Murphy offers a representative sounding in the major periods of the Song's exegetical history. Attention is given to the hermeneutical principles operative in the development of Jewish and Christian exposition. Murphy examines the literary character and structure of the Song, aspects of its composition and style, and its meaning and theological significance.

The Book of Zephaniah poses a full range of interpretive and hermenutical issues for the modern reader. Sweeney's keen reading of this small, prophetic book opens new doors for Hebrew Bible research. He situates the reading of Zephaniah in the early sixth century b.c.e. rather than the late seventh century b.c.e.

Sweeney's interpretation pays close attention to the often subtle differences between the Masoretic Text, Septuagint, Dead Sea Scrolls, Peshitta, and targums. His methodology includes form criticism, tradition history, and social history.

"Go and marry a prostitute." These are the first words God spoke to his prophet Hosea. Why would he ask this of one of his special spokesman? Because he wanted to teach Hosea, the nation of Israel and all of us today a lesson we will not forget, a lesson that is painful yet joyous.

Hosea's somber portrait of the human condition is our lesson in pain. All of us have played the harlot by forsaking God and his ways. The picture is not pretty but it's true. Yet Hosea clear illustration of God's love for us brings joy. While we are yet sinners, God comes to us and loves us. Derek Kidner imaginatively takes us through the unfolding story of Hosea and his wife, Gomer explaining the basic message, pointing out the subtleties and encouraging readers to live lives worthy of the God who loves the loveless.

About the Bible Speaks Today (BST) Series:

Edited by J.A. Motyer and the late John R. W. Stott, the Bible Speaks Today commentaries are characterized by what Stott called a "threefold ideal . . . to expound the biblical text with accuracy, to relate it to contemporary life and to be readable." As such, each contributor in this series is both a noted scholar and a working pastor.

The BST series, now complete, covers all sixty-six books of the bible (Old and New Testaments) in fifty-five volumes. If you preach or teach from Scripture, the Bible Speaks Today series will help you apply the timeless biblical message to the everyday experiences of your listeners. And if you study the Bible on your own, these volumes will be a helpful resource focusing on the significance of God's Word for your own life and work.

In this acclaimed commentary series, R. C. H. Lenski interprets each book of the New Testament on the basis of thorough exegetical research. Lenski, a meticulous student of Greek, provides an original, literal translation of each portion of the text. Working through the text section by section, he provides linguistic and textual analysis, historical background and context on the text and its author, chief themes, and much more. In addressing difficult or controversial texts, Lenski clearly describes and evaluates multiple viewpoints before choosing a final interpretation.

Writing from a conservative Lutheran perspective, he is unwavering in his high view of Scriptural authority. The author's purpose is to answer the question "What does this portion of the Bible say to us?" He sees the answer to the question against the background of the whole message of the Word of God.

Lenski’s Commentary on the New Testament is ideal for sermon preparation and serious Bible study. Pastors and students of the Bible who seek deep and detailed engagement with the text of the New Testament have long relied on R. C. H. Lenski's classic text.

In this acclaimed commentary series, R. C. H. Lenski interprets each book of the New Testament on the basis of thorough exegetical research. Lenski, a meticulous student of Greek, provides an original, literal translation of each portion of the text. Working through the text section by section, he provides linguistic and textual analysis, historical background and context on the text and its author, chief themes, and much more. In addressing difficult or controversial texts, Lenski clearly describes and evaluates multiple viewpoints before choosing a final interpretation.

Writing from a conservative Lutheran perspective, he is unwavering in his high view of Scriptural authority. The author's purpose is to answer the question "What does this portion of the Bible say to us?" He sees the answer to the question against the background of the whole message of the Word of God.

Lenski’s Commentary on the New Testament is ideal for sermon preparation and serious Bible study. Pastors and students of the Bible who seek deep and detailed engagement with the text of the New Testament have long relied on R. C. H. Lenski's classic text.

In this acclaimed commentary series, R. C. H. Lenski interprets each book of the New Testament on the basis of thorough exegetical research. Lenski, a meticulous student of Greek, provides an original, literal translation of each portion of the text. Working through the text section by section, he provides linguistic and textual analysis, historical background and context on the text and its author, chief themes, and much more. In addressing difficult or controversial texts, Lenski clearly describes and evaluates multiple viewpoints before choosing a final interpretation.

