I’ve spent the last several months preaching through Exodus at Immanuel. As I’ve studied each week, I’ve worked through a stack of 12 different commentaries. All have been helpful in some way, but after working through most of Exodus these are my top five Exodus commentaries:

1. Duane Garrett, A Commentary on Exodus … Duane Garrett was my Old Testament professor at Southern Seminary. His commentary on Exodus is helpful on several levels. Garrett provides outlines and commentary for the entire book. He ends each section with what he calls “theological summary of key points.” Additionally, Garrett’s commentary reminds me of his in class teaching style. He thinks outside the box without falling into baseless speculation. Those who want to work in the original Hebrew will find helpful information in the footnotes.
2. AW Pink, Gleanings in Exodus … Pink may be the most quotable commentary I’ve used in my study through Exodus. If you’ve read one of Pink’s commentaries or books, you know he had a way of taking complex theological concepts and making them clear and succinct. At times his commentary wanders because he tends to trace and expand upon theological themes. Pink’s commentaries remind me of James Montgomery Boice, clear writing from a reformed perspective.
3. Desmond Alexander, Exodus: Teach the Text Commentary Series … This commentary is intentionally formatted for teachers and preachers. Each chapter begins with a big idea and key themes. Next comes a summary, commentary, and theological insights. Each chapter ends with suggestions for teaching and illustrating the text. While the commentary doesn’t dig as deep as other resources, the format is helpful for those preparing to teach or preach.
4. Philip Graham Ryken, Exodus: Saved for God’s Glory … This is a really great resource. The format is less commentary and more Bible study. Ryken is a preacher at heart, and this commentary contains his sermons through Exodus. While not as helpful for technical study, Ryken’s work is a great help for preachers. This book will help you think through how to divide passages, how to introduce sermons, and how to illustrate theological concepts. Additionally, the theology is on point.
5. Tony Merida, Christ Centered Exposition, Exalting Jesus in Exodus … I’ve enjoyed using various volumes in this series. Like the Teach the Text Commentary Series, the Christ Centered Exposition series is not designed for technical study. Rather, the authors want to help those who will be teaching and preaching through books of the Bible. Each chapter contains a main idea, a simple outline, an introductory section, as well as an ending section for reflection and discussion.