Best Amos Commentaries for Bible Study, Preaching, and Teaching

The best Amos commentaries are listed below. There are exegetical commentaries, scholarly and technical commentaries, as well as commentaries that are easy to understand. The “Top 10” list is based on aggregate reviews.

This list of commentaries is intended to help the reader understand and apply the author’s message in the book of Amos. They are not suggested as a replacement for prayer, the Holy Spirit, and the reader’s own diligent study of Scripture.

It is hoped that these books will aid the Christian pastor, preacher, teacher, student, as well as any Bible reader that wants to understand more about Amos.

May each reader’s aim be to glorify God in Jesus Christ; to strengthen Christ’s bride, the Church; and to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to the lost.

After browsing the commentaries below, please also see Best Bible Commentaries: Top 50. Based on aggregate reviews.

10 Best Amos Commentaries

Please read: The “Top 10” list below is a starting point for learning about Amos commentaries. It is not intended to be the “final word” because of its limitations.

Nevertheless, a list based on aggregate reviews is likely to point many people in the right direction to find the right resource for their purposes.

#1

Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah
Word Biblical Commentary
by Douglas Stuart

Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.

Amos commentary Douglas Stuart

Reviews and Accolades:

• Tremper Longman: 4 out of 5 stars, “one of the best recent commentaries on the Minor Prophets… a must-buy for everyone preaching on these books”

• John H. Walton and Andrew E. Hill: “Useful introductory sections on the book of Amos, with extensive bibliography.”

• Keith Mathison: #1 ranked commentary on Amos, “his commentary is always worth consulting on these books…very highly recommended”

Approach to Scripture: Evangelical

Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers

Purpose: From the publisher: “WBC series delivers the best in biblical scholarship, from the leading scholars who share a commitment to Scripture as divine revelation.

It emphasizes a thorough analysis of textual, linguistic, structural, and theological evidence.

The result is judicious and balanced insight into the meanings of the text in the framework of biblical theology.” 

See more about the Word Biblical Commentary series.

Also see the best one-volume bible commentaries, based on aggregate reviews.

#2

Amos
The Minor Prophets:

An Exegetical and Expositional Commentary
by Jeff Niehaus

Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.

Minor Prophets commentary McComiskey

Reviews and Accolades:

• Desiring God: #1 recommended commentary on The Minor Prophets

• Tremper Longman: 4 out of 5 stars, “careful exegesis”

• Keith Mathison: #2 ranked commentary on Amos, “For those doing in-depth work on the book, this one should be consulted.”

Approach to Scripture: Evangelical

Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers

Purpose: From the publisher: “With their messages of doom and judgment, the Minor Prophets have not been popular subjects in the history of biblical interpretation.

Here noted evangelical scholars — such as Bruce Waltke, Tremper Longman III, F. F. Bruce, and J. Alec Motyer — remedy this neglect by offering an authoritative, evangelical treatment of the prophets.

In this edition, which now combines three volumes into one, the authors not only provide meticulous exegesis of the Hebrew text but also relate the message of the ancient prophets to contemporary life in practical and meaningful ways.”

#3

Amos
The Anchor Yale Bible Commentaries
by Francis I. Andersen and David Noel Freedman

Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.

Amos commentary Andersen

Reviews and Accolades:

• Tremper Longman: 4 out of 5 stars, “incredible detail…a must for those who really want to delve into the Hebrew text of Amos”

• Keith Mathison: #5 ranked commentary on Amos, “This commentary is not for the faint of heart. It is technical and detailed almost beyond belief, but for those doing in-depth study of Amos, it is a must.”

Best for: students, pastors, teachers, professors, and scholars with training in Hebrew who can follow a technical commentary

Purpose: From the publisher: “The Anchor Yale Bible Series, previously the Anchor Bible Series, is a renowned publishing program that for more than 50 years has produced books devoted to the latest scholarship on the Bible and biblical topics.”

The series “vigorously pursues the goal of bringing to a wide audience the most important new ideas, the latest research findings, and the clearest possible analysis of the Bible.”

See more about the Anchor Bible Commentary series.

#4

Joel and Amos
Tyndale Old Testament Commentary
by David Allan Hubbard

Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.

