Ecclesiastes both absorbing and unforgettable. It stands out in the OT because of its strikingly distinct message. Author Tremper Longman III gives the speaker of the book the name Qohelet, who confronts doubts common in our own time as well as his. Qohelet is compelled by the question, “Where can we finding meaning in the world?” And though his mantra s… Read more…
The New International Commentary: The Book of Proverbs Chapters 15-31 has been carefully crafted for over twenty five years and is expected to set the bar in Proverbs research. Authored by the prominent Old Testament scholar Bruce Waltke, this dual-volume commentary is undoubtedly the most thorough study of Proverbs available.
Waltke’s w… Read more…
The eagerly awaited New International Commentary: The Book of Proverbs Chapters 1-15 has been carefully crafted for over twenty five years and is expected to set the bar in Proverbs research. Authored by the prominent Old Testament scholar Bruce Waltke, this dual-volume commentary is undoubtedly the most thorough study of Proverbs available.
… Read more…
Job is a book of unique renown. For people who undergo any kind of suffering, Job confronts the difficult question of theodicy (as C.S. Lewis puts it, “the problem of pain”). It challenges the blessing/reward theology found in the Pentateuch and the view that God ought not be confronted in times of trial. Job is honest with God about his pain, and is ric… Read more…
In the New International Commentary: The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah, F. Charles Fensham carefully walks readers through the books of Ezra and Nehemiah—two books that are central for a correct understanding of the origins of Judaism, particularly the roots of the Pharisees. This serves as invaluable background to Jesus’ interactions with the Jewish author… Read more…
David and Goliath, the call of Samuel, the witch of Endor, David and Bathsheba—these stories and people are familiar, even to some with no Biblical background. But the books of 1 and 2 Samuel are among the most difficult books in the Bible. The Hebrew text presents serious issues to translators and scholars alike. The social and religious customs depart in… Read more…
Ruth is permeated with God’s providential care for Ruth and her family. The New International Commentary: The Book of Ruth draws from recent scholarship to carefully address the book of Ruth’s literary, grammatical, and theological aspects. Hubbard highlights the literary mastery and distinct theological views within Ruth in order to offer a new date and… Read more…
Whereas the Pentateuch is, largely, an account of Israel’s failures, Joshua is a success story. Here, God’s people finally take possession of the land promised to them. They conquer a great deal of kingdoms and experience the fullness of God’s blessings: “[n]ot one word of all the good promises that the LORD had made to the house of Israel had failed… Read more…
All of Christianity has been deeply influenced by Deuteronomy (the second giving of the law); this book’s scope and force is absolutely breathtaking when considered from the standpoint of theology. Christ quotes Deuteronomy 6:5 in summarizing “all the law and the prophets.” And when Jesus faces Satan in the wilderness, he quotes exclusively from Deuter… Read more…
Numbers is an account with two central figures: God and Israel. Although the account appears strange and even cruel at times, the difficulties presented by Numbers deserve to be honestly faced by today’s Bible readers. The New International Commentary: The Book of Numbers will also hone in on the recurring theme of following God without deviation—a theme… Read more…
The modern church pays significantly less attention to this part of the Pentateuch. To many readers, the subjects of Leviticus—ritual, food, cleanliness, and purification laws—seem inapplicable to today’s church. What does Leviticus have to do with contemporary Christians?
In the New International Commentary: The Book of Leviticus, … Read more…
Read on as the beginnings of God’s chosen people unfold even further. Although the amount of pure content in Genesis can seem overwhelming, the New International Commentary: Genesis Chapters 18-50 seeks to make it more manageable while soundly explaining theology, issues of criticism, and crucial background information. Like the first chapters of Genesis, … Read more…