How can we account for the "Book of the Law" suddenly being discovered during Josiah's renovation of the temple (2 Chronicles 34:14)? We know from Egypt and Mesopotamia that it was common to seal important documents, including theological documents, in the masonry or foundations of a palace or temple in order to inform a future king who might undertake restoration of the building.

What might the psalmist have had in mind when praising God for removing our transgressions "as far as the east is from the west" (Psalms 103:12)? In an Egyptian hymn to Amun-Re, the deity is praised for his judgment of the guilty. As a result of the God's discernment, the guilty are assigned to the east and the righteous to the west.

Written in a clear, non-technical language, this invaluable aid includes a glossary of historical terms, ancient peoples, texts, and inscriptions; maps and charts of important historical resources; expanded explanations of significant background issues; introductory essays on the background of each book. 

This book is on my "buy ASAP" list. I so much enjoy the New Testament volume that I anticipate this will be as helpful for the Old Testament. The two big advantages of this tool is how up to date it is, and that it is in book-chapter-and-verse order, which means it is immediately relevant to the text you are studying. —Steve

Pocket Bible Old Testament Commentary
By Warren Wiersbe / Thomas Nelson / W

Acclaimed Bible teacher Warren Wiersbe takes you through the Old Testament.

• Comprehensive chapter-by-chapter commentary
• Compact
• Easy-to-use
• Convenient, pocket-size format
• Take it anywhere
• User-friendly style
• Simple easy-to-read format

The Literary Structure of the Old Testament: A Commentary on Genesis-Malachi
By David A. Dorsey / Baker

This book is a guide to help us see the literary structure that permeates the Old Testament and clarifies the meaning of each Old Testament book. It opens with a brief historical survey of the various approaches to understanding the structure of the Old Testament and then examines what is meant by the term literary structure the author gives examples of how the structure of a given text illuminates the author's writing, meaning, and purpose. Dorsey then proceeds book-by-book through the entire Old Testament identifying the structure and offering commentary as to how that structure clarifies the meaning of the text. He illuminates the big picture of each book, providing a framework for further study. No pastor, teacher, or student should embark upon the study of an Old Testament text without consulting this indispensable guide.

A study of the literary structure should be one of the fundamental analyses we do when studying the text of Scripture. Unfortunately, however, this aspect has been sorely neglected. Literary analysis does not necessarily imply a liberal theological stance. It just rightly assumes that the human authors were intentional in the way they put each biblical book together. Part of our job as exegetes is to perceive the structure they built into the text and let it serve as a guide toward understanding the internal context. I plan to get this book ASAP. —Steve

The Expositor's Bible Commentary-Abridged Volume 1: Old Testament
By Kenneth Barker / Zondervan Corp.

If your Bible study needs call for more than a brief one-volume commentary but less than a large, expensive set, The Expositor's Bible Commentary - Abridged Edition is just what you need. An abridgment of the critically acclaimed Expositor's Bible Commentary, this Gold Medallion Award-winning resource gives you in two volumes all the essential information and practical insights of the original twelve-volume set while trimming off cumbersome technical details. For scholarliness, usefulness, convenience, and excellence in design, The Expositor's Bible Commentary-Abridged Edition shines. It is one member of your core reference library that you'll reach for often for the depth it brings to your Bible study. Formerly titled Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary.

Unger's Commentary on the Old Testament
By Merrill F. Unger / Amg Publishers

Known for his many reference works, Merrill Unger had a passion for teaching and explaining the Scriptures--and a mastery of the Hebrew text. Here he is at his best, offering extensive outlines and detailed introductions of each book of the Old Testament, and section-by-section commentary that clarifies the meaning of God's Word in simple terms. 2112 pages, hardcover from AMG. [TOP]

New International Commentary on the Old Testament (NICOT), 21 Volumes
By Edited by Robert L. Hubbard, Jr. / Eerdmans Publishing Co.

