Ezra-Nehemiah

If you can only own one commentary on Ezra-Nehemiah, this is undoubtedly the one you should have. It is also probably the best Old Testament volume in the Word series. Biblical specialists will find a wealth of information here, including Williamson's detailed arguments about authorship, date, and history of composition of these books. It was Williamson, along with Sara Japhet, who finally broke the decade old consensus that the Chronicler wrote Ezra and Nehemiah. His previous arguments on this issue are significantly advanced in the commentary. Williamson's translation and text-critical notes are detailed and thorough. At the same time, Williamson's discussions of literary structure, his careful exegesis, and his theological commentary should be accessble and of great value for non-specialists. Some advances have been made on archaelogical and sociological issues over the decade and a half since this commentary was written, but it still stands as the best single reference to these two biblical books.