Hermeneia and Continental Old Testament Commentaries (43 vols.)

by Claus Westermann; André LaCocque; Volkmar Fritz; Hans-Joachim Kraus

and

27 more

Publisher:

Fortress Press

, 1974–2012

Overview

Unique, authoritative, indispensable, Hermeneia has in a generation produced many of the most influential and informative commentaries on the Bible in the English language. Each testament collection includes all previously published Hermeneia volumes from that testament, plus all the published Hermeneia volumes on noncannonical texts and specially selected additional commentaries. A great tool for pastors, professors, teachers, students, and laity alike.

Designed for the serious student of the Bible, each volume in the Hermeneia series aims to lay bare the ancient meaning of a biblical work and utilizes the full range of philological and historical tools. The aim of each volume is to provide a full critical discussion of each problem of interpretation and the primary data upon which the discussion is based. The authors make full use of ancient Semitic and classical languages along with English translations of all comparative materials—Greek, Latin, Canaanite, or Akkadian.

Key Features

• Outstanding Old Testament commentary
• Writings from well-loved theologians Walther Zimmerli, Michael Lattke, Claus Westermann, and more
• A fantastic collection for students, teachers, scholars, and professors

Product Details

• Title: Hermeneia: Old Testament
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Volumes: 43

Genesis 1–11

• Author: Claus Westermann
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1990
• Pages: 636

Claus Westermann’s 3-volume commentary on Genesis stands as one of the most exhaustive treatments of the first book of the Bible available today. The first volume of Westermann’s commentary introduces readers to the first eleven chapters of Genesis. For each section of Scripture, Westermann translates the text, introduces the literary form and the setting in life, offers a detailed commentary, shows readers the purpose and thrust, and offers a detailed analysis of secondary literature—all with thoroughness, clarity, and fairness.

Westermann’s commentary has the merit of taking a definite stand in the hermeneutical debate. In the tradition of Gunkel, it takes full advantage of the methods of form criticism and of the phenomenological study of religion. Again and again Westermann opens up dimensions of meaning which are not only relevant for theology but for human existence in the modern world.

—Bernhard W. Anderson, Journal of Biblical Literature

Claus Westermann was emeritus professor at the University of Heidelberg. Besides his three-volume commentary on Genesis, he is renowned for his many exegetical and theological treatments of the Old Testament, including Basic Forms of Prophetic Speech, Praise and Lament in the Psalms, Elements of Old Testament Theology, and The Promises to the Fathers. He was also co-editor of Theological Lexicon of the Old Testament.

Genesis 12–36

• Author: Claus Westermann
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1986
• Pages: 608

The second volume of Westermann’s commentary on Genesis expounds on the patriarchal story—the figures of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and their significance not only for Israel, but for human history. Their stories deal with the beginnings of human society, and of the family in particular. Through them, God reveals his action in families, politics, lifestyles, and social norms, making these stories fundamental for understanding both God and ourselves. Westermann also outlines the theological implications of the patriarchs, and implores modern readers to discover their implications for theology in the church today.

Claus Westermann’s commentary on Genesis is one of the really great commentaries—great in size (three large volumes), great in comprehensiveness (covers all aspects of the text and has massive bibliographies), and great in theological perception.

—C. S. Rodd, Expository Times

Genesis 37–50

• Author: Claus Westermann
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1986
• Pages: 272

This third volume of Westermann’s masterful commentary on Genesis offers a stimulating treatment of one of the most poignant and unified of the narratives in Genesis—the Joseph story. English-speaking readers now have access to Westermann’s thorough introduction to Genesis 37–50 as a whole, as well as treatments of the individual passages familiar from the first two volumes:

• Rich bibliographies
• A new translation with linguistic notes
• Analysis of form and setting
• Word studies and short essays on particular themes
• Theological assessment

This work opens up dimensions of meaning which are not only relevant for theology but for human existence in the modern world.

—Bernard Anderson

Leviticus: A Book of Ritual and Ethics

• Author: Jacob Milgrom
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 2004
• Pages: 408

Values are what Leviticus is all about. They pervade every chapter and almost every verse. Underlying the rituals, careful readers will find an intricate web of values that purports to model how we should relate to God and to each other. Ritual is the poetry of religion that leads us to a moment of transcendence. When a ritual fails because it either lacks content, or is misleading, it loses its efficacy and purpose. A ritual must signify something beyond itself, whose attainment enhances the meaning and value of life. This is the achievement of Leviticus.

Building upon his life-long work on the book of Leviticus, Milgrom makes this book accessible to all readers. He demonstrates the logic of Israel’s sacrificial system, the ethical dimensions of ancient worship, and the priestly forms of ritual.

[This volume’s] clarity and accessibility make it a most valuable resource for anyone who wishes to engage with Jacob Milgrom’s important scholarly contributions.

—William K. Gilders, Emory University

Jacob Milgrom is emeritus professor of Hebrew Bible at the University of California, Berkeley, and a widely published author. His books include Studies in Levitical Terminology, Cult and Conscience: The Asham and the Priestly Doctrine of Repentance, Numbers in the JPS Torah Commentary, and Leviticus in the Anchor Yale Bible.

