There are many helpful resources for those who minister the Word. Not all are equally helpful. Not all are uniformly helpful. One of the advantages of seminary is the opportunity the theological library afford to browse the literature...in effect, to pick the brains of persons who have worked with the text. These brain-picking opportunities are found in the reference works, the monographs and the journal literature so readily available to the seminary student. Do not forget that, while so many resources available at the finger tip may not be a reality in the situation in which you minister, you can still do careful study and can still access these same resources through inter-library loan.
Because most of us who minister the Word will never be as close to a theological library as we are now, it is useful to begin building your own library. And as one starts out, of course, one has to be selective. Again, seminary days provide an excellent opportunity to do some "window-shopping" ... to take some of these "tools" "out for a test-drive" before actually purchasing them. Don't miss that opportunity.
Still, a number of students ask for suggestions. "Which is the first tool I should get on the book of...?" It is in response to these inquiries that the following list is offered.
| Book | Commentary | Bethel call# |
| Genesis |
Cassuto, U. Commentary on Genesis. 2 vols. Jerusalem: Magnes, 1964. |
222.11 C345 |
| Hamilton, V.P. Book of Genesis. NICOT. 2 vols. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990, 1995. | 221.7 N53 | |
| Ross. A.P. Creation & Blessing. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1988. | 222.11 R823 | |
| Wenham, G.J. Genesis. WBC. 2 vols. Waco: Word, 1987,1994. | 220.7 W924 | |
| Youngblood, R. Book of Genesis. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1991 | 222.11 Y78 | |
| Exodus | Cassuto, U. Commentary on Exodus. Jerusalem: Magnes, 1967. | 222.12 C345 |
|
Childs, B.S. Book of Exodus. OTL. Phila.: Westminster, 1974. |
222.12 C537b |
|
| Stuart, Douglas. Exodus. NAC. Nashville: Broadman, 2006 | 222 | |
| Leviticus |
Harrison, R.K. Leviticus. TOTC. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1980. |
221.7 T987 v3 |
| Ross, Allen. Holiness to the LORD. A Guide to the Exposition of the Book of Leviticus. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2002. | ||
| Wenham, G.J. Book of Leviticus. NICOT. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1979. | 222.13 W474 | |
| Numbers | Ashley, T. R.. Numbers. NICOT. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1993. | |
| Cole, R. Dennis. Numbers. NAC 3B. Nashville: Broadman, 2000. | ||
| Milgrom, J. Numbers. JPS Torah Commentary. Phila.: Jewish Publication Society, 1990. | 222.1 J59 v4 | |
| Wenham, G.J. Numbers. TOTC. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1981. | 221.7 O445 | |
| Deuteronomy | Craigie, P.C. Book of Deuteronomy. NICOT. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1976. | 221.7 N53 |
| Thompson, J.A. Deuteronomy. TOTC Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1974. | 221.7 T987 v5 | |
| Vogt, P.T. Deuteronomic Theology and the Significance of Torah : a Reappraisal. Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 2006 | ||
| Wright, Christopher J. H. Deuteronomy. NIBC . Hendrickson, 1996. | ||
| Joshua | Howard, D.M., Jr. Joshua. NAC. Nashville: Broadman, 1998. | 220.7 N531 v5 |
| Judges | Block, Daniel I. Judges, Ruth. NAC 6. Broadman, 1999. | |
| Hamlin, E.J. At Risk in the Promised Land . ITC. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990. | 221.7 I61 | |
| Younger, K. Lawson, Jr. Judges/Ruth. NIVAC. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002. | ||
| Ruth | Atkinson, D. Wings of Refuge. BST. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1983. | 222.35 A875 |
| Block, Daniel I. Judges, Ruth. NAC 6. Broadman, 1999. | ||
| Campbell, E.F., Jr. Ruth. AB. Garden City: Doubleday, 1975. | 220.7 A53 v7 | |
| Hubbard, R.L., Jr. Book of Ruth. NICOT. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1988. | 220.7 N53 | |
| Younger, K. Lawson, Jr. Judges/Ruth. NIVAC. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002. |
Ackroyd, Peter. "the Place of the Old Testament in the Church's Teaching & Worship." ET 74 (1963): 164-7.
Adamo, David. Africa and the Africans in the Old Testament. London: Christian Universities, 1998.
Anderson, Bernhard. "Introduction: The Old Testament as a Christian Problem." In The O.T. & Christian Faith. N.Y.: Harper & Row, 1963.
Alexander, T. Desmond. From Paradise to the Promised Land: An Intro. to the Main Themes of the Pentateuch. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1995.
Averbeck, Richard E. "The Sumerian Historiographic Tradition and Its Implications for Genesis 1-11" In Faith, Tradition, & History, ed. A.R. Millard, J.K. Hoffmeier, and D.W. Baker,79-102. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 1994.
Barr, Stephen. Modern Physics and Ancient Faith. Notre Dame: Univ. of Notre Dame, 2003.
Bradley, L. Richard. "The Curse of Canaan & the American Negro." CTM 42,2 (1971): 100-110.
Clines, David J.A. The Theme of the Pentateuch. JSOTS 10. Sheffield: JSOT Press, 1978.
Dada, Adekunle. "An Evaluation of the Value of Theological Education in the Old Testament in the Context of Contemporary Nigeria," Africa Theological Journal, 30 no 1 2007, p 87-101.
Dembski, William A. Intelligent Design: The Bridge Between Science and Theology. Downers Grove: IVP, 1999.
Dorsey, David. "The Use of the O.T. Law in the Christian Life." Ev J 17 (1999)"1-18.
Getui, Mary N , ed. Interpreting the Old Testament in Africa. October 1999. N.Y.: Oxford 2001
Hoffmeier, James K. Israel in Egypt: The Evidence for the Authenticity of the Exodus Tradition. NY: Oxford, 1997.
Holter, Knut. Tropical Africa & the O.T.: A selected & Annotated Bibliography. Oslo: Uniuversity of Oslo, 1996.
____. Yahweh in Africa: Essays on Africa & the O.T. N.Y.: Lang, 2000.
Kaiser, Walter. The Christian & the "Old" Testament. Pasadena: Carey, 1998.
____. Toward Rediscovering the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Academie, 1987.
Livingston, G. H. The Pentateuch in its Cultural Environment, 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1987.
Mafico, Temba. The O.T. & Effective Evangelism in Africa." Int. Rev. of Missions 75 (1986):400-409.
____. "Contribution of the O.T. to Missionary Effectiveness in Africa." Missiology 7 (1979):110-111.
Pope-Levinson, Priscilla and John Levinson, eds. Return to Babel : Global Perspectives on the Bible . Louisville:John Knox, 1999.
Sailhamer, John H. The Pentateuch as Narrative. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992.
Usue, E O. "Leadership in Africa and in the Old Testament: a Transcendental Perspective,"Hervormde Teologiese Studies, 62 no 2 Je 2006, p 635-656.
Walton, John H. Ancient Israelite Literature in its Cultural Context. (2nd ed.) Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1990.
Wells, Bruce. "What is Biblical Law? a Look at Pentateuchal Rules and Near Eastern Practice." Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 70 no 2 Ap 2008, p 223-243.
West, Gerald and Musa Dube, eds. The Bible in Africa. Boston: Brill, 2001.