The NIVAC commentary series has successfully found a niche as a resource to pick up after youve studied the major exegetical commentaries and now need to think about application and contemporary significance. This commentary on Esther by Karen Jobes fulfills the aims of the series effectively.

In the Introduction the author begins with a somewhat subversive illustration to turn our minds toward the subject of the Book of Esther, but becomes much more helpful when she discusses the Book of Esther itself. The style is more succinct, and even breezy, than in some other series, yet the main points are still well covered. The historical background, as well as authorship and date, are all well covered before the author asked the question: is Esther reliable history? I appreciated, especially after having read as many commentaries on Esther as I have, her saying that the objections raised against the historicity of Esther are not beyond explanation. She approaches genre in a section about ancient storytelling and argues that Esther has great value whether its historically accurate or not. Im a firm believer in the historicity of Esther, but love seeing her say that the relationship between biblical narrative and history consciously rests on the concept that God has in fact worked in history through events that really happened.

Her love of Esthers story becomes clear in the section on literary structure. Again, this section is not as lengthy as in some of the larger commentaries, but the bases are still well covered. The same could be said of the section on the theology of Esther. Even more in line with the design of this series is the final section on contemporary significance. You will gain some helpful insights.

After a bibliography, she jumps right into the commentary itself. As with every volume in this series, it is divided into original meaning, bridging contexts, and contemporary significance. That design cant help but have some repetition, but the author did a good job with it. I rate this volume as a success and a worthy addition to your library.

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Asearch for my christian roots has taken me to a deeper look and reading of the bible. I have gotten interested in finding out more about God's people (jews)and his love for them. The Book of Esther has always facinated me. This commentary has given great insight of Esther's days and peels back layers of history. It shows how very contemporary and applicable the story of Esther is for us people call out by God.

Excellent commentary on one of the most misunderstood books of the canon. The author's analysis is very thought provoking and comforting for anyone who wonders how God's sovereignty and free will work to accomplish God's purposes. This commentary went way beyond my expectations.

This is an excellent commentary on the book of Esther. It is very thorough and well-researched, and deals with the relevant exegetical and theological issues in a thoughtful and credible way. The description of the literary structure, with the explanation of peripety and chiasm, was in itself worth the price of the commentary and had a profound effect on my overall understanding of the text. I will be looking out for more commentaries by this author.

If you like the format of the NIV Application Commentary series you will like this commentary. Jobes' character analysis is excellent. She is fair and follows the literary clues. Her exposition is also well done. She interacts with present scholarship. Her applications are generally useful and insightful. This is a very useful commentary written from a conservative perspective. I would recommend it as one of the must have works on Esther.