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Product Description

Ezra-Nehemiah is the Old Testament equivalent of the Acts of the Apostles—it is a book of new beginnings. Just as Acts narrates the early history of the church through the work of the apostles, Ezra-Nehemiah narrates the re-establishment of the people of God after the exile through the work of Sheshbazzar, Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah. Allen explores Ezra-Nehemiah as a single literary text made up of three parts telling the story of three missions and the opposition they meet with. Wise and insightful, Leslie Allen has written a commentary that illuminates these texts and their intended message.

Esther is a story about a young girl who becomes queen. Laniak's thoughtful commentary examines this narrative as a story with many levels of meaning. Esther is about the minority Jewish community in the dependent state of Diaspora, navigating a precarious existence in two worlds, and it is about the triumph of right over wrong, of God's people over their enemies.

"Three books, two commentators, but one approach, and the right one at that. Although both Allen and Laniak give attention to the historical setting of these post-exilic books, they rightly concentrate their effort on unfolding the intricacies of the literary narrative, since it is here that authority for belief and practice as well as material for preaching lies. With the right balance between overall thematic exposition and detailed notes, their commentary should serve both pastors and students well in opening up these neglected and frequently misunderstood books."
—H. G. M. Williamson, Regius Professor of Hebrew, University of Oxford

Reviews

“This is a fine textbook for study of three frequently overlooked biblical books.”
—The Bible Today

”Based on the NIV, though with occasional notes on the Hebrew, this commentary treats the three books of its title as literature, while also addressing issues of theology and history. The series promotes what it terms “believing criticism, “ i.e. putting critical methods to use for the believing community.”
—Old Testament Abstracts

“The combination of commentaries on these two books within one volume can be justified beyond considerations of expense. Although A. suggests that they make “strange bedfellows” (Ezra-Nehemiah ‘appeals for a strict religious stand’ while Esther ‘borders on an assimilationist attitude toward pagan society,’ p. 10), they have a common concern with the Persian period. Read together canonically, they form a contrasting diptych on a period when the issues of the people’s identity, continuity, and even survival were most sharply focused, whether in the land or in the Diaspora. These remain urgent concerns for church and synagogue alike. As a reliable and informative guide to these books, this commentary is warmly welcomed.”
—The Catholic Biblical Quarterly

“Both Allen and Laniak have provided useful commentaries that will render service to the public intended by this series—general readers and students.”
—Theoforum

“Allen’s comments are both lucid and learned. His approach is literary, historical, philological, text-critical and theological. . . . Throughout the commentary, Laniak’s remarks are fresh and well-crafted. Both of the authors in this volume have offered students of the Bible a rich and readable reference for understanding Ezra-Nehemiah and Esther.”
—Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society

“This series exemplifies the challenge of biblical scholarship for contemporary evangelicalism. It is committed to employing the full range of critical methodologies and practices, by scholars who hold the text in the highest regard so that modern readers may be illumined as their faith is deepened. This demanding task is engagingly carried out by Leslie Allen for Ezra-Nehemiah and Timothy Laniak for Esther. . . .While not for the specialist, all others will be enriched and enlightened by these engaging treatments of these frequently overlooked corners of the biblical record.”
—Interpretation

"Both authors do an outstanding job of utilizing early Jewish writings, including the Apocrypha, and other ancient writings, notably those of Herodotus and Xenophon."
—Bibliotheca Sacra

“Consistent with the mandate that the editors of the NIBC give to the commentators, both Allen and Laniak prove themselves to be ‘believing critics.’ Each writes with a Christian audience and church concerns in mind. Allen repeatedly speaks of ‘spiritual’ applications of passages, while Laniak is less explicit but equally concerned to provide insights about the text’s lessons for contemporary believers. . . . Each work, in its own way, describes the foundations for a life of fidelity to the traditions of the covenant. Allen and Laniak have written sound commentaries, whose goal is to hand on this message of fidelity to the present generation of Christians.”
—Toronto Journal of Theology

Leslie C. Allen is Professor of Old Testament at Fuller Theological Seminary. He has written many books including commentaries on Ezekiel, 1 and 2 Chronicles, and Psalms.

Timothy S. Laniak is Associate Professor of Old Testament at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary--Charlotte. He is the author of Shame and Honor in the Book of Esther.

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