Genesis Commentaries

I recently finished teaching a class on Genesis at the college (which somewhat overlapped co-teaching Genesis in Sunday School). My preparation included reading five commentaries each week, besides notes I had from a commentary I had read previously. I thought I might just summarize my opinion of each in case anyone might have need in the future.

Mathews, Kenneth A. Genesis 1:1–11:26, New American Commentary, 1996.
Mathews, Kenneth A. Genesis 11:27–50:26, New American Commentary, 2005.

Of those I read, this one is hands-down the best commentary on the book. It is also one of the longest, so it may not be best for you. Mathews is very conservative, thorough, and generally comes to what I regard as the best conclusion.

Derek Kidner, Genesis: An Introduction and Commentary, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, 1967.

Kidner is on the other end of the spectrum with regard to length, but he regularly captures the main ideas and expresses them beautifully. Kidner is also terrific on Psalms, and this morning I discovered his brief commentary on Isaiah (in the New Bible Commentary, 4th ed.). I will read them all.

Nahum M. Sarna, Genesis, JPS Torah Commentary, 1989.

Sarna gives the Jewish perspective and he often serves as the source for later commentators (esp. Waltke). Not only does he provide helpful language and rabbinic insights, he is strong in ancient Near Eastern background. Though this one wouldn’t be ideal if it was your only commentary, it is ideal when read with others.

Bruce K. Waltke, Genesis: A Commentary, 2001.

I read Waltke years ago and had my son type out my notes. So each week I would review particular insights that had stood out to me. They are often good and certainly worth enduring his occasional Reformed interpretation. (Waltke is a man of the text and so it is interesting to watch him contradict himself, giving his theological view in one place and what the text says elsewhere.)

Robert Alter. Genesis: Translation and Commentary, 1996.

Alter is another Jewish scholar, a longtime professor of Hebrew literature at UC Berkeley. He brings a fresh perspective to the text and while I often don’t agree with him, I also often find him saying things I hadn’t thought of or read anywhere else.

Allen P. Ross, Creation and Blessing, 1996.

Ross’s commentary is expositional, so he is not going verse by verse. Instead his approach is to help the pastor or teacher understand the passage and how they can present it to their congregation. His great contribution is in application.

I close with three “honorable mentions,” none of which I read completely or recently for these classes, but which I have found to be valuable.

T. Desmond Alexander, From Paradise to the Promised Land, 2012.

This work is a general introduction to the Pentateuch and it was my required text for the college Genesis class. While Alexander has quite a few problems with regard to higher critical issues, he is very strong in understanding the main themes of Genesis. I recommend chapters 9-12 (in the third edition).

Stephen G. Dempster, Dominion and Dynasty, 2003.

This work covers the entire Old Testament, but since getting that right is so dependent upon getting Genesis right, he spends a lot of time here. He too is strong on understanding what the book is saying. If you ‘re looking to go beyond the stories or the individual chapters and verses, you ‘ll appreciate this. (The title gives away what he believes Genesis, and the OT, is all about.)

James Montgomery Boice, Genesis: An Expositional Commentary, 3 vols., 1998.

These are collected sermons, edited for publication. Boice is a good interpreter and while his sermons aren’t always close to the text (but whose are?), they are quite good at application. Since this is weak in the above list, I thought it would be a good closer.

I have not posted my teaching handouts here, but I am willing to share them with friends who inquire.