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BUILDING AN OLD TESTAMENT LIBRARY: HOSEA—MALACHI

Although often overshadowed by their "Major" brothers, the "Minor Prophets" are a vital part of Scripture. Containing beauty and pathos, humility before God as well as questioning of him, they can speak to any reader’s heart. God’s grace is bountifully evident, and here is found one of the most powerful prayers of faith and worship in Scripture (Hab 3:17-18). 

Hosea is served by a mammoth Anchor Bible collaboration by F.I. Andersen and D.N. Freedman (AB; Doubleday, 1980). With plenty of historical, linguistic, and philological information, theology, not a major series interest, still finds some place. The newest Believers Church Bible Commentary (Hosea & Amos, by the Mennonite Brethren A.R. Guenther [Herald, 1998]) could helpfully introduce readers to an unfamiliar series. Representing Anabaptist tradition, this popular-level commentary directed toward pastors and Sunday School teachers has very useful sections on "The Text in Biblical Context," showing a passage’s development elsewhere in Scripture, and "The Text in the Life of the Church," illustrating interpretations from various traditions through history. David Hubbard’s commentary (TOTC; InterVarsity, 1989, with another volume on Joel and Amos published the same year) is also good, as well as being affordable. Philip King takes a different approach which many will find intriguing in Amos, Hosea, Micah: An Archaeological Commentary (Westminster, 1988). 

Joel is well-served by the late R. Dillard’s contribution to the useful, three-volume series The Minor Prophets: An Exegetical and Expository Commentary (MP:EEC), edited by the late T.E. McComiskey, with contributions from nine expositors. Each provides his own translation (along with the NRSV), a technical section on exegesis, and another, more accessible one on exposition. 

Amos is expounded in another Andersen-Freedman collaboration (AB, 1989), and an excellent, technical overview of linguistic and historical features, especially of the ancient Near Eastern background of the book is given by S. Paul, a Jewish scholar writing for the Hermeneia series (Fortress, 1991). Gary Smith makes a valuable middle-level, evangelical contribution in an ad hoc series (Library of Biblical Interpretation; Zondervan, 1989), and J. Hayes provides interesting insight from a more liberal perspective (Abingdon, 1988). Though not a commentary proper, many will benefit by consulting G. Hasel’s Understanding the Book of Amos: Basic Issues in Current Interpretations (Baker, 1991). J.A. Motyer’s The Message of Amos exemplifies an excellent series which has its special strength in theological reflection and application (The Bible Speaks Today; InterVarsity, 1988). 

Obadiah is addressed by C. Armerding in the Expositor’s Bible Commentary (ed. F.E. Gaebelein [Zondervan, 1985]), in a volume covering the Twelve plus Daniel in over 700 pages, so each book receives a fair amount of coverage. I also look at the book in the TOTC (InterVarsity, 1988). 

Jonah is fraught with more interpretational difficulties than most books. Leslie Allen interprets it as a parable (The Books of Joel, Obadiah, Jonah and Micah; NICOT; Wm.B. Eerdmans, 1976) in what is generally a good, evangelical series, while T.D. Alexander interprets it more traditionally as didactic history (TOTC, 1988). 

Micah receives good coverage by B. Waltke (MP:EEC, 1993; cf. his earlier, more abbreviated contribution in theTOTC, 1988) and by L. Allen (NICOT, 1976). Ralph L. Smith provides useful bibliography on this book and the following prophets in the Word Biblical Commentary (WBC; Word, 1984). Walter Kaiser’s contributions to the Communicator’s Commentary (Micah-Malachi, ed. L.J. Ogilvie [Word, 1992]) are at a more popular level, but do provide insight into the text and its theology. 

Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephanaiah share volumes in numerous commentary series. The most lengthy is by O.P. Robertson (NICOT, 1990), providing useful theological insight, but needing careful reading. My own contribution (TOTC; 1988) is slighter, but will, I hope bear reading and inclusion in church and pastoral libraries. An outstanding volume is by J.J.M. Roberts in the Old Testament Library (OTL; Westminster/John Knox, 1991). Not avowedly evangelical, he nevertheless engages the theology of the text, as well as contemporary ethical application. This is a welcome reminder that theological conservatives do not have a corner on the truth. David J. Clark and H.A. Hatton provide a different kind of work, as the title suggests (A Translator’s Handbook on the Books of Nahaum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah; Helps for Translators [United Bible Societies, 1989]). Not a traditional commentary, it usefully provides various interpretations. 

Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi are well served by J. Baldwin’s typically lucid comment (TOTC, 1972), which can be supplemented by the more recent MP:EET contributions by J.A. Motyer, T. McComiskey and D. Stuart, respectively. 

By David W. Baker, Ph.D., Professor of Old Testament and Semitic Languages, Ashland Theological Seminary.