This second volume reinforces our high expectations for this new POTC series. Though it’s not much larger than the biggest TOTC volumes, it has the depth and feel of a more intense series. Fortunately, it looks like we’re going to get more than one volume every few years in this series, which is a plague for some series’ impact.
Though he has written widely, my main encounter with John Currid is his work in the Bible Atlas field. I notice he’s widely acknowledged as an archaeologist as well. Those lines don’t dominate this volume, but they do spice it up quite often. Mark that down as a bonus.
The Introduction begins with a thoughtful discussion of authorship and composition. I love the case he builds against the documentary hypothesis. That’s one of the best articulated cases against it that I have read. He also builds good data from Joshua itself to make his conservative conclusions here. Mark that down as another plus of this volume.
When it comes to dating, he uses his research on the book of Deuteronomy where he feels it is an ANE treaty or covenant that dictates the design that carries over into Joshua. While I do not find that a critical approach, I do struggle to agree with it. I do not think it will throw the book that he gives us off track, but it is his overall opinion. When he digs into structure itself, I find both his review of previous thinking helpful, and his own conclusions satisfying. I might not totally agree with his conclusions about dating the book of Joshua, but he is very discreet in admitting the complications and lays out the options very well.
His section on Joshua in the rest of the Bible was very creative and helpful. He went in the weeds on genre, but every scholar does. If that is of interest to you, he is very thorough. He has a competent section on theology too.
The commentary proper is superb. It’s neither shallow nor esoteric, and it’s pitched perfectly for pastors.
It’s strange how things go in the commentary world. You can go years without a new outstanding commentary on a particular book of the Bible, and then you’ll have times like this year where this is the second spectacular commentary released on Joshua. The volume by David Howard in the CSC is also excellent. Fortunately for us, I think their strengths hit different places completely, and together they might be the best two books a pastor could possibly have on the book of Joshua as a modern exegetical work. This volume is well worth your time.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255
