Based on the critically acclaimed Expositor's Bible Commentary is used by pastors, students, and scholars across the world, providing verse-by-verse commentary on the Old Testament.

Table of Contents

• Acknowledgments
• Preface
• Pictures, Maps, and Charts
• Abbreviations
• Genesis
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. Background
• 2. Unity
• 3. Authorship
• 4. Purpose
• 5. Literary Form
• EXPOSITION
• I. Introduction to the Patriarchs and the Sinai Covenant (1:1-11:26)
• II.Abraham (11:27-25:11)
• III.The Account of Ishmael (25:12-18)
• IV. The Account of Isaac (25:19-35:29)
• V. The Account of Esau (36:1-43)
• VI. The Account of Jacob (37:1-49:33)
• VII.The Final Joseph Narrative (50:15-26)
• Exodus
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. Title
• 2. Authorship
• 3. Date of Writing
• 4. Date of the Exodus
• 5. Theology
• EXPOSITION
• I. Divine Redemption (1:1-18:27)
• Exodus 15: Victory at Sea
• I. Journey to Sinai (15:22-18:27)
• II. Divine Morality (19:1-24:18)
• III. Divine Worship (25:1-40:38)
• Leviticus
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. Historical Background and Contents
• 2. Date and Authorship
• 3. Literary Form and Classification
• 4. Theology
• EXPOSITION
• I. Description of the Five Major Offerings (1:1—6:7)
• II. Directions for the Priests in Their Service (6:8-7:38)
• III. The Beginning of the Tabernacle Worship (8:1-10:20)
• IV. Laws of Cleanness (11:1-15:33)
• V. The Annual Sin Offering of the Day of Atonement (16:1-34) (cf. 23:27-32; Nu 29:7-11)
• VI. Laws of Personal Holiness (17:1-22:33)
• VII. The Feasts and Worship of the Lord (23:1-24:9)
• VIII. Identical Laws for the Stranger and the Israelite (24:10-23)
• IX. Laws of Land Use (25:1-55)
• X. Warnings Against Apostasy (26:1-46)
• XI. Laws Concerning Gifts and Endowments (27:1-34)
• Numbers
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. Historical Background and Purpose
• 2. Authorship and Date
• 3. Theological Themes
• 4. The Large Numbers
• EXPOSITION
• I. The Experience of the First Generation in the Desert (1:1-25:18)
• II. The Prospects for the Second Generation to Enter the Promised Land (26:1-36:13)
• Deuteronomy
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. Name
• 2. Character and Author
• 3. Purpose
• 4. Theological Values
• EXPOSITION
• I. Preamble (1:1-5)
• II. First Address: The Historical Prologue (1:6-4:43)
• III. The Second Address: Stipulations of the Covenant-Treaty and Its Ratification (4:44-28:68)
• IV. Third Address: The Terms of the Covenant (29:1-30:20)
• V. Concluding Narratives (31:1-34:12)
• Joshua
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. Background
• 2. Authorship
• 3. Date
• 4. Occasion and Purpose
• 5. Theological Values
• 6. Special Problems
• EXPOSITION
• I. Conquering the Promised Land (1:1-12:24)
• II. Dividing the Promised Land (13:1-21:45)
• III. Preparation for Life in the Promised Land (22:1-24:33)
• Judges
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. Title
• 2. Historical Background
• 3. Authorship and Date
• 4. Purpose
• 5. Special Problems
• EXPOSITION
• I. The Success and Failure of the Tribes in Canaan (1:1—2:5)
• II. The Rule of the Judges (2:6-16:31)
• III. Two Appendixes (17:1-21:25)
• Ruth
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. Background
• 2. Authorship and Date
• 3. Theological Values
• EXPOSITION
• I. An Israelite Family's Sojourn in Moab (1:1-5)
• II. Naomi's Return to Judah (1:6-22)
• III. Ruth the Gleaner (2:1-23)
