PRE-20TH CENTURY COMMENTARIES ON THE OLD TESTAMENT IN CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

Selected by Dr Leslie McFall

(Cambridge, England)

1 November, 1996

If you are stuck for time then consult Patrick (1727), then Gouge (1651), and then Haak (1657). These are the best Old Testament commentaries from an evangelical point of view. Then come Wall, Wells and Thaddaeus. These are the six most useful of the 27 commentaries on the Old Testament listed below. If you manage to consult each of these you will not find very much new material outside them in other 17th, 18th and 19th century works. I have an almost complete list (about 500 index cards) of pre-20th century Old Testament Commentaries on the whole of the Old Testament (not individual books) in Cambridge University Library and the British Library.

Book shelf numbers are located in UL = University Library, Cambridge, England.

Barth, Christian Gottlieb, The Bible Manual: An Expository and Practical Commentary on the Books of Scripture arranged in chronological order (transl. fr. the German, Handbuch der Bibelklärung). London: James Nisbet, 1865. UL: 80.1.16 and 14.1.16 [2nd ed.]

Brown, John (of Haddington), The Self-interpreting Bible containing the Old and New Testaments with references and illustrations . . . to which are annexed an extensive introduction, explanatory notes, . . . . &c. Bungay: Brightly & Childs, 1814. UL: S100.bb.81.3 and 1.27.28 (1814). Same title, London, 1815; UL: 8100.bb.1. New ed. revd. by Thomas Raffles, 2 vols. London, 1817, UL: 1.16.30-. In two parts, London, 1838-39, UL: 1.16.1; London, 1862; UL: 1.14.51. Newcastle-on-Tyne, 1870? UL: 8100.a.26. Judicious comments. No anti-liberal polemic at all. Good on application.

Clarke, Adam (d. 1832)(Wesleyan minister), The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Teataments [and the Apocrypha] . . . Notes and practical observations. Liverpool, 1816. UL: 8100.bb.2 and 1.15.12. Same title, 8 vols., London, 1817-1825, UL: 1.16.33-; same title, 6 vols., new ed., London: Thomas Tegg & Sons, 1836; UL: 1.17.7- (=best edition). Worth consulting. Middling value. Liberal approach to Scripture. There is a photograph of Clarke in the front of vol. I.

Cook, F. C. (ed.), The Holy Bible according to the A.V. (1611) with an Explanatory and Critical Commentary and a Revision of the Translation by Bishops and other Clergy. 12 vols. London: John Murray, 1878. UL: 13.2.41-.

13.2.41 Vol. I Pt 1. Genesis—Exodus

13.2.42 Vol. I Pt 2. Lev—Deut

13.2.43 Vol. II Jos—1 Kgs

13.2.44 Vol. III 2 Kgs—Esther

13.2.45 Vol. IV Job—S of Sol

13.2.46 Vol. V Isa—Jer—Lam

13.2.47 Vol. VI Ezek—Dan—Minor Prophets

13.2.48 Vol. I Mt—Mk—Lk

13.2.49 Vol. II John-Acts

13.2.50 Vol. III Rom—Philemon

13.2.51 Vol. IV Heb—Rev

13.2.52 Vol. I Esdras to Wisdom

13.2.53 Vol. II Eccles to Maccabees

Diodati, Giovanni, Pious and learned annotations upon the Holy Bible: plainly expounding the most difficult places thereof . . . and the analysis upon each . . . book of the Old and New Testament. Translated from the Italian by “R. G.”. London: James Flesher for Nicholas Fussell, 1651. UL: Ely.b.8. 1643 edition, UL: Huntingdon.40.9; 1648 ed., UL: Bassingbourn 147; 1664 4th ed., London: Thos. Roycroft, UL: C.9.28. His outlines and summaries of each bible book are very comprehensive. Not too many notes but worth consulting. Outlines are excellent.

