Block, D. I. The Book of Ezekiel. NICOT. 2 Vols. Eerdmans, 1997 (1713 pp.). The opposite kind of commentary from Clements, below, B’s is the most thorough and encyclopedic study produced to date. It contains various tables and charts (as pictorial aids for grasping both thematic and textual nuances in the book), and proceeds verse by verse, replete with footnotes from English, German, and Jewish scholarship. The textual discussion if often technical (Hebrew is required to make full use of the commentary). This does not make B’s contribution unreadable, but it does mark it off clearly as a resource more calibrated to research than to teaching. Definitely one to have on the shelf, but just as definitely not the only one to have.

Clements, R. E. Ezekiel. WBC, 1. John Knox, 1996 (211 pp.). A readable, non-technical commentary by a respected scholar known especially for his learned work in Isaiah as well as the prophetic writings generally. The commentary proceeds by passage, with clearly marked headings which serve to keep the structure of the book in view. This presentation of Ezekiel gives the book the feel of a narrative, making it perhaps easier to follow than the often tangential and topical flow of many prophetic books. Another particularly nice feature of C’s commentary is the way his exegesis blends seamlessly with his applications. This results in a commentary which makes an already difficult book more readily available to the pulpit or Sunday school classroom.

Duguid, I. M. Ezekiel. NIVAC. Zondervan, 1999 (568 pp.). A more devotional treatment, organized by chapter, with each chapter subdivided into three parts: original meaning, bridging context, contemporary significance. A rather unfortunate aspect in the commentary’s chosen perspective is D’s linkage between Israel’s exile from the land in Ezekiel and the modern Christian’s exile from heaven (see the discussion on pp. 50-53), with the clear implication that life on earth is unnatural and temporary. “Here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come” (Heb 13:14) is thus brought in to support the tired old dichotomy between physical life on earth vs. disembodied existence in heaven, with no thought of an obvious (and much more biblical) third option: a coming, resurrected life on a renewed earth within a restored creation. This could cloud the reader’s understanding of the temple/city vision in Ezekiel, but D’s misstep is helpfully—and importantly—counter-balanced by Wright, below.

Odell, M. S. Ezekiel. SHBC. Smith & Helwys, 2005 (565 pp.). O’s commentary proceeds by textual units, with each discussion organized by two subsections: commentary and connections. Various inset boxes contain helpful and interesting additional information (usually of a slightly more technical nature). It is a readable commentary (moreso than, say, Block’s), yet detailed enough to provide the reader with another helpful resource alongside a commentary like Clements’, above. Though organized by passage (rather than chapter), the layout renders it easy enough to get around in for quick reference.

Wright, C. J. H. The Message of Ezekiel. BST. IVP, 2001 (368 pp.). Some authors have that uncanny knack for covering the details in a highly interesting writing style without being pedantic. W is one of those authors. As the title suggests, his commentary is constructive—it attempts to read Ezekiel for its message to those who read it as scripture, rather than for the sake of textual analysis in its own right. But there is certainly analysis! One should not, as a result of such a strength, assume that W’s work is not of a high standard. He is working in Hebrew, and just as importantly, he is approaching the text of Ezekiel from a canonical perspective which keeps God’s larger mission in view. This is particularly important in a book that is dense and often confusing. Not to short shrift Clements, above, but W’s is probably the most obvious choice for the pastor or Sunday school teacher.