Ruth

• Author: Andrea LaCocque
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 2004
• Pages: 208

This volume provides a readable introduction to the narrative book of Ruth appropriate for the student, pastor, and scholar. LaCocque combines historical, literary, feminist, and liberationist approaches in an engaging synthesis. He argues that the book was written in the post-exilic period and that the author was a woman. Countering the fears and xenophobia of many in Jerusalem, the biblical author employed the notion of hesed (kindness, loyalty, steadfast love), which transcends any national boundaries.

LaCocque focuses on redemption and levirate marriage as the two legal issues that recur throughout the text of Ruth. Ruth comes from the despised people of Moab but becomes a model for Israel. Boaz, converted to the model of steadfast love, becomes both redeemer and levir for Ruth and thus fulfills the Torah. In the conclusion to his study, the author sketches some parallels with Jesus’ hermeneutics of the Law as well as postmodern problems and solutions.

I have long been a fan of André LaCocque’s work, and this commentary is no exception. . . . What I particularly appreciated is the inclusion by LaCocque of many of the more marginal readings of Ruth. . . . LaCocque locates himself carefully within the existing scholarly literature, both within and beyond biblical scholarship, and dialogues with it in detail.

—Gerald West, School of Religion & Theology, University of KwaZulu-Natal, S. Africa

1 & 2 Kings

• Author: Volkmar Fritz
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 2003
• Pages: 462

This volume provides a readable introduction to the narrative books of 1 & 2 Kings appropriate for the student, pastor, and scholar. Fritz combines historical, literary, and archaeological approaches in an engaging synthesis. While he addresses issues of the deuteronomic redaction, the author does not become bogged down in technical discussions or allow this to overshadow the holistic interpretation of the text.

Volkmar Fritz is Professor of Old Testament and Biblical Archaeology at the University of Giessen, Germany. He is also the Director of the Deutschen Evangelischen Instituts fur Altertumswissenschaft des Heiligen Landes. His numerous works include The City in Ancient Israel, Das Buch Josua, Tempel und Zelt, and Israel in der Wuste. He is also co-editor of The Origins of the Ancient Israelite States.

1 Chronicles

• Author: Ralph W. Klein
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 2006
• Pages: 592

This commentary takes full advantage of recent advances in the textual history of Samuel and Kings, demonstrating in many cases that the differences often ascribed to the Chronicler came in fact from the divergent copy of the canonical books he was rewriting. Klein brings to lively expression the unique theological voice of the Chronicler and demonstrates there have been far fewer secondary additions to the text than is normally assumed.

A lifetime studying Chronicles comes to its full fruition in this comprehensive commentary on a biblical book that is often overlooked. Klein’s deep penetration into the text and meaning of Chronicles is unexcelled in the English language and provides the reader of the book all that he or she needs to understand and expound the meaning of the text. It will be the standard against which other commentaries on Chronicles are measured for years to come.

—Patrick D. Miller, Princeton Theological Seminary

Ralph W. Klein is Christ Seminary-Seminex Professor of Old Testament and Editor since 1974 of Currents in Theology and Mission, at Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. His published books from Fortress Press include Textual Criticism of the Old Testament (1974) and Israel in Exile (1979); a commentary on 1 Samuel in the Word Biblical Commentary; and the commentary on Ezra and Nehemiah in the New Interpreter’s Bible.

2 Chronicles

• Author: Ralph W. Klein
• Editor: Paul D. Hanson
• Series: Hermeneia
• Publisher: Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 2012
• Pages: 592

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

This volume completes Ralph Klein’s magisterial commentary on 1 and 2 Chronicles. Klein incorporates the breakthroughs of the last half-century of research. He shows that the Chronicler used a text of Kings significantly different from the Masoretic Text; argues that the Chronicler’s departures from the historical picture of Kings result from a distinctive theological agenda for fourth-century Judah; and explores the contours of that message—what it meant to live faithfully, to participate in temple and worship life, in the absence of political independence.

Ralph W. Klein is Christ Seminary–Seminex Professor of Old Testament at The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. He is the author of Textual Criticism of the Old Testament: The Septuagint after Qumran, Israel in Exile: A Theological Interpretation, 1 Samuel (Word Biblical Commentary), Ezekiel: The Prophet and His Message, and 1 Chronicles (Hermeneia).

Paul D. Hanson, editor, is the Florence Corliss Lamont Professor of Divinity at Harvard Divinity School. He is the author of numerous works including The Dawn of Apocalyptic and The People Called.

Psalms 2 (Psalms 51–100)

• Authors: Frank Lothar Hossfeld, Erich Zenger
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 2005
• Pages: 580

This newest contribution to the acclaimed Hermeneia series provides in-depth analysis of Psalms 51–100. It is volume 2 of a three-volume work; volume 3 (Psalms 101–150) will come next, followed by volume 1 (Psalms 1–50), which will include the comprehensive introduction.

Without doubt, this commentary should be one of the first choices among commentaries on the Psalms for every scholar involved in research in the field. Its methodology is clear, honest, and logical; the material presented is rich; and the structure is effective so that even without a detailed set of indices, readers will find their way to whatever psalm and its background they are searching for.

—Thomas J. Kraus, The Review of Biblical Literature

Frank Lothar Hossfeld is professor of Old Testament at the University of Bonn, Germany. He is the author of Der Dekalog (1982) and Untersuchungen zu Komposition und Theologie des Ezechielbuches (1977).

