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OLD TESTAMENT COMMENTARIES: HOSEA—MALACHI

Over the last four decades the best evangelical work on the Twelve Prophets has surfaced in a succession of ambitious commentary series well known by now. The best ones offer careful, expositional exegesis, with increasing attention to rhetorical and literary issues of each book.

For exegetical clarity and theological richness, the “best buy” for commentary on Hosea would be either J.L. Mays in the Old Testament Library (OTL; Westminster, 1969) or D.A. Hubbard in the Tyndale Old Testament Commentary (TOTC; InterVarsity, 1990).  For meticulous examination of the Hebrew text at every level, historical exegesis, and exhaustive bibliography, F.I. Andersen and D.N. Freedman’s contributions to the Anchor Bible in Hosea (AB; Doubleday, 1980) and Amos (1989) are virtually unmatched, although cumbersome to use. They offer theological insight for those who wade through the detail. The Minor Prophets: An Exegetical and Expository Commentary , three volumes, edited by T.E. McComiskey (MPEEC; Baker, 1992), avoids the schizophrenia of the old Interpreter’s Bible by assigning both the exegesis and the exposition to the same author. McComiskey’s study on Hosea is excellent.

The two best commentaries on Joel are J.L. Crenshaw in AB (1995) and H.W. Wolff’s Joel and Amos in the Hermeneia series (Fortress, 1976). Both of these interpreters examine virtually every syllable, provide extensive bibliography, and press on to both theological and applicational comments.  L.C. Allen regularly blends historical criticism with rhetorical-literary sensitivity and theological richness. His commentary in the New International Commentary on the Old Testament covers Joel through Micah (NICOT; Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1976) and provides an excellent discussion for each of the books, but is especially strong in Joel and Micah.

Both of the OTL’s offerings on Amos are valuable, though written from opposite hermeneutical assumptions. J.L. Mays’ work (1969) offers concise, penetrating historical exegesis with theological sensitivity. J. Jeremias’ commentary (Westminster John Knox, 1998) excels in literary, rhetorical, and intertextual interpretation. D. Stuart, in the Word Biblical Commentary, writes a sober form-critical exposition of Amos without atomizing the text and with extensive attention to the covenantal background for Amos’ preaching (WBC; Word, 1987).

For a theologically rich treatment of Obadiah, one can turn to L.C. Allen in the NICOT (1976). For detailed exegesis and exposition, look to J.J. Niehaus (MPEEC; 1993) or D.W. Baker’s brief, but excellent TOTC (1988). Baker’s commentary packs more theological reflection into twenty-three pages than P. Raabe’s tome in AB (1996) does in three hundred.

J. Limburg, in his OTL commentary, offers a skillful and effective interpretation of Jonah as a didactic story developed around a historical figure (1993). D. Alexander (TOTC, 1988) defends Jonah as didactic history, but follows with limited commentary. Allen’s contribution to NICOT is also excellent, but abbreviated when compared to his work on Joel. In contrast, after undermining challenges to Jonah’s historicity and then moving on to a “Who knows?” stance on the whole question, D. Stuart (WBC; Hosea-Jonah, 1987) supplies the reader with solid exegetical commentary (and theologically rich!) that is attentive to the poetics, rhetoric, and literary structure of the work.

Among recent works, perhaps the most substantial evangelical commentary on Micah comes from B.K. Waltke in the MPEEC. Walkte’s mastery of Hebrew syntax and ancient Near East materials funds strong exegesis, which he carries forward to Christian exposition. The last of the J.L. Mays “trilogy” in the OTL, his Micah volume (1976), is a monument to penetrating, edifying scholarship. L. Allen’s treatment (NICOT, 1976) and that of R.L. Smith (WBC; 1990) are well done, yet disappointingly brief.

J. J. M. Roberts’ mastery of textual, philological, comparative, and redactional matters, and his theological insight pay off richly in his brief commentary on Nahum (Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah; 1991) in the OTL. Happily, his treatment of these books as wholes outdistances his espoused approach that minimizes book context for interpreting individual oracles. E. Achtemeier writes powerful theological exposition in Nahum-Malachi for Interpretation (John Knox, 1986). Her best work is found in Nahum, Zephaniah, and Malachi.  Solid expository exegesis along with a thoroughly conservative approach to introductory matters makes R.D. Patterson’s work in the Wycliffe Exegetical Commentary (WEC; Moody, 1991) valuable.

Two substantial treatments of Habakkuk come from O.P. Robertson’s contribution to the NICOT series (1990) and that of F. F. Bruce in MPEEC (1993). The latter is one of Professor Bruce’s last writings. In addition, the work of J. J. M. Roberts in OTL would be on my desk, especially, but by no means just for navigating chapter 3!

In spite of a disappointing introduction to Zephaniah, O.P. Robertson’s commentary in NICOT (1990) provides solid exegesis with theological conviction, as does the work of R.D. Patterson in WEC (1991).  Once again, the MPEEC (1998) comes through with J.A. Motyer’s good exegetical and expositional work. J. J. M. Roberts’ meticulous exegesis with theological flair continues in OTL (1991).

The fruitful teamwork of C.L. and E.M. Meyers on Haggai in AB is unrivaled for its comprehensive, balanced, critical, and theological commentary ( Haggai, Zechariah 1-8 and Zechariah 9-12; 1987-1993). More limited is J. Baldwin’s treatment of Haggai in TOTC (1972) and P.A. Verhoef’s commentary in NICOT (1987). Both, though, still provide helpful background information, exegetical attention, and theological reflection.

While separating First Zechariah (1980) from Second Zechariah (1989) for AB, C.L. and E.M. Meyers provide an outstanding discussion of Zechariah that tends carefully to this canonical book and its dense intertextuality. R.L. Smith’s work in WBC (1984) is quite helpful both for its introduction and its commentary. E. Achtemeier’s theological overview succeeds in bringing ancient text to present life (Interpretation, 1986).

A.E. Hill’s magisterial commentary on Malachi for AB (1998) is superb in almost every way. P.A. Verhoef, in spite of a surprisingly abbreviated introduction, provides solid exegetical and theological treatment in NICOT (1987). In MPEEC (1998), one finds strong exegesis and exposition of Malachi by D. Stuart along with helpful attention to rhetorical-literary matters.

Although scholarly commentary on the Twelve Prophets as a whole (single author) is not abundant, and, even rarer from the hand of evangelicals, interested readers will want to peruse the two volumes by M.A. Sweeney in the Berit Olam (Liturgical, 2000) series. Sweeney presents a plausible reading of the Book of the Twelve as a compositional whole and also provides insightful interpretation of each one based on a detailed, rhetorical-literary reading.


By David L. Thompson, Ph. D., and F. M. and Ada Thompson Professor of Biblical Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary.