If you like biblical commentaries, you should enjoy this article. But still, this is a risky piece to pen. First, there are SO many good commentaries out there. I have many of them, but certainly not all. Second, there is a degree of subjectivity at work here. The commentaries that I find to be quite helpful may not be the ones that others do. Third, what do I mean by ‘good’? The ones that I list here are mainly contained within the following categories:
-They are mostly conservative and evangelical commentaries.
-They are mostly penned by Protestants.
-They are mostly more or less critical and academic type commentaries. They are mostly rather lengthy and detailed commentaries. However, some shorter commentaries and some good expository commentaries are found in this list.
-They are mostly somewhat newer commentaries, penned over the past 80 years or so. Those wanting commentaries from, say, the early church fathers, or the Reformers, or the Puritans, and so on, will not find them here, sorry.
I realise those categories may not be to everyone’s liking. Nonetheless, I do have a few reasons for penning such a piece. I do have a fair number of commentaries – well over 900 of them in fact. And they are some of the best commentaries now available that fit my above parameters.
In this article, for each of the 39 OT books I offer between five to seven commentaries. For those wanting longer lists of commentaries (including expository commentaries and some devotional titles), I urge you to go here where I cover the various biblical books, and have many more commentaries listed: https://billmuehlenberg.com/category/theology/bible-study-tools/
Here then are some of the more solid, scholarly and important commentaries available on each of the 39 OT books:
GENESIS
Goldingay, J – Genesis (BCOTP)
Hamilton, V – Genesis, 2 vols. (NICOT)
Matthews, K – Genesis, 2 vols. (NAC)
Steinmann, A – Genesis (TOTC)
Walton, J – Genesis (NIVAC)
Wenham, G – Genesis, 2 vols. (WBC)
EXODUS
Alexander, T – Exodus (AOTC)
Childs, B – The Book of Exodus (OTL)
Durham, J – Exodus (WBC)
Enns, P Exodus – (NIVAC)
Stuart, D – Exodus (NAC)
LEVITICUS
Harrison, R – Leviticus (TOTC)
Hartley, J – Leviticus (WBC)
Rooker, M – Leviticus (NAC)
Sklar, J – Leviticus (ZECOT)
Wenham, G – Leviticus (NICOT)
NUMBERS
Altmann, P/C Peres – Numbers (TOTC)
Ashley, T – The Book of Numbers (NICOT)
Awabdy, M – Numbers (BCOTP)
Cole, R – Numbers (NAC)
Wenham, G – Castro, T Deuteronomy (REC)Numbers (TOTC)
DEUTERONOMY
Arnold, B – The Book of Deuteronomy, Ch 1-11 (NICOT)
Castro, T – Deuteronomy (REC)
Christensen, D – Deuteronomy, 2 vols. (WBC)
Craigie, P – Book of Deuteronomy (NICOT)
McConville, J – Deuteronomy (AOTC)
Wright, C – Deuteronomy (NIBC)
JOSHUA
Hess, R – Joshua (TOTC)
Howard, D – Joshua (NAC)
Goldingay, J – Joshua (BCOTHB)
Pitkanen, P – Joshua (AOTC)
Woudstra, M – Book of Joshua (NICOT)
JUDGES
Block, D – Judges and Ruth (NAC)
Moda, M/M Conway – Judges (ZECOT)
Butler, T – Judges (WBC)
Cundall/Morris – Judges & Ruth (TOTC)
Webb, B – The Book of Judges (NICOT)
Younger, K – Judges, Ruth (NIVAC)
RUTH
Atkinson, D – The Message of Ruth (BST)
Block, D – Ruth (ZECOT)
Bush, F – Ruth/Esther (WBC)
Hawk, L – Ruth (AOTC)
Hubbard, R – The Book of Ruth (NICOT)
1 & 2 SAMUEL
Anderson, A – 2 Samuel (WBC)
Arnold, B – 1, 2 Samuel (NIVAC)
Firth, D – 1, 2 Samuel (AOTC)
Klein, R – 1 Samuel (WBC)
Youngblood, R – 1, 2 Samuel (EBC)