Amos commentary Hubbard

Reviews and Accolades:

• Tremper Longman: 4 out of 5 stars, “well written and very useful”

• Keith Mathison: #4 ranked commentary on Amos, “For those seeking an introductory level commentary, Hubbard is probably the best place to begin.”

Approach to Scripture: Evangelical

Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers

Purpose: From the publisher: This series is “designed to help readers understand what the Bible actually says and what it means… [each commentary] examines the text section by section, drawing out its main themes.

It also comments on individual verses and deals with problems of interpretation. The aim throughout is to get at the true meaning of the Bible and to make its message plain to readers today.”

See more about the Tyndale Old Testament Commentary series.

#5

Amos
Hermeneia
by Shalom M. Paul

Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.

Amos commentary Paul

Reviews and Accolades:

• Tremper Longman: 5 out of 5 stars, “writes clearly, and his work is extremely well researched”

• Keith Mathison: #3 ranked commentary on Amos, “geared toward a more scholarly audience, but it is packed with helpful insight into the meaning of Amos… very highly recommended”

Best for: students, pastors, teachers, professors, and scholars with training in Hebrew who can follow a technical commentary

Purpose: From the publisher: “The Hermeneia commentary series seeks to offer authoritative interpretation of the earliest texts of the biblical books…

The name Hermeneia, from the Greek, has a rich background in the history of biblical interpretation as a term for the detailed, systematic exposition of a scriptural work. Hermeneia is designed for the serious student of the Bible…

The editors of Hermeneia impose no systematic-theological perspective upon the series (directly, or indirectly by selection of authors).”

See more about the Hermeneia Bible commentary series.

#6

Amos
The Old Testament Library
by James L. Mays

Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.

Amos commentary Mays

Reviews and Accolades:

• Tremper Longman: 4 out of 5 stars, “presents an extensive treatment of the book from a moderately critical perspective”

• John H. Walton and Andrew E. Hill: “Thoroughly researched exposition, not always rooted in evangelical perspective.”

Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers

Purpose: From the publisher: “The Old Testament Library provides fresh and authoritative treatments of important aspects of Old Testament study through commentaries and general surveys. The contributors are scholars of international standing.”

See more about the Old Testament Library commentary series.

#7

Amos
A Mentor Commentary
by Gary V. Smith

Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.

Amos commentary Smith

Reviews and Accolades:

• Tremper Longman: 4 out of 5 stars, “a magisterial treatment”

Approach to Scripture: Evangelical

Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers

Purpose: From the publisher: “Mentor books are written at a level suitable for Bible College and seminary students, pastors, and other serious readers.” See more about the Mentor Bible Commentary series.

#8

Amos: A Commentary
by Gary V. Smith

Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.

Amos commentary Smith

Reviews and Accolades:

• John H. Walton and Andrew E. Hill: “Thorough, well-researched, with special attention given to the prophet’s traditional message.”

Approach to Scripture: Evangelical

Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers

Purpose: From the dust jacket: “This outstanding commentary on Amos seeks to exegete the text of Amos by considering issues of textual criticism, structure, historical and literary background, unity of the passage (or lack thereof), and the theological significance of the text.

The commentary interacts with the leading non-evangelical and evangelical literature on Amos, both English and German, and presents a nondefensive evangelical perspective.”

#9

Joel and Amos
Hermeneia
by Hans Walter Wolff

Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.

Amos commentary Hermenia

Reviews and Accolades:

• Tremper Longman: 4 out of 5 stars

Best for: students, pastors, teachers, professors, and scholars with training in Hebrew who can follow a technical commentary

Purpose: From the publisher: “The Hermeneia commentary series seeks to offer authoritative interpretation of the earliest texts of the biblical books…

The name Hermeneia, from the Greek, has a rich background in the history of biblical interpretation as a term for the detailed, systematic exposition of a scriptural work. Hermeneia is designed for the serious student of the Bible…

The editors of Hermeneia impose no systematic-theological perspective upon the series (directly, or indirectly by selection of authors).”

See more about Hermeneia commentaries.

#10

The Book of the Twelve
by George Adam Smith

Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.