• IV. Encounter at the Threshing Floor (3:1-18)
• V. A Transaction at the City Gate (4:1-12)
• VI. Birth of a Son to Boaz and Ruth (4:13-17)
• VII. The Genealogy of David (4:18-22)
• 1 Samuel
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. Title
• 2. Authorship and Date
• 3. Historical Context
• 4. Purpose
• 5. Literary Form
• 6. Theological Values
• EXPOSITION
• I. Prelude to Monarchy in Israel (1:1-7:17)
• II. Advent of Monarchy in Israel (8:1-15:35)
• III. Establishment of Monarchy in Israel (16:1-31:13)
• 2 Samuel
• EXPOSITION
• I. Consolidation of Monarchy in Israel (1:1-20:26)
• II. Epilogue (21:1-24:25)
• 1, 2 Kings
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. Historical Background
• 2. Unity, Authorship, and Date
• 3. Origin, Occasion, and Purpose
• 4. Theological Values
• 5. Chronology
• EXPOSITION
• I. The United Kingdom (1Ki 1:11-11:43)
• II. The Divided Kingdom (1 Ki 12:1 —2Ki 17:41)
• III. The Southern Kingdom (18:1-25:30)
• 1 Chronicles
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. Background
• 2. Date and Authorship
• 3. Sources
• 4. Occasion and Purpose
• 5. Theology
• 6. Theological Themes and Interests
• EXPOSITION
• I. Genealogies (1:1-9:44)
• II. The Reign of David (10:1-29:30)
• 2 Chronicles
• INTRODUCTION
• II. The Reign of Solomon (2Ch 1:1-9:31)
• IV. The Kingdom of Judah (10:1-36:23)
• Ezra
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. Background
• 2. Reign of Artaxerxes I
• 3. Authorship and Date
• 4. Purpose and Values
• EXPOSITION
• I. The First Return From Exile and the Rebuilding of the Temple (1:1-6:22).
• II.Ezra's Return and Reforms (7:1-10:44)
• Nehemiah
• EXPOSITION
• I. Nehemiah's First Administration (1:1-12:47)
• II. Nehemiah's Second Administration (13:1-31)
• Esther
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. Background
• 2. Authorship and Date
• 3. Purpose
• 4. Special Problems
• 5. Theological Values
• EXPOSITION
• I. Esther Elevated to Queen of Persia (1:1-2:23)
• II. The Feud Between Haman and Mordecai (3:1-8:17)
• III. The Jews’ Day of Vengeance (9:1-19)
• IV. Institution of the Feast of Purim (9:20-10:3)
• Job
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. Background
• 2. Authorship
• 3. Date and Source
• 4. Purpose
• 5. Major Characters
• EXPOSITION
• I. The Prologue (1:1-2:13)
• II. The Dialogue-Dispute (3:1-27:23)
• III. Interlude on Wisdom (28:1-28)
• IV. The Monologues (29:1-42:6)
• V. The Epilogue (42:7-17)
• Psalms
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. Background
• 2. The Study of the Book of Psalms
• EXPOSITION
• Book I: Psalms 1-41
• Book II: Psalms 42-72
• Book III: Psalms 73-89
• Book IV: Psalms 90-106
• Book V: Psalms 107-150
• Proverbs
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. Background
• 2. Authorship and Date
• 3. Literary Forms
• 4. Theological Values
• 5. Content
• EXPOSITION
• I. Introduction to the Book of Proverbs (1:1-7)
• II. A Father's Admonition to Acquire Wisdom (1:8—9:18)
• III. The First Collection of Solomonic Proverbs (10:1-22:16)
• IV. The Sayings of the Wise (22:17-24:34)
• V. Proverbs of Solomon Collected by Hezekiah (25:1-29:27)
• VI.The Words of Agur (30:1-33)
• VII. The Words of Lemuel (31:1-9)
• VIII. The Wife of Noble Character (31:10-31)
• Ecclesiastes
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. Background
• 2. Authorship and Date
• 3. Purpose
• 4. Theological Values
• EXPOSITION
• I. The Meaninglessness of Nature, Wisdom, and Wealth (1:1-2:23)
