Prophetic Literature of the Old Testament: Minor Prophets Part 2

This volume represents a significant breakthrough in the study of Hebrew prosody with important implications for understanding the formation of the canon of the Hebrew Bible. Duane Christensen, a renowned biblical scholar, offers a detailed analysis of the Hebrew text of Nahum and demonstrates the intricate literary structure and high poetic quality of the work.   Nahum is a book about God’s justice and portrays God as strong, unyielding, and capable of great anger. This view of God’s nature stands in contrast to that found in Jonah, another book in the section of the Hebrew Bible known as the Book of the Twelve Prophets, which presents God as "compassionate, gracious . . . [and] abounding in steadfast love.” Christensen shows how Nahum and Jonah present complementary aspects of God’s nature, each essential for an understanding of the divine being. The commentary includes the most extensive bibliography published to date of works cited.  

The close-knit bond between prophecy and history, according to O. Palmer Robertson, becomes particularly clear through the study of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah. As the historical context of their messages is explored, it becomes ever more apparent that biblical history -- in addition to providing the context for prophecy -- actually embodies and functions as prophecy. The events that occurred to Judah and its neighbors spoke in anticipation of world-shaking circumstances that were yet to come. In this commentary Robertson combines the insights of biblical theology with a keen awareness of the age in which we live. After first dealing with the relevant background issues of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah -- redemptive-historical setting, theological perspective, date and authorship, and so on -- Robertson applies the care and precision of an exegete and the concern of a pastor to his verse-by-verse exposition of each book. The result is a relevant confrontation with the ancient call to repentance and faith -- a confrontation greatly needed in today's world.

General Bibliography on Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah --
Selected Bibliography on Nahum --
Selected Bibliography on Habakkuk --
Selected Bibliography on Zephaniah / J.J.M. Roberts.

Watchtower theology --
Theology of the coming day of wrath.

With keen insight and lucid analysis, Adele Berlin brings the dramatic words of the great prophet Zaphaniah to life.  Living under the tumultuous reign of King Josiah of Judah (640-609 BCE), Zephaniah predicted the final day of judgment when God would come to the fate of Israel and other nations.  The book of Zephaniah is composed as a charged dialogue between God and the prophet.  As their conversation unfolds, we learn of the doomed destiny which are indifferent to the Lord's power and of humans who have become too enthralled worldly riches.  As piercing as any modern day social critic, Zephaniah proclaims salvation only for those who lead a life of simplicity, faith, and humility. The new translation by Adele Berlin, a literary as well as biblical scholar, celebrates the vivid and powerful language of this ancient poet.  In staccato exclamations, elevated rhetoric, and a rich tapestry of metaphors and similes, Zephaniah paints a world beset by corruption, idolatry, and war.  Berlin's contemporary commentary illuminates not only the beauty of Zephaniah's poetry, but also the political meaning behind his anguished verse For the biblical scholar, Berlin draws vital between Zephaniah's references and the rest of the Hebrew Bible.  For general readers, Berlin's accessible Zephaniah is an invitation to explore the political and socially turbulent times of this ancient prophet's world.

This is a new volume of The Historical Commentary on the Old Testament, an international series of commentaries which devotes explicit attention to the history of interpretation of biblical tradition in all its stages, both within and without the Hebrew Canon. As the term 'Old Testament' indicates, the commentary stands in the Christian exegetical tradition. The team of those who commited themselves to contribute comprises scholars from all over the world and from many different churches and denominations. The commentary is intended not only for Old Testament scholars, but also for ministers and other interested parties. The treatment of every pericope is preceded by a new translation and a section called 'Essentials and Perspectives' in which the author summarizes the results of the exegesis in non-technical language. The primate here is assigned to the final stage of the text. The summary should incite the user to consult the main body of the exegesis which is that of modern critical scholarship.

Contents: First scene: time to build the temple? (1:1-14) -- Excursus: The Persian administrative system -- Second scene: The turn to blessing (1:15a; 2:15-19) -- Third scene: The raising up of the assailed (1:15b--2:9) -- Excursus: The second year of Darius -- Excursus: The second temple -- Fourth scene: Impurity is infectious (2:10-14) -- Fifth scene: Yahweh's signet ring (2:20-23).

This critically acclaimed series provides fresh and authoritative treatments of important aspects of Old Testament study through commentaries and general surveys. The contributors are scholars of international standing.

From the time it was promulgated in the 6th Century this has been one of the most influential documents of the West. The words of Benedict are a guide for work, prayer and study.

