Experts Recommend OT Commentaries: Minor Prophets

Dr. Russell Meek Weighs In

Dr. Russell Meek (Guest Expert)

Dr. Russell Meek is senior academic editor at Kregel Publications. Meek has published numerous books, articles, & essays across Old Testament studies, though his formal expertise is the Book of Ecclesiastes. Meek is currently co-writing a commentary on some of the minor prophets. His newest publication is The Preacher’s Hebrew Companion to Ecclesiastes.

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Meek’s Recommendations on the Minor Prophets

Preface: Commentary series typically cover the Book of the Twelve, or Minor Prophets, in a handful of volumes, so individual recommendations for each book can become a bit unwieldy.

Technical: If you’re going to read only one technical commentary, NICOT should be your go-to source. These volumes treat the full range of exegetical issues and largely treat grammatical and linguistic issues in an approachable way. Mark Boda on Zechariah and Danny Carroll on Amos (for example) are especially helpful.

If you’re looking to expand your library beyond the NICOT, the following are solid options.

Hosea and Joel

Garret, Duane A. (1997), Hosea, Joel, NAC. Somewhat technical but still accessible, Garret’s commentary includes helpful discussions on literary imagery, structure, and inner-biblical allusions.

Amos

Hoyt, Joann (2019), Amos, Jonah, and Micah, EEC. Hoyt’s writing style is engaging and easy to read. I especially appreciate how she demonstrates the connective tissues between Amos, Jonah, and Micah, as well as her theological reflections and insight into the books’ ancient Near Eastern context and how that helps us to better understand the prophets’ message and how it connects to life today.

Obadiah

Block, Daniel I. (2017), Obadiah, ZECOT. Everything you ever wanted to know about Obadiah is found in Block’s commentary, which also has a companion lecture series.

Jonah

Again, Hoyt (ECC). And also worth picking up is T. A. Perry’s Jonah’s Arguments with God: The Honeymoon is Over! Perry helps readers put together the book’s literary strategy, brings to life its humor, and offers helpful reflections on the book’s theological themes.

Micah

See again Hoyt, but don’t sleep on Bruce Waltke’s A Commentary on Micah (2007), which is a master class in exegetical work.

Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah

Bruckner, James (2004), Jonah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, NIVAC. Bruckner’s non-technical commentary shines in demonstrating why readers should take seriously these prophetic books and how they continue to speak today.

Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

Petterson, Anthony (2015), Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, AOTC. The AOTC is one of my favorite series that engages with the Hebrew text in a way that remains accessible to people without facility in the language. In the “comments” sections Petterson clearly explains the meaning of the biblical text and sorts through thorny issues, while in the “explanation” sections he brings the text to bear on modern life.