Commentaries on the Book of Ruth
Scroll below the quick recommendations list for my reviews.
Quick Recommendations List
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Best Choices: Younger (NIVAC), Block (NAC), Hubbard (NICOT).
Most Economical: M. Moore (NIBC). Possibly Phillips (HOTC)
Easiest to Read: Younger (NIVAC); M. Moore (NIBC). Possibly Phillips (HOTC).
Most Practical: Younger (NIVAC); M. Moore (NIBC). Possibly Phillips (HOTC).
Mainline Perspectives: Farmer (NIB); Linafelt (BO); Sakenfeld (Interpretation); Nielsen (OTL); Auld (DSB).
Research Specialists: Moderate evangelical: Bush (WBC). Mainline: Campbell (AB).
Ideal Pastor’s Library: Younger (NIVAC); Hubbard (NICOT); Block (NAC); M. Moore (NIBC); Bush (WBC); Farmer (NIB); Matthews (NCBC).
Strongly Recommended
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Judges/Ruth
, K. Lawson Younger, Jr., NIV Application Commentary, Zondervan, 2002. Conservative evangelical, developing level (but usable by determined beginners). Strengths: Younger has the advantage of building on the work of the earlier writers. He surpasses Block and Hubbard on literary structure, connections with the Book of Judges, practical application, and readability. He has adequate treatment of word study and major themes. Weaknesses: Younger is not very detailed on most issues. Since this is an application commentary, his applications might be more fully developed in some cases. Although he gives more attention to literary structure than any other commentators in these reviews, he does not yet match or show awareness of David Dorsey’s The Literary Structure of the Old Testament.
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Judges, Ruth
, Daniel I. Block, New American Commentary, Broadman and Holman, 1999. Conservative evangelical, developing level. Strengths: Block is excellent at historical background, word study, and identifying theological themes. He gives occasional attention to literary structure. He works carefully and writes fairly readably. Weaknesses: In contrast to his work on Judges earlier in this volume and Ezekiel in his two-volume NICOT commentary, Block is neither as methodical nor as fully developed in presenting applications of the Book of Ruth. One minor quibble: There are some editorial lapses. For example, an accidental reference to half-a-century when the meaning was five hundred years, half-a-millennium.
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The Book of Ruth
, Robert L. Hubbard, Jr., New International Commentary on the Old Testament, Eerdmans, 1988. Conservative evangelical, developing level. Strengths: Hubbard’s thoughtful and detailed volume rewards close study and stimulates many useful insights. Hubbard is especially good on legal and historical background, word study, and theological themes. Weaknesses: It needs to be supplemented by more recent commentaries.
Also Recommended
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Ruth, Esther, Frederic W. Bush, Word Biblical Commentary, Nelson-Word, 1996. Moderate evangelical, intermediate level. Strengths: Excellent source for word studies and literary analysis. Careful methodology. Use for detailed study. Weaknesses: Theologically conservative readers may be less satisfied with Bush than with Hubbard, Block, and Younger.
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Joshua, Judges, Ruth, J. Gordon Harris, Cheryl A. Brown, and Michael J. Moore, New International Biblical Commentary, Hendrickson, 2000. Moderate evangelical, beginning level. Strengths: Moore’s best contributions are to show the connections of Judges 17-22 and Ruth and to stimulate fresh thought about application. He highlights the themes of wandering and restoration, religion and ethics, and chaos and kindness; in the end, he finds a message about what is required to restore hope and to unite the kingdom of God and human government, the message desperately sought through the Book of Judges. Weaknesses: brief; not comprehensive; sometimes more trendy than solid. Edition: Moore’s work is bound with Harris on Joshua and Brown on Judges.
