Review of John Currid's Commentary on Deuteronomy

I have previously found the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy to be a bit tedious and certainly confusing. What is the purpose of all the decrees that fill out the middle half of the book? Why is this book necessary, after the (tedious) decrees of Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers?

John Currid argues, in his commentary, that the book of Deuteronomy follows the ancient Near East pattern of a treaty between a king and his subjects. From this viewpoint, the book fleshes out the contractual details of both the king (YHWH) and His nation (Israel.) 

The middle material (chapters 12-26) then expands on the simple decrees of the Ten Commandments. As we work through the middle chapters, Currid suggests the connections with the various commandments. For example, the Fifth Commandment, on honoring one's parents, leads to decrees related to other leadership structures, whether to priests, prophets or kings. The Sixth Commandment, regarding murder, is consistent with a number of decrees related to manslaughter, accidental death or unsolved murder. A series of decrees on sexual behavior and abuse are naturally connected to the Seventh Commandment, regarding adultery. The Eighth Commandment, regarding theft, leads to a variety of decrees on other ways one might cheat a neighbor, without stealing material objects. Some decrees, regarding taking care of the property of a neighbor represent positive versions of the command to not covet. In a few places some of the decrees in the middle chapters seem be abruptly tangential and the connection to one of the Ten Commandments is not clear. (Currid admits this when it occurs.)

As bookends to the middle sixteen chapters, the first chapters of Deuteronomy form a prelude in which Moses summarizes the history of the Exodus from Egypt. The last chapters provide a conclusion in which Moses gives final guidelines, appoints Joshua as his successor, provides a hymn of praise, and then looks into the Promised Land from Mount Nebo, where he dies.

Currid places the Biblical text within his commentary, so that one need not flip back and forth between a Bible and his remarks. The text provided is translated from the Hebrew by Currid himself and allows him (as in similar translations by Robert Alter) to suggest alternate readings to unclear phrases. I especially appreciate a commentary that provides the text for me, so that I can read it easily, without a second book (or my iPhone) on my knee.

I have one very small pet peeve -- and yes, no one will support me on this ... that's OK... -- but I hate being told what spiritual insight I should get out of a Bible passage. When I work through a Bible passage using a commentary, I want to read the passage, read the commentary and then think about the material on my own. But Currid follows each passage & commentary with an Application section, a section that describes the spiritual blessing he gets from that material. I admit that if there is any place one should be guided to an application, it is in the book of Deuteronomy (!) but, still, I don't like being told what to believe and so I generally skimmed or skipped those sections. Most readers will enjoy them; most readers will appreciate Currid's deep insight and knowledge of Old Testament Hebrew.

This is a seriously good book -- I recommend it to anyone with a (nerdy) desire to carefully read through the ancient Old Testament book of Deuteronomy!