SMYTH & HELWYS BIBLE COMMENTARY

DEUTERONOMY

MARK E. BIDDLE

Smyth & Helwys Publishing, Inc.

6316 Peake Road

Macon, Georgia 31210-3960

1-800-747-3016

© 2003 by Smyth & Helwys Publishing

All rights reserved.

ISBN 978-1-57312-815-5

Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy

Publication Staff

President & CEO

Cecil P. Staton

Publisher & Executive Vice President

David Cassady

Vice President, Editorial

Lex Horton

Senior Editor

Mark K. McElroy

Book Editor

P. Keith Gammons

Art Director

Jim Burt

Assistant Editor

Kelley F. Land

Project Editor

R. Scott Nash

Mercer University

Macon, Georgia

Old Testament

General Editor

Samuel E. Balentine

Baptist Theological Seminary

at Richmond, Virginia

Area

Old Testament Editors

Mark E. Biddle

Baptist Theological Seminary

at Richmond, Virginia

Kandy Queen-Sutherland

Stetson University

Deland, Florida

Kenneth G. Hoglund

Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

New Testament

General Editor

R. Alan Culpepper

McAfee School of Theology

Mercer University

Atlanta, Georgia

Area

New Testament Editors

R. Scott Nash

Mercer University

Macon, Georgia

Richard B. Vinson

Baptist Theological Seminary

at Richmond, Virginia

Art Editor

Fred Whitehurst

Georgia State University

Atlanta, Georgia

TO MY GRANDPARENTS

ARTHUR O. AND EDNA MILLER

IN MEMORIAM

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

1 The Introduction to Deuteronomy

Deut 1:1–46

2 Passage through Friendly and Hostile Territories

Deut 2:1–3:11

3 The Distribution of Israel’s Transjordanian Territory

Deut 3:12–22

4 Theophany, Covenant, Idolatry, Exile, and and Monotheism: Paranesis and Tradition

Deut 4:1–40

5 Israel at Mt. Horeb: The Decalogue

Deut 5:1–33

6 The Shema: The Centrality of the First Commandment

Deut 6:1–25

7 Israel’s Neighbors-to-be: The Danger Posed by Foreign Cultures

Deut 7:1–26

8 Desert and Promised Land: The Dangers Posed by Want and Prosperity

Deut 8:1–20

9 Election and Arrogance

Deut 9:1–10:11

10 A Summary Call to Covenant Obedience

Deut 10:12–11:32

11 The Deuteronomic Code: Deuteronomy 12–26

12 Explication of the First Commandment: “You Shall Have No Other Gods”

Deut 12:2–13:18

13 Explication of the Second Commandment: “Do Not Misuse the Name of YHWH, Your God”

Deut 14:1–21

14 Explication of the Third Commandment: “Remember the Sabbath Day”

Deut 14:22–16:17

15 Explication of the Fourth Commandment: “Honor Father and Mother”

Deut 16:18–18:22

16 The Protection of Innocent Life

Deut 19:1–21

17 Limits on Killing in War

Deut 20:1–20

18 Life and Death in Tension

Deut 21:1–23

19 Protect Life

Deut 22:1–8

20 Explication of the Sixth Commandment: “Do Not Commit Adultery”

Deut 22:9–23:18

21 Explication of the Seventh Commandment: “Do Not Steal”

Deut 23:19–24:7

22 Explication of the Eighth Commandment: “Do Not Bear False Witness”

Deut 24:8–25:4

23 Explication of the Ninth Commandment: “Do Not Covet Your Neighbor’s Wife”

Deut 25:5–12

24 Explication of the Tenth Commandment: “Do Not Covet Anything Belonging to Your Neighbor”

Deut 25:13–26:15

25 Conclusion to the ...