Dodd, William, A Commentary on the Books of the Old and New Testament. In which are inserted the Notes and Collections of John Locke, Daniel Waterland . . . . Edwards, Earl of Clarendon . . . . 3 vols. London: Printed for R. Davis, 1770. UL: 1.15.22-. Excellent commentary right through. Worth consulting. But Dr Dodd is said by John Hewlett to have transcribed from Fawkes’ commentary without acknowledgement. See p. ix of Hewlett’s Preface. Dodd’s commentary appears under the name of “Thomas Coke”, A Commentary on the New Testament. 2 vols. London, 1803. Whether “Thomas Coke” is another name for Dodd I am not sure.

Ellicott, Charles John (Bp of Glous. & Bristol)(ed.), An Old Testament Commentary for English Readers. 5 vols. London: Cassell & Co., 1882-84, UL: 12.1.30-. Re-issued London, 1884-92 and again in 1897 but these are not in the UL. He is worth consulting. Liberal viewpoint.

———— A New Testament Commentary for English Readers, edited by C.J.E. 3 vols., London, 1878. UL: 14.2.36-.

Gill, John [1697-1771], Protestant Baptist pastor in Southwark. An Exposition of the Old Testament. 6 vols. London: Matthews & Leigh, 1810, UL: 1.16.53-. Vol 1. Gen-Num; Vol 2, Deut-2 Kgs; Vol 3, 1 Chr-Ps 72; Vol 4, Ps 73-SofS; Vol 5, Isa-Lam; Vol 6, Ezk-Mal. Excellent work.

Gouge, W., Gataker, Th., etc., Annotations upon all the Books of the Old and New Testament. 2nd ed. 2 vols. London: John Legatt, 1651. UL: 6.32.22-; and SSS.5.6-. UL: 6.32.18, also Ely.a.200 and Peterborough A.5.5-; and 6.32.20- [best is the1657 edition, UL: 6.32.20-. London: Evan Tyler, 1657; Vol. I Gen—Song of Sol; Vol. 2 Isa—Rev]. Very worthwhile consulting. He and Patrick are the two best pre-19th century commentaries, in my opinion. There is an excellent spirit in his manner of commenting which is not censorious. If you have not enough time then read Patrick and Gouge (and Haak) and you have the best of OT commentary exposition in the pre-critical era. If you are really stuck for time then read Patrick.

Haak, Theodore, The Dutch annotations upon the whole Bible . . . . Now faithfully communicated to the use of Great Britain, in English. 2 vols. London: Henry Hills, 1657. Vol. 1, Gen-Song of Songs; Vol. 2, Isaiah-Revelation, UL: C.9.31, and B*.4.47(c). Excellent commentary.

Haydock, George Leo [& F. C. Husenbeth], The Holy Bible translated from the Latin Vulgate. With Notes by G. L. Haydock. The text collated and the annotations abridged by F. C. Husenbeth. 3 vols. London: George Henry, 1850. UL: 1.8.20-. Vol 1, Gen-Pss; Vol 2, Prov-Macc; Vol 3, NT. Roman Catholic, sometimes has another angle.

Henry, Matthew, An Exposition of the Old and New Testament. 6 vols. London: Joseph Ogle Robinson, 1842. UL: 1.18.20-. Originally pub. in 1706. London, 1867, UL: 1.14.52-; London, 1876, UL: 1.29.36-.

Jamieson R., Fausett A. R., Brown D., A Commentary, critical, experimental, and practical, on the Old and New Testaments. 6 vols., Glasgow: Wm Collins & Sons, 1864-70. UL: 13.3.14-. UL lacks vol 1, Pentateuch. London, 1969 reprint, UL: 29.1.b.95.2. Reprinted, Grand Rapids: Zondervan Pub. House, n.d. Excellent work.

Keil, Karl Friedrich & Delitzsch, F., Commentary on the Old Testament. 10 volumes. Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1873. UL: 7.19.34. Republished: Grand Rapids: Wm B. Eerdmans, 1950- (10 vols).

