When a discussion arises concerning Bible reading, the response people most often give is "I don't read it often because I don't understand it."When I first became a Christian, I had such a desire to read the Bible but like so may others I didn't understand it. That made it almost impossible to get much out of my Daily Bible reading.
This is where commentaries come in. Commentaries should not take the place of personal Bible study, but it should supplement it. Reading them along side of your Bible will give you information on the places, history, and background that you could never know by just reading the Bible alone.
John A. Davies has given us a great service with his commentary on 1 Kings. Here we have all of the stories we heard from Childhood - Solomon, The Queen of Sheba, Elijah, and Elisha.
What makes this commentary so good is it's accessibility. He explains many of the Hebrew words but you do not have to be a Hebrew scholar to understand them. He takes the text, gives us background information concerning it, then adds a section of application. It is very readable and never boring. He discusses each of the Kings of Israel and the Characters surrounding him.
If you are like me, I have a habit of spending most of my time in the New Testament. This book has forced me out of my comfort-zone and directed me to the front of my Bible. The Old Testament. The place where there are very few highlights and all of the pages are still attached. Going back to this section of the Bible is like having a reunion with an old friend.
I recommend this book for young and seasoned believers alike. Whether you have been saved for years or a very short period of time, this commentary would be time well spent.
Grab a copy, get your Bible out and finally understand who all those Kings were.
I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars.
*I received this book, free of charge, from EP Books and Cross Focused Reviews in exchange for an honest review.
