Perhaps you have heard this series referred to as the UBS Translators Handbook Series, or Helps for Translators Series? Regardless of what name you know it by, The United Bible Societies' Old Testament Handbook Series is a comprehensive verse-by-verse guide to understanding exactly what is being communicated by the author in the original Scriptures.
This twenty-one volume set of detailed commentaries provides valuable exegetical, historical, cultural, and linguistic information on the original text. The series has been instrumental in shedding light on the Scriptures so that translators all over the world could complete the important task of putting God's Word into the many languages spoken in the world today.
Over the years church leaders and Bible readers have found the UBS Handbooks to be useful for their own study, since many of the issues Bible translators must address when trying to communicate the Bible's message to modern readers are the ones Bible students must address when approaching the Bible text as a part of their own private study and devotions.
UBS Old Testament Handbooks Included:
Genesis - William D. Reyburn and Euan McG. Fry
Exodus - Noel D. Osborn and Howard A. Hatton
Leviticus - René Péter-Contesse and John Ellington
Deuteronomy - Robert G. Bratcher and Howard A. Hatton
Joshua - Robert G. Bratcher and Barclay M. Newman
Ruth, 2nd edition - Jan de Waard and Eugene A. Nida
1 2 Samuel - Roger L. Omanson and John E. Ellington
Esther - Roger L. Omanson and Philip A. Noss
Job - William D. Reyburn
Psalms - Robert G. Bratcher and William D. Reyburn
Proverbs - William D. Reyburn and Euan McG. Fry
Ecclesiastes - Graham S. Ogden and Lynell Zogbo
Song of Songs - Graham S. Ogden and Lynell Zogbo
Jeremiah - Barclay M. Newman and Philip C. Stine
Lamentations - William D. Reyburn
Daniel - René Péter-Contesse and John Ellington
Amos - Jan de Waard and William A. Smalley
Obadiah/Jonah/Micah - David J. Clark, Norm Mundhenk, Eugene A. Nida, Brynmor F. Price
Nahum/Habakkuk/Zephaniah - David J. Clark and Howard A. Hatton
Haggai/Zechariah/Malachi - David J. Clark and Howard A. Hatton
Tobit/Judith - Roger A. Bullard and Howard A. Hatton