Amos commentary Smith

Reviews and Accolades:

• John H. Walton and Andrew E. Hill: “Classic Old Testament commentary, with the exposition of Hosea and Amos deserving of special attention.”

Best for: students, pastors, teachers, professors, and scholars with training in Hebrew who can follow a technical commentary

Purpose: This book was originally published prior to 1923, and represents a reproduction of an important historical work, maintaining the same format as the original work.

More Book of Amos Commentaries for Christian Ministry

Please read: Why are the Amos commentaries below not in the “Top 10”? It’s not because they have received poor reviews or because people haven’t found them helpful. The reasons vary:

  • Some are relatively new and haven’t been widely reviewed, read, or used yet.
  • Others haven’t been widely distributed, so it is difficult to get enough information to aggregate.
  • Still others may be outdated in relation to biblical scholarship or out of print and difficult to acquire.

The “Top 10” list is reviewed annually. Readers are encouraged to consider the volumes in this section before making a purchase. These 10 are not in any particular order.


Verse-by-Verse Expository Commentaries


Amos, Obadiah, Jonah
New American Commentary
by Billy K. Smith and Frank S. Page

Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.

Amos commentary Smith

Approach to Scripture: Evangelical

Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers

Purpose: From the publisher: “The New American Commentary is introduced to bridge the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.”

This “series has been designed primarily to enable pastors, teachers, and students to read the Bible with clarity and proclaim it with power.”

See more about the New American Commentary series.


Hosea, Amos, Micah
NIV Application Commentary
by Gary V. Smith

Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.

Amos commentary Smith

Approach to Scripture: Evangelical

Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers

Purpose: From the General Editor: The primary goal of the NIV Application Commentary Series is to help you with the difficult but vital task of bringing an ancient message into a modern context.

The series not only focuses on application as a finished product but also helps you think through the process of moving from the original meaning of a passage to its contemporary significance.”

See more about the NIV Application Commentary series.


Amos
Concordia Commentary
by Reed Lessing

Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.

Amos commentary Lessing

Interview: See Best Bible Commentaries’ interview with Reed Lessing on this volume

Theology, Audience, Purpose: Gibbs takes an evangelical approach to Scripture. He is evangelical and Lutheran.

While not technical, the volumes in the Concordia Commentary series reflect seminary-level scholarship. The target audience is pastors, professors, and teachers.

According to the publisher, authors in the Concordia series “fully affirms the divine inspiration, inerrancy, and authority of Scripture as it emphasizes ‘that which promotes Christ’ in each pericope.”

See more about the Concordia Commentary series.


The Message of Amos
The Bible Speaks Today
by J.A. Motyer

Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.

Amos commentary Motyer

Approach to Scripture: Evangelical

Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers

Purpose: From the publisher: The “the three distinctives of The Bible Speaks Today series are (1) “BST authors are committed to a serious study of the text in its own integrity,” (2) that “expositors should not be antiquarians, living only in the remote past” but suggest application for living, and (3) “each book is intended to be both readable in style and manageable in size.” 

See more about the Bible Speaks Today commentary series.


The Minor Prophets
by Charles L. Feinberg

Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.

Amos commentary Feinberg

Approach to Scripture: Evangelical

Best for: individual study, devotional reading, Bible studies, adult Sunday school classes

Purpose: From the publisher: “A comprehensive commentary on all twelve of the minor prophets Free of footnotes and devotional in style.”


Amos
Focus on the Bible
by T.J. Betts

Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.

Amos commentary Betts

Approach to Scripture: Evangelical

Best for: individual study, devotional reading, Bible studies, adult Sunday school classes

Purpose: From the publisher: “These commentaries are popular level commentaries especially useful for pastors and small group leaders. They are useful for personal devotions and spiritual growth.

Many of the authors of the commentaries are leading expositors of God’s Word on their specialty subjects. The series holds to the inerrancy of scripture and the uniqueness of Christ in salvation.”

See more about the Focus on the Bible commentary series.


Amos
Expositor’s Bible Commentary Revised
by M. Daniel Carroll

Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.

Amos commentary Expositor's

Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers

Purpose: From the publisher: “Written primarily by expositors for expositors… its stance is that of a scholarly evangelicalism committed to the divine inspiration, complete trustworthiness, and full authority of the Bible… the chief principle followed in this commentary is the grammatico-historical.”

