Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs (The Story of God Bible Commentary | SGBC)

Athas's study of Ecclesiastes locates the book in a period in Judea's history that illuminates many of its more puzzling phrases, helps to unify the teacher's seemingly chaotic thought-world, and that justifies his pessimistic anti-wisdom. Athas wagers everything on this being the setting of the book, which will be off-putting to some, but the coherence that this social setting offers is unparalleled, and even if one isn't persuaded, it provides a working model for the kind of conversation that Qohelet is having with his reader and stunning insights into a period of biblical history about which most of us are ignorant. Athas's work is exceptional, being easily accessible to general readers and deeply engaged in social history and key exegetical issues. His expertise as a credentialled Hebrew scholar and a biblical studies teacher regularly shows through, rooting the social and historical work in a deep love for the text in its original language. I began with a different view of Ecclesiastes but was fully converted to the perspective that Athas offers, and even if there are still points where I might prefer my own reading, Athas proves to be an essential conversation partner. If there is one commentary on Ecclesiastes that you should own, it's this one.