The contribution of this commentary to the understanding of the book of Zechariah is mainly in four areas. The first is close attention to philological detail, with a special focus on textual criticism, lexical semantics, and literary wordplay. A second area of interest is in the history of interpretation of the book, and takes into account a wide range of exegetical material, from rabbinic and patristic times to the present. A third area of interest is in intertextuality. Many passages become fully intelligible only when they are understood as alluding to earlier Scripture. Finally, the commentary has an interest in Christian theological interpretation. The commentary is also remarkable in that it breaks with the traditional division of the book into two parts, and argues that it consists instead of three independent and quite different parts, each of which is attributable to the prophet after whom the book is named.

Archaeologist husband and wife team Carol and Eric Meyers team up to explore the Book of Zechariah, continuing their landmark integrated approach to the investigation of the biblical world. Carol Meyers is the author of Discovering Eve.

"The last few chapters of the Old Testament are arguably the most difficult texts for the interpreter of the Old Testament. In this commentary, David Petersen takes on the task of examining this prophetic literature of the Second Temple period as he explicates Zechariah 9-11, Zechariah 12-14, and Malachi." "Treating these chapters as three separate collections, Petersen gives an extensive overview of these books. This commentary will be invaluable for anyone who wishes to learn more about these final chapters of the Old Testament that address how Israel's God related to the world of the Persian Empire and present God's responses to the community of faith."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Admittedly, as the last book in the Old Testament, and a minor prophet at that, Malachi is often overlooked by Bible readers. Yet, Malachi's passionate proclamations and the significance of what he had to say to his people capture the attention of even the casual reader. The message of Malachi came at a time of cultural and religious rethinking for Israel (roughly 500 B.C.E), when God's people were scattered throughout the Near East, with most living in Mesopotamia under Persian rule. They could easily have disappeared from history had it not been for the prophetic call to repentance. In his fresh new translation, notes, and comments on this brief prophetic book, Andrew E. Hill explains why we should pay attention to Malachi as God's spokesperson. Hill places the book in its historical context to interpret the original meaning, as well as offer the modern reader insights into what it has to say to us today. With a wonderful insert filled with photographs, line art, and maps, he provides all the necessary details for the reader to understand and appreciate Malachi.

This book draws together two current issues in Old Testament study: canonical analysis and the minor prophets. G. Michael O'Neal applies the canonical approach of Brevard S. Childs to the book of Habakkuk, resulting not only in an evaluation of Childs's method, but also providing new insights into the canonical shape and theological message of Habakkuk. The findings of textual, historical, literary, formal, and redactional criticisms inform the study. However, O'Neal goes beyond these findings to ascertain the canonical shape of Habakkuk and to illustrate how this shape informs an understanding of the book's theological message.

Contents: Why Habakkuk? -- But the just shall live by his faith -- Woe! -- Yet I will rejoice!.

Contents: I. Malachi and the priesthood -- Overviews of the history of the priesthood -- Traditionalist view -- Wellhausen and the developmental model -- After Wellhausen -- Synthesis of histories of the priesthood -- Understandings of Malachi's view of the priesthood -- II. Lewi and Kohen: A syntactical study -- Problem -- Methodology -- Occurrences -- Comparison of the descriptions -- III. The form of the book of Malachi -- From criticism and the prophets -- The unity and integrity of the book -- Suggestions of form -- The Rib form -- Malachi as rib -- The significance of this thesis -- Implications for the book's unity -- The Sitz im Leben of the Rib -- Significance of form for priest and Levite in Malachi -- Conclusion -- IV. The sources used by the book of Malachi -- Introduction to the problem -- Deuteronomy and the priestly code -- General language -- Technical language -- Cultic institutions -- Language for describing priests -- Conclusions regarding D and P -- Other biblical traditions -- The canon known to Malachi -- Conclusions -- V. Malachi and the priesthood in context -- Date of the book -- Historical references -- Similarities to the historical situation of Ezra/ Nehemiah -- Linguistic analysis -- Quotes from other literature -- Genre and style -- Conclusions regarding date -- Malachi's description of the priesthood compared with other literature -- Deuteronomistic history -- Jeremiah and Ezekiel -- Miscellaneous prophetic writings -- Haggai and Zechariah 1-8; Zech. 9-14 -- Ezra and Nehemiah -- Chronicles -- Old Testament pseudepigrapha -- Qumran -- Conclusions regarding context