Bible Envy

Crossway recently released the ESV in a Personal Size Reference Edition. I found out more than I ever wanted to know about it from this review -- which has me looking more closely at bindings and page designs than I ever have before. But it sold me on the TruTone cover over the stiff leather. I ordered one, and it really is great. It's especially nice to read the Psalms all spread out with room to breathe on the page. Much better than the cramped double-columns which break the lines of poetry down to indentations and sub-indentations.

And now the ESV Study Bible looks incredible! I like the design for the most part, especially the Tan TruTone. But more importantly, the list of contributors really is outstanding. And it's good to see Covenant Seminary so well represented.

• Hans Bayer on Mark (his area of specialty),
• Brian Auker on Joel, Micah, and Haggai,
• David Chapman as NT Archeology Editor, on Hebrews, and several articles,
• Jack Collins as OT Editor (which he also did for the original ESV translation) and on the Psalms and Song of Solomon (I use his notes from "Psalms and Wisdom Lit." a lot -- excellent class!) plus some of the articles,
• Dan Doriani article on How to Interpret the Bible,
• Kenneth Lalng Harris on Exodus and Proverbs (listed as a CTS visiting instructor, but I don't know who he is, and he isn't on CTS's site)
• Jay Sklar on Leviticus (he did his Ph.D. on the clean/unclean laws),
• Andrew Stewart also on Song of Solomon,
• Robert Vasholz on Hosea,
• Greg Perry on OT time lines...

So I'm guessing Dr. Collins was able to pull some strings. :) But I'm glad he did.

Now... how about I read the Bible(s) I have before I keep buying more. I'll probably get the ESV Study Bible for reference, and I am glad I got the Personal Size edition. But at the end of the day, consumerism with a pietistic veneer is still consumerism. One well-read Bible is infinitely better than fifty nifty editions that sit on the shelf and look cool.