Erich Zenger is Professor of Old Testament at the University of Münster, Germany. He is the author of numerous works, including To Begin with, God Created (2000) and A God of Vengeance (1996).

Psalms 3 (Psalms 101–150)

• Authors: Frank Lothar Hossfeld and Erich Zenger
• Editor: Klaus Baltzer
• Translator: Linda M. Maloney
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress
• Publication Date: 2011
• Pages: 600

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

In this “meticulous” commentary, “brilliantly” translated by Linda M. Maloney, Hossfeld and Zenger provide for each psalm a relevant bibliography of scholarship, a fresh translation, text-critical and philological details, and commentary on historical context, theological significance, literary structure, and reception (in Septuagint, Targums, and New Testament), engaging a wide range of scholarship as they proceed. Line drawings help to illustrate the Ancient Near Eastern context.

Without doubt, this commentary should be one of the first choices among commentaries on the Psalms for every scholar involved in research in the field. Its methodology is clear, honest, and logical; the material presented is rich; and the structure is effective so that . . . readers will find their way to whatever psalm and its background they are searching for. The editorial board of Hermeneia is to be thanked for its decision to publish a translation of such a first-class commentary.

—Thomas J. Kraus, private scholar

Hossfeld and Zenger have given us the definitive commentary on the Psalms for this generation. Their attention to exegetical, historical, redactional, and theological dimensions of these texts ensures that the reader will have the most comprehensive access to the Psalms. From careful discussion of textual issues to the New Testament’s appropriation of the Psalms, they have provided the kind of deep exploration of the Psalter not available in any other commentary.

—Patrick D. Miller, professor emeritus of Old Testament theology, Princeton Theological Seminary

Frank Lothar Hossfeld is professor of Old Testament at the University of Bonn, Germany. He is the author of Der Dekalog and Untersuchungen zu Komposition und Theologie des Ezechielbuches. He also is the coauthor of Psalms 2 in the Hermeneia series.

Erich Zenger is professor of Old Testament at the University of Münster, Germany. He is the author of numerous works, including To Begin with, God Created and A God of Vengeance. He is also the coauthor of Psalms 2 in the Hermeneia series.

Psalms 1–59

• Author: Hans-Joachim Kraus
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1990
• Pages: 560

In this thorough commentary, Professor Kraus takes each Psalm in turn, offers a fresh translation, a bibliography, linguistic notes, discussion of the form and origin of the passage, a verse-by-verse commentary, and a summary of the particular Psalm’s main theological points. In addition, Professor Kraus discusses the poetic form and titles of the Psalms, the relation of the Psalms to the history of Israel, and the Masoretic Text and the ancient translations. Indices of biblical references and names and subjects are included. Psalms 1–59 is translated from the German Biblischer Kommetar series.

Hans-Joachim Kraus has held professorships at the Universities of Bonn, Hamburg, and Gottingen and is an internationally respected Old Testament scholar. Among his influential books are Worship in Israel: A Cultic History of the Old Testament, The Threat and the Power, and The People of God.

Psalms 60–150

• Author: Hans-Joachim Kraus, trans. Hilton C. Oswald
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1990
• Pages: 588

This volume completes the publication in English of Kraus’s classic work on the Psalms in the Biblischer Kommentar series. Like the first volume, Psalms 60–150 offers a fresh translation of each Psalm, a bibliography, a discussion of the form and origin of the passage, and a verse-by-verse commentary.

[This volume contains] the fullest work on the Psalms we are likely to have in our generation. Breaks new ground, bringing the multifarious theological dimensions of the Psalter into reasonable clarity without dissipating its charm.

—James A. Carpenter

The most thorough study of the Psalms in recent years, it contains manna for preachers.

—David H. C. Read

This landmark will serve only to enhance the use of the Psalms in study, worship, prayer, and spiritual formation.

—David A. Hubbard

Theology of the Psalms

• Author: Hans-Joachim Kraus, trans. Keith Crim
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1992
• Pages: 236

Hans-Joachim Kraus’s Theology of the Psalms is meant to accompany, enrich, and complement his magisterial 2-volume commentary (also available in this collection). In the Psalms, Yahweh reveals himself in the history of his people. The Psalms point beyond themselves to the mystery and wonder of revelation and concealment, of the presence and distance of the God of Israel. The Theology of the Psalms could be called “a biblical theology in miniature,” for in them are revealed the complexity of the manner in which Israel’s faith, confession, praise, and prayer are brought together.

Biblical scholars, theologians, and pastors will find [this book] helpful and provocative.

—Ben C. Ollenberger

Exceptionally rich, presenting the fruits of a lifetime of research in an attractive and helpful way.

—James Limburg

Qoheleth

• Author: Thomas Krüger
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 2004
• Pages: 320

Qoheleth presents a special challenge not only for professional commentators but also for 'normal' readers of the Hebrew text (or a modern translation). Most people in modern Western industrial societies can relate without great difficulty to the reflections of the book of Qoheleth on work and rest or on behavior vis-á-vis those in power, and they can understand these reflections in terms of their own experiences. Nonetheless, the way in which these and other themes are handled in Qoheleth is a little puzzling. The fact that the book reveals no clear organization and no overall progression of ideas may be accepted as a literary peculiarity and perhaps even strike one as interesting. Yet when one finds on various themes many statements that are highly contradictory in both the broad and the narrow context, one begins to ask what could be the point of this book and what is the purpose expressed in it. The present commentary seeks to help answer these questions.

