Old Testament Commentary Reviews:

The Minor Prophets

The Old Testament is made up of thirty-nine books that are traditionally divided into five groupings:

• The Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy).
• The Historical books (Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1/2 Samuel, 1/2 Kings, 1/2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther).
• Poetry & Wisdom writings (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs).
• The Major Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel).
• The Minor Prophets (Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi).

Thousands of commentaries have been written about these books, and it’s easy to become confused because these resources are written to various audiences. Choosing the “best” will depend upon the kind of analysis you desire. My recommendations are divided into the three most common categories:

• Devotional/Introductory–the primary focus is application of the Word and growing in Christ. Lots of “how to” questions are answered.
• Pastoral/Intermediate–these commentaries also contain application but are more information oriented. Some go deep into the history or cultural background of the text, while others pay more attention to linguistics. Lots of “what does it mean” questions are answered. Useful for any Christ follower and especially helpful to those who teach.
• Technical/Advanced–primary value is to teachers and advanced students. Some technical commentaries focus on textual criticism (the reliability of the text), while others address linguistics (the text itself). Lots of minutiae. These commentaries contain Hebrew text (sometimes transliterated, sometimes not) and require familiarity with Hebrew to extract their full benefit, but even those with no knowledge of the language will find these commentaries useful.

Single Commentaries on the Twelve

There are three good one-volume commentaries on the Minor Prophets–one devotional/introductory, one pastoral/intermediate, and one technical/advanced. Individual commentaries on the Twelve books provide more complete coverage, but many will find that one-volume on the Minor Prophets meets their needs.

Old Testament Commentary Reviews:

The Major Prophets

The Old Testament is made up of thirty-nine books that are traditionally divided into five groupings:

• The Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy).
• The Historical books (Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1/2 Samuel, 1/2 Kings, 1/2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther).
• Poetry & Wisdom writings (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs).
• The Major Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel).
• The Minor Prophets (Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi).

Thousands of commentaries have been written about these books, and it’s easy to become confused because these resources are written to various audiences. Choosing the “best” will depend upon the kind of analysis you desire. My recommendations are divided into the three most common categories:

• Devotional/Introductory–the primary focus is application of the Word and growing in Christ. Lots of “how to” questions are answered.
• Pastoral/Intermediate–these commentaries also contain application but are more information oriented. Some go deep into the history or cultural background of the text, while others pay more attention to linguistics. Lots of “what does it mean” questions are answered. Useful for any Christ follower and especially helpful to those who teach.
• Technical/Advanced–primary value is to teachers and advanced students. Some technical commentaries focus on textual criticism (the reliability of the text), while others address linguistics (the text itself). Lots of minutiae. These commentaries contain Hebrew text (sometimes transliterated, sometimes not) and require familiarity with Hebrew to extract their full benefit, but even those with no knowledge of the language will find these commentaries useful.

Isaiah

My recommendation for a devotional/introductory commentary on Isaiah is by Barry Webb in the Bible Speaks Today (IVP, 1996). 252 pp. A clear and concise overview that is Christ-centered and filled with helpful insights–an ideal companion when reading Isaiah. Available on the secondary market for three dollars or so.

My recommendation for a pastoral/intermediate commentary on Isaiah is by J. Alec Motyer in The Prophecy of Isaiah: An Introduction and Commentary (IVP, 1993). 544 pp. Motyer spent many years studying Isaiah, and he has written the best single volume commentary on the text. Conservative, concise, and clear–Motyer’s verse-by-verse analysis gets to the heart of Isaiah’s message. Includes a helpful structural analysis and solid theological insights. Hebrew words are transliterated in both the text and the footnotes. If I were limited to one commentary on Isaiah, this would be my choice.