The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah

The New International Commentary on the Old Testament: The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah by F. CHARLES FENSHAM

Aiming to provide a clear exposition based on solid contemporary scholarship, this commentary examines Ezra and Nehemiah-two books which cover the last century of Old Testament Jewish history and mark the beginnings of Judaism.
F. Charles Fensham, a biblical scholar well known for his expertise in ancient Near Eastern studies, especially Ugaritic, attempts primarily to place Ezra and Nehemiah against an ancient Near Eastern environment. In his Introduction, Fensham discusses the original unity of the books as well as the problems of authorship. He then treats the historical and religious background of the books, taking special note of the development of a Jewish religious society in postexilic times. Text and language are examined next, followed by a thorough bibliography including texts and articles not only in English, French, German, but also in Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Modern Hebrew.
The commentary proper reflects Fensham's cautious good judgment, sensible approach, willingness to consider different options, and keen insight into the religious meaning of the text. As in all volumes in the NICOT series, the author provides his own translation, which accurately reflects the original text.

"A thoroughly competent conservative commentary, well worthy of the series. It will meet the needs of readers at every level. The preacher should be sparked by it to many useful lines of thought about the application of the un- changing word of God to our modern situation."
- Donald J. Wiseman
School of Oriental and African Studies, London
ISBN 0-8028-2362-9