Thomas Krüger is professor of Old Testament at the University of Basel, Switzerland. He is the author of Geschichtskonzepte im Ezechielbuch (1988) and Kritische Weisheit: Studien zur weisheitlichen Traditionskritik im Alten Testament (1997).

Qoheleth

• Author: Norbert Lohfink
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 2003
• Pages: 176

This new addition to the successful Continental Commentary Series is a significant and fresh treatment of Qoheleth (or Ecclesiastes). A famed professor presents a startlingly new translation of this often perplexing book of the Old Testament. Lohfink also argues for a rather different interpretation of the book than one finds elsewhere. Rather than reading the book’s perspective as depressing, lost, or cynical, he highlights the elements of joy and balance. The volume includes introduction, new translation, commentary, parallel passages, bibliography, and indexes.

With a new preface, a revised introduction, and a reworking of the entire text, this long-popular German classic now appears as a fresh breeze blowing through the musty tomes of studies on Ecclesiastes. Far from counseling the despising of earthly things, the biblical book is understood as a call to rejoice in the down-to-earth gifts of the Creator and to find delight in the everyday. The translation is lively, the bibliography is new and up-to-date, and the production of the book is inviting.

—James Limburg, Professor Emeritus of Old Testament, Luther Seminary, St. Paul

Norbert Lohfink, before his recent retirement, was professor of Old Testament at Sankt Georgen Seminary (Frankfurt, Germany). His published works in English include: Theology of the Pentateuch, The Covenant Never Revoked, Option for the Poor, and Great Themes from the Old Testament.

The Song of Songs

• Author: Roland E. Murphy
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1990
• Pages: 264

Murphy offers a representative sounding in the major periods of the Song’s exegetical history. Attention is given to the hermeneutical principles operative in the development of Jewish and Christian exposition. Murphy examines the literary character and structure of the Song, aspects of its composition and style, and its meaning and theological significance.

Roland E. Murphy is a theologian, author, and biblical scholar. Some of his other works include co-authoring The New Jerome Biblical Commentary and Forms of Old Testament Literature: Wisdom, Literature: Job, Proverbs, Ruth, Canticles, Ecclesiastes, and Esther.

Song of Songs

• Author: Othmar Keel
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1994
• Pages: 320

In addition to a comprehensive introduction and an analysis of text and form, Othmar Keel focuses on the metaphorical and symbolic language of the Song of Songs. He makes full use of parallels—textual and iconographic—from Palestine, Egypt, and Mesopotamia. More than 160 illustrations, prepared by Hildi Keel-Leu, add to the interpretation of the songs.

Thoughtful, judicious, unpretentious, with a special penchant for the ancient Near Eastern iconographic background, Keel’s analysis [is] perhaps the best commentary on the Song of Songs in recent years.

—Francis Landy, Journal of Biblical Literature

The strength of this commentary [lies in its] relating biblical texts to ancient Near Eastern iconography . . . All in all, this is a strong and illuminating book.

—Elizabeth F. Huwiler, Catholic Biblical Quarterly

Keel’s work and the creative way that he has introduced the visual evidence from ancient artistic representations into exegetical discussion . . . is one of the best, most convincing treatments of the book that has appeared.

—J. J. M. Roberts, Princeton Theological Seminary

Othmar Keel is professor of Old Testament at the University of Freiburg, Switzerland. He is the author of The Symbolism of the Biblical World.

Isaiah 1–12

• Author: Hans Wildberger
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1991
• Pages: 536

With this first of three volumes of Wildberger’s commentary on Isaiah 1–39, English-speaking readers have access to the most exhaustive and, in many respects, the most helpful analysis of a major prophetic voice from eighth century Israel. The pattern of other Old Testament volumes in the Continental Commentaries Series is followed here also. Each successive unit of the text is treated under six headings:

• Text—a fresh translation and text-critical notes
• Form—literary form and metrical patterns
• Setting—date, place, sitz im leben, authenticity
• Commentary—verse-by-verse discussion of what the text meant to its original hearers and readers
• Purpose and Thrust—the theological intention of the text

This excellent commentary is certainly the most exhaustive of works available on the chapters with which it deals. I recommend it unreservedly to all serious students of the Old Testament.

—John Bright, author of A History of Israel

Wildberger’s commentary has turned out to be his Lebenswerk, and it is itself a noble tribute to a scholar who is theological sensitive, aware of differing opinions, and fair in dealing with them. It is the best existing commentary on the book of Isaiah.

—Roland E. Murphy, author of the Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 22: Proverbs

Wildberger’s commentary on Isaiah 1–12 is a work of such importance that it must be carefully studied by each serious student of Isaiah. It is a rich and significant contribution.

—Gerhard F. Hasel, author of Old Testament Theology: Basic Issues in the Current Debate

Hans Wildberger was professor of Old Testament at the University of Zurich. He has authored numerous articles and books on Old Testament theology.

Isaiah 13–27

• Author: Hans Wildberger
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1997
• Pages: 640

The middle chapters of Isaiah are more difficult to understand than the chapters which precede and follow them. They constitute a complex portion of the book of Isaiah, and have consequently received a relative lack of attention. This commentary demonstrates that a study of this part of Isaiah is rewarding and fruitful. A careful reading promises to be both stimulating and satisfying to those who are willing to devote their attention to this part of the book.