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“Ruth,” Kathleen A. Robertson Farmer, New Interpreter’s Bible, Abingdon, 1998. Moderate mainline, developing level. Strengths: Farmer’s work is readable and worth contemplating. It matters whether we read the story as a festival book, in the Writings, or in the Former Prophets: each approach offers us additional insights into the message of the book, and Farmer addresses each view. Viewpoint: Ruth’s faithfulness is the instrument that heals a broken family tree, but Naomi’s redemption is the point of emphasis; Israel is to find hope in her story. Weaknesses: Although some NIB volumes contain an evangelical or two, there is not one in this volume. Farmer’s work excels Dozeman on Numbers, Clements on Deuteronomy, and Coote on Joshua and is on a par with Olson on Judges and Birch on I and II Samuel.
I am listing the NIB set, print and electronic editions, from Christian Book Distributors because I believe that they provide better pricing and service on these products:
Hardcover set from CBD
CD-ROM set from CBD
Warning: The CD-ROM version will not transfer its data base to your hard drive; you must use the compact disks to access the commentary.
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Judges and Ruth , Victor H. Matthews, New Cambridge Bible Commentary, Cambridge University Press, 2004. Moderate evangelical, developing level. Strengths: The reason to consider this commentary is for the sociological/cultural background information it provides. There are occasional insights that one will not find elsewhere. Weaknesses: There is not much theological or practical application here. Nor is there verse by verse exegesis. The sociological terminology is more specialized and advanced than the series claims for itself. Conservative evangelicals will not be happy with the views of the development of the scriptures. Edition: The edition linked to the title above is paperback. Click here for the much more expensive hardback.
Others
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Judges,Ruth, W. Gary Phillips, Holman Old Testament Commentary, Broadman & Holman, 2004. Conservative evangelical, beginning level. I have not seen this one yet. The series is always conservative evangelical and easy to read; it is filled with real life illustrations, practical applications, and helps for teachers. The series seldom contains groundbreaking scholarship. I will review this one in the near future.
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Ruth and Esther, Tod Linafelt and Timothy K. Beal, Berit Olam, Liturgical Press, 1999. Liberal mainline, developing level. Strengths: Linafelt shows that Ruth links Judges to Samuel, an important insight that he presents persuasively, in some ways going beyond the work of Moore, Younger, Campbell, etc. Linafelt dwells on the ambiguities and tensions of the text, and in doing so, may open up new possibilities for the reader. Weakness: The focus is not on what will help the preacher/teacher present the word of God.
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Ruth, Katherine Doob Sakenfeld, Interpretation, Westminster John Knox Press, 1999. Moderate mainline, beginning level. This offers a traditional mainline interpretation focused on peaceable community, hospitality for strangers, provision for human need, respect for all ages and both genders, loyal living, and finding God at work in hidden ways.
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Ruth, Kirsten Nielsen, Old Testament Library, Westminster John Knox Press, 1997. Moderate mainline, developing level. Strengths: In this slim and readable OTL volume, Nielsen notes Ruth’s connections to the Tamar narrative, finding the importance of this connection in the Perez to David genealogy, and the consequent justification of the Davidic dynasty. Her line of argument forces her to argue for an earlier date than do some scholars, and this may prove significant to Pentateuchal studies. Weaknesses: Nielsen argues that Ruth presents herself naked to Boaz. This reading is unsupported in the text and is contrary to the emphases of the text.
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"Ruth," F. B. Huey, Jr., Expositor's Bible Commentary, Zondervan, 1992. Conservative evangelical, beginning level. An adequate, but not outstanding, treatment of the subject. Buy the volume for Youngblood on Samuel and treat this as a small bonus. Packaged with Kalland on Deuteronomy, Madvig on Joshua, Wolf on Judges, and Youngblood on Samuel. The least expensive way to buy the twelve volume Expositor's Bible Commentary is on compact disk.
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Ruth, Campbell, Edward F., Jr., Anchor Bible, Doubleday, 1975. Liberal mainline, intermediate level. Useful on cultural background, word studies, literary structure, and the place of Ruth in the canon. Dated. The link is to the paperback edition.
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Joshua, Judges, Ruth, A. Graeme Auld, Westminster Daily Study Bible, Westminster John Knox Press, 1984. Liberal mainline, beginning level. Practical. Dated. The link is to the paperback edition.
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