“Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh” (Eccl 12:12). It is to our benefit that scholars have ignored this verse when it comes to writing commentaries on Ecclesiates (also called “Qohelet” in Jewish Bibles). Scholars and pastors have a number of excellent works to chose from, including Seow, Murphy, Crenshaw, Longman, and — my personal favourites — both of Fox‘s volumes. In addition, Kruger‘s work is an excellent critical commentary, while Wright‘s volume is invaluable for a historical perspective.
There are just as many excellent commentaries that are easily accessible to lay people: Brown, Farmer, Loader, Murphy, and Provan are all worth having, and more conservative types will appreciate Eaton and Garrett.
- Ecclesiastes.
Interpretation. John Knox, 2000.
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. - Ecclesiastes Through the Centuries.
Blackwell Bible Commentaries. Blackwell, 2007.
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. - Ecclesiastes: A Commentary.
Old Testament Library. Westminster, 1987.
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. - Ecclesiastes: An Introduction and Commentary.
Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. InterVarsity, 1983.
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. - Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs.
People’s Bible Commentary. Concordia Publishing House, 2004.
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. - Who Knows What Is Good? A Commentary on the Books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.
International Theological Commentary. Eerdmans, 1991.
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. - Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes,
and Esther.
Collegeville Bible Commentary. Liturgical Press, 1986.
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. - Ecclesiastes: The Traditional Hebrew Text with the New JPS Translation.
JPS Bible Commentary. Jewish Publication Society, 2004.
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. - A Time to Tear Down and a Time to Build Up:
A Rereading of Ecclesiastes.
Eerdmans, 1999.
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. - Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs.
New American Commentary. Broadman & Holman, 1993.
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. - Proverbs, Ecclesiastes.
Smith & Helwys Bible Commentary. Smyth & Helwys, 2003.
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. - Qoheleth.
Hermeneia. Augsburg Fortress, 2004.
Buy from Amazon.ca | Buy from Amazon.com - Ecclesiastes: A Practical Commentary.
Text and Interpretation. Eerdmans, 1986.
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. - The Book of Ecclesiastes.
New International Commentary on the Old Testament. Eerdmans, 1998.
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. - Ecclesiastes.
Word Biblical Commentary. Word, 1992.
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. - Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs.
New International Biblical Commentary. Hendrickson, 1999.
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. - Wisdom Literature: Job, Proverbs, Ruth, Canticles, Ecclesiastes, and Esther.
Forms of the Old Testament Literature. Eerdmans, 1981.
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. - Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs.
The NIV Application Commentary. Zondervan, 2001.
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. - Ecclesiastes: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary.
Anchor Bible. Doubleday, 1997.
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. - Ecclesiastes.
New Century Bible. Eerdmans, 1989.
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. - Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon.
Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: Old Testament. InterVarsity, 2004.
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