Summary
We review Judges by Mark J. Boda and Mary L. Conway, published by Zondervan in the Exegetical Commentary on the Old Testament series. This substantial volume—well over 900 pages—offers a disciplined, text-driven approach designed for pastors, teachers and serious students who want to understand the structure, flow and theology of Judges. It is a commentary written with academic precision but shaped with ministry use in mind.
The authors combine original-language engagement, discourse analysis and theological reflection in a format that walks through the book of Judges unit by unit. Each section provides translation, movement through the Hebrew text, an explanation of structure, and reflections on canonical significance. This makes it an excellent resource for those who want more than surface-level exposition while still needing clarity for sermon preparation.
Why Should I Own This Commentary?
First, this commentary excels in helping the reader understand the internal logic and literary design of Judges. The book is not simply a sequence of isolated stories; it is a spiralling narrative of Israel’s increasing moral collapse and God’s persistent, gracious intervention. Boda and Conway make this structure clear, showing how each judge contributes to the overall theological burden of the book. For Reformed preachers, this helps illuminate themes of covenant faithfulness, human depravity and the need for a righteous king.
Second, its handling of the Hebrew text is robust without becoming inaccessible. The authors consistently explain textual decisions, structural markers and linguistic features in a way that benefits pastors who may not be fluent in Hebrew but desire depth. Their work fosters confidence: when preparing a sermon, you have a trusted companion who helps you understand not only what the text says but why it is written the way it is.
Third, this commentary is particularly strong in its theological reflections. The cyclical pattern of sin, judgment and deliverance in Judges is traced with care, helping preachers draw out redemptive-historical trajectories without forcing connections. While the Christological implications are not always explicitly developed, they are present—especially in the movement from flawed human deliverers to the need for a true and righteous Deliverer.
Closing Recommendation
We warmly recommend this commentary for pastors, elders, teachers and students committed to preaching or teaching Judges with clarity and conviction. Its depth, structural analysis and theological integrity make it one of the stronger modern resources for handling this challenging book.
If you are looking for a lighter, devotional-style commentary, this volume may feel demanding. But for those who want to honour the Hebrew text and shepherd their congregation through the message of Judges with seriousness and insight, this commentary is a worthy investment.
Mark J. Boda
Mark J. Boda is a Canadian Old Testament scholar and theologian within the evangelical Reformed tradition, known for his deep commitment to the authority of Scripture and the unity of biblical theology.
A long-serving professor of Old Testament at McMaster Divinity College in Ontario, Boda has written extensively on prophetic literature, repentance, and covenant theology. His work bridges the worlds of academia and the church, producing research that is both linguistically rigorous and spiritually edifying. He has contributed major commentaries on Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi in the NIV Application Commentary series, as well as 1 & 2 Chronicles in the Cornerstone Biblical Commentary series, earning respect for his exegetical clarity and theological discernment.
Boda’s writing is marked by precision, pastoral warmth, and a desire to show how the Old Testament points to God’s redemptive purposes fulfilled in Christ. His works continue to serve pastors, students, and scholars seeking faithful, text-centred exposition rooted in Reformed conviction.
Recommended titles: Judges (Zondervan, 2021); Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi (Zondervan, 2004); Return to Me: A Biblical Theology of Repentance (IVP Academic, 2015).