Writing from a conservative Lutheran perspective, he is unwavering in his high view of Scriptural authority. The author's purpose is to answer the question "What does this portion of the Bible say to us?" He sees the answer to the question against the background of the whole message of the Word of God.

Lenski’s Commentary on the New Testament is ideal for sermon preparation and serious Bible study. Pastors and students of the Bible who seek deep and detailed engagement with the text of the New Testament have long relied on R. C. H. Lenski's classic text.

In this acclaimed commentary series, R. C. H. Lenski interprets each book of the New Testament on the basis of thorough exegetical research. Lenski, a meticulous student of Greek, provides an original, literal translation of each portion of the text. Working through the text section by section, he provides linguistic and textual analysis, historical background and context on the text and its author, chief themes, and much more. In addressing difficult or controversial texts, Lenski clearly describes and evaluates multiple viewpoints before choosing a final interpretation.

Writing from a conservative Lutheran perspective, he is unwavering in his high view of Scriptural authority. The author's purpose is to answer the question "What does this portion of the Bible say to us?" He sees the answer to the question against the background of the whole message of the Word of God.

Lenski’s Commentary on the New Testament is ideal for sermon preparation and serious Bible study. Pastors and students of the Bible who seek deep and detailed engagement with the text of the New Testament have long relied on R. C. H. Lenski's classic text.

In this acclaimed commentary series, R. C. H. Lenski interprets each book of the New Testament on the basis of thorough exegetical research. Lenski, a meticulous student of Greek, provides an original, literal translation of each portion of the text. Working through the text section by section, he provides linguistic and textual analysis, historical background and context on the text and its author, chief themes, and much more. In addressing difficult or controversial texts, Lenski clearly describes and evaluates multiple viewpoints before choosing a final interpretation.

Writing from a conservative Lutheran perspective, he is unwavering in his high view of Scriptural authority. The author's purpose is to answer the question "What does this portion of the Bible say to us?" He sees the answer to the question against the background of the whole message of the Word of God.

Lenski’s Commentary on the New Testament is ideal for sermon preparation and serious Bible study. Pastors and students of the Bible who seek deep and detailed engagement with the text of the New Testament have long relied on R. C. H. Lenski's classic text.

In this acclaimed commentary series, R. C. H. Lenski interprets each book of the New Testament on the basis of thorough exegetical research. Lenski, a meticulous student of Greek, provides an original, literal translation of each portion of the text. Working through the text section by section, he provides linguistic and textual analysis, historical background and context on the text and its author, chief themes, and much more. In addressing difficult or controversial texts, Lenski clearly describes and evaluates multiple viewpoints before choosing a final interpretation.

Writing from a conservative Lutheran perspective, he is unwavering in his high view of Scriptural authority. The author's purpose is to answer the question "What does this portion of the Bible say to us?" He sees the answer to the question against the background of the whole message of the Word of God.

Lenski’s Commentary on the New Testament is ideal for sermon preparation and serious Bible study. Pastors and students of the Bible who seek deep and detailed engagement with the text of the New Testament have long relied on R. C. H. Lenski's classic text.

In this acclaimed commentary series, R. C. H. Lenski interprets each book of the New Testament on the basis of thorough exegetical research. Lenski, a meticulous student of Greek, provides an original, literal translation of each portion of the text. Working through the text section by section, he provides linguistic and textual analysis, historical background and context on the text and its author, chief themes, and much more. In addressing difficult or controversial texts, Lenski clearly describes and evaluates multiple viewpoints before choosing a final interpretation.

Writing from a conservative Lutheran perspective, he is unwavering in his high view of Scriptural authority. The author's purpose is to answer the question "What does this portion of the Bible say to us?" He sees the answer to the question against the background of the whole message of the Word of God.

Lenski’s Commentary on the New Testament is ideal for sermon preparation and serious Bible study. Pastors and students of the Bible who seek deep and detailed engagement with the text of the New Testament have long relied on R. C. H. Lenski's classic text.

