Joshua (2nd ed.)

Butler remains the most comprehensive technical commentary on Joshua that I would want within reach when working closely on the text. His strengths include detailed translation and textual criticism, philology, geography, historical and archaeological questions, literary and tradition-historical analysis, and extensive engagement with previous scholarship. The revised edition substantially strengthens an already important work and makes it particularly valuable as a reference commentary for difficult individual verses and passages. Butler is less elegant and less immediately theological than Nelson or Firth, and the density of the WBC format means that it is not the easiest commentary to read continuously. Nevertheless, few volumes offer such breadth of information while still providing substantial interpretive judgments of their own. It is not necessarily the first Joshua commentary I would read cover to cover, but it may be the one I would consult most frequently.

Butler’s revised work provides deep exegetical and philological insights on the book of Joshua. His conclusions are evangelical, but much of this text is challenging given the series layout and Butler’s academic interests. [Full Review]

This updated commentary includes the author’s translation and critical textual, philological, and historical work. Its 2-volumes allows for ample exegesis. Overall, valuable for in-depth engagement with the Hebrew text, solid exegetical work, and some theological reflection. [Full Review]