Word Study Reference Tool Recommendations of Henry A. Virkler

In his book A Christian’s Guide To Critical Thinking, Henry A. Virkler recommends the following books for discovering denotations of words and used in biblical passages and for doing word studies:

Strong’s Concordance

Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, edited by R. Laird Harris, Gleason Archer, and Bruce Waltke

The New International Dictionary of New Testament

Bullinger’s Critical Lexicon and Concordance

Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words

R. B. Girdlestone’s Synonyms of the Old Testament

R.C. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament

The Expository Dictionary of Bible Words, by Lawrence O. Richards

Peace: Understanding Biblical Themes, by Walter Brueggemann

Douglas Jones, Editorial Director of Canon Press, has recommended Peace: Understanding Biblical Themes by Walter Brueggemann.

“Smooth. That’s the effect of this Brueggemann reprint. The noted Old Testament scholar wonderfully blends together a theology of peace—shalom—in this contribution to Chalice Press’ series “Understanding Biblical Themes.” Brueggemann argues that shalom, as in “the covenant of shalom” (Ez. 34:25), involves both freedom and unity, and he traces that fascinating interaction throughout all of Scripture. “Shalom, shalom, when there is no shalom.” This work is strong on argument and style.”

New Testament Word Study

Danny Akin, President of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, has recommended the following books for New Testament Word Study.

Bauer, Walter, F. W. Dander, W.F. Arndt and F.W. Gingrich. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. 3d ed. rev. and edited by F.W. Danker. Chicago: University of Chicago, 2000.

(BDAG). Brown, Colin, ed. New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology. 4 Vols. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1974-86.

Robertson, A.T. Word Pictures in the New Testament. 6 vols. Nashville: Broadman, 1930.

Silva, Moises. Biblical Words and Their Meaning: An Introduction to Lexical Semantics. Rev. and expanded. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994.

Old Testament Word Studies

Danny Akin, President of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, has recommended the following books for Old Testament word studies.

Brown, Francis. The New Brown-Driver-Briggs-Gesenius Hebrew-English Lexicon. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1979.

Harris, R. Laird, Gleason L. Archer, Jr., and Bruce K. Waltke, eds. Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. 2 vols. Chicago: Moody, 1980.

Jenni, Ernst, and Claus Westermann, eds. Theological Lexicon of the Old Testament. Translated by M. E. Biddle. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1997.

Koehler, Ludwig and Walter Baumgartner. The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament. 5 vols. New York: E. J. Brill, 1994-2000.

Word Pictures of the New Testament, by A. T. Robertson

In the September 2006 edition of the Journal of Dispensational Theology, Dave E. Olander recommends the new editions of A.T. Robertson’s Word Pictures of the New Testament which have been revised and updated by Wesley J. Perschbacker. Olander writes, “For any pastor, teacher, or diligent student of the Word of God, this work is highly recommended. It is a great tool and an asset to any library.”

Book  Cover Book  Cover