Possessing the Inheritance – a Concise Commentary on the Book of Joshua – Malcolm C. Davis

What exactly is a ‘concise commentary’? This seems to be a key question in reviewing this book. Clearly, one should not expect a detailed verse-by-verse, or even section-by-section, exposition of the book. The author rightly avoids the detailed and technical. Similarly, an overview of the book, with an emphasis upon analysis and outline, would not be expected. What, then, does the book provide?

Davis’ concise commentary seeks to provide a summary of the narrative, coupled with practical application. It opens up lines of study, without developing any of them in detail, and it provides helpful insights into aspects of the text, particularly geographical, that will enable the reader to appreciate what is happening in, or meant by, the narrative.

Overall, this is a helpful book that will provide the student with enough to understand the development of the scripture text and appreciate some of the points of significance in practical terms. It is also hoped that in reading it there will be a desire to find out more, thus encouraging a more detailed study of Joshua.