Joel: A Discourse Analysis of the Hebrew Bible (Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the Old Testament)
Overview
Designed for the pastor and Bible teacher, the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the Old Testament features today’s top Old Testament scholars and brings together commentary features rarely gathered together in one volume. With careful discourse analysis and interpretation of the Hebrew text, the authors trace the flow of argument in each Old Testament book, showing that how a biblical author says something is just as important as what they say.
Commentary on each passage follows a clear structure to help readers grasp the flow and meaning of the text:
- The Main Idea of the Passage: A one- or two-sentence summary of the key ideas the biblical author seeks to communicate.
- Literary Context: A brief discussion of the relationship of the specific text to the book as a whole and to its place within the broader argument.
- Translation and Exegetical Outline: Commentators provide their own translations of each text, formatted to highlight its discourse structure and accompanied by a coherent outline that reflects the flow and argument of the text.
- Structure and Literary Form: An overview of the literary structure and rhetorical style adopted by the biblical author, highlighting how these features contribute to the communication of the main idea of the passage.
- Explanation of the Text: A detailed commentary on the passage, paying particular attention to how the biblical authors select and arrange their materials and how they work with words, phrases, and syntax to communicate their messages.
- Canonical and Practical Significance: The commentary on each unit will conclude by building bridges between the world of the biblical author and other biblical authors and with reflections on the contribution made by this unit to the development of broader issues in biblical theology—particularly on how later Old Testament and New Testament authors have adapted and reused the motifs in question. The discussion also includes brief reflections on the significance of the message of the passage for readers today.
The Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the Old Testament series is the go-to resource for pastors and Bible teachers looking for deep but accessible study that equips them to connect the needs of Christians today with the biblical text.
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- Provides a diagram of each passage enabling readers to grasp the main idea of the text
- Examines how each section contributes to the development of the whole composition
- Discusses the canonical and practical significance of each passage
Top Highlights
“With the above caveats in mind, I argue that the fourth theory (late sixth–early fifth centuries BCE) is the most plausible.” (Page 30)
“Joel uses the day of YHWH as a symbol of both despair and hope, depending on the state of the divine-human relationship. He reveals that the same power that causes cities, nations, and heavenly bodies to tremble also offers security and the promise of enduring peace.” (Page 27)
“Other occurrences of אַחֲרֵי־כֵן (‘after this’) signify temporal sequence” (Page 137)
“This suggestion resonates with passages where the gift of rain represents covenant blessing (Lev 26:3–4; Deut 11:13–15), while the lack of rainfall represents covenant sanction (Lev 26:18–20; Deut 28:23–24; 1 Kgs 8:35–36).” (Page 126)
“The keyword מוֹפְתִים resonates with the Exodus plagues (cf. Exod 7:14–24; 10:21–29), since around half of its occurrences are found in those narratives or in later reflection upon them.” (Page 140)
- Title: Joel
- Author: Joel Barker
- Editor: Daniel I. Block
- Series: Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the Old Testament (ZECOT)
- Publisher: Zondervan
- Publication Date: 2020
- Pages: 208
- Resource Type: Commentary
- Topic: Joel