It would be hard to imagine a more thorough and a more convincing presentation. I recommend this commentary unreservedly to all serious students of the Old Testament.

—John Bright, author of A History of Israel

Isaiah 28–39

• Author: Hans Wildberger
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 2002
• Pages: 798

This is the final volume in Wilberger’s comprehensive treatment of Isaiah 1–39. In addition to verse-by-verse commentary, the author provides a systematic overview of the entire book of Isaiah. This introduction to Isaiah covers the book and the text, the formation of Isaiah 1–39, the prophet Isaiah and his religious roots, the theology of post-Isaianic materials, language and forms of speech in Isaiah, and a listing of recent Isaiah scholarship.

A work of such importance that it must be carefully studied by each serious student of Isaiah. A rich and significant contribution.

—;Bibliotheca Sacra

Deutero–Isaiah

• Author: Klaus Baltzer
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 2001
• Pages: 632

Deutero–Isaiah’s work, which comprises Isaiah chapters 40–55, has exerted its influence on testimonies of faith in both Jewish and Christian tradition down to the present day. Baltzer’s magnificent commentary places the document in the new context after the Exile. The experience of catastrophe, the need to grapple with new problems, and hope for a peaceful future are linked in Deutero-Isaiah’s composition. The work aims to establish accord between adherents of the Jacob/Israel tradition on the one hand and those committed to the Zion/Jerusalem tradition on the other—the background being the tensions between the exiles and the people who had remained on the land. Along with masterful presentation of the book’s themes, Baltzer also develops a creative hypothesis about the work’s genre, identifying it as a “liturgical drama” in six acts, which makes it possible to understand the text’s function in worship and its significance as a literary text of supreme artistry.

Klaus Baltzer is emeritus professor of Old Testament in the Protestant Faculty of the University of Munich, Germany. He is author of The Covenant Formulary and Die Biographie der Propheten. He is also on the Old Testament Editorial Board of the Hermeneia series.

Jeremiah 1

• Author: William L. Holladay
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1986
• Pages: 682

Holladay’s English rendering translates identical words and phrases consistent, and compares the parallel passages which are a prominent feature of Jeremiah.

• Foreword to Hermeneia
• Author’s Foreword
• Reference Codes
• Editor’s Note
• A Chronology of Jeremiah’s Career
• Commentary

William L. Holladay is professor of Old Testament at Andover Newton Theological School, Boston.

Jeremiah 2

• Author: William L. Holladay
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1989
• Pages: 544

This volume includes a full introduction, which deals with the development of the text and the literary development from the earliest dictated scrolls to its final form.

• Foreword to Hermeneia
• Author’s Foreword
• Reference Codes
• Editor’s Note
• Introduction
• I. The Text of the book of Jeremiah
• II. Analysis of the Literary
• III. The Prophet Jeremiah
• A. The Life and Times of Jeremiah
• B. The Sources on Which Jeremiah Drew: The Data
• C. The Person and Proclamation of Jeremiah
• Commentary
• Bibliography
• Indices
• Deisgner’s Notes

Ezekiel 1

• Author: Walther Zimmerli
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1988
• Pages: 560

This book will become one of the classic works on Ezekiel. It is so thorough that it will be most useful to the scholar and serious students.

Contents:

• Foreword to Hermeneia
• Foreword to the German Edition
• Reference Codes
• Note on Endpapers
• Introduction
• Commentary

Walther Zimmerli (1907–84) was professor of Old Testament at the University of Göttingen, Germany, and one of the most important biblical scholars of the twentieth century. Among his many publications in English are Ezekiel, 2 Vols., I Am Yahweh, The Old Testament and the World, and The Law and the Prophets.

Ezekiel 2

• Author: Walther Zimmerli
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1988
• Pages: 640

A major achievement—an essential tool for any serious study of Ezekiel.

Contents:

• Foreword to Hermeneia
• Preface to the Second German Edition
• Reference Codes
• Editor’s Note
• Commentary
• Bibliography
• Indices

Daniel

• Author: John J. Collins
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1994
• Pages: 500

The most comprehensive English-language commentary on Daniel in 65 years. Collins situates the Old Testament in its historical context and offers a full explanation of the text, especially its religious imagery.

The authors represent not only the best scholarship of our period but they also have the kind of interpretive energy and creativeness that will influence significantly the whole field of biblical studies and the study of religion in this country and elsewhere.

—Amos N. Wilder, The Divinity School, Harvard University, Emeritus

We have for too long been lacking a commentary series with adequate historical, critical and history of religions material. the undertaking of the project of filling this need is in itself a genuine accomplishment.

—Gerhard Friedrich Kiel University

John J. Collins is Holmes Professor of Old Testament Criticism and Interpretation at Yale Divinity School and author of many works, including Introduction to the Hebrew Bible with CD-ROM and Encounters with Biblical Theology.

Hosea

• Author: Hans Walter Wolff
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1988
• Pages: 260

A fascinating commentary on one of the most difficult of the Old Testament prophets.