• II. Divine Order of Life (2:24-3:22)
• III. The Frustration of Politics (4:1-16)
• IV. The Frustration of Life (5:1-7:29)
• V. Life In View of Death (8:1-9:18)
• VI. Proverbs (10:1-20)
• VII. Wisdom for the Future and the Present (11:1-10)
• VIII. The Frustration of Old Age (12:1-8)
• IX. Epilogue (12:9-14)
• Song of Songs
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. Background
• 2. Interpretation
• 3. Purpose and Message
• 4. Authorship
• EXPOSITION
• I.The Title (1:1)
• II. Courtship (1:2-3:5)
• III. The Bridal Procession (3:6-11)
• IV. The Wedding (4:1—5:1)
• V. The Life of Love (5:2-8:7)
• VI. Conclusion (8:8-14)
• Isaiah
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. Background
• 2. Authorship, Unity, and Date
• 3. Theology
• 4. Eschatology
• 5. Messianism and the Servant Songs
• EXPOSITION
• I. Oracles Concerning Judah and Jerusalem (1:1-12:6)
• II. God and the Nations (13:1-23:18)
• III. God and the Whole World (24:1-27:13)
• IV. God and His People (28:1-33:24)
• V. God's Purposes of Judgment and Salvation (34:1-35:10)
• VI. Isaiah and Hezekiah, Assyria and Babylon (36:1-39:8)
• VIII. The Gospel of the Servant of the Lord (49:1-57:21)
• IX. God as Judge and Savior (58:1-66:24)
• Jeremiah
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. General
• 2. The Person of Jeremiah
• 3. Date and Authorship
• 4. Historical Setting
• 5. Theological Emphases
• EXPOSITION
• I. Prophecies From the Reign of Josiah (1:1-20:18)
• II. Prophecies From the Reigns of Jehoiakim and Zedekiah (21:1-39:18)
• III. Ministry of Jeremiah After the Fall of Jerusalem (40:1-45:5)
• IV. Prophecies Concerning the Nations (46:1-51:64)
• V. Historical Supplement (52:1-34)
• Lamentations
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. Background
• 2. Authorship
• 3. Date
• 4. Purpose
• 5. Literary Form
• 6. Theological Values
• EXPOSITION
• I. The Desolation and Misery of Jerusalem (1:1-22)
• II. The Lord's Anger With His People (2:1-22)
• III. An Israelite's Complaint (3:1-66)
• IV. Zion, Past and Present (4:1-22)
• V. An Appeal to the Lord (5:1-22)
• Ezekiel
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. Background
• 2. Authorship and Date
• 3. Place of Origin and Destination
• 4. Occasion and Purpose
• 5. Theological Values
• EXPOSITION
• I. Ezekiel's Commission (1:1-3:27)
• III. Judgment on the Foreign Nations (25:1-33:20)
• IV. The Future Blessings of a Faithful Covenant God (33:21-48:35)
• Daniel
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. Purpose
• 2. Authorship and Date
• 3. Canonicity
• 4. Theological Values
• EXPOSITION
• I. The Selection and Preparation of God's Special Servants (1:1-21)
• II. Nebuchadnezzar's First Dream: God's Plan for the Ages (2:1-49)
• III. The Golden Image and the Fiery Furnace (3:1-30)
• IV. Nebuchadnezzar's Second Dream and Humiliation (4:1-37)
• VI. Daniel and the Lions’ Den (6:1-28)
• VII. The Triumph of the Son of Man (7:1-28)
• VIII. The Grecian Conquest of Persia and the Tyranny of Antiochus Epiphanes (8:1-27)
• IX. The Vision of the Seventy Weeks (9:1-27)
• X. The Triumph of Persistent Prayer (10:1-21)
• XI. The Tribulation Under Antiochus and Antichrist (11:1-45)
• XII. The Tribulation and Final Triumph of God's People (12:1-13)
• Hosea
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. Historical Background
• 2. Authorship and Date
• 3. Hosea's Marriage
• 4. Theological Values
• EXPOSITION
• I. Israel's Infidelity Illustrated (1:1-3:5)
