1 Samuel: Looking on the Heart

Dr. Davis' commentaries have become my personal favorites. The God-centered focus throughout each of them is powerfully refreshing. Those who invest the time will achieve a great grasp on the ways, works, and wonders of God, as well as His plans for His people. While these come from a man who is a deep OT scholar, the humor, down to earth explanations, and practical applications make these powerful helps for both study and personal devotions. My family has used these for years and I continue to share them as gifts!

If what you are looking for is a deeply exegetical discussion of 1 Samuel, this is not the book for you. While Davis' work is based upon sound exegesis, it is more of a practical explanation of the text in ways that are easily understood and applied. No pastor who takes the Bible seriously should fail to have this book on his shelf when studying 1 Samuel. His commentary on 2 Samuel and 1 & 2 Kings are also equally as helpful.

D. Ralph Davis' commentaries (Judges, Joshua, I Sam., II Sam., I Kgs) -- ALL are consisently amazing. In fact, if I had just one commentary on each of thsoe books I'd take Davis. Davis is a former OT seminary prof, with a PhD., but has also been a pastor (Presbyterian PCA) for many years. These are all non-technical, unfootnoted, homiletical treatments. They are theologically rich, always Christocentric (or at least Christo-telic), well-illustrated, and relentlessly practical. Davis can turn a clever phrase like very few writers. I was shocked that fellow PCAer Tremper Longman did not even include any Ralph Davis books in his survey of commentaries (though Longman treats lots and lots of inferior works). I have two copies of each of Davis' commentaries (one for home, one for the office). Davis is the best, but there are some other works on I Sam that are also good. Peter Leithart's A Son to Me is a little too speculative on the typology, but is often brilliant. Joyce Baldwin's volume is one of th very best in the whole (excellent) Tyndale OT set.