The Minor Prophets, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs

An image rich, passage-by-passage commentary that integrates textual and artifactual context from the ancient Near East to inform our understanding and interpretation of the Hebrew Bible―while remaining respectful to the inerrancy of Scripture.

Without a deep knowledge of the ancient cultures the Old Testament was born from, we can be tempted to impose our own culture on the text, potentially distorting it. This unique Bible backgrounds commentary examines:

• The history of the ancient Near East as a means of recovering knowledge of the events that shaped the lives of the people.
• The archaeology as a means of recovering the lifestyle reflected in the material cultures.
• The literature of the ancient Near East as a means of understanding the heart and soul of the people who inhabited the ancient world that Israel shared.

Detailed exegetical notes are combined with comparative discussions of the cultural settings that help scholars interpret the writings of the minor prophets (Hosea through Malachi) and books of wisdom and poetry; Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs.

This volume of the celebrated Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary series brings these 17 books of the Bible into sharper focus―enabling scholars, pastors, and laity to access rich data from over one hundred and seventy years of explorations and excavations in the Near East.

THE ZONDERVAN ILLUSTRATED BIBLE BACKGROUNDS COMMENTARY SERIES

Invites you to enter the world of the Old Testament with a company of seasoned guides, experts who will give new insights into these cherished writings. Features:

• Over 2000 photographs, drawings, maps, diagrams, and charts provide a visual feast that breathes fresh life into the text.
• Passage-by-passage commentary presents archaeological findings, historical explanations, geographic insights, notes on manners and customs, and more.
• Analysis into the literature of the ancient Near East will open your eyes to new depths of understanding both familiar and unfamiliar passages.
• Written by an international team of 30 specialists, all top scholars in background studies.

John Hilber (PhD, Cambridge University) is professor of Old Testament at McMaster Divinity College, having previously taught at Dallas Theological Seminary and Grand Rapids Theological Seminary. He is author of Cultic Prophecy in the Psalms, Psalms in the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Background Commentary, Ezekiel: A Focused Commentary for Preaching and Teaching, Old Testament Cosmology and Divine Accommodation: A Relevance Theory Approach, and co-editor of Behind the Scenes of the Old Testament.

Tremper Longman III (PhD, Yale University) is a distinguished scholar and Professor Emeritus of Biblical Studies at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California. He is on the advisory council of the BioLogos Foundation, and is the Old Testament editor for the revised Expositor's Bible Commentary and general editor for the Story of God Bible Commentary Old Testament, and has authored many articles and books on the Psalms and other Old Testament books.

Duane Garrett (Ph.D., Baylor Univerity) is John R. Sampey Professor of Old Testament Interpretation at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

J. Glen Taylor (Ph.D., Yale University), is associate professor of Old Testament, Wycliffe College and the School of Graduate Studies, University of Toronto.

Mark W. Chavalas (Ph.D., University of California at Los Angeles) is professor of History, at the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse.