1 and 2 Kings

Wiseman was an ancient Near Eastern scholar who pioneered the publication of tablets like the Chronicles of the Chaldean Kings. He was a first-class historian but had a gift for taking his specialized knowledge and expressing it in an accessible manner for the non-specialist. Wiseman was deeply devoted to the Scriptures. His exegesis is solid, and he occasionally has brilliant biblical-theological insights. [Full Review]

Who edits the editor? Dr. Wiseman was the fine editor of the Tyndale Commentary series and known for his expertise on Assyria and archeology. Unfortunately he seemed to struggle as a more general audience writer. Part of this seemed to be that as the editor no one edited him and this commentary needed some serious work. There were too many paragraphs that covered three separate topics with one sentence each and offered no depth on any of the three topics. Some sentences simply didn't make sense grammatically and all meaning was lost. There are some solid reasons to read this volume. The introduction is the best part of the book and lets Dr. Wiseman stretch his historical legs in a decent sized area. The early chapters on Solomon and the Temple are also worth reading for the insight on how it was build and what was included. Finally the destruction and deportation of Israel and then Judah by the Mesopotamians showcase the instructor's knowledge but are far too brief. It is the vast area of commentary in between that swing between simplistic, pedantic and archeology degree required that creates the problem. Dr. Wiseman seems to have been a wonderful Christian gentleman with tremendous knowledge to share. Sadly this work doesn't allow enough of that knowledge to flow onto the printed page.

Wiseman is known and appreciated for his extensive scholarship in Near Eastern literature and archaeology and those interests represent the greatest strengths in his volume on 1 & 2 Kings. While this volume may be slightly more complex than others in the NOTC series, it is still appropriate for any reader, though Longman suggests that Wiseman’s commentary is less valuable than his historical and literary insights. [Full Review]

Wiseman's contribution to the Tyndale series is another strong contribution. Although it is a bit more technical than the introductory level works by Davis, this commentary, like the others in this series, is accessible to virtually any reader. Wiseman's specialty is ancient Near Eastern history, and his insights from this field of study are evident in this work. A good introduction to the books of 1 & 2 Kings. [Full Review]

Evangelical application of archaeological and historical studies to the interpretation and application of the message of Kings. [Full Review]