The best Numbers 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 Numbers. 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 Numbers.
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 see Best Bible Commentaries: Top 50. Based on aggregate reviews.
10 Best Number Commentaries
Please read: The “Top 10” list below is a starting point for learning about Numbers 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
Numbers
Tyndale Old Testament Commentary
by Gordon J. Wenham
Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.
Get this book on Christian Book using its exact ISBN.
Reviews and Accolades:
• Desiring God: #1 recommended commentary on Numbers
• Tremper Longman: 4 out of 5 stars, Wenham makes “this often-neglected book come alive theologically”
• John H. Walton and Andrew E. Hill: “Easily the best commentary on the topic. Readable, thoroughly researched, solidly evangelical, insightful exposition, and thoughtful contemporary application.”
• Keith Mathison: #1 ranked commentary on Numbers, “Wenham is able to say more of significance in one page than most commentators say in ten pages. 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: 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.
Also see the best one-volume bible commentaries, based on aggregate reviews.
#2
Numbers
New American Commentary
by R. Dennis Cole
Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.
Get this book on Christian Book using its exact ISBN.
Reviews and Accolades:
• Tremper Longman: 5 out 5 stars, “a substantial, well-written commentary… the book’s real strength is in its sensitive theological reading”
• Keith Mathison: #3 ranked commentary on Numbers, “A pastor or student engaged in serious study of Numbers should consult [Cole].”
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.
#3
Numbers
New International Commentary on the Old Testament
by Timothy R. Ashley
Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.
Get this book on Christian Book using its exact ISBN.
Reviews and Accolades:
• Tremper Longman: 4 out of 5 stars, “Ashley writes in a very readable style”
• Keith Mathison: #2 ranked commentary on Numbers, “[Ashley] very helpfully explores the important theological themes within the book.”
Approach to Scripture: Evangelical
Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers
Purpose: From the publisher: “All of the NICOT volumes combine superior scholarship, an evangelical view of Scripture as the Word of God, and concern for the life of faith today.
Each volume features an extensive introduction treating the biblical book’s authorship, date, purpose, structure, and theology.
The author’s own translation of the original Hebrew and verse-by-verse commentary follow.
The commentary itself carefully balances coverage of technical matters with exposition of the biblical text’s theology and implications.”
See more about the New International Commentary on the Old Testament series.
#4
Numbers
Preaching the Word
by Iain M. Duguid
Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.
Get this book on Christian Book using its exact ISBN.
Reviews and Accolades:
• Keith Mathison: #5 ranked commentary on Numbers, “I have benefited from everything I have read by Iain Duguid. His commentary on Numbers is well-written and aimed specifically at pastors.”
Approach to Scripture: Evangelical
Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers
Purpose: From the publisher: “For years, Crossway’s Preaching the Word commentary series has helped pastors, preachers, and anyone who teaches God’s Word to better interpret and apply the message of the Bible.
Under the careful editorial oversight of experienced pastor and best-selling author R. Kent Hughes, this series is known for its commitment to biblical authority, its pastoral tone and focus, and its overall accessibility.”
See more about the Preaching the Word commentary series.
#5
Leviticus, Numbers
NIV Application Commentary
by Roy Gane
Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.
Get this book on Christian Book using its exact ISBN.
Reviews and Accolades:
• Tremper Longman: 4 out of 5 stars, “Gane is an expert in ancient Israelite ritual,” and “adept at pointing to the continuing theological relevance of this material”
Interview: See Best Bible Commentaries’ interview with Roy Gane on this volume
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.
#6
Numbers
The JPS Torah Commentary
by Jacob Milgrom
Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.
Get this book on Christian Book using its exact ISBN.
Reviews and Accolades:
• Tremper Longman: 5 out of 5 stars, “a masterpiece of erudition”
• Keith Mathison: #4 ranked commentary on Numbers, “somewhat critical… must be used with great care and discernment”
Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers
Purpose: From the publisher: “The JPS Torah Commentary series guides readers through the words and ideas of the Torah. Each volume is the work of a scholar who stands at the pinnacle of his field.
Every page contains the complete traditional Hebrew text, with cantillation notes, the JPS translation of the Holy Scriptures, aliyot breaks, Masoretic notes, and commentary by a distinguished Hebrew Bible scholar, integrating classical and modern sources.
Each volume also contains supplementary essays that elaborate upon key words and themes, a glossary of commentators and sources, extensive bibliographic notes, and maps.”
See more about the JPS Torah commentary series.
#7
The Message of Numbers
The Bible Speaks Today
by Raymond Brown
Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.
Get this book on Christian Book using its exact ISBN.
Reviews and Accolades:
• Tremper Longman: “readable and informed”
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.
#8
Numbers 1-20 and 21-36
The Anchor Yale Bible Commentaries
by Baruch A. Levine
Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.
Get this book on Christian Book using its exact ISBN.
Reviews and Accolades:
• Tremper Longman: 4 out 5 stars, “all serious students of Numbers must have this book”
Best for: students, pastors, teachers, professors, and scholars with training in Hebrew who can follow a technical commentary
Purpose: From the publisher: “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.
#9
Numbers
Interpretation
by Dennis T. Olson
Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.
Get this book on Christian Book using its exact ISBN.
