'Vanity of vanities', says the Preacher, 'Vanity of vanities! All is vanity'. Is that what life is? A wisp of vapour, a puff of wind, a mere breath - nothing you can get your hands on - the nearest thing to zero? So says the Preacher in the book of Ecclesiastes. But is this the whole message of Ecclesiastes? With imagination and clarity Derek Kidner introduces this Old Testament book which speaks so powerfully to our generation. His love of Hebrew poetry and his understanding of the biblical mind shine through in his careful passage-by-passage exposition. The Bible Speaks Today series covers every book of the Old and New Testaments, as well as Bible themes that run through the whole of Scripture. These revised editions are updated with contemporary language and Bible translations to help you to follow and to teach the Bible in today's world.

Charting the Jews' return from exile to Jerusalem and the beginnings of that rebirth, the books of Ezra and Nehemiah demonstrate the good hand of God at work. In this classic commentary, Derek Kidner explores the theology of Ezra and Nehemiah and how it relates to us today. Formerly part of the Tyndale Old Testament commentary series, Ezra and Nehemiah: An Introduction and Commentary examines the text section-by-section – exploring the context in which these books were written, providing astute commentary on Ezra and Nehemiah, and then unpacking their theology. Derek Kidner’s sure-footed exposition will leave you with a thorough understanding of the content and structure of Ezra and Nehemiah, as well as how their message still carries meaning for Christians in the twenty-first century. Full of insightful wisdom from a trusted Bible teacher, this is an ideal bible commentary for students and teachers of theology, as well as for preachers looking to expand their knowledge of Ezra and Nehemiah and individual Christians wanting to study Scripture more deeply and gain a greater understanding of the Old Testament. Comprehensive and thought-provoking, Derek Kidner’s commentary on Ezra and Nehemiah will give you a new appreciation for these often overlooked but theologically rich books of the Old Testament, and help you apply their meaning to your life as a Christian today.

There are few parts of Scripture over which so many battles - theological, scientific, historical, and literary - have been fought as the book of Genesis. In this classic work, Derek Kidner not only provides a verse-by-verse exegetical commentary but also lucidly handles the tough issues that Genesis raises. Focusing on the study of Genesis on its own terms, as 'a living whole,' he highlights the theological themes of the nature of God, humankind, and salvation. Kidner's clear prose and theological insight will expand readers' understanding of God's character and of humanity's nature and destiny.

"Go and marry a prostitute." These are the first words God spoke to his prophet Hosea. Why would he ask this of one of his special spokesmen? Because he wanted to teach Hosea, the nation of Israel, and all of us today a lesson we will not forget, a lesson that is painful yet joyous. Hosea's sombre portrait of the human condition is our lesson in pain. All of us have played the harlot by forsaking God and his ways. The picture is not pretty but it's true. Yet Hosea's clear illustration of God's love for us brings joy. While we are yet sinners, God comes to us and loves us. Derek Kidner imaginatively takes us through the unfolding story of Hosea and his wife Gomer, explaining the basic message, pointing out the subtleties, and encouraging readers to live lives worthy of the God who loves the loveless.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.' 'Thy word is a lamp to my feet.' 'Search me, O God, and know my heart!' Such phrases leap to mind each time a Christian lifts his heart to God. For many, in fact, the Psalms are the richest part of the Old Testament. Derek Kidner provides a fresh and penetrating guide to Psalms 1 - 72. He analyses each psalm in depth, comments on interpretative questions and brings out the universal relevance of the texts. He also gives special help on the psalmists' cries for vengeance. Together with its companion volume (Psalms 73 - 150), both of which were formerly part of the Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries series, this introduction and commentary will inspire and deepen personal worship.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.' 'Thy word is a lamp to my feet.' 'Search me, O God, and know my heart!' Such phrases leap to mind each time a Christian lifts his heart to God. For many, in fact, the Psalms are the richest part of the Old Testament. Derek Kidner provides a fresh and penetrating guide to Psalms 1 - 72. He analyses each psalm in depth, comments on interpretative questions and brings out the universal relevance of the texts. He also gives special help on the psalmists' cries for vengeance. Together with its companion volume (Psalms 73 - 150), both of which were formerly part of the Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries series, this introduction and commentary will inspire and deepen personal worship.

Reissue of Kidner's Tyndale Old Testament Commentary

What is life all about? In the end, is it no more than a wisp of vapor, a puff of wind, a mere breath? So says the Preacher in the book of Ecclesiastes. But is this the whole message of Ecclesiastes? With imagination and clarity, Derek Kidner introduces this unusual Old Testament book that speaks so powerfully to each new generation. He reveals how the Preacher confronts difficult questions and examines extremes of human experience, facing the fear that God is distant and nothing has meaning. Finally, however, we are led to encounter the God who was present all along, who cares about the details of our lives. Part of the beloved Bible Speaks Today series, The Message of Ecclesiastes offers an insightful, readable exposition of the biblical text and thought-provoking discussion of how its meaning relates to contemporary life. Used by students and teachers around the world, the Bible Speaks Today commentaries are ideal for those studying or preaching the Bible and anyone who wants to delve deeper into the text. This revised edition of a classic volume features lightly updated language and current NRSV Scripture quotations with a new interior design.