Pastors and scholars will appreciate the superb balance between technical information and homiletic interpretation in this highly-regarded commentary. Careful translation of the Hebrew text; section-by-section discussions of biblical books; footnotes detailing textual and translation issues; select bibliographies; and thorough introductions covering historical, theological, and structural aspects of the text provide in-depth insights from the latest scholarship.

I own or have used a number of volumes in this series and have found them to be excellent. Discussions of Hebrew words and grammar are confined to the footnotes, where they are out of the way for general readers, yet available to anyone who want to "go deeper." —Steve

Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, 28 Volumes
By Inter-varsity Press

This boxed edition of the TOTC contains the newest release, Joshua. Introductory material in each volume briefly considers background questions, while succinct passage-by-passage commentary explains the text's meaning without entangling you in technical theological or grammatical controversies. Ideal for pastors, Bible students, teachers, and anyone who needs a reliable commentary in plain English. 28 softcovers, from InterVarsity.

These commentaries are also good, though not as in depth as the NICOT series. This provides a good place to start when you want to make an in-depth study of any Old Testament passage. —Steve

The Preacher's Commentary Old Testament 23 Volumes
By Edited by Lloyd J. Ogilvie / Thomas Nelson / W

If you're on the spiritual front lines communicating God's Word---whether teaching or preaching---this outstanding resource is for you! Newly updated, it balances sound scholarship with practical instruction, and offers sermon and teaching outlines, section-by-section expositions, biblical insights, and contemporary illustrations. Contributors include Stuart Briscoe, John Maxwell, Douglas Stuart, and others---all under Lloyd Ogilvie's editorial leadership. 23 softcovers, from Nelson.

Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament, 10 Volumes: Updated Edition with CD/ROM
By C.F. Keil / Hendrickson Publishers

Hendrickson's reprint of the English language version of Keil & Delitzsch's classic commentary on the entire Old Testament, first published in 1866. While the content is unchanged, its format has been updated, and some errors from the original have been corrected.

Formatting and style changes made by Hendrickson:

• Proofreading of all Greek and Hebrew words
• Modernization of abbreviations
• Original Arabic words transliterated into English
• Biblical references changed from Roman numerals into Arabic numerals
• A custom-designed font that is more readable than the original
• Standardized formatting for each volume (the original had different formats in each volume)
• Movement of the commentary on Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther from volume three to volume four (to make each volume a more consistent length)
• Rewriting of long paragraphs into shorter, more readable ones
• Continuous pagination in each volume, with a separate table of contents for each volume

• Theologically moderate/conservative
• Technical (knowledge of Hebrew and Greek necessary)
• Reformed
• Geared to pastors, teachers and students

Overview by volume:

1. Pentateuch
2. Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel
3. 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles
4. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job
5. Psalms
6. Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs
7. Isaiah
8. Jeremiah, Lamentations
9. Ezekiel, Daniel
10. Minor Prophets

K&D provides an excellent, conservative exposition of the entire Old Testament text. There is probably more depth here than you would ever need, yet it also has practical applications. Of course, a lot has happened since 1866, especially in biblical archaeology. You'll have to look elsewhere for the results of excavations done in the last 14 decades! The CD-ROM should make use of this excellent resource so much the better. It's especially helpful when you want to quote an extensive passage in a sermon or paper. —Steve

The Expositor's Bible Commentary: Old Testament Set, 7 Volumes
By Frank E. Gaebelein / Zondervan Corp.

One of the best Old Testament commentaries available today, The Expositor's Bible Commentary is scholarly, clear, and consistently evangelical. The familiar format features introductions, outlines, and exegetical and textual notes on each book, using the NIV text. Contributors include Walter Kaiser; Donald Madvig; Herbert Wolf; F. B. Huey; Gleason Archer, Jr.; William VanGemeren; Ronald Youngblood; Kenneth Barker; Richard Patterson; and others. Suitable for pastors, students, and laypeople. Seven hardcovers, Zondervan.