastor, and student will find his commentary to be both informative and up to date.

Christensen points out the surprising connections between this book's laws and various stories in other parts of the Old Testament. Drawing on recent scholarship on law and narrative, he shows how each set of legal topics influenced stories about people from Abraham to David and the kings of Israel and Judah.

This new commentary on Deuteronomy 21:10- 34:12 also shows the literary connections between laws, blessings and curses, poetry, and narrative within the book. It argues that the synagogue's traditional cycle of Torah readings reveal the original structure and unity of the Book of Deuteronomy.

Like the first volume, this commentary continues to draw attention to Deuteronomy's intricate metrical and literary structures to show the artistry behind the book's design. Here Dr. Christensen's analysis of its "poetic" form reaches its climax in commentary on the two poems in chapters 32 and 33, the "Song" and "Blessing" of Moses. This volume contains indexes that cover both volumes of the commentary on Deuteronomy. These include a comprehensive index of biblical and other ancient texts, as well as indexes of modern authors cited, principal topics discussed, and key Hebrew words.