Best Commentaries

This is a good commentary on 1/2 Samuel. Firth seems to be moderately evangelical in his approach. He leans toward seeing more unity in the book(s) than more liberal scholars who understand Samuel to be fragmented. He also does not hesitate to bring in New Testament texts when they are relevant, showing how Christ is the fulfillment of God's promises to David. Overall this is a helpful commentary that I have appreciated having on my shelf.

One of the weaknesses of this commentary is that it is light on the contemporary significance and application, therefore it may not be as helpful for pastors as some other commentaries. Also, there are a few places where Firth opts for an overly complex reading of a text which I found quite unconvincing (e.g. the theory that David's adultery with Bathsheba was carried out because of a "rivalry" that David had with Uriah).