See more about the Expositor’s Bible Commentary series.


Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah
Abingdon Old Testament Commentary
by Daniel J. Simundson

Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.

Amos commentary Simundson

Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers

Purpose: From the publisher: “The Abingdon Old Testament Commentaries series offers compact, critical commentaries on all the books of the Old Testament.

In addition to providing fundamental information on and insights into Old Testament writings, these commentaries exemplify the tasks and procedures of careful, critical exegesis so as to assist students of the Old Testament in coming to an informed engagement of the biblical texts themselves.

These commentaries are written with special attention to the needs and interests of theology students, but they will also be useful for students in upper-level college or university settings, as well as for pastors and other church leaders.”

See more about Abingdon commentaries.


Amos
Welwyn Commentary Series
by Gordon J. Keddie

Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.

Amos commentary Keddie

Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers

Purpose: From the publisher: “The message of Amos is pre-eminently a message of new life. The message, however, comes in the context of a nation under judgement.

Israel hid the emptiness and godlessness of a corrupt society behind an apathetic and nominal outward religion, like so many today. God’s view of our society is revealed in Amos in no uncertain terms.

While no refuge is offered for those who reject or disregard God’s will, shining through the gloom most brightly is the precious gift of new life through faith in God’s Savior, his Son Jesus Christ.”


Amos
International Critical Commentary
by William R. Harper

Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.

Amos commentary Harper

Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers

Purpose: The ICC series has “sought to bring together all the relevant aids to exegesis, linguistic and textual no less than archaeological, historical, literary and theological to help the reader understand the meaning of the books of the Old and New Testaments…

No attempt has been made to secure a uniform theological or critical approach to the biblical text: contributors have been invited for their scholarly distinction, not for their adherence to any one school of thought.”

See more about the International Critical Commentary series.


The Book of Amos
The Old Testament Library
by Jorg Jeremias

Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.

Amos commentary Jeremias

Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers

Purpose: From the publisher: “The Old Testament Library provides fresh and authoritative treatments of important aspects of Old Testament study through commentaries and general surveys. The contributors are scholars of international standing.”

See more about the Old Testament Library commentary series.


Classic Amos Commentaries

Minor Prophets
Ironside Expository Commentaries
by H.A. Ironside

Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.

Minor Prophets commentary Ironside

Best for: individual study, devotional reading, Bible studies, adult Sunday school classes

Purpose: H.A. Ironside (1876-1951) was an internationally acclaimed Bible teacher and preacher, as well as the author of more than sixty books.

His writings include addresses or commentaries on the entire New Testament, all of the Old Testament prophetic books, and a great many volumes on other biblical topics.

For eighteen of his fifty years of ministry, Dr. Ironside was pastor of the historic Moody Memorial Church in Chicago, Ill.


Amos
Geneva Series of Commentaries
by John Calvin

Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.

Amos commentary Calvin

Best for: individual study, devotional reading, Bible studies, adult Sunday school classes

Purpose: From the publisher: “In this book, John Calvin provides an engaging commentary on three Minor Prophets in the Old Testament: Joel, Amos, and Obadiah. Calvin begins his commentary on each book with a short introduction.

When commenting on a book, he frequently offers his own translations of a passage, explaining the subtleties and nuances of his translation.

His treatment of the text reveals his keen pastoral insights. And as always, he interacts with other theologians, commentators, and portions of the Bible when interpreting a particular passage.

After several hundred years, Calvin’s Commentary on Joel, Amos, and Obadiah remains an instructive and interesting commentary to several Old Testament books.”


The Minor Prophets
Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture
edited by Alberto Ferreiro

Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.

Minor Prophets Ancient Christian commentary

Best for: individual study, devotional reading, Bible studies, adult Sunday school classes

Purpose: From the publisher: “The vast array of writings from the church fathers — including much that is available only in the ancient languages — have been combed for their comment on Scripture.”

See more about the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture series.


Also see:

Compare 75 different commentary series on the Bible Commentary Series Comparison Chart

Source 1

Source 2

error: This content is copyrighted.