'The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.' 'Thy word is a lamp to my feet.' 'Search me, O God, and know my heart!' Such phrases leap to mind whenever Christians lift their hearts to God. For many, in fact, the Psalms are the richest part of the Old Testament. Derek Kidner provides a fresh and penetrating guide to Psalms 1--72. He analyzes each psalm in depth, comments on interpretative questions and brings out the universal relevance of the texts. He also gives special help on the psalmists' cries for vengeance. Together with its companion volume (Psalms 73--150), both of which were formerly part of the Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries series, this introduction and commentary will inspire and deepen personal worship.

'The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.' 'Thy word is a lamp to my feet.' 'Search me, O God, and know my heart!' Such phrases leap to mind whenever Christians lift their hearts to God. For many, in fact, the Psalms are the richest part of the Old Testament. Derek Kidner provides a fresh and penetrating guide to Psalms 73--150. He analyzes each psalm in depth, comments on interpretative questions and brings out the universal relevance of the texts. He also gives special help on the psalmists' cries for vengeance. Together with its companion volume (Psalms 1--72), both of which were formerly part of the Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries series, this introduction and commentary will inspire and deepen personal worship.

The prophet Jeremiah and King Josiah were born at the end of the longest, darkest reign in Judah's history. Human sacrifice and practice of the black arts were just two features of the wickedness that filled Jerusalem from one end to the other with innocent blood. As outspoken prophet and reforming king, these two men gave their country its finest opportunity of renewal and its last hope of surviving as the kingdom of David. The book of Jeremiah is full of turmoil and national tragedy, the story of key people like Baruch, Gedaliah and Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, and the drama of rediscovering the forgotten book of Mosaic law. National events interweave with the lives of individuals; the rediscovered book of God's law transforms Josiah, Jeremiah and the future of the world. Derek Kidner, in this volume that was formerly part of the widely respected The Bible Speaks Today series, gives careful attention to the text and reveals its startling relevance to our own troubled time.

Proverbs--a book full of wisdom, and yet a book demanding all one's wisdom to understand. Derek Kidner has not only provided a running commentary on the whole of Proverbs, but has also included two helpful study aids: a set of subject guides that bring together teaching scattered throughout the book, and a short concordance that helps locate lost sayings (in territory notoriously hard to search) and encourages further subject studies. In short, this volume is a wise person's guide to wisdom.

The chequered story of the Kings, a matter of nearly five centuries, had ended disastrously in 587 BC with the sack of Jerusalem, the fall of the monarchy and the removal to Babylonia of all that made Judah politically viable. It was a death to make way for a rebirth.' So begins Derek Kidner's commentary on the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, which chart the Jews' return from exile to Jerusalem and the beginnings of that rebirth. As the drama unfolds, above all and through all we see the good hand of God at work.

"The chequered story of the Kings, a matter of nearly five centuries, had ended disastrously in 587 B.C. with the sack of Jerusalem, the fall of the monarchy and the removal to Babylonia of all that made Judah politically viable. It was a death to make way for a rebirth." So begins Derek Kidner in this introduction and commentary to the books of Ezra and Nehemiah which chart the Jews' return from exile to Jerusalem and the beginnings of that rebirth. As the drama unfolds, we see how international politics, nationalist pride, wise leadership, political intrigue and opportunism, internal dissension and compromise all shape events. But above all and through all we see the good hand of God at work. The original, unrevised text of this volume has been completely retypeset and printed in a larger, more attractive format with the new cover design for the series.

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." In the Wisdom literature of the Bible we first hear the cool voice of a teacher calling us to think--to think hard and humbly. "How long will fools hate knowledge?" cries Wisdom in the book of Proverbs. Then in Job comes the anguished voice of the questioner, earnest enough to seek answers, honest enough to doubt easy ones. In Ecclesiastes the chastened tone of the Preacher warns of the vanity of all life under the sun. Sensitive to both literary form and theological content, Derek Kidner introduces Proverbs, Job and Ecclesiastes, explaining their basic character and internal structure. He also summarizes and evaluates the wealth of modern criticism focused on each book. Looking at all three books together, Kidner shows how their many voices compare, contrast and ultimately give a unified view of life. Kidner extends his analysis to include Ecclesiasticus and The Wisdom of Solomon from the Apocrapha, and he reprints excerpts from non-Israelite works that parallel the three major books treated.

There are few parts of Scripture over which so many battles-theological, scientific, historical, and literary-have been fought as the book of Genesis. In this classic work, Derek Kidner not only provides a verse-by-verse exegetical commentary but also lucidly handles the tough issues that Genesis raises. Focusing on the study of Genesis on its own terms, as "a living whole," he highlights the theological themes of the nature of God, humankind, and salvation. In this volume, formerly part of the Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries series, Kidner's clear prose and theological insight will expand readers' understanding of God's character and of humanity's nature and destiny.