In this acclaimed commentary series, R. C. H. Lenski interprets each book of the New Testament on the basis of thorough exegetical research. Lenski, a meticulous student of Greek, provides an original, literal translation of each portion of the text. Working through the text section by section, he provides linguistic and textual analysis, historical background and context on the text and its author, chief themes, and much more. In addressing difficult or controversial texts, Lenski clearly describes and evaluates multiple viewpoints before choosing a final interpretation.

Writing from a conservative Lutheran perspective, he is unwavering in his high view of Scriptural authority. The author's purpose is to answer the question "What does this portion of the Bible say to us?" He sees the answer to the question against the background of the whole message of the Word of God.

Lenski’s Commentary on the New Testament is ideal for sermon preparation and serious Bible study. Pastors and students of the Bible who seek deep and detailed engagement with the text of the New Testament have long relied on R. C. H. Lenski's classic text.

In this acclaimed commentary series, R. C. H. Lenski interprets each book of the New Testament on the basis of thorough exegetical research. Lenski, a meticulous student of Greek, provides an original, literal translation of each portion of the text. Working through the text section by section, he provides linguistic and textual analysis, historical background and context on the text and its author, chief themes, and much more. In addressing difficult or controversial texts, Lenski clearly describes and evaluates multiple viewpoints before choosing a final interpretation.

Writing from a conservative Lutheran perspective, he is unwavering in his high view of Scriptural authority. The author's purpose is to answer the question "What does this portion of the Bible say to us?" He sees the answer to the question against the background of the whole message of the Word of God.

Lenski’s Commentary on the New Testament is ideal for sermon preparation and serious Bible study. Pastors and students of the Bible who seek deep and detailed engagement with the text of the New Testament have long relied on R. C. H. Lenski's classic text.

In this acclaimed commentary series, R. C. H. Lenski interprets each book of the New Testament on the basis of thorough exegetical research. Lenski, a meticulous student of Greek, provides an original, literal translation of each portion of the text. Working through the text section by section, he provides linguistic and textual analysis, historical background and context on the text and its author, chief themes, and much more. In addressing difficult or controversial texts, Lenski clearly describes and evaluates multiple viewpoints before choosing a final interpretation.

Writing from a conservative Lutheran perspective, he is unwavering in his high view of Scriptural authority. The author's purpose is to answer the question "What does this portion of the Bible say to us?" He sees the answer to the question against the background of the whole message of the Word of God.

Lenski’s Commentary on the New Testament is ideal for sermon preparation and serious Bible study. Pastors and students of the Bible who seek deep and detailed engagement with the text of the New Testament have long relied on R. C. H. Lenski's classic text.

In this acclaimed commentary series, R. C. H. Lenski interprets each book of the New Testament on the basis of thorough exegetical research. Lenski, a meticulous student of Greek, provides an original, literal translation of each portion of the text. Working through the text section by section, he provides linguistic and textual analysis, historical background and context on the text and its author, chief themes, and much more. In addressing difficult or controversial texts, Lenski clearly describes and evaluates multiple viewpoints before choosing a final interpretation.

Writing from a conservative Lutheran perspective, he is unwavering in his high view of Scriptural authority. The author's purpose is to answer the question "What does this portion of the Bible say to us?" He sees the answer to the question against the background of the whole message of the Word of God.

Lenski’s Commentary on the New Testament is ideal for sermon preparation and serious Bible study. Pastors and students of the Bible who seek deep and detailed engagement with the text of the New Testament have long relied on R. C. H. Lenski's classic text.

In this acclaimed commentary series, R. C. H. Lenski interprets each book of the New Testament on the basis of thorough exegetical research. Lenski, a meticulous student of Greek, provides an original, literal translation of each portion of the text. Working through the text section by section, he provides linguistic and textual analysis, historical background and context on the text and its author, chief themes, and much more. In addressing difficult or controversial texts, Lenski clearly describes and evaluates multiple viewpoints before choosing a final interpretation.

Writing from a conservative Lutheran perspective, he is unwavering in his high view of Scriptural authority. The author's purpose is to answer the question "What does this portion of the Bible say to us?" He sees the answer to the question against the background of the whole message of the Word of God.

