Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

The "Abingdon Old Testament Commentaries offer compact, critical commentaries on the entire Old Testament. In addition to providing fundamental information on and incisive insights into Old Testament writings, these commentaries exemplify the tasks and procedures of careful, critical exegesis so as to assist students of the Old Testament in coming to an informed engagement with the biblical texts themselves. Written with special attention to the needs and interests of theology students, they are also useful for pastors and other church leaders. The six books found at the close of the Minor Prophets (Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi) present distinctive understandings of God, humanity, and the future. This commentary engages those understandings, considers what the books may have meant in the past, and describes how they resonate with contemporary readers. With attention to issues of gender, violence, and inclusivity, O'Brien explores the ethical challenges of the books and ask how faithful interpreters can both acknowledge the problems these biblical texts raise and appreciate their value for contemporary theological reflection.