Kitto, John, The Pictorial Bible being the Old and New Testaments according to the Authorized Version. 3 vols. London: W. & R. Chapman, 1836-38. UL: 1.17.4-; New ed. 4 vols. 1855-56, UL: 1.17.24-.New ed. 1855-, UL: 3.5.40-. Vol 1, Gen-Jos; Vol 2, Jud-Job; Vol 3, Pss-Mal; Vol 4, NT. Worthwhile consulting—liberal.

Lange, John Peter (ed.), A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Critical, Doctrinal and Homiletical. Translated from the German and edited, with additions by Philip Schaff. 25 vols., Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1868-80. UL: 7.18.61-. Reprinted edition, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, n.d. Worthwhile consulting.

Mede, Joseph (b. Oct 1586, d. 1 Oct 1638 at 52 yrs; buried in Christ’s College, Cambridge, about the middle of the area on the south side, close to the Bachelors and Sophisters seats), The Works of J. Mede. Corrected and enlarged according to the author’s own manuscripts [by J. Worthington]. 2 vols in 1. London: J. Flesher for R. Royston, 1663-64. UL: G.7.27; Eee 13; 4th edition UL: Peterborough M.6.3 (1677); also Cam.a.677.1 and Cam.a.677.2.

Parker, Samuel (d. 1730), Bibliotheca Biblica. Being a Commentary upon all the Books of the Old and New Testament. 5 vols. Oxford: Charles Rivington, 1720-35. This work was never completed. It covers only Genesis—Numbers. UL: 4.28.7-. Vol. 1 Gen 1:1—21:34 [UL: 4.28.7]; Vol. 2 Gen 22:1—end [UL: 4.28.8]). It is worthwhile consulting because of the use of other contemporary commentaries. He proves the Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch quoting Huetius, Allix, Kidder, Jenkin, Isaac Vossius, Friedrich Spanheim, Du Pin, etc. He is good at including all the views of Church Fathers before AD 451 on each problem text.

Patrick, Simon [Symon] (Bp of Ely), also Lowth, Arnald, Whitby, and Lowman, A Critical Commentary and Paraphrase on the Old and New Testament and the Apocrypha. 3rd ed. corrected. 2 vols. London, 1727. UL: Ely.a.55-. Same as 1822 edition but corrected by J.R. Pitman, 6 vols., UL: Ely.a.15-. 4 vol. ed., London: Thomas Tegg, 1844, UL: 1.17.13- and 14.1.1-. I found this to be the most helpful 19th century commentary. The next best was Gouge.

Richardson, John (Bp of Armagh), Choice Observations and explanations upon the Old Testament . . . to which are added . . . observations . . . upon the whole Book of Genesis, perused and attested by the Rev. Bishop of Armagh and Mr Gataker. London: G. Stafford, 1655. UL: Fff.61 and Hib.4.655.1 [Front cover is detached]. He says his 1651 edition is larger (at Hos 1:1, p. 434). Very worthwhile consulting.

Schrivener, Frederick Henry Ambrose, An Index to the Bp of Lincoln’s commentary on the Old Testament. London, 1871, UL: 14.2.252 (1871) and 10.27.6^b (1876). This is Bishop Christopher Wordsworth’s work that is indexed, see below.

Scott, Thomas (d. 1821), The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments, with explanatory notes . . . . New ed. with an introductory essay . . . by William Symington. 3 vols. Glasgow: Mackenzie, White & Co., 1841-44. UL: 1.16.7-. London: Fisher Son & Co., 1843, 3 vols, UL: 1.16.47-. Has a topical index at the end of vol. 3. Worthwhile consulting.

Spence, H. D. M. & Excell, J. S., The Pulpit Commentary. London & New York, 1880-96. In Tyndale Library. A liberal work.

Thaddaeus, Johannes, [&] Man, T., The Reconciler of the Bible inlarged: wherein above three thousand seeming contradictions throughout the Old and New Testament, are fully and plainly reconciled. London: Simon Miller, 1662. UL: Syn.4.66.12 (this is a bad UL copy. Ask for Syn.4.66.13 instead). Really a commentary on the whole Bible. Very useful work.

