Best Commentaries on Exodus

Before turning to the expert recommendations, here are some recent resources written by trusted scholars that may be of interest. Because these volumes are newly published, the commentators on the commentaries have not yet had opportunity to evaluate them. They would, though, come with my recommendation.

• Allan Harman – Exodus: God’s Kingdom of Priests (Focus on the Bible). The Focus on the Bible commentary series is as trustworthy as they come. (Amazon, Westminster Books, Logos)
• L. Michael Morales – Exodus Old and New: A Biblical Theology of Redemption (Essential Studies in Biblical Theology). While not a commentary per se, this is a trusted and helpful resource on Exodus. (Amazon, Westminster Books, Logos)

And now, here are the expert recommendations:

Brevard S. Childs – The Book of Exodus (The Old Testament Library). There is near-unanimous praise for this volume by Brevard Childs even though it comes from the critical stream. Jim Rosscup of The Master’s Seminary recommends it with a caveat, saying it is “suitable for scholars or intense, advanced students who have discernment to weigh what is good and what is subjective theory pressed in.” This seems like a must-have commentary for the preacher, but he will want to have others available besides. It is probably not as useful or appropriate for the casual reader. (Amazon, Logos)

Peter Enns – Exodus (New International Version Application Commentary). Despite the fact that Enns is no longer a trustworthy scholar, this volume receives many accolades from a wide variety of experts (as it was written long before his theological compromise). Tremper Longman calls this an “incredibly insightful theological study” of the book of Exodus and says, “This commentary is ideal for those preaching on Exodus, because he so thoughtfully explores the book’s trajectory toward the New Testament gospel.” (Amazon, Westminster Books, Logos)

John L. Mackay – Exodus (A Mentor Commentary). The commentators on commentaries say that this volume is equally useful to both pastors and lay readers and that it is especially strong in the area of application. This praise is perhaps especially noteworthy when it comes to the Old Testament narratives since they do not always lend themselves to easy and natural application, at least compared to, say, the New Testament epistles. (Amazon, Westminster Books, Logos)

J. Alec Motyer – The Message of Exodus (The Bible Speaks Today). Though this commentary is quite short compared to many (a necessity due to the format of the BST series) it still receives many accolades. Keith Mathison says that “on almost every page, the reader finds helpful insights into the meaning of the second book of Moses” while Derek Thomas says (alliteratively) that it is superb, scholarly, simple, and sensible. (Amazon, Westminster Books, Logos)

Philip Ryken – Exodus (Preaching the Word). I have read at least portions of several of Ryken’s commentaries (Luke, 1 Kings, and Ecclesiastes all come to mind) and have always benefited from them. His volume on Exodus is massive and is drawn from his sermons on the book. This makes it particularly well-suited for laypersons who simply want to understand the text better, though it will also prove valuable to the preacher. (Amazon, Westminster Books)