Eminently readable, exegetically thorough, and written in an emotionally warm style that flows from his keen sensitivity to the text, Barry Webb s commentary on Judges is just what is needed to properly engage a dynamic, narrative work like the book of Judges. It discusses not only unique features of the stories themselves but also such issues as the violent nature of Judges, how women are portrayed in it, and how it relates to the Christian gospel of the New Testament.Webb concentrates throughout on what the biblical text itself throws into prominence, giving space to background issues only when they cast significant light on the foreground. For those who want more, the footnotes and bibliography provide helpful guidance. The end result is a welcome resource for interpreting one of the most challenging books in the Old Testament.
"from author's preface""I have always felt cheated by the kind of exegetical vivisection that kills by analysis until all that's left is lifeless bits and pieces, classified and arranged, conquered rather than read. For me the text is a living thing, whose life has to be respected if it is to be understood. . . . Judges is not a nice book. It's rough and raw and confronting. Working on it has been like living with someone who always tells you the truth: it is good for you, but not pleasant. In this commentary I have tried to let Judges be what it is instead of taming it."Daniel I. Block-- Wheaton College"We have been waiting for Barry Webb's commentary a long time. It's here! This volume is the mature fruit of three decades of study and reflection on the book of Judges. Webb combines the best of thorough scholarship with an evangelical passion for readers to grasp the rhetorical agenda and message of the book. Scholars, teachers, and pastors will find this volume to be a worthy addition to the already excellent NICOT series."