Book Review: 1 and 2 Chronicles For Everyone

This review is a tricky one - how does one review a commentary? Comment on the text and the way it comments on the text? Compare it to other commentaries? Write about its writing style and content? Such things are perhaps nonsensical, but I shall endeavour to review this excellent little volume here.


As you can tell from the cover - and probably the 'For Everyone' moniker - this is an Old Testament Commentary in the vein of Tom Wright's superb 'New Testament for Everyone' mini-commentaries. That is to say, they are not full on academic tomes, but instead fill the very necessary niche between (for example) the introductions to books one might get in a good study bible, and a larger, more academic commentary. This volume is no exception - and for this layman (whilst I study theology I have no more than a passing knowledge of Chronicles, and no prior commentary reading on this Old Testament book) it was an excellent entry point.


Goldingay - an Old Testament Professor at Fuller in the USA, formerly of St Johns Nottingham - is a serious scholar of the Old Testament, and whilst his style here is relaxed and readable, this is clear throughout the book. It is rather comforting having the benefit of his career in Old Testament studies looking over your shoulder - even as he throws in anecdotes, illustrations and the occasional bit of light-hearted banter. The fundamental difference between this and a bigger (Read dense) technical (read out of touch) academic commentary is that it is very application focused. This has been a hallmark of the NT (Wright and Testament!) books - and this is definitely carried out and onwards here. 


A note worth making - this book joins other volumes by Goldingay, also from SPCK, in this Old Testament Series. Currently, there are 2 on Genesis, one on Exodus and Leviticus, one on Numbers and Deuteronomy, one covering Joshua, Judges and Ruth, and one each on the two Samuels + Kings. I hope (and assume, though did not confirm) that this volume on Chronicles represents the continued expansion of the series -which would be a good thing.


Throughout, Goldingay prefaces each section of commentary - and he moves methodically through the book clearly and simply - with the text itself, in his own translation. This is a helpful thing - allowing theology to be linked directly to the text - and also a practical thing - it saves one flipping the pages on a separate bible all the time! This is an excellent and concise little commentary - I'd recommend it to any lay person looking for a handle on the book, or anyone else looking for a sort of doorway into studying 1 and 2 Chronicles - preparing the way for bigger, more technical commentary reading. It's available now from SPCK Here.