1 & 2 KINGS
Hobbs, T – 2 Kings (WBC)
House, P – 1, 2 Kings (NAC)
Provan, I – 1, 2 Kings (NIBC)
Wiseman, D – 1, 2 Kings (TOTC)
Woodhouse, J – 1, 2 Kings, 2 vols. (PTW)
1 & 2 CHRONICLES
Braun, R – 1 Chronicles (WBC) 45
Dillard, R – 2 Chronicles (WBC)
Hill, A – 1, 2 Chronicles (NIVAC)
Kaminski, C – 1-2 Chronicles (SGBC)
Wilcock, M – The Message of Chronicles (BST)
EZRA
Harrington, H – The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah (NICOT)
Fyall, R – The Message of Ezra & Haggai (BST)
Kidner, D – Ezra & Nehemiah (TOTC)
Petter, D/T Petter – Ezra-Nehemiah (NIVAC)
Thomas, D – Ezra & Nehemiah (REC)
Williamson, H – Ezra, Nehemiah (WBC)
NEHEMIAH
Harrington, H – The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah (NICOT)
Kidner. D – Ezra & Nehemiah (TOTC)
Petter, D/T Petter – Ezra-Nehemiah (NIVAC)
Thomas, D – Ezra & Nehemiah (REC)
Williamson, H – Ezra, Nehemiah (WBC)
ESTHER
Baldwin, J – Esther (TOTC)
Bush, F – Ruth/Esther (WBC)
Firth, D – The Message of Esther (BST)
Jobes, K – Esther (NIVAC)
Taylor, M – Ruth, Esther (SGBC)
JOB
Anderson, F – Job (TOTC)
Atkinson, D – The Message of Job (BST)
Longman, T – Job (BCOTWP)
Clines, D – Job, 3 vols. (WBC)
Hartley, J – The Book of Job (NICOT)
PSALMS
Allen, L – Psalms 101-150 (WBC)
Craigie, P – Psalms 1-50 (WBC)
Goldingay, J – Psalms, 3 vols. (BCOTWP)
Jacobson, et al – The Book of Psalms (NICOT)
Tate, M – Psalms 51-100 (WBC)
Tucker/W/J Grant – Psalms vol 2 (NIVAC)
Wilson, G – Psalms vol 1 (NIVAC)
PROVERBS
Hubbard, D – Proverbs (MTOT)
Longman, T – Proverbs (BCOTWP)
Murphy, R – Proverbs (WBC)
Ross, A – Proverbs (EBC)
Waltke, B – Proverbs, 2 vols. (NICOT)
Wilson, L – Proverbs (TOTC)
Proverbs (Baker Commentary on the Old Testament)by Tremper Longman III (Author), Longman, Tremper III (Series Editor)
ECCLESIASTES
Bartholomew, C – Ecclesiastes (BCOTWP)
Hubbard, D – Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon (MTOT)
Kidner, D – Message of Ecclesiastes (BST)
Longman, T – Ecclesiastes (NICOT)
Provan, I – Ecclesiastes/Song of Songs (NIVAC)
SONG OF SONGS
Fredericks, D/D Estes – Ecclesiastes/Song of Songs (AOTC)
Gledhill, T – The Message of the Song of Songs (BST)
Hess, R – Song of Songs (BCOTWP)
Hubbard, D – Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon (MTOT)
Longman, T – Song of Solomon (NICOT)
ISAIAH
McConville, J – Isaiah (BCOTPB)
Motyer, A – The Prophecy of Isaiah
Oswalt, J – Book of Isaiah, 2 vols. (NICOT)
Smith, G – Isaiah, 2 vols. (NAC)
Watts, J – Isaiah, 2 vols. (WBC)
Wegner, P – Isaiah (TOTC)
JEREMIAH
Craigie/Kelley/Drinkard – Jeremiah 1-25 (WBC)
Goldingay, J – The Book of Jeremiah (NICOT)
Kaiser, W – Walking the Ancient Paths: A Commentary on Jeremiah
Keown/Scalise/Smothers – Jeremiah 26-52 (WBC)
Thompson, J – The Book of Jeremiah (NICOT)
Wright, C – The Message of Jeremiah (BST)
LAMENTATIONS
Dobbs-Allsopp, F – Lamentations (Int)
Goldingay, J – The Book of Lamentations (NICOT)
Harrison, R – Jeremiah & Lamentations (TOTC)
Parry, R – Lamentations (THOTC)
Provan, I – Lamentations (NCBC)
EZEKIEL
Block, D – The Book of Ezekiel, 2 vols. (NICOT)
Cooper, L – Ezekiel (NAC)
Duguid, I – Ezekiel (NIVAC)
Jenson, R – Ezekiel (BTCB)
Stuart, D – Ezekiel (MTOT)
Wright, C – The Message of Ezekiel (BST)
DANIEL
Longman, T – Daniel (NIVAC)
Goldingay, J – Daniel (WBC)
Lucas, E – Daniel (AOTC)
Tanner, J – Daniel (EEC)
Sprinkle, J – Daniel (EBTC)
HOSEA
Dearman, J – The Book of Hosea (NICOT)
