The Psalms have been at the center of Christian faith and piety for centuries. Now, one of the foremost interpreters of the Psalms explores how they can still claim that place today. In this commentary, James L. Mays sets forth what the Psalms say about God, creation, humanity, and the life of faith. Mays proceeds with an awareness that the Psalms were origi… Read more…
In this volume, J. Gerald Janzen examines the text of the book of Job as a literary text within the context of the history of the religion of Israel and within the broader context of the universal human condition. He approaches the basic character of the book from a literary perspective which enables him to identify human existence as exemplified in Job and … Read more…
The biblical queen Esther is one of Scripture's most fascinating persons, and the drama of the book bearing her name is clearly captured in this superb commentary. Carol Bechtel expertly explores the historical settings, literary structures, and theological themes that emerge in the book of Esther.
Interpretation: A Bible Commentary fo… Read more…
Studies in the books of Ezra-Nehemiah have tended to become bogged down with such questions as, "Who came first, Ezra or Nehemiah, and were they contemporaries?" "When did Ezra make his journey to Jerusalem, how many trips did he make, and which route did he take?" In this commentary, the author undertakes a theological reading which emphasizes its character… Read more…
Steven Tuell shows how the books of Chronicles present the revelation of God's plan and purposes through the history of Israel, emphasizing the important role that King David plays within that story. Using up-to-date scholarship, Tuell focuses on the theological message of these books-- that the purpose of life is to seek God, that those who find God'… Read more…
Richard Nelson examines the books of Kings and treats the text as theological literature, emphasizing the literary impact of this important part of the Old Testament canon. Nelson recognizes King's as a useful though uncritical source of historical information, its purpose to transform the beliefs of its first readers, to get them to re-evaluate their id… Read more…
With critical scholarship and theological sensitivity, Walter Brueggemann traces the people of God through the books of Samuel as they shift from marginalized tribalism to oppressive monarchy. He carefully opens the literature of the books, sketching a narrative filled with historical realism but also bursting with an awareness that more than human action is… Read more…
The narrative of the book of Ruth is a drama of ordinary human life, but the drama unfolds against a background of the providence and purposes of God. Katharine Doob Sakenfeld has written a commentary that makes very clear why the book of Ruth has such great importance as literature and as Scripture.
Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for … Read more…
This volume studies the biblical book of Judges, which focuses on the period in Israel's history when the nation was ruled by a series of judges. The book describes the progressive deterioration of the nation as a result of the violence and idolatry of the people. Yet the nation also encountered the astounding graciousness of the God who remained faithfu… Read more…
This commentary clearly presents the episodes in the book of Joshua as the people of Israel face the challenges of entering into the land of promise. Both the historical and theological meanings of the book are presented throughout this most helpful commentary.
Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching is a distinctive … Read more…
In this theological exposition of Deuteronomy, Patrick Miller is sensitive to the character of the book as a part of Scripture that self-consciously addresses different generations. He discusses the nature and character of the law as revealed in Deuteronomy, as well as the nature of the moral life under God. The treatment of Deuteronomy in the New Testament,… Read more…
Numbers chronicles a community faced with many competing interests, groups, and issues, endeavoring to define itself and its mission in the world. Dennis Olsen offers readers a comprehensive interpretation of this often overlooked book. He provides a thoroughly contemporary reading of Numbers that enlightens the modern church as it navigates the contemporary… Read more…