Exodus by Duane Garrett, the latest of the emerging Kregel Exegetical Commentary series, is a winner. As pastor-friendly as the earlier volumes, this commentary can stand without embarrassment beside the most scholarly of volumes.

The Introduction was a joy to read. He approaches the unfortunate waste of time in the study of source criticism and concludes it as having “contradictory conclusions and a general lack of clarity.” In further discussion of the documentary hypothesis, he speaks of some of the so-called varying sources and says, “That path is a dead end.” I love his approach!

He gives good background on Egypt as he feels that is one of the most glaring deficiencies of Bible students today. Finally, he approaches the hotly-debated subject of the date of the Exodus. I appreciate how he fairly represented all sides. He then ventured into the equally controversial discussion of the location of the Red Sea crossing and Mt. Sinai. I don’t actually agree with his conclusions, but what a wealth of information he marshals for us to decide for ourselves.

The commentary is helpful. It is always thought provoking. He seeks out natural explanations for the Plagues (though he believes in a supernatural God) that I feel does not do justice to how supernatural they seemed to Pharaoh himself. Nothing natural could have surprised him.

Check out the chart and Excurses on “The Hardness of Pharaoh’s Heart”. I have never read better.

All in all, this volume is a great commentary to secure.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.