Summary
We find V. Philips Long’s Judges & Ruth in the Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries series a steady companion for reading the passage in front of us, then carrying it into preaching and teaching with care. It keeps us close to the text, and it helps us see the shape of the argument without drowning us in detail.
The tone is measured and pastor-friendly. We are guided through key turns in the book, with enough background to avoid missteps, and with a consistent concern for what the Lord is saying through His Word.
Why Should I Own This Commentary?
We should own this volume when we want a reliable guide that supports the move from exegesis to proclamation. It is not trying to do everything, but it repeatedly helps us put our finger on the main line and speak it clearly to the church.
We also benefit from the way it handles common difficulties. It tends to clarify what matters most, and it keeps application tethered to the passage rather than to our favourite themes.
For weekly preparation, it sits well alongside a more technical work. We can do specialist digging elsewhere, then return here for clarity, proportion, and a steady sense of what we should press home.
Closing Recommendation
We recommend this as a strong mid-level commentary for preaching and teaching Judges & Ruth. It will not answer every debated question, but it consistently helps us handle the text faithfully and speak with pastoral steadiness.
As pastoral next steps, we can visit the Bible Book Overview, browse Top Recommendations, and use the Reformed Commentary Index to build a wiser working library.
V. Philips Long
V. Philips Long is an American Old Testament scholar of the contemporary era, serving within an evangelical and Reformed leaning tradition as a teaching elder and professor.
Long has written extensively on biblical history and narrative, helping pastors handle historical books with integrity and confidence. In his work on Samuel, he traces the Lord’s providence through political upheaval, human sin, and the shaping of kingship, showing how the story moves toward God’s purposes rather than celebrating human power. He also encourages careful attention to literary design, so that preaching follows the text’s own contours.
He remains valued for clarity, honesty about complex issues, and a consistent concern that exegesis should serve proclamation. Recommended titles include 1 and 2 Samuel in the Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, The Art of Biblical History, and his work on reading Old Testament narrative as Scripture.
Theological Perspective: Broadly Evangelical