• Introduction
• 1. The Period
• 2. The Prophet Himself
• 3. The Language of Hosea
• 4. The Theology of Hosea
• 5. The Transmission of Hosea’s Prophecy
• The Commentary
• The Title of the Book
• The Prophets Family
• The Great Day of Jezreel
• Legal Proceedings Against Unfraithful Israel
• The Day of the New Covenant
• Now Yahweh’s Love Works
• Yahweh’s Lawsuit Against Israel
• A Spirit of Whoredom in Israel’s Worship
• The Teacher of the Unrepentant
• Return in the Midst of Collapse?
• Sow the Wind and Reap the Whirlwind
• The End of the Festivals
• Ephraim’s Glory Has Vanished
• Shattered Altars
• War—The Fruit of False Trust
• Love’s Consequences
• Betrayal of the Prophetic Word
• Israel’s Revolt Against Her Deliverer
• The Healing of Spontaneous Love
• The Traditionist’s Conclusion
• Bibliography
• Indices
• Designer’s Notes

Hans Walter Wolff is emeritus professor of Old Testament at the University of Heidelberg and the author of many widely used studies.

Joel and Amos

• Author: Hans Walter Wolff
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1977
• Pages: 392

Joel and Amos provides a thorough examination of these two prophetic Old Testament books. With clear, concise commentary, Wolff elucidates the theology found within.

Amos

• Author: Shalom M. Paul
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1990
• Pages: 440

Paul’s work makes extensive use of ancient Near Eastern sources, and employs medieval Jewish exegesis along with modern Israeli biblical scholarship. A fantastic study of the book of Amos.

Contents:

• Foreword to Hermeneia
• Author’s Foreword
• Reference Codes
• Editor’s Note
• Introduction
• I. General Introduction of the Book of Amos
• II. Introductory Material concerning the “Oracles against the Nations”
• Commentary
• Bibliography
• Indices
• Designer’s Notes

Shalom M. Paul is a theologian, author, and biblical scholar.

Obadiah and Jonah

• Author: Hans Walter Wolff
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1991
• Pages: 192

This volume contains Wolff’s clear and thorough orientation to the collection of oracles in the book of Obadiah and to the narrative art of the book of Jonah. Differently, both prophets provide an answer to what the interaction is between the whole of humanity God has created—and His people in particular.

Micah

• Author: Delbert R. Hillers
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1988
• Pages: 116

With refreshing respect for the reader, Hillers lays out the evidence for his case cautiously and asks the readers to form their own decisions. He very sensitively explicates the many figures of speech and collects a most helpful set of biblical passages which illuminate the text. His skill in saying much in a few, well- chosen words is impressive.

Delbert R. Hillers (1932–1999) was a theologian, biblical scholar, and author of several renowned books including Lamentations, Covenant: The History of a Biblical Idea, and Palmyrene Aramaic Texts.

Micah

• Author: Hans Walter Wolff
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1990
• Pages: 272

Wolff’s commentary on Micah is one of the most thorough works available in English. His insightful observations on the message of the prophet make this book a standard commentary on Micah for years to come. It is highly recommended to scholars, ministers, and theological students as an indispensable aid.

Wolff’s suggestions about the growth of the Micah collection are particularly valuable. A definitive volume.

—David L. Petersen, Religious Studies Review

Wolff gives us a thorough application of form and redaction criticism, as well as an analysis of how the parts of the book are related. Here is fresh, stimulating exegesis that makes for interesting reading.

—A.J. Petrotta, Catholic Biblical Quarterly

Zephaniah

• Author: Marvin A. Sweeney
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 2003
• Pages: 250

The Book of Zephaniah poses a full range of interpretive and hermeneutical issues for the modern reader. Sweeney’s keen reading of this small, prophetic book opens new doors for Hebrew Bible research. He situates the reading of Zephaniah in the early sixth century b.c.e. rather than the late seventh century b.c.e. Sweeney’s interpretation pays close attention to the often subtle differences between the Masoretic Text, Septuagint, Dead Sea Scrolls, Peshitta, and targums. His methodology includes form criticism, tradition history, and social history.

In dialogue with recent interpreters, Sweeney draws sound and balanced conclusions about the rhetorical aim, literary form, and historical context of Zephaniah. His analysis is firmly grounded in a painstaking discussion of the philological issues, with excellent coverage of what the ancient versions imply for both textual criticism and the history of interpretation. For the foreseeable future, this commentary will provide an indispensable frame of reference for the scholarly discussion of this prophetic book.

—Michael H. Floyd, Professor of Old Testament, Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest

Marvin A. Sweeney is professor of Hebrew Bible at the Claremont School of Theology, Claremont, California. Among his recent writings are Isaiah 1–39, The Twelve Prophets, and King Josiah of Judah. He is also editor of The Review of Biblical Literature.

Haggai

• Author: Hans Walter Wolff
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1990
• Pages: 128

In this distinguished commentary, Wolff’s task is to defend Haggai as much more than a minor prophet. He was a man whose feet were placed firmly on the ground, one of the dominating figures of the postexilic community, the main instigator of the rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple, and so responsible for inaugurating a new era in Jewish history.

