Genesis (The Tyndale Old Testament Commentary Series)

by Derek Kidner

Paperback, 1981

Status

Available

Publication

Intervarsity Pr (1981), 224 pages

Description

Genesis--the Bible's account of human origins and the harbinger of human destiny--is a book teeming with critical problems. Who wrote it? When? Does the account of creation square with modern science? What about Adam and Eve? Derek Kidner not only provides a running exegetical commentary, but lucidly handles the tough issues that Genesis raises. His clear prose and theological insight will expand readers' understanding of God's character and of human nature and destiny.The Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries have long been a trusted resource for Bible study. The introduction to each volume gives a concise but thorough description of the authorship, date and historical background of the biblical book under consideration. The commentary itself examines the text section by section, drawing out its main themes. It also comments on individual verses and deals with problems of interpretation. Written by some of the world's most distinguished evangelical scholars, these volumes retain their original text now retypeset in a larger format. As always, they continue to aim at the true meaning of the Bible and to make its message plain to readers today.The original, unrevised text of this volume has been completely retypeset and printed in a larger, more attractive format with the new cover design for the series.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member kwmcdonald
A reasonably short and readable, yet informative, commentary on Genesis. I haven't finished it yet, but am enjoying it greatly so far. This series in general seems to be pretty good; I've also read Wenham's commentary on Numbers in this series and liked it very much.
LibraryThing member Iacobus
This commentary is dated, being as old as I am. The higher critical issues it deals with are those of the post-war historical critical consensus, when Von Rad's commentary was the newest rage. And yet, it is still a level-headed guide to many of the matters that bedevil readers about the book of
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beginnings. Kidner deals with issues of origins, literary form, long life spans and many other currently-contentious issues in a way that seems daring for 1967. Or perhaps many of these issues hadn't yet become as contentious?

Kidner is evangelical, and is conservative when it comes to Wellhausen’s J-E-D-P synthesis still current in his day. Yet he is no reactionary, in no way advocating Mosaic authorship. His exegesis of Genesis 1–11 is sensitive to literary form and the ancient world view. It does not advocate a creationist stance, and accomodates an alternative viewpoint. This commetnary is worth reading just for the treatement it gives to Genesis 1–3.

His treatment of Genesis 12–50 is necessarily briefer, but still of the same quality. Kidner supports a historical reading of the text, taking into account the text's purpose and nature. While the commentary is exegetical in nature, it makes allusions to the New Testament where appropriate, and even tucks in asides to the Christian today.

Kidner is my favourite Old Testament commentator, and his work formed the early foundation of the Tyndale series. Even after 40+ years, this wise commentary is still a worthy guide to the book of Genesis.
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Language

Original language

English

ISBN

0877842515 / 9780877842514
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