2 Samuel Volume 11

The Word Biblical Commentary delivers the best in biblical scholarship, from the leading scholars of our day who share a commitment to Scripture as divine revelation. This series emphasizes a thorough analysis of textual, linguistic, structural, and theological evidence. The result is judicious and balanced insight into the meanings of the text in the framework of biblical theology. These widely acclaimed commentaries serve as exceptional resources for the professional theologian and instructor, the seminary or university student, the working minister, and everyone concerned with building theological understanding from a solid base of biblical scholarship. Overview of Commentary Organization Introduction—covers issues pertaining to the whole book, including context, date, authorship, composition, interpretive issues, purpose, and theology. Each section of the commentary includes: Pericope Bibliography—a helpful resource containing the most important works that pertain to each particular pericope. Translation—the author’s own translation of the biblical text, reflecting the end result of exegesis and attending to Hebrew and Greek idiomatic usage of words, phrases, and tenses, yet in reasonably good English. Notes—the author’s notes to the translation that address any textual variants, grammatical forms, syntactical constructions, basic meanings of words, and problems of translation. Form/Structure/Setting—a discussion of redaction, genre, sources, and tradition as they concern the origin of the pericope, its canonical form, and its relation to the biblical and extra-biblical contexts in order to illuminate the structure and character of the pericope. Rhetorical or compositional features important to understanding the passage are also introduced here. Comment—verse-by-verse interpretation of the text and dialogue with other interpreters, engaging with current opinion and scholarly research. Explanation—brings together all the results of the discussion in previous sections to expose the meaning and intention of the text at several levels: (1) within the context of the book itself; (2) its meaning in the OT or NT; (3) its place in the entire canon; (4) theological relevance to broader OT or NT issues. General Bibliography—occurring at the end of each volume, this extensive bibliography contains all sources used anywhere in the commentary.

No other reference series gets to the heart of the Old Testament as efficiently as the Holman Old Testament Commentary. When a reader’s time allows, the series offers a detailed interpretation based on the popular New International Version text. When time is short, it delivers an essential understanding of the Old Testament with unsurpassed clarity and convenience. 1,2 Samuel is the final volume in the 32-book Old and New Testament series and insightfully magnifies the grace of God that is greater than all our sin through the story of David who, despite his failings, would become a man after God’s own heart and the model for all future kings.

"A masterpiece of contemporary Bible translation and commentary."—Los Angeles Times Book Review, Best Books of 1999 Acclaimed for its masterful new translation and insightful commentary, The David Story is a fresh, vivid rendition of one of the great works in Western literature. Robert Alter's brilliant translation gives us David, the beautiful, musical hero who slays Goliath and, through his struggles with Saul, advances to the kingship of Israel. But this David is also fully human: an ambitious, calculating man who navigates his life's course with a flawed moral vision. The consequences for him, his family, and his nation are tragic and bloody. Historical personage and full-blooded imagining, David is the creation of a literary artist comparable to the Shakespeare of the history plays.

Volume 2 of 2. Coleridge's Shorter Works and Fragments brings together a number of substantial essays that were not long enough to require volumes to themselves, among them his "Theory of Life," "Essays on the Principles of Genial Criticism," "Treatise on Method," "Confessions of an Inquiring Spirit," "On the Passions," and "On the Prometheus of Aeschylus." To these are added more than four hundred other pieces, some of them fragementary, many of them previously unpublished, ranging in date from school essays of the early 1790s to a discussion of the bullion controversy in 1834. As might be expected, the subject matter includes literature and language, theology, philosophy, politics, and science, but in many less predicatble topics (such as child labor laws, marriage, suicide, church history, the abolition of slavery, the state of the colonies) also appear. By gathering this material and presenting it in chronological order, Shorter Works and Fragments reveals the development and major characteristics of Coleridge's seemingly inexhaustible variety. H.J. Jackson and J.R. de J. Jackson, Professors of English at the University of Toronto, are the editors of Coleridge's Marginalia and Logic, respectively, in the Collected Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Bollingen Series LXXV Originally published in 1995. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

Cyril Barber is convinced that the books of Samuel were written not to display the horror of David's sins of murder and adultery, but rather to demonstrate God's faithfulness in raising up prophets, priests, and kings to move history toward the coming of Christ. The central focus of this commentary is to show that the sovereign God weaves His own historical patterns alongside human failure and sin. Some people will read this volume for the exegetical light it sheds on 2 Samuel. Others will seek personal applications and find help in the great lessons that can be learned from the mistakes and successes of the past. All who read it will derive a new appreciation for the work of God in human history. I should warn you that this commentary challenges familiar interpretations and looks at the events of 2 Samuel through a different set of glasses. But precisely for this reason I wish it a wide distribution. From the Foreword, by Erwin W. Lutzer

One in an ongoing series of esteemed and popular Bible commentary volumes based on the New International Version text.

How I wish this book had been available years ago when I as a young minister tried to preach on the life of King Saul. Dr. Cyril Barber has given us a commentary on 1 Samuel that balances dependable information, spiritual interpretation, and practical application. I predict that in years to come this volume will be a standard reference work for serious Bible students and careful expository preachers. But there is no dull academic atmosphere in these pages. The book is a joy to read. Dr. Barber makes ancient history exciting and practical, and he does so without spiritualizing the text. You will enjoy using this book. It will open up new facets of truth for you to receive and apply in your own life and then share with others. From the Foreword, by Warren W. Wiersbe