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1 & 2 Samuel (Apollos Old Testament Commentary, Vol. 8) Hardcover – May 6, 2009
- Print length614 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherIVP Academic
- Publication dateMay 6, 2009
- Dimensions6.5 x 1.75 x 9 inches
- ISBN-100830825088
- ISBN-13978-0830825080
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- Publisher : IVP Academic; 0 edition (May 6, 2009)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 614 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0830825088
- ISBN-13 : 978-0830825080
- Item Weight : 2.4 pounds
- Dimensions : 6.5 x 1.75 x 9 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #4,008,753 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #8,372 in Old Testament Bible Study (Books)
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- Reviewed in the United States on March 11, 2013Scholarly, insightful and inspiring while being very readable. A cut above any commentary I've read on 1& 2 Samuel. Worth owning for personal devotional and professional use.
- Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 20171 & 2 Samuel is an Old Testament commentary, written by David G. Firth, published by IVP Academic. This commentary is a recent edition of the Apollos Old Testament Commentary Series with editors David W. Baker and Gordon J. Wenham, a series which is synonymous with excellent exegesis and superior application, this volume not only continues this legacy, but propels it to new heights. This volume is one of the most articulate and practical commentaries on two historical books of Holy Scripture which outside of a few passages gets unfortunately glossed over. Firth is a highly regarded scholar this is her first foray into this relatively new commentary series.
1 & 2 Samuel has two main sections the typical general introduction, and then followed by a insightful exegetical commentaries on the historical book of 1 & 2 Samuel. With regard to the general introduction it is the typical study into the introductory matters of the book and how they relate to the Bible as a whole. This is a serious scholarly work which dives into contextual as well as the as the different methodical approaches to study of this book Firth takes great care in carefully showing the original context of passage while applying it directly to the modern day reader. He also uses his own translation of the Hebrew text, which demonstrates his depth of knowledge of the text itself. I do wish though that there was more application to some of the more difficult passages
While I disagree with Firth on a number of issues with regard to Old Testament interpretation, I have a different approach to how he interrupts the David’s adultery with Bathsheba, committed in 1 & 2 Samuel, yet his scholarly work on this historical book is very well researched and written, and a very good read. In the vein of recommending, 1 & 2 Samuel, to others I would recommend this commentary to pastors and scholars, yet I would highly recommend pastors, such as myself, to pair this scholarly commentary with one that is one that has more of a pastoral tone. There are many commentaries about 1 & 2 Samuel available at this moment but 1 & 2 Samuel of the Apollos Old Testament Commentary series is a very scholarly works worthy of your time.
This book was provided to me free of charge from IVP Academic in exchange for an unbiased, honest review.
- Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2014To my mind writing an Old Testament commentary is a difficult job. An Old Testament commentator must deal with numerous critical issues before he can even begin commentary on the "final form" of the text. Sometimes, therefore, Old Testament commentaries become bogged down in issues of textual transmission and source criticism, issues that are usually of less importance for the preacher (at least in theologically conservative circles). And preaching is my main focus, and the reason I purchased this commentary, along with Walter Brueggemann's commentary.
I appreciate that in Firth's commentary he shows that he is aware of the issues raised by more critical scholarship, but for my purposes I breathed a big sigh of relief that he usually mentions only whatever critical consensus exists before moving on to dealing with the text. Further, Firth repeatedly comments that the final form of the text (what is in our Bibles today) is the important thing to deal with, a perspective I also share.
Moving on to Firth's interaction with the text, each section of commentary is divided into 5 sections:
1) Translation: Firth's own translation of the passage
2) Notes on the text: Textual critical issues (variant readings and such)
3) Form and Structure: An overview of the passage and its fit into the surrounding narrative.
4) Comment: A verse by verse analysis of the passage
5) Explanation: A summary of the meaning of the passage as a whole
I think that these divisions are helpful in approaching the text. I always appreciate when a commentator provides their own translation, as opposed to basing their commentary on one specific English translation. Doing so helps the reader understand some of the exegetical decisions the commentator makes. I usually don't spend a great deal of time with the notes on the text section, although (for example) at 1 Sam. 14:18 I found Firth's comments to be helpful, if less than I was hoping for. The form and structure section of the commentary is always must-read material, making a general statement on critical scholarship's source criticism and linking the passage to what has come before, and what will come. Firth's commentary is very good, addressing nearly every interpretational issue I am interested in. The one thing I would like to see improved is that while Firth does interact with other scholars in this section, I often find myself wishing to hear a discussion with other scholars in greater detail. This is why I have rated Firth's commentary at 4 stars instead of 5. Finally, Firth's explanation section presents concisely the purpose of each passage, and is very helpful to me as I try to prepare to preach the main idea of each passage week to week.
Firth pays good attention to the narrative flow of Samuel, although I would not call this commentary a narrative analysis. His attention to the historical and cultural background of Samuel is very good, and he isn't afraid to challenge traditional interpretations. His emphasis on the final form of the text makes this a very approachable commentary for those falling with orthodox/traditional Christianity (I dislike calling it conservative Christianity thereby reinforcing the idea that Christians must be politically conservative). Overall, I recommend this commentary as very helpful for preachers looking to preach the main idea of a passage, or anyone doing exegetical work.
Top reviews from other countries
- J. R. PeelReviewed in the United Kingdom on April 9, 2013
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Commentary!
If you want "sound-bites" then this is definitely not for you. However for the serious student I cannot recommend it more highly.