Hubbard, D – Hosea (TOTC)
Hwang, J – Hosea (ZECOT)
Kidner, D – The Message of Hosea (BST)
Mays, J – Hosea (OTL)
Moon, J – Hosea (AOTC)
Routledge, R – Hosea (TOTC)
JOEL
Allen, L – Joel, Obadiah, Jonah & Micah (NICOT)
Barker, J – Joel (ZECOT)
Hubbard, D – Joel & Amos (TOTC)
Nogalski, J – The Books of Joel, Obadiah, and Jonah (NICOT)
Stuart, D – Hosea – Jonah (WBC)
AMOS
Carroll, M – The Book of Amos (NICOT)
Hadjiev, T – Joel & Amos (TOTC)
Hubbard, D – Joel & Amos (TOTC)
McComiskey, T – Amos (EBC)
Mays, J – Amos (OTL)
Stuart, D – Hosea – Jonah (WBC)
OBADIAH
Allen, L – Joel, Obadiah, Jonah & Micah (NIC)
Baker/Alexander/Waltke – Obadiah, Jonah, Micah (TOTC)
Block, D – Obadiah (ZECOT)
Nogalski, J – The Books of Joel, Obadiah, and Jonah (NICOT)
Stuart, D – Hosea – Jonah (WBC)
JONAH
Baker/Alexander/Waltke – Obadiah, Jonah, Micah (TOTC)
Nixon, R – The Message of Jonah (BST)
Nogalski, J – The Books of Joel, Obadiah, and Jonah (NICOT)
Stuart, D – Hosea – Jonah (WBC)
Timmer, D – Obadiah, Jonah and Micah (TOTC)
Youngblood, K – Jonah (ZECOT)
MICAH
Allen, L – Joel, Obadiah, Jonah & Micah (NICOT)
Brown, R – The Message of Joel, Micah, Habakkuk (BST)
Dempster, S – Micah (THOTC)
McComiskey, T – Micah (EBC)
Nogalski, J – The Book of Micah (NICOT)
Waltke, B – A Commentary on Micah
NAHUM
Baker, D – Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah (TOTC)
Kaiser, W – Micah – Malachi (MTOT)
Renz, T – The Books of Nahum, Habakkuk and Zeph (NICOT)
Snyman, S – Nahum, Habakkuk and Zephaniah (TOTC)
Timmer, D – Nahum (ZECOT)
HABAKKUK
Armerding, C – Nahum, Habakkuk (EBC)
Baker, D – Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah (TOTC)
Renz, T – The Books of Nahum, Habakkuk and Zeph (NICOT)
Snyman, S – Nahum, Habakkuk and Zephaniah (TOTC)
Thomas, H – Habakkuk (THOTC)
ZEPHANIAH
Baker, D – Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah (TOTC)
Barker/Bailey – Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah (NAC)
Kaiser, W – Micah – Malachi (MTOT)
Renz, T – The Books of Nahum, Habakkuk and Zeph (NICOT)
Snyman, S – Nahum, Habakkuk and Zephaniah (TOTC)
HAGGAI
Baldwin, J – Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi (TOTC)
Hill, A – Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi (TOTC)
Jacobs, M – The Books of Haggai and Malachi (NICOT)
Kaiser, W – Micah – Malachi (MTOT)
Taylor, R/E Clendenen – Haggai, Malachi (NAC)
ZECHARIAH
Baldwin, J – Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi (TOTC)
Barker, K – Zechariah (EBC)
Boda, M – The Book of Zechariah (NICOT)
Kaiser, W – Micah – Malachi (MTOT)
Klein, G – Zechariah (NAC)
MALACHI
Baldwin, J – Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi (TOTC)
Hill, A – Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi (TOTC)
Hill, A – Malachi (AB)
Kaiser, W – Micah – Malachi (MTOT)
Taylor, R/E Clendenen – Haggai, Malachi (NAC)
Four final words. If you want me to list my favourite commentary for each biblical book, that might be rather difficult to do. The commentaries that I have listed are all helpful in various ways, and it might be tough to say which is the very best.
Also, for various good reasons (running out of money, running out of room, and running out of years!), I have not been buying the very newest commentaries. Had I had more of all three of these commodities, I would have bought most of these brand new ones, and added some of them to this list.