1 Enoch 1

• Author: George W. E. Nickelsburg
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 2001
• Pages: 662

1 Enoch is one of the most intriguing books in the Pseudepigrapha (Israelite works outside the Hebrew canon). It was originally written in Aramaic and is comprised of several smaller works, incorporating traditions from the three centuries before the Common Era. Employing the name of the ancient patriarch Enoch, the Aramaic text was translated into Greek and then into Ethiopic. But as a whole, it is a classic example of revelatory (apocalyptic) literature and an important collection of Jewish literature from the Hellenistic and Roman periods. This volume represents the culmination of three decades’ work on the Book of 1 Enoch for Nickelsburg. He provides detailed commentary on each passage in chapters 1–36 and 81–108, and an introduction to the full work. The introduction includes sections on overviews of each of the smaller collections, texts and manuscripts, literary aspects, worldview and religious thought, the history of ideas and social contexts, usage in later Jewish and Christian literatures, and a survey of the modern study of the book.

George W. E. Nickelsburg is emeritus professor of religion at the University of Iowa, where he taught for more than three decades. He is the author of seventy articles and several hundred dictionary and encyclopedia entries. Among his many works are Faith and Piety in Early Judaism and Early Judaism and Its Modern Interpreters.

1 Enoch 2

• Authors: George W. E. Nickelsburg and James C. VanderKam
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress
• Publication Date: 2011
• Pages: 640

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

1 Enoch presents interpreters with a complex knot of interrelated puzzles concerning the history of early Judaism, the trajectories of wisdom and apocalyptic traditions, and the role of astronomical observation in cosmological speculation—all tied up with the bewildering history of the book’s composition and transmission, in different languages and manuscript traditions, over centuries. Two of the world’s preeminent scholars offer masterful judgments on all of these questions out of the erudition gained over long and distinguished careers. The result is a remarkably lucid and accessible commentary that will be the definitive resource on 1 Enoch for decades.

. . . The commentary could only have been produced by a mature scholar who has worked on the materials, taking into account a multiplicity of issues—text, source, and literary-critical—for a long time. This is undoubtedly a landmark study in early Enochic tradition and, indeed, it could be said, in the study of Judaism of the Second Temple period. Nickelsburg has succeeded in commenting with linguistic and historical acumen on one of the most complex collections of documents preserved to us from Jewish antiquity. The breadth of his linguistic skills and his wide knowledge of Jewish, Greek, and Christian tradition lend an exemplary balance to his discussions of passage after passage on almost every page. This is a work the value of which will continue to be discovered in the years ahead. Based on this achievement, scholars and students can only look forward to the appearance of the second volume.

—Loren Stuckenbruck, Richard Dearborn Professor of New Testament Studies, Princeton Theological Seminary

A welcome addition to the Hermeneia commentary series . . . extremely valuable for its careful historical, textual, and literary analysis; its very accurate and readable translation; its attention to both the details and the overall shape of the text; and its constant awareness of the importance of social context. It contains countless new, small contributions to scholarship on Enoch, and it brings together the many important contributions that Nickelsburg and others have made over the past thirty years.

—Patrick Tiller, Assistant Professor of New Testament, Harvard Divinity School

We are dealing here with the life achievement of one of the very few real specialists on 1 Enoch. . . . It is clearly written, systematically structured, up to date, easy to use, and a monument of critical, literary, and historical scholarship, a compliment to the Hermeneia series. It avoids the fashionable use of methodologies but, instead, treats us with an abundance of textual analyses, helpful observations, and a richness of tradition–and religion–historical parallel material that makes the study of Second Temple Judaism so rewarding. It deserves its place on the bookshelves of all academic institutions in the study of religions in antiquity, as it goes far beyond the field of biblical studies. A great work.

—Gerbern Oegema, Professor of Biblical Studies, McGill University

George W. E. Nickelsburg is emeritus professor of religion at the University of Iowa, where he taught for more than three decades. He is the author of seventy articles and several hundred dictionary and encyclopedia entries. Among his many works are Early Judaism and Its Modern Interpreters, Jewish Literature between the Bible and the Mishnah, and Early Judaism: Texts and Documents on Faith and Piety, Revised Edition.

James C. VanderKam is John A. O’Brien Professor of Hebrew Scriptures at the University of Notre Dame. He has edited twelve volumes in the Discoveries in the Judaean Desert series and is a member of the editorial committee for the remaining unpublished Dead Sea scrolls. He is one of the two editors in chief of the Encyclopedia of the Dead Sea Scrolls and author of the prize-winning The Dead Sea Scrolls Today, From Revelation to Canon: Studies in the Hebrew Bible and Second Temple Literature, An Introduction to Early Judaism, The Meaning of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and From Joshua to Caiaphas: High Priests after the Exile. Professor VanderKam is the editor of the Journal of Biblical Literature.

Fourth Ezra

• Author: Michael E. Stone
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1990
• Pages: 520

Fourth Ezra is a magnificent commentary, the definitive and standard work for generations to come. Brimming with outstanding biblical scholarship, this volume is a fantastic companion to Bible study.

Contents:

• Foreword to Hermeneia
• Preface
• Reference Codes
• Editor’s Note
• Introduction
• Section 1: Text and Transmission
• Section 2: Date, Place, and Original Language
• Section 3: Chief Critical Issues
• Section 4: The Present Commentary
• Section 5: 4 Ezra in Jewish Literature An Apocalypse
• Section 6: Ezra in Christian Tradition
• Commentary
• Bibliography
• Indices

The Apostolic Tradition

• Authors: Paul F. Bradshaw and Maxwell E. Johnson
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 2002
• Pages: 282

“The anonymous early church order that became known as the Apostolic Tradition and conventionally attributed to Hippolytus of Rome has generated enormous scholarly discussion since its discovery in the nineteenth century. Surprisingly, however, there has never before been a comprehensive commentary on it such as there is for other patristic works. We have here attempted to remedy this defect, and at the same time we have offered the first full synoptic presentation in English of the various witnesses to its text. We have also taken the opportunity to develop our argument that it is neither the work of Hippolytus nor of any other individual. Instead, we believe that it is a composite document made up of a number of layers and strands of diverse provenance and compiled over a period of time, and therefore not representing the practice of any one Christian community.” —from the Preface

This Hermeneia volume provides an important contribution to New Testament research as well as the study of the patristic era.

