Commentary Recommendations & Resources: Exodus

Topical

Hoffmeier – Israel in Egypt
This book takes a pretty conservative view on the Exodus and the historicity of the biblical account. Archaeology is used to confirm various things mentioned in these accounts and to shed light on many of the questions that we have about the exodus.

William Dever – Who were the Early Israelites and Where Did They Come From?
This book traces various intepretive approaches from the exodus through the settling of Canaan.

Commentaries

Brevard Childs – Exodus (Old Testament Library)
I haven’t used this book yet but look forward to reading it in the future. I list it here because of Childs’ expertise as an OT scholar but don’t have much to go on besides that.

John Durham – Exodus (Word Biblical Commentary)
A highly technical commentary like the JPS one below. This will require knowledge of Hebrew.

Nahum Sarna – Exploring Exodus *DEAL*
Like his book on Genesis, this book is equally fascinating and a must read on Exodus. I wouldn’t study Exodus without consulting this book.

Nahum Sarna – Exodus (JPS Torah Commentary)
A far more technical commentary that works directly from the Hebrew text rather than from English translation.

Goldingay – Exodus & Leviticus for Everyone
This is a great entry level book for a study of Exodus and one that I would recommend to a Bible class teacher who is prepping to teach.

I haven’t mentioned Peter Enns’ commentary here in the NIV Application series just because I haven’t read it and because I have some questions about his approach. He is very popular and it is entirely possible that the book is fantastic.