1 and 2 Kings (Old Testament Guides) [Paperback]

Iain W. Provan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1997 | Series: Old Testament Guides (Book 11)

Provan introduces the books of Kings as literature that is at one and the same time historiography, narrative art and theology. He discusses Kings, not simply as a book from the past that may afford us some insight into life in ancient Israel, but also as a book that functions as part of a wider Scripture important to both Jews and Christians.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Iain W. Provan is the Marshall Sheppard Professor of Biblical Studies at Regent College. He is also an ordained minister of the Church of Scotland.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Sheffield (February 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1850758026
• ISBN-13: 978-1850758020
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,491,364 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Iain Provan (PhD, Cambridge University) is Marshall Sheppard Professor of Biblical Studies at Regent College. An ordained minister of the Church of Scotland, he is the author of commentaries on Lamentations and 1 and 2 Kings.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sadly too brief, January 20, 2005

By 

mike4416 "mike4416" (Orlando, Fl United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 1 and 2 Kings (Paperback)

Provan has crafted a masterful and readable commentary on the book of Kings within the unfortunate size restraints of the NIBC series. Provan blends a nuanced and refined approach to the biblical text with a lively and engaging writing style that compels the reader to read on in both the commentary and Kings itself. The commentary employs historical and literary analysis in a successful synthesis that leaves the reader confident in the history described and yet impressed by the theology crafted from the ordering and telling of events.

Provan consistently manages to cull fresh insights and original readings from familiar narratives. His treatment of Solomon, for example, is perhaps the ablest and most profound portion of the commentary. Provan interacts with the themes of law and grace as embodied in the conditional/unconditional elements of the Davidic covenants. His treatment is helpful. The "Additional Notes" provide space for some more technical discussions; these are profitable to the reader and should not be skipped over.

Readers seeking more detailed discussions of historiagraphical issues from Provan's perspective can consult A Biblical History of Israel coauthored by Provan, Longman and Long. More lengthy and technical commentaries can fill in the details, but Provan's commentary captures the flow and meaning of Kings superbly and creatively.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars outstanding, January 13, 2010

By 

Thomas Parr - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: 1 and 2 Kings (Paperback)

I compared Provan to the NAC commentary by House and the EBC commentary by Patterson and Austel.

I was looking for sensitivity to the theological message of the stories in Kings, and Provan really shines. He is much better at it than the others. You really feel like Provan can show you the glory and sovereignty of the God of Israel, which (of course) is what the stories in Kings intend to show. Imagine that, a commentary that actually exposes the theological intent of the passage! The other two commentaries are often lost in the human details while the passage is painting a compelling picture of a mind-boggling God.

Provan's applications are well-done. "Not all applications are created equal." But Provan's are truly insightful. For example, God destroyed the dynasties of Jereboam I and Baasha quickly but allowed the dynasty of Omri to last a hundred years. Why? Why would God punish Jereboam I and Baasha so quickly and let men like Ahab (and company) live for so long? Provan answers that God was planning on confronting men like Ahab with men like Elijah. In other words, letting Ahab live so long is part of God's long-term plan of triumphing over evil. Then comes Provan's application to our day: "We should never confuse God's long-term planning with an unwillingness or inability to communicate and to act in human history. Prophets will eventually speak, and the prophetic word will always come to pass (e.g., John 1:19-28; 6:1-15; Acts 3:17-26; 2 Pet. 3:3-13; Rev. 22:7-20). God's silences are not long when seen in the context of eternity; God's inactivity is really patience in disguise" (p. 130). What a great reminder to not fear simply because wicked men are on the rise in our day. Wicked men are part of God's plan. They are on God's leash and can go no further than He allows.

Provan is also well-written. He writes great theological reflections in simple language. Ah, a breath of fresh air! He also often has more to say than the other two. I kept expecting him to be briefer, and he was actually fuller. He also makes good use of his space limitations. Everything I read was carefully written and held meaning.

There are more good things, but these are some of the significant ones. Get Provan on Kings!