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. The Handbooks are detailed commentaries providing exegetical, historical, cultural, and linguistic information on the books of the Bible. They are prepared primarily to assist Bible translators. 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.
The UBS Old Testament Handbook Series covers the following books of the Old Testament:
- 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
- First & Second 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, Malachi - David J. Clark and Howard A. Hatton
- Tobit, Judith - Roger A. Bullard and Howard A. Hatton