Reviews and Accolades:
• Tremper Longman: 5 out of 5 stars, “no one has had a larger influence in recent years on our understanding of the theological theme of the book”
Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers
Purpose: From the publisher: “This series of commentaries offers an interpretation of the books of the Bible.
It is designed to meet the need of students, teachers, ministers, and priests for a contemporary expository commentary.
These volumes will not replace the historical-critical commentary or homiletical aids to preaching.
The purpose of this series is rather to provide a third kind of resource, a commentary which presents the integrated result of historical and theological work with the biblical text.”
See more about the Interpretation Bible commentary series.
#10
Leviticus, Numbers
Understanding the Bible Commentary Series
by W.H. Bellinger Jr.
Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.
Get this book on Christian Book using its exact ISBN.
Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers
Purpose: From the publisher: “Each volume in the Understanding the Bible Commentary Series breaks down the barriers between the ancient and modern worlds so that the power and meaning of the biblical texts become transparent to contemporary readers.
They present a careful section-by-section exposition of the biblical books with key terms and phrases highlighted and all Hebrew transliterated.
Notes at the close of each chapter provide additional textual and technical comments for those who want to dig deeper.”
See more about the Understanding the Bible Commentary Series.
More Book of Numbers Commentaries for Christian Ministry
Please read: Why are the Numbers 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.
Numbers
Evangelical Press Study Commentary
by John D. Currid
Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.
Approach to Scripture: Evangelical
Best for: individual study, devotional reading, Bible studies, adult Sunday school classes
Purpose: “EP Study Commentaries are invaluable tools for the minister, theologian and serious students of the Scriptures. This series is both readable and user- friendly.” See more about the Evangelical Press Study Commentaries.
Numbers
Word Biblical Commentary
by Philip J. Budd
Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.
Get this book on Christian Book using its exact ISBN.
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.
Numbers
Expositor’s Bible Commentary Revised
by Ronald B. Allen
Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.
Get this book on Christian Book using its exact ISBN.
Approach to Scripture: Evangelical
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.
Numbers
Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible
by David L. Stubbs
Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.
Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers
Purpose: From the publisher: “The Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible enlists leading theologians to read and interpret Scripture for the twenty-first century, just as the church fathers, the Reformers, and other Orthodox Christians did for their times and places.
The commentaries are designed to serve the church — through aid in preaching, teaching, study groups, and so forth — and demonstrate the continuing intellectual and practical viability of theological interpretation of the Bible.”
See more about the Brazos Theological commentary
Numbers
The Wycliffe Exegetical Commentary Series
by R.K. Harrison
Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.
Approach to Scripture: Evangelical
Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers
Purpose: From the publisher: “Written especially for the informed layman, student, and scholar, all exegesis and exposition is based on the original languages of the Bible books. Translations used are those of the author.
Textual criticism and word study are included where appropriate. This in-depth commentary also includes extended excursuses on important topics of theological, historical, and archaeological interest.
The text is interpreted according to a historical, critical, grammatical hermeneutic and propounds a conservative, evangelical theology.
But the reader will not get a narrow view of problem passages. This commentary interacts with a range of major views, both evangelical and non-evangelical.”
See more about Wycliffe Exegetical Commentaries.
Numbers
Abingdon Old Testament Commentaries
by Carolyn Pressler
Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.
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.
Numbers
Smyth and Helwys Bible Commentary
by Lloyd B. Bailey
Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.
Best for: students, pastors, teachers, professors, and scholars with training in Hebrew who can follow a technical commentary
Purpose: From the publisher: “Written by accomplished scholars with all students of Scripture in mind, this innovative new commentary series is designed to make quality Bible study more accessible.
Pastors, professors and students of Scripture are discovering that this commentary is a wonderful new tool for enhancing interpretation.”
See more about Smyth-Helwys commentaries.
Numbers
The Old Testament Library
by Martin Noth
Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.
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.
Numbers
Forms of the Old Testament Literature
by Rolph P. Knierim and George W. Coats
Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.
Best for: students, pastors, teachers, professors, and scholars with training in Hebrew who can follow a technical commentary
Purpose: From the publisher: “The Forms of the Old Testament Literature (FOTL) is a series of volumes that seeks to present, according to a standard outline and methodology, a form-critical analysis of every book or unit of the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible).
Fundamentally exegetical, each volume examines the structure, genre, setting, and intention of the biblical literature in question.
The series also endeavors to study the history behind the form-critical discussion of the material, to bring consistency to the terminology for the genres and formulas of the biblical literature, and to expose the exegetical procedure in such a way as to enable students and pastors to engage in their own analysis and interpretation.”
Numbers
International Critical Commentary
by George Buchanan Gray
Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.
Best for: students, pastors, teachers, professors, and scholars with training in Hebrew who can follow a technical commentary
Purpose: From the publisher: 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.
Classic Numbers Commentaries
Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture
edited by Joseph T. Leinhard
Get this book on Amazon using its exact ISBN.
Best for: expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, experienced Bible readers
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.
From these results, scholars with a deep knowledge of the fathers and a heart for the church have hand selected material for each volume, shaping, annotating, and introducing it to today’s readers.
Each portion of commentary has been chosen for its salient insight, its rhetorical power, and its faithful representation of the consensual exegesis of the early church.”
See more about Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture series.
Also see:
Compare 75 different commentary series on the Bible Commentary Series Comparison Chart