Genesis

Sailhamer tends to avoid weighing in on controversies and instead focuses on Genesis’s literary beauty, emphasizing its unity and intertextual connections with other books in the Pentateuch. He highlights recurring themes like obedience and faith, the good land, the younger brother surpassing the older, and narrative retellings. [Full Review]

Sailhamer’s interpretation of Genesis is a little eccentric, but nonetheless very eye-opening. You will not read Genesis the same after reading this commentary—in a good way. Sailhamer summarizes his view, “The final shape of the Pentateuch reflects an interest in reading its historical narratives both typologically and futuristically. The events of the past are presented as pointers to the future. [Full Review]

Strong on how each story fits into the overall purpose of the Pentateuch, but lacks enough space to address many of the issues an expositor would like comment on. The revised EBC is a very well-presented series representing good value for money. [Full Review]

John Sailhamer's EBC (now bound with Walter Kaiser on Exodus and Richard Hess on Leviticus) has been revised for the new series under Tremper Longman's editorial direction. I haven't seen the new edition, but I liked Sailhamer's original EBC. It seemed to me to be one of the best popular-level commentaries. I'm guessing it's significantly improved with the new edition, and it's pretty much hot off the presses as I write this, having come out earlier this year. Sailhamer is well-known for his The Pentateuch as Narrative. [Full Review]