Lenski’s Commentary on the New Testament is ideal for sermon preparation and serious Bible study. Pastors and students of the Bible who seek deep and detailed engagement with the text of the New Testament have long relied on R. C. H. Lenski's classic text.

In this acclaimed commentary series, R. C. H. Lenski interprets each book of the New Testament on the basis of thorough exegetical research. Lenski, a meticulous student of Greek, provides an original, literal translation of each portion of the text. Working through the text section by section, he provides linguistic and textual analysis, historical background and context on the text and its author, chief themes, and much more. In addressing difficult or controversial texts, Lenski clearly describes and evaluates multiple viewpoints before choosing a final interpretation.

Writing from a conservative Lutheran perspective, he is unwavering in his high view of Scriptural authority. The author's purpose is to answer the question "What does this portion of the Bible say to us?" He sees the answer to the question against the background of the whole message of the Word of God.

Lenski’s Commentary on the New Testament is ideal for sermon preparation and serious Bible study. Pastors and students of the Bible who seek deep and detailed engagement with the text of the New Testament have long relied on R. C. H. Lenski's classic text.

In this acclaimed commentary series, R. C. H. Lenski interprets each book of the New Testament on the basis of thorough exegetical research. Lenski, a meticulous student of Greek, provides an original, literal translation of each portion of the text. Working through the text section by section, he provides linguistic and textual analysis, historical background and context on the text and its author, chief themes, and much more. In addressing difficult or controversial texts, Lenski clearly describes and evaluates multiple viewpoints before choosing a final interpretation.

Writing from a conservative Lutheran perspective, he is unwavering in his high view of Scriptural authority. The author's purpose is to answer the question "What does this portion of the Bible say to us?" He sees the answer to the question against the background of the whole message of the Word of God.

Lenski’s Commentary on the New Testament is ideal for sermon preparation and serious Bible study. Pastors and students of the Bible who seek deep and detailed engagement with the text of the New Testament have long relied on R. C. H. Lenski's classic text.

In this acclaimed commentary series, R. C. H. Lenski interprets each book of the New Testament on the basis of thorough exegetical research. Lenski, a meticulous student of Greek, provides an original, literal translation of each portion of the text. Working through the text section by section, he provides linguistic and textual analysis, historical background and context on the text and its author, chief themes, and much more. In addressing difficult or controversial texts, Lenski clearly describes and evaluates multiple viewpoints before choosing a final interpretation.

Writing from a conservative Lutheran perspective, he is unwavering in his high view of Scriptural authority. The author's purpose is to answer the question "What does this portion of the Bible say to us?" He sees the answer to the question against the background of the whole message of the Word of God.

Lenski’s Commentary on the New Testament is ideal for sermon preparation and serious Bible study. Pastors and students of the Bible who seek deep and detailed engagement with the text of the New Testament have long relied on R. C. H. Lenski's classic text.

In this acclaimed commentary series, R. C. H. Lenski interprets each book of the New Testament on the basis of thorough exegetical research. Lenski, a meticulous student of Greek, provides an original, literal translation of each portion of the text. Working through the text section by section, he provides linguistic and textual analysis, historical background and context on the text and its author, chief themes, and much more. In addressing difficult or controversial texts, Lenski clearly describes and evaluates multiple viewpoints before choosing a final interpretation.

Writing from a conservative Lutheran perspective, he is unwavering in his high view of Scriptural authority. The author's purpose is to answer the question "What does this portion of the Bible say to us?" He sees the answer to the question against the background of the whole message of the Word of God.

Lenski’s Commentary on the New Testament is ideal for sermon preparation and serious Bible study. Pastors and students of the Bible who seek deep and detailed engagement with the text of the New Testament have long relied on R. C. H. Lenski's classic text.

In this acclaimed commentary series, R. C. H. Lenski interprets each book of the New Testament on the basis of thorough exegetical research. Lenski, a meticulous student of Greek, provides an original, literal translation of each portion of the text. Working through the text section by section, he provides linguistic and textual analysis, historical background and context on the text and its author, chief themes, and much more. In addressing difficult or controversial texts, Lenski clearly describes and evaluates multiple viewpoints before choosing a final interpretation.