The Didache

• Author: Kurt Niederwimmer
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1998
• Pages: 318

One hundred twenty-five years ago, Philotheos Bryennios discovered the text of the Didache in an eleventh-century manuscript version. In 1883, he edited the manuscript for publication, and its special fascination for scholars remains undiminished. One of the oldest extracanonical Christian documents, the Didache’s origins can be traced to the first century. It is apparently a catechism, intended to provide basic instruction in the Christian lifestyle and worship for persons preparing for baptism. The Didache exhibits fascinating echoes of Jesus’ teaching in its Matthean form, along with rare glimpses into the life of an early Christian community—its values, its observance of the Eucharist, its leaders, and the character of its hope. Niederwimmer’s wonderful commentary is a model of clarity and learning and a splendid addition to this premier commentary series.

Kurt Niederwimmer is professor of New Testament at the University of Vienna and an editor of the Commentary on the Apostolic Fathers series (KAV). Among his books are Askese und Mysterium, Jesus, and Der Begriff der Freiheit im Neuen Testament.

Ignatius of Antioch

• Author: William R. Schoedel
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1985
• Pages: 306

This book belongs on the shelf of every minister who takes seriously the history and theology of the early church. A fascinating look at Ignatius of Antioch.

Contents:

• Foreword
• Preface
• Introduction
• 1. The Letters of Ignatius in the Christian Tradition
• 2. Literary character of the Letters of Ignatius
• 3. Historical and Social Context
• 4. Religious and Intellectual Background
• 5. Ignatian Themes
• Bibliography
• Indices

William R. Schoedel is author of numerous books, including the well-loved volume, The Secret Sayings of Jesus: A Modern Translation of the Gospel of Thomas with Commentary by Robert M. Grant, David Noel Freedman, and William R. Schoedel.

Shepherd of Hermas

• Author: Carolyn Osiek
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1999
• Pages: 320

Extremely popular in its time, The Shepherd of Hermas is a second-century work often used for instruction of catechumens, and in fact, is widely regarded as scripture. In it Hermas, a rich freed slave whose wealth was not always lawfully obtained, undergoes and relates several visions (including one from an angel disguised as a shepherd), repents, and offers advice on Christian teaching and behavior. Comprehensive and careful, Carolyn Osiek’s is the only full-length commentary on “The Shepherd” in English. Hermas’s revelations afford us glimpses of religious imagination, social world, and moral ideals among early second-century Rome.

Carolyn Osiek is professor of New Testament at Brite Divinity School, Fort Worth, Texas. Her previous books include A Woman’s Place: House Churches in Early Christianity.

The Odes of Solomon

• Author: Michael Lattke
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 2009
• Pages: 864

Known until the 18th century only from fragmentary quotations and references in patristic literature, more recent discoveries of Greek, Coptic, and Syriac manuscripts have drawn fresh interest and attention to the Odes of Solomon, a collection of Christian poetry from the second century rich in imagery and exhibiting an exotic spirituality. Internationally renowned expert on the Odes Michael Lattke provides a meticulous translation and discussion of the textual transmission of the Odes, along with judicious commentary on the place of the Odes in the development of Gnosticism, Logos theology, and early Christian worship. Historians and students of early Christianity will find this commentary a valuable resource for years to come.

Michael Lattke is emeritus professor in the School of History, Philosophy, Religion, and Classics at the University of Queensland, teaching New Testament and early Christianity, Greek, Syriac, Coptic, and Greco-Roman religions; he is the founder of the Brisbane Seminar Group for New Testament and Early Christian Studies, and is the author of numerous publications on the Apology of Aristides, the Odes of Solomon and the Psalms of Solomon.

2 Maccabees

• Author: Robert Doran
• Editor: Harold W. Attridge
• Series: Hermeneia
• Publisher: Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 2012
• Pages: 388

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

The second-century BCE Maccabean revolt against Seleucid oppression was a watershed event in early Jewish history and 2 Maccabees is an important testimony to the revolt and its aftermath. Robert Doran’s commentary on 2 Maccabees explores the interplay between history and historiography in the document. Providing detailed philological analysis of the elegant Greek of the text, Doran carefully sifts the evidence for the historicity of the events recounted, while giving full attention to the literary and rhetorical qualities that mark this dramatic narrative.

Robert Doran is Samuel Williston Professor of Greek and Hebrew at Amherst College. Born in Australia, he holds advanced degrees from Harvard Divinity School, The Pontifical Biblical Institute, and the Angelicum in Rome. His professional specialties are works from Late Second Temple Judaism, particularly those written in Greek, and Christian holy men and women in Late Antiquity.

Harold W. Attridge is dean of Yale University Divinity School and Lillian Claus Professor of New Testament. His books include Hebrews in the Hermeneia series.