The Hodder Bible Commentary: 1 & 2 Chronicles
by Peter Hon Wan Lau.

Introduction

Before opening any biblical commentary, I always begin with the author. A commentary is not simply a collection of notes; it is an interpretation shaped by a scholar’s training, worldview, and theological commitments. Understanding the person behind the commentary helps me understand the perspective behind the insights. Only when I know who is guiding me through Scripture do I feel ready to engage with their exposition.

With that in mind, before exploring The Hodder Bible Commentary: 1 & 2 Chronicles, I first turned my attention to its author, Peter Hon Wan Lau. His background, academic expertise, and pastoral sensitivity provide the framework through which he approaches these often‑overlooked Old Testament books. Knowing who he is enriches the reading of his commentary and helps illuminate the depth he brings to the text.

Who Is Peter Hon Wan Lau?

Peter Hon Wan Lau is a respected biblical scholar and Old Testament specialist whose work focuses on the historical books of Scripture, biblical theology, and the intersection of text and community. He brings a thoughtful blend of academic rigor and pastoral awareness to his writing, making him well‑suited to interpret 1 and 2 Chronicles—books that require both historical sensitivity and theological insight.

Academic Background

Lau completed his doctoral studies in Old Testament at the University of Bristol, where he focused on the literary and theological dimensions of biblical narrative. His research interests include:

Old Testament historiography

The theology of exile and restoration

Biblical narrative and identity formation

The relationship between Scripture and community

He has published scholarly articles and books exploring how biblical texts shape the identity and faith of God’s people, both in ancient Israel and in contemporary Christian communities.

Professional and Ministry Roles

Peter Lau serves as a professor of Old Testament at Seminari Theoloji Malaysia, where he teaches Hebrew Bible, biblical interpretation, and Old Testament theology. He is also involved in pastoral ministry and church leadership, giving him a grounded, practical perspective on how Scripture speaks into the life of the church.

His dual role as scholar and pastor allows him to approach the Chronicles with both academic precision and pastoral warmth. He understands the historical complexity of the text while also recognizing its spiritual significance for modern believers.

Writing and Contributions

Lau has authored and co‑authored several works on Old Testament theology and biblical interpretation, including studies on Ruth, Esther, and the theology of community in the Old Testament. His writing is known for being:

Clear and accessible

Theologically rich

Sensitive to literary structure

Attentive to the lived experience of God’s people

His commentary on 1 & 2 Chronicles reflects these strengths, offering readers a balanced approach that honors both the historical context and the theological message of the books.

Why He Is Well‑Suited to Write on 1 & 2 Chronicles

The Books of Chronicles require a scholar who understands:

Israel’s post‑exilic identity

The theological significance of genealogies

The role of worship, kingship, and covenant

The narrative retelling of Israel’s history

Peter Lau’s expertise aligns naturally with these themes. His background in Old Testament narrative, identity formation, and theological interpretation equips him to read Chronicles not merely as a historical record but as a purposeful retelling designed to shape the faith of God’s people.

His pastoral experience also helps him draw out the relevance of Chronicles for today—highlighting themes of restoration, worship, leadership, and God’s faithfulness across generations.

How Peter Hon Wan Lau Approaches 1 & 2 Chronicles

Before Peter Lau begins his exposition of the text itself, he lays a strong foundation by situating 1 & 2 Chronicles within the wider biblical canon. He explains how these books function as a theological retelling of Israel’s history, written for a post‑exilic community seeking identity, hope, and direction. Lau addresses the major introductory questions—authorship, date, audience, and purpose—not as dry academic details but as essential keys for understanding why Chronicles was written and how it speaks to God’s people today.

He also discusses the sources the Chronicler used, such as Samuel and Kings, and explains why the Chronicler sometimes reshapes or reframes earlier material. Lau highlights the literary artistry of the books, including the use of chiasms, genealogical patterns, and structural markers that guide the reader through the narrative. He then outlines the content and major themes of Chronicles—worship, kingship, covenant, repentance, restoration, and the centrality of God’s presence among His people. Importantly, he draws out the relevance for Christians, showing how Chronicles points forward to Christ and offers wisdom for the church today.

Once he moves into the commentary proper, Lau follows a clear and consistent pattern. He handles the text in manageable chunks, beginning with the genealogies:

1:1–9

1:10–29

2:1–9

2:10–36

This chunk‑by‑chunk approach continues throughout the commentary, allowing readers to follow the flow of the narrative without becoming overwhelmed by the length or complexity of the books.

Each section begins with a brief overview—a few sentences that summarize the passage’s content, highlight its literary features, or explain its place in the larger structure of Chronicles. This overview prepares the reader for the more detailed commentary that follows.

Lau’s commentary itself is succinct, clear, and accessible. He explains the meaning of the text without unnecessary technical jargon, making the commentary suitable for readers with only a little biblical knowledge while still offering enough depth to engage more advanced students. His writing reflects both scholarly insight and pastoral sensitivity.

One of the strengths of Lau’s approach is his ability to show how Chronicles draws on earlier Scripture. He frequently references passages from the Pentateuch, Samuel, Kings, and the prophets to illuminate the Chronicler’s theological intentions. These cross‑references help readers see how Chronicles is not merely repeating history but interpreting it in light of God’s covenant purposes.

Lau’s commentary balances historical context, literary observation, and theological reflection. He consistently draws out the significance of worship, the role of the temple, the importance of faithful leadership, and the hope of restoration. His treatment of the genealogies—often overlooked by readers—is especially helpful, showing how they establish identity, continuity, and God’s faithfulness across generations.

Overall, Lau’s method makes 1 & 2 Chronicles approachable, meaningful, and spiritually enriching. His commentary serves both the everyday reader and the “wee scholar,” offering clarity without oversimplification and depth without intimidation.

The Hodder Bible Commentary: 1 & 2 Chronicles by Peter Hon Wan Lau created an excitement in me to read 1 and 2 Chronicles like I have never experienced before. These two books have continually been popping up for me, and I decided this will be my year to study them in depth like never before. Lau’s introduction really explains why 1 and 2 Chronicles is unique and important to read. It is not just a book to be glanced over. Lineage is fascinating to me and incredibly important to Chronicles (and the Bible), but it can be very confusing