Ecclesiastes: A Discourse Analysis of the Hebrew Bible (Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the Old Testament | ZECOT)

by Knut Martin Heim

Publishers:

Zondervan Academic; HarperCollins

, 2025

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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Key Features

• Traces the flow of argument in each Old Testament book.
• Follows a clear structure to help readers grasp the flow and meaning of the text.
• Concludes by building bridges between the world of the biblical author and other biblical authors.

Product Details

• Title: Ecclesiastes: A Discourse Analysis of the Hebrew Bible (Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the Old Testament | ZECOT)
• Author: Knut Martin Heim
• Series: Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the Old Testament
• Publishers: Zondervan Academic, HarperCollins
• Print Publication Date: 2025
• Pages: 496
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• ISBNs: 9780310942313, 0310942314
• Resource ID: LLS:EXEGCOMM21EC
• Resource Type: Commentary
• Metadata Last Updated: 2025-04-01T17:37:32Z

About Knut Martin Heim

Rev. Dr. Knut Heim, Professor in Old Testament, joined the Denver Seminary in 2016. He is a Presbyter (an ordained minister) in the Methodist Church of the United Kingdom. He is a member of The Society of Biblical Literature, The Institute of Biblical Research, The Society for the Study of the Old Testament (UK), and The Tyndale Fellowship (UK). His vision is to help students discover the Old Testament as a resource for ministry and an inspiration for life.

Prior to his arrival at Denver Seminary, Dr. Heim has worked as a missionary (with Operation Mobilization), as an ordained minister in the Methodist Church (UK), as a Tutor in Old Testament at The Queen’s Foundation/University of Birmingham (UK) and as a Tutor in Old Testament at Trinity College/University of Bristol (UK).

His PhD, completed at the University of Liverpool, is on editorial clusters in the book of Proverbs. His most recent book, also on Proverbs, examines the phenomenon of variant repetitions. He has published numerous articles and essays on all of the poetic books of the Hebrew Bible, as well as the book of Isaiah. His new monograph on metaphors in biblical poetry, which includes a reception history of personified wisdom, is due to appear in print. He currently works on a new monograph on parallelism in the Psalms, as well as commentaries on the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.