Series: The Anchor Yale Bible Commentaries

The second volume of Jack M. Sasson's authoritative commentary on the book of Judges The second half of Judges narrates the tale of Samson, the would-be liberator of the Israelites who comes to a violent end; the conquest of the land of Laish; and a vicious rape followed by a shocking dismemberment that ignites a war among Israelite tribes. In...

The Apostle Paul's Letter to the Colossians offers a valuable and intimate glimpse into the life of a fledgling Christian community as it struggled to define Christian doctrine and theology. Paul was prompted to write to the Colossian assembly when he heard that "false teachers" had joined the congregation and were advocating dangerous, non-Christian practices. In an effort to appear...

In this landmark commentary, Craig R. Koester offers a comprehensive look at a powerful and controversial early Christian text, the book of Revelation. Originally written for Christian communities in Asia Minor, Revelation depicts scenes of cosmic conflict in which God, the creator of the world, overcomes the forces of destruction and makes all things new. This often misunderstood portion of...

An innovative translation and commentary on the book of Jonah by a trio of award-winning scholars The book of Jonah, which tells the outlandish story of a disobedient prophet swallowed by a great fish, is one of the Bible’s best-known narratives. This tale has fascinated readers for millennia and has inspired countless interpretations. This commentary features a new translation of...

The second installment of Thomas Dozeman’s authoritative commentary on the book of Joshua Following the Pentateuch in the traditional canon, the book of Joshua chronicles the conquest of the indigenous Canaanite nations, the distribution of the newly acquired land to the twelve tribes of Israel, and Joshua’s death at the conclusion of the covenant ceremony at Shechem. The second half...

In this second of two volumes on the Gospel According to Luke, beginning with chapter 10, Joseph A. Fitzmyer builds on the exhaustive introduction, definitive new translation, and extensive notes and commentary presented in his first volume. Fitzmyer brings to the task his mastery of ancient and modern languages, his encyclopaedic knowledge of the sources, and his intimate acquaintance with...

A new translation and commentary on the extracanonical Coptic text that describes Judas’ special status among Jesus’ disciples Since its publication in 2006, The Gospel of Judas has generated remarkable interest and debate among scholars and general readers alike. In this Coptic text from the second century C.E., Jesus engages in a series of conversations with his disciples and with...

At the beginning of his academic career, author Jacob Milgrom determined to make his lifework a probing study of the Laws of the Torah. Here, with Leviticus 1-16, the first of three volumes on Leviticus, he has reached the pinnacle of his long pursuit. No other contemporary commentary matches Milgrom's comprehensive work on this much misunderstood and often underappreciated biblical...

The first volume of a groundbreaking two-part commentary on the book of Genesis by leading biblical scholar Ronald Hendel The first eleven chapters of Genesis narrate the origin of the universe; the creation of the first human beings; the beginnings of moral reasoning, society, and culture; and the cataclysmic global flood. By showing how life and civilization came into being,...

In Philippians, John Reumann offers both classical approaches and new methods of understanding this New Testament book. With fresh commentary on the social world and rhetorical criticism, and a special focus on the contributions of the Philippian house churches to Paul's work and early Christian mission, Reumann clarifies Paul's attitudes toward and interactions with the Philippians. Departing from traditional readings...

Although it appears second in the New Testament, Mark is generally recognised as the first Gospel to be written. Captivating, nonstop narrative characterises this earliest account of the life and teachings of Jesus. In the first instalment of his two-volume commentary on Mark, New Testament scholar Joel Marcus recaptures the power of Mark's enigmatic narrative and capitalises on its lively...

With this study-companion to the masterful two-volume The Gospel According to John—Raymond E. Brown completed his trilogy on the Johannine corpus. Meticulous in detail, exhaustive in analysis, persuasive in argument, it examines controversies that have long troubled both biblical scholars and lay readers. Questions of authorship, composition, and dating, as well as the debate over source theories, are discussed at...

For anyone interested in the origins of Christianity, Joseph A. Fitzmyer's The Acts of the Apostles is indispensable. Beginning with the Ascension of Christ into heaven, and ending with Paul proclaiming the kingdom of God from a prison in Rome, this New Testament narrative picks up where the Gospel of Luke left off. The Acts of the Apostles is indeed...

In the first volume of Raymond E. Brown's magisterial three-volume commentary on The Gospel According to John, all of the major Johannine questions—of authorship, composition, dating, the relationship of John to the Synoptics (Mark, Matthew, and Luke)—are discussed. The important theories of modern biblical scholarship concerning John are weighed against the evidence given in the text and against prevailing biblical...

In this first of two volumes on the Gospel According to Luke, Joseph A. Fitzmyer provides an exhaustive introduction, a definitive new translation, and extensive notes and commentary on Luke's Gospel. Fitzmyer brings to the task his mastery of ancient and modern languages, his encyclopedic knowledge of the sources, and his intimate acquaintance with the questions and issues occasioned by...

This volume concludes Raymond E. Brown's commentary on the Gospel of John. Continuing his study begun in Anchor Bible Volume 29, the author translates the original Greek text into today's English, which allows all readers to make sense of the Gospel. Father Brown's notes and comments sort out the major issues surrounding the writings of John—questions of authorship, composition, date,...

A new translation and commentary on the biblical book of Ezra by the renowned author of two award-winning biblical commentaries The book of Ezra is a remarkable testament to a nation’s ability to survive and develop a distinctive identity under imperial rule. However, Ezra is far more than a simple chronicle; it constitutes a new biblical model for political, religious,...