Wall, William., Critical Notes on the Old Testament . . . . 3 vols. London: Wm Innys, 1734. UL: 8.14.66-. Very good at solving OT problems.

Wells, Edward (d. 1724), An Help for the more Easy and Clear Understanding of the Holy Scriptures. 6 vols. Oxford: Printed at the Theater, 1724-28. UL: 4.28.1-. Excellent commentary.

Wordsworth, Christopher, The Holy Bible, in the Authorized Version; with Notes and Introduction. 6 vols. London: Rivington, 1864-66, UL: 14.1.22-; 3rd ed. London, 1867-76, UL: 14.2.20- [6 vols. but only OT; incomplete, 3 vols only as follows: 14.2.20 Gen—Exod; 14.2.22 Chron-Ezra-Neh & Esther (1872); 14.2.25 Dan, Minor Prophets + Index]; New ed. 4 vols, London, 1879-1884 (vol. 3 missing), UL: 10.27.18- [in 12 parts, but UL has only 4 parts as follows: Gen—Exos (=vol 1, pt 1)(1879); Josh-Jud-Ruth (=vol. II, pt 1) uncut pages; Psalms (=vol VI)(1884) uncut pages; and 10.127.23 Dan & Minor Prophets (=vol. VI) + Index (1883)]. Excellent work. See F. H. A. Schrivener for complete Index to Wordsworth’s Commentary.

Not in Cambridge University Library but worth consulting:

Baxter, Richard (d. 1691), Non-conformist divine, A Paraphrase on the New Testament, with notes doctrinal and practical . . . . With an advertisement of difficulties in the Revelations. London, 1685 (reptd in 1691, 1695, 1798 all in the British Library Catalogue).

WORKS DEALING WITH APPARENT CONTRADICTIONS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

(I have a card index list of about 120 works dealing exclusively with apparent contradictions in the Old and New Testaments. The best five works are listed below)

If you are stuck for time, consult Manasseh Ben Israel first then Baruh.

Baruh, Raphael [He sometimes goes under the name of Henry Owen], Critica Sacra examined: or an attempt to show that a New Method may be found to reconcile the seemingly glaring variations in parallel passages of Scripture and that such variations consequently, are of no proofs of corruptions, or mistakes, of transcribers. London, 1775. UL: 1.49.61. He is good on differences between Chronicles-Samuel-Kings parallel passages. I have made out an Index for it.

Manasseh Ben Israel, The Conciliator of R. Manasseh ben Israel; a reconcilement of the apparent contradictions in Holy Scripture, to which are added explanatory notes, and biographical notices of the quoted authorities. By E. H. Lindo. London: Published by the Translator, 1842. (2 vols in 1) UL: S100.c.84.21. I have made out an Index of texts for it. It is an excellent work because it gives solutions from a good grasp of Jewish literature and Jewish exegetical tradition. This was used by Thaddaeus in his 1662 work.

Platts, John (d. 1837), A New Self-Interpreting Testament containing many thousands of Various Readings and Parallel Passages . . . a Reconciliation of seeming Contradictions . . . . 4 vols. London, 1827. UL: 1.12.37-. Covers 38 problems.

Streat, William H., The Dividing of the Hoof: or, seeming-contradictions throughout Sacred Scriptures, distinguish’d, resolv’d and appl’d. London: Printed by T. H. for the author, 1654. UL: 2.34.7. I have made out an Index of Scripture texts to this work which does not have one.

Thaddaeus, Johannes, [&] Man, T., The Reconciler of the Bible inlarged: wherein above three thousand seeming contradictions throughout the Old and New Testament, are fully and plainly reconciled. London: Simon Miller, 1662. UL: Syn.4.66.12 (This is a bad UL copy. Ask for Syn.4.66.13 instead). Really a commentary on the whole Bible. A very useful work.

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