Amos, Jonah, & Micah: Evangelical Exegetical Commentary (EEC)

by JoAnna M. Hoyt

Publisher:

Lexham Press

, 2018

Amos, Jonah & Micah

Throughout the Old Testament, Yahweh drew his prophets from the most unlikely circumstances. The minor prophets Amos, Jonah, and Micah were each called out of their ordinary lives to deliver timely messages—both to their original audiences and for us, today. While they’re each unique, these three biblical books can be connected by the theological themes of divine justice, mercy, judgment, and repentance. In this volume, JoAnna M. Hoyt examines these themes in depth, revealing the complexity of the relationship between God and his people. Throughout her commentary, Hoyt closely examines the text of these three prophetic books, giving us a scholarly and applicable exploration for the church.

Praise for Amos, Jonah & Micah

JoAnna Hoyt has produced a superb volume that will take a place among the best exegetical commentaries available on these three important prophetic books. The author provides in-depth, insightful interaction with the Hebrew text, without overwhelming the reader with technicalities. She is thorough without being tedious and she avoids pursuing rabbit trails that are only tangential to the text’s message. Pastors should find the commentary user-friendly when preparing expositional sermons.

–Robert B. Chisholm, Jr., Chair and Senior Professor of Old Testament Studies Dallas Theological Seminary

Dr. JoAnna Hoyt has written an excellent exegetical commentary on the Old Testament prophetic books of Amos (the prophet of social justice), Jonah (the prodigal prophet) and Micah (God’s prosecuting attorney). I will definitely encourage our PhD students at Calvary University to purchase and use this commentary in their studies.

–Gary Gromacki, Department Chair and Professor of Bible and Theology, Director of the Ph.D. in Bible and Theology Program, Calvary University, Kansas City

Hoyt has provided a rich resource for students of Amos, Jonah, and Micah. The commentary is marked by careful exegesis and by keen literary and theological analysis. With a firm grasp of current scholarship and with skillful attention to discourse linguistics, Hoyt has written a worthy addition to the best commentaries available on these books. I highly commend this volume!

–Dr. Kyle Dunham, Associate Professor of Old Testament, Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary

Top Highlights

“It is more likely that the Ninevites simply fast and put on sackcloth because it is the universal sign of repentance in the ANE.” (Page 486)

“The general idea is that Yahweh desires people to follow him not based on emotions but on intent and mental attentiveness.” (Page 766)

“This sounds like an appropriate way to begin a cry of repentance; however, as the psalm continues, the pious-sounding words focus more on Jonah than on Yahweh. Not once in the psalm is there even a hint of repentance or even an acknowledgment of sin.” (Page 453)

“Jonah was perhaps ready to act, perhaps even starting to stand up; but the following two words (אֶל־נִינְוֵה, ‘to Nineveh’) would have caused Jonah to pause. A prophet of Yahweh was typically sent to Yahweh’s chosen people, not to their enemies.¹⁹ Nineveh, or rather Assyria as a whole, had already shown themselves enemies to Israel under Adad-nirari III (810–783 bc), who attempted to conquer them.²⁰ And Assyria will, in the not-too-distant future, again become great and powerful enemies of Israel, requiring King Hoshea to pay tribute in 725 bc,²¹ and then later take them into exile (2 Kgs 17:3–18). Even though Assyria was in a time of great decline during Jonah’s day, their history and their greatly evil reputation were not forgotten.” (Page 415)

“This choice is deliberate. It introduces a section (vv. 7–9) in which the narrator no longer uses Yahweh’s covenant name for his interactions with Jonah but instead uses the generic word for a deity—the same word the narrator used throughout the story of the Ninevites, who were not in covenant relationship with Yahweh. The change in words is a signal by the narrator to the audience that Jonah has been placed in the role of the Ninevites; he is being treated as though he were outside the covenant.⁵⁰ Jonah is firmly placed in the role of Nineveh, someone who does not know the Yahweh or his covenant, someone who does not deserve mercy but receives it anyway.” (Pages 507–508)

Evangelical Exegetical Commentary series

The Evangelical Exegetical Commentary (EEC) series is a premiere biblical commentary rooted in the original text of Scripture. Incorporating the latest in critical biblical scholarship and written from a distinctly evangelical perspective, each comprehensive volume features a remarkable amount of depth, providing historical and literary insights, and addressing exegetical, pastoral, and theological details. Readers will gain a full understanding of the text and how to apply it to everyday life.

Learn more about the other titles in this series.

Product Details

• Title: Amos, Jonah, & Micah: Evangelical Exegetical Commentary (EEC)
• Author: JoAnna M. Hoyt
• Editors: H. Wayne House, William D. Barrick
• Series: Evangelical Exegetical Commentary (ECC)
• Publisher: Lexham Press
• Publication Date: 2019
• Pages: 880
• Format: Logos Digital, Hardcover
• Trim Size: 6x9
• ISBN: 9781683592464

About JoAnna M. Hoyt

About JoAnna M. Hoyt

JoAnna M. Hoyt is a visiting professor at Dallas Theological Seminary, and an adjunct professor at the Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics. Her main area of research is Hebrew exegesis and linguistics. She has a Ph.D. and Th.M. in Old Testament Studies from Dallas Theological Seminary and a B.A. in Christian Studies (Theology and Biblical Languages) from Howard Payne University. In addition to her academic work she worked in campus ministry for seven years and continues to be active in ministry.