The Abingdon Old Testament Commentaries provide compact, critical commentaries on the books of the Old Testament for the use of theological students and pastors. The commentaries are also useful for upper-level college or university students and for those responsible for teaching in congregational settings. In addition to providing basic information and insights into the Old Testament writings, these commentaries exemplify the tasks and procedures of careful interpretation, all to assist students of the Old Testament in coming to an informed and critical engagement with the biblical texts themselves. The six books found at the close of the Minor Prophets (Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi) present distinctive understandings of God, humanity, and the future. This commentary engages those understandings, considers what the books may have meant in the past, and describes how they resonate with contemporary readers. With attention to issues of gender, violence, and inclusivity, O'Brien explores the ethical challenges of the books and asks how faithful readers can both acknowledge the problems these biblical books raise and appreciate their value for contemporary theological reflection.
About the Author Hiebert, Theodore: - Theodore Hiebert is Francis A. McGaw Professor of Old Testament, McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago, IL. He was an editor and translator of the Common English Bible. A leading scholar among theological educators, he has done groundbreaking work in the study of Genesis.Carolyn Pressler: - Carolyn Pressler is Harry C. Piper Professor of Biblical Interpretation at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities and an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ.O'Brien, Julia M.: - Julia M. O'Brien is Paul H. and Grace L. Stern Professor of Old Testament at Lancaster Theological Seminary in Lancaster, PA. She earned her Ph.D. in Hebrew Bible from Duke University where her areas of study included the history and archeology of the Old Testament, as well as Judaism and Literary Criticism. O'Brien specializes in the prophetic literature of the Old Testament and is author of a commentary on Nahum through Malachi in the Abingdon Old Testament Commentary series. Et al...
