Experts Recommend OT Commentaries: Proverb
Dr. Paul Overland (Proverbs)
OT Commentary Recommendations: Rebooted!
A handful of years ago, I (Nijay Gupta) had a blog series where I asked OT experts to weigh in on their recommendations for OT commentaries. For one reason or another (during the pandemic), I left the series incomplete, and lately I have been motivated to do a reboot! So we are back now with **brand new** posts to complete the series.
Experts Recommend OT Commentaries: Book of Proverbs
Today, we are fortunate to have a guest expert on Proverbs, Dr. Paul Overland, Professor of Old Testament and Semitic Languages at Ashland Theological Seminary. Dr. Overland is the author of the Apollos commentary on Proverbs, and I have a special admiration for Dr. Overland because he taught me Hebrew! We are blessed to have his expert advice on Proverbs commentaries that will benefit scholars, pastors, and students.
Commentaries on Proverbs
(Dr. Paul Overland)
Technical
Fox, M. V. (2000), Proverbs 1–9, Anchor Bible 18A, and Proverbs 10–31, 18B (2009), New York: Doubleday.
Fox’s commentary is the fruit of years, if not decades, of careful research. He pays close attention to the Hebrew of Proverbs. Also, he is well-versed in wisdom of the Ancient Near East and observes points of correspondence with Hebrew wisdom.
Waltke, B. K. (2004), The Book of Proverbs: Chapters 1–15 and The Book of Proverbs: Chapters 16–31 (2005), NICOT, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans
Waltke’s work, like that of Fox, has simmered long in scholarly research. In addition to careful scrutiny of the Hebrew of Proverbs, Waltke has served as a trail-blazer as regards noticing where several adjacent sayings may have been composed with a unified message.
Semi-Technical
Murphy, R. E. (1998), Proverbs, Word Biblical Commentary 22, Nashville: Thomas Nelson
Murphy brings the seasoned depth of decades-long study in Proverbs, yet communicates the meaning of isolated sayings in Proverbs with a fresh and uncomplicated style.
Overland, Paul (2022), The Book of Proverbs Apollos OT Commentaries, Apollos: London.
My work builds on that of Waltke and Fox, paying particular attention to coordinated composition (poems) comprised of multiple adjacent sayings. Awareness of these poems clarifies the meaning of individual sayings. In addition, attentiveness to poems illuminates themes, primary points emphasized by the Hebrew sages, and book-wide progression of thought pointing to a curriculum in wisdom training.
Non-Technical
Kidner, Derek. Proverbs: an introduction and commentary. Tyndale OT Commentary 17, Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsityPress
I never cease to be amazed at how effectively and consistently Kidner “cuts to the chase,” revealing the spiritual or theological import of isolated sayings in Proverbs, in an uncommonly accessible manner. Although other resources will be needed to gain the broader cultural background (such as Fox or Waltke), Kidner brings the message home with simplicity in a most nourishing manner.
I love this series. Every time I need a new commentary for a particular book, I look to see if you’ve got a recommendation post about it.
I do as well...then I think of my bank account!