068. Appendix: Books Of Reference

APPENDIX BOOKS OF REFERENCE The extant literature for the study of the prophetic books is so numerous as to be confusing. The works which follow are mentioned for their helpfulness to the student who seeks to obtain a mastery of prophetic thought. Technical studies and works not translated into English are omitted. For the history of the two centuries spanned by the contents of this volume the student may be referred to Professor C. F. Kent’s “A History of the Hebrew People: The Divided Kingdom,” 1897, (Scribner,) or to the still briefer sketch by Professor C. H. Cornill of Konigsberg, “History of the People of Israel,” 1898. (Open Court Publishing Co.) A more elaborate work is Kittel’s “History of the Hebrews,” Vol. II, 1896. (Williams & Norgate.) The father of the study of prophecy to-day was Professor W. Robertson Smith, whose articles on the prophetic books in the “Encyclopedia Britannica,” and whose “Prophets of Israel,” (D. Appleton & Co.), second edition, 1895, are almost as valuable as ever. For brief surveys of the Minor Prophets in turn, Farrar’s “Minor Prophets,” 1889, (Revell,) or Cornill’s “Prophets of Israel,” 1895, (Open Court Publishing Co.,) are acceptable, the former being more detailed than the latter. Kirkpatrick’s “Doctrine of the Prophets,” 1892, (Macmillan,) is of great value for its concise presentation of the characteristic teachings of each prophet. Without derogation to any of these, however, it may be said that the two volumes by Professor George Adam Smith, entitled “The Book of the Twelve Prophets,” 1896–98, (Armstrong, “The Expositor’s Bible,”) are the best aid to the interpretation of the Minor Prophets to be purchased in English. One may also mention the very valuable analyses in Driver’s “Introduction to the Literature of the Old Testament,” sixth edition, 1897. (Scribner.) For the study of Amos there are two excellent commentaries:one by Professor Driver, “Joel and Amos,” 1897, (Macmillan,) the other by Professor Mitchell, “Amos:An Essay in Exegesis.” For Hosea and Micah the most available commentaries are by Professor T. K. Cheyne in the Cambridge Bible series. For Nabum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah an admirable commentary has been written for that same series by Professor A. B. Davidson. Among the countless aids for the study of Isaiah, one may mention the clever sketch by Driver in the Men of the Bible series, entitled “Isaiah, His Life and Times,” 1888, (Revell,) the commentaries by Professor Skinner, “Isaiah, Chapters 1–39,” 1896, (Macmillan,) and by Professor Mitchell, “Isaiah: A Study of Chapters 1–12,” 1897, (Crowell,) and the expository, yet historical, treatment by Professor George Adam Smith, “The Book of Isaiah , 1-39,” 1889. For Jeremiah, Professor Cheyne has written a spirited sketch, in the Men of the Bible series, entitled “Jeremiah, His Life and Times.” A moderately good commentary is that by Rev. A. W. Streane in the Cambridge Bible series.