Writing from a conservative Lutheran perspective, he is unwavering in his high view of Scriptural authority. The author's purpose is to answer the question "What does this portion of the Bible say to us?" He sees the answer to the question against the background of the whole message of the Word of God.

Lenski’s Commentary on the New Testament is ideal for sermon preparation and serious Bible study. Pastors and students of the Bible who seek deep and detailed engagement with the text of the New Testament have long relied on R. C. H. Lenski's classic text.

In this acclaimed commentary series, R. C. H. Lenski interprets each book of the New Testament on the basis of thorough exegetical research. Lenski, a meticulous student of Greek, provides an original, literal translation of each portion of the text. Working through the text section by section, he provides linguistic and textual analysis, historical background and context on the text and its author, chief themes, and much more. In addressing difficult or controversial texts, Lenski clearly describes and evaluates multiple viewpoints before choosing a final interpretation.

Writing from a conservative Lutheran perspective, he is unwavering in his high view of Scriptural authority. The author's purpose is to answer the question "What does this portion of the Bible say to us?" He sees the answer to the question against the background of the whole message of the Word of God.

Lenski’s Commentary on the New Testament is ideal for sermon preparation and serious Bible study. Pastors and students of the Bible who seek deep and detailed engagement with the text of the New Testament have long relied on R. C. H. Lenski's classic text.

In this acclaimed commentary series, R. C. H. Lenski interprets each book of the New Testament on the basis of thorough exegetical research. Lenski, a meticulous student of Greek, provides an original, literal translation of each portion of the text. Working through the text section by section, he provides linguistic and textual analysis, historical background and context on the text and its author, chief themes, and much more. In addressing difficult or controversial texts, Lenski clearly describes and evaluates multiple viewpoints before choosing a final interpretation.

Writing from a conservative Lutheran perspective, he is unwavering in his high view of Scriptural authority. The author's purpose is to answer the question "What does this portion of the Bible say to us?" He sees the answer to the question against the background of the whole message of the Word of God.

Lenski’s Commentary on the New Testament is ideal for sermon preparation and serious Bible study. Pastors and students of the Bible who seek deep and detailed engagement with the text of the New Testament have long relied on R. C. H. Lenski's classic text.

In this acclaimed commentary series, R. C. H. Lenski interprets each book of the New Testament on the basis of thorough exegetical research. Lenski, a meticulous student of Greek, provides an original, literal translation of each portion of the text. Working through the text section by section, he provides linguistic and textual analysis, historical background and context on the text and its author, chief themes, and much more. In addressing difficult or controversial texts, Lenski clearly describes and evaluates multiple viewpoints before choosing a final interpretation.

Writing from a conservative Lutheran perspective, he is unwavering in his high view of Scriptural authority. The author's purpose is to answer the question "What does this portion of the Bible say to us?" He sees the answer to the question against the background of the whole message of the Word of God.

Lenski’s Commentary on the New Testament is ideal for sermon preparation and serious Bible study. Pastors and students of the Bible who seek deep and detailed engagement with the text of the New Testament have long relied on R. C. H. Lenski's classic text.

William Willimon combines the latest findings in Lukan scholarship with the pastoral, educational, and theological concerns of the local church to provide a new interpretation of Acts. He bases his commentary on the idea that the purpose of Acts was not to make Christianity acceptable to the Roman state but rather to preserve the integrity of the church against the onslaught of classical culture.

Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching is a distinctive resource for those who interpret the Bible in the church. Planned and written specifically for teaching and preaching needs, this critically acclaimed biblical commentary is a major contribution to scholarship and ministry.

William H. Willimon is Professor of the Practice of Ministry at Duke University Divinity School. A retired bishop of The United Methodist Church, he served previously as Dean of Duke Chapel. Recognized as one of the most effective preachers in the English-speaking world, he is the author of several books, including A Guide to Preaching and Leading Worship and The Collected Sermons of William H. Willimon, published by Westminster John Knox Press.

