The JPS Torah Commentary: Deuteronomy [Hardcover]

Dr. Jeffrey H. Tigay (Author)

Book Description

Series: JPS Torah Commentary | Publication Date: June 1, 2003

The JPS Torah Commentary series guides readers through the words and ideas of the Torah. Each volume is the work of a scholar who stands at the pinnacle of his field. Every page contains the complete traditional Hebrew text, with cantillation notes, the JPS translation of the Holy Scriptures, aliyot breaks, Masoretic notes, and commentary by a distinguished Hebrew Bible scholar, integrating classical and modern sources. Each volume also contains supplementary essays that elaborate upon key words and themes, a glossary of commentators and sources, extensive bibliographic notes, and maps.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English, Hebrew

Product Details

• Hardcover: 548 pages
• Publisher: The Jewish Publication Society; 1st edition (June 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0827603304
• ISBN-13: 978-0827603301
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.3 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #571,066 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Deuteronomy in Depth, November 3, 2002

By 

Mark L Berch (Silver Spring, MD United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The JPS Torah Commentary: Deuteronomy (Hardcover)

So far as I am aware, The JPS Torah Commentary: Deuteronomy (Jeffrey Tigay, JPS, 1996) is the most comprehensive and detailed commentary ever published on Deuteronomy in English. It is close to 600 pages, and provides many levels of material. The primary material is the verse-by verse commentary, and I would estimate close to 90% of the verses have commentary. In many, many cases, numerous individual words or phrases have their own commentary, so sometimes 4 or 5 or 6 separate comments appear on a single verse. These sometimes provide connections to other verses, especially outside Deuteronomy, and regularly give the literal reading of idioms that have been translated non-literally, and provide discussion of difficult words. Other verse comments covers small sections of verse, in effect providing comments on a small block of several verses which form part of a larger section. In addition, there are dozens of introductory pieces for sections of law or other themes. For example in Chapter 15, "Remission of Debts (vv. 1-6)" gives a detailed background, presenting comparison to Mesopotamian and Greek practices, references to the topic in other Books in the Bible, and a discussion of what is not included in the text. These commonly allow the author to view the subject as a whole, explain the purpose and structure of the section, give some historical development into later time periods, provide contrast to other legal codes, explain how this section has been converted into Halakha, and introduce the views of classic commentators, such as Josephus or Maimonides.
Another section of the book is the collection of 33 Excursuses, covering 100 pages. Some are essays on specific things, such as The Shema and Levirite Marriage. Others are more comprehensive, such as "Historical Geography of Deuteronomy", which collects and identifies all the place names, and "The Concept of War in Deuteronomy". Some are extended analysis on a small section, such as "Improper Intervention in a Fight, (25:11-12)".
Next are the footnotes --- close to 100 pages of fine print. Most are on the verse commentaries --- in some cases, more than 100 footnotes on a single chapter's commentary. These provide much more than source citations. There are minority viewpoints, nuances about the translations, punctuation and vocalizations, midrashic treatments, and all manner of side-comments, fine distinctions and exotica.
Nor is this the end of the treasures. There is a comprehensive introductory essay, describing its themes, dating the book, setting forth its role in Jewish tradition and more. There is also a fine glossary and 6 maps.
Even if you never need such depth, it's worth a look just to marvel at how closely Deuteronomy can be examined.

13 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A comprehensive and interesting edition., November 19, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The JPS Torah Commentary: Deuteronomy (Hardcover)

Deuteronomy is one of the more confusing books of the TaNaKH, but the JPS commentary allows both the first time and learned reader to wade their way through the complicated material. The JPS translation is far and away the best translation available and is faithful to the original Hebrew. I highly recommend this edition above any other that I have read.

1 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is an important and informative Bible commentary, June 2, 2010

By 

Israel Drazin (Boca Raton, Florida) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The JPS Torah Commentary: Deuteronomy (Hardcover)

This is the longest of the five books in the JPS Torah Commentary series. The Hebrew name, as usual, is based on the opening word Devarim, but the name used in English, Deuteronomy, is derived from the third century BCE Greek translation of the book, which, in turn, is derived from an ancient Hebrew name Mishneh Torah, which means a repetition of the Torah.

Deuteronomy is of course, as Tigav the commentator of this volume points out, not solely a repetition of what preceeds it in the first four volumes, but it has many repetitions along with new material. The repetitions are Moses' view of what was stated peviously. Thus, for example, while Exodus 20 has the Decalogue, commonly called the Ten Commandments even though there are more than ten commands in the Decalogue, Deuteronomy 5 has a repetition that is in many ways different than the Exodus presentation because it is Moses' view of the original. The word Decalogue means Ten Statements. These statements include 11, 12, or 13 commands depending on how the verses are interpreted.

Tigav offers his readers an extensive and enlightening series of explanations such as these in his commentary of this biblical book.