• II. Israel's Indictment, Punishment, and Restoration (4:1-14:9)
• Joel
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. Background
• 2. Authorship
• 3. Date
• 4. Occasion and Purpose
• 5. Theological Values
• EXPOSITION
• I. Joel's Present Instructions: Based on the Locust Plague (1:1-2:27)
• II. God's Future Intentions: the Eschatological Program (2:28-3:21)
• Amos
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. Background
• 2. Authorship and Date
• 3. Theological Values
• EXPOSITION
• I. Superscription (1:1)
• II. Introduction to the Prophecy (1:2)
• III. The Prophetic Oracles (1:3-6:14)
• IV. The Prophetic Visions (7:1-9:15)
• Obadiah
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. Background
• 2. Authorship and Date
• EXPOSITION
• I. The Message From the Lord (v.1)
• II. The Abasement of Edom (vv.2-9)
• III. The Charge Against Edom (vv.10-14)
• IV. The Day of the Lord (vv.15-21)
• Jonah
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. Background
• 2. Date and Authorship
• 3. Purpose
• EXPOSITION
• I. The Disobedient Prophet (1:1-2:10)
• II. The Obedient Prophet (3:1-4:11)
• Micah
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. Background
• 2. Authorship
• 3. Date
• 4. Theological Values
• EXPOSITION
• I. The Superscription (1:1)
• II. The First Oracle: Israel's Impending Judgment and Her Future Restoration (1:2-2:13)
• III. The Second Oracle: The Prophet's Indictment of the Leaders of the House of Israel and Israel's Future Hope (3:1-5:15)
• IV. The Third Oracle: God's Lawsuit With Israel and the Ultimate Triumph of the Kingdom of God (6:1-7:20)
• Nahum
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. Background
• 2. Authorship and Date
• 3. Theological Values
• EXPOSITION
• I. The Anger of the Lord (1:1-15)
• II. The Fall of Nineveh (2:1-3:19)
• Habakkuk
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. Background and Date
• 2. Authorship
• 3. Occasion and Purpose
• 4. Theological Values
• EXPOSITION
• I. Habakkuk's Initial Lament (1:1-4)
• II. God's First Response (1:5-11)
• III. Habakkuk's Second Lament (1:12-2:1)
• IV. God's Second Response (2:2-20)
• V. The Prayer of Habakkuk (3:1-19)
• Zephaniah
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. Author and Date
• 2. Background
• 3. Message
• EXPOSITION
• I. Introduction (1:1)
• II. Day of Judgment (1:2-3:8)
• III. Day of Joy (3:£-20)
• Haggai
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. Background
• 2. Authorship
• 3. Date and Place of Origin
• 4. Occasion and Purpose
• 5. Theological Values
• EXPOSITION
• I. A Call to Build the House of God (1:1-11)
• II. The People's Positive Response (1:12-15)
• III. The Promised Glory of the New House (2:1-9)
• IV. Blessings on a Defiled People (2:10-19)
• V. Zerubbabel, the Lord's Signet Ring (2:20-23)
• Zechariah
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. Historical Background
• 2. Author, Date, and Unity
• 3. Occasion and Purpose
• 4. Theological Values
• EXPOSITION
• Part I (chs. 1-8)
• Part II (chs. 9-14)
• Malachi
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. Background
• 2. Authorship
• 3. Date
• 4. Occasion and Purpose
• 5. Theology
• EXPOSITION
• I. The Favor of the Lord (1:1-5)
• II. The Failure of the Priests (1:6—14)
• III. The Rebuke of the Lord (2:1-9)
• IV. The Unfaithfulness of the People (2:10-16)
• V. The Coming Messenger of the Lord (2:17-3:5)
• VI. The Robbery and Riches of God (3:6-12)
• VII. The Servants of the Lord (3:13-18)
• VIII. The Day of the Lord (4:1-6)