Book Reviews -- By: Anonymous

Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 128:511 (Jul 1971)
Article: Book Reviews
Author: Anonymous


Book Reviews

The Prophecy of Ezekiel. By Charles Lee Feinberg. Chicago: Moody Press, 1969. 286 pp. $4.95; Ezekiel, part of The Tyndale Old Testament Commentary. By John B. Taylor. Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1969. 285 pp. $3.95; Ezekiel, part of The Old Testament Library. By Walther Eichrodt, trans. by Cosslett Quin. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1970. xiv + 594 pp. $12.50.

Commentaries on Ezekiel are rare, but in 1969–70 three of them appeared. The first two commentators are evangelical, while the third would be classified liberal although he has not gone to the excess of redactional activity in Ezekiel as some of his predecessors. The commentary by Feinberg (dean and professor of Talbot Theological Seminary) originally appeared as a series of articles in the missionary magazine, The Chosen People, and has 48 chapters corresponding to those in Ezekiel. The work of Taylor (vice-principal of Oak Hill College of London) is divided according to an analytical outline given on pp. 49-51. The commentary by Eichrodt (former professor of Old Testament and History of Religion at the University of Basel) is divided according to the sections listed in the table of contents (pp. v-lx).

Each commentary makes its own contribution. Regarding the introductions, Feinberg is very brief having only 5 pages, whereas Taylor has 36 pages packed with many more details regarding the book, the prophet and historical background, message, and text of Ezekiel. The present reviewer finds the dates were calculated wrongly (p. 36), from Parker and Dubberstein for 20:1 should read August 14, 591, and 26:1 should read February 13, 586. Eichrodt is more extensive (48 pp.) and has some excellent material, especially on the sections regarding the historical background and the person and message of Ezekiel.

In the commentary section, Eichrodt first gives the Scripture

passage with explanatory footnotes to the text and then proceeds with comments on the verses. In reading the commentary, Eichrodt tends to tamper with the text when something does not fit rightly, e.g. 1:2, p. 51, whereas Taylor tries to resolve the problem and Feinberg in this instance does not even deal with the problem.

The present reviewer selected certain representative passages of the book of Ezekiel in order to test the three commentaries. First, in 1:4–14 and 3:1–15, Taylor was the most orderly and thorough, whereas Feinberg is more popular in presentation, and Eichrodt was helpful although many verses were hardly to...

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