W. Sibley Towner contends in his Daniel volume that this book is of theological significance to all contemporary Jews and Christians, even if personal circumstances do not replicate the circumstances in which the book of Daniel was written. Not merely a tract for hard times, it is for good times as well even though the risk in reading from our affluent perspective is that the message may be an indictment. This volume glows with a deep conviction that God will not fail to achieve his redemptive purpose in the world, a faith that can energize us for the task of working for the good and safety of the creatures of the earth.

Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching is a distinctive resource for those who interpret the Bible in the church. Planned and written specifically for teaching and preaching needs, this critically acclaimed biblical commentary is a major contribution to scholarship and ministry.

Ecclesiastes is a collection of sayings traditionally attributed to Solomon and deemed by some the strangest book in the canon. It comprises an unusual blend of autobiographical references, theological reflections, philosophical musings, and proverbial instructions, all probing the seeming pointlessness of human striving. Brown explores the text as it engages our own culture's era of questioning and search for self-fulfillment.

Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching is a distinctive resource for those who interpret the Bible in the church. Planned and written specifically for teaching and preaching needs, this critically acclaimed biblical commentary is a major contribution to scholarship and ministry.

William P. Brown is William Marcellus McPheeters Professor of Old Testament at Columbia Theological Seminary. He has published numerous works, including Seeing the Psalms: A Theology of Metaphor and Ecclesiastes in the Interpretation series. He also serves on the editorial board for the esteemed Old Testament Library series, published by Westminster John Knox Press.

In his commentary, Ralph Martin singles out two themes that are high on today's agenda of theological and practical inquiry and planning. These themes are the cosmic dimensions of Christological teaching and the role of the church as God's locus and agent of reconciliation. In this examination, the author allows Paul's voice to be heard again on these important themes.

Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching is a distinctive resource for those who interpret the Bible in the church. Planned and written specifically for teaching and preaching needs, this critically acclaimed biblical commentary is a major contribution to scholarship and ministry.

Ralph P. Martin is Professor Emeritus of New Testament at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, and Associate Professor Emeritus in biblical studies at the University of Sheffield in England. He is the author of numerous studies and commentaries on the New Testament, including Philippians in the Tyndale New Testament Commentary series and James in the Word Biblical Commentary series, for which he also serves as New Testament editor.

The biblical queen Esther is one of Scripture's most fascinating persons, and the drama of the book bearing her name is clearly captured in this superb commentary. Carol Bechtel expertly explores the historical settings, literary structures, and theological themes that emerge in the book of Esther.

Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching is a distinctive resource for those who interpret the Bible in the church. Planned and written specifically for teaching and preaching needs, this critically acclaimed biblical commentary is a major contribution to scholarship and ministry.

Carol M. Bechtel is Professor of Old Testament at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan. She is the author of Life After Grace, Glimpses of Glory, and Esther in the Interpretation commentary series, all published by WJK.

The introduction to this book recognizes Exodus as a Christian book, although it respects its pre-Christian roots in the Hebrew Bible. The commentary then moves in a straightforward manner to review issues of faith and history, the critical and theological tasks of a commentary, and other leading theological concerns. Terence Fretheim gives special treatment to the significance of the hardening of Pharaoh's heart, the relationship between law and narrative, and the shaping of literature by liturgy.

Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching is a distinctive resource for those who interpret the Bible in the church. Planned and written specifically for teaching and preaching needs, this critically acclaimed biblical commentary is a major contribution to scholarship and ministry.

Terence E. Fretheim is Elva B. Lovell Professor Emeritus of Old Testament, Luther Seminary. A graduate of Luther College, Decorah, Iowa (B.A., 1956), Fretheim earned the M.Div. degree from Luther Seminary in 1960 and the Th.D. degree from Princeton Seminary in 1967. He has also studied at the University of Durham, England, the University of Minnesota, the University of Heidelberg in Germany, Oxford University in England, and the University of Chicago. Fretheim has published numerous books, including Jeremiah: A Commentary (Smyth & Helwys, 2002), God and World in the Old Testament: A Relational Theology of Creation (Abingdon, 2005); Hope in God in Times of Suffering (with Faith Fretheim) (Augsburg/Fortress, 2006); and Abraham: Journeys of Family and Faith (University of South Carolina Press, 2007).