Are you interested in studying 1 & 2 Samuel? Looking for resources to consult for a sermon series. Here are the books and commentaries I’ve found helpful in my preaching and teaching.

• 1 and 2 Samuel: An Introduction and Commentary by V. Philips Long. Part of the Tyndale Old Testament Commentary series. Concise (something I value) but packed with exegetical insight. I typically consulted this commentary first.
• The First Book of Samuel and The Second Book of Samuel by David Toshio Tsumura. Part of the New International Commentary on the Old Testament series. More technical than the commentary by Long. Highlights the literary structure and flow of the books.
• The Hebrew Bible: A Translation with Commentary by Robert Alter. Alter’s work on the Hebrew Bible has been called “a masterpiece of deep learning and fine sensibility.” Both his translation and notes on the text are always worth consulting.
• 1 Samuel: Looking on the Heart and 2 Samuel: Out of Every Adversity by Dale Ralph Davis. Reformed. Expository. Especially helpful to preachers.
• Leap Over a Wall : Earthy Spirituality for Everyday Christians by Eugene Peterson. Peterson was a poet-pastor. His reflections on David’s life and its relevance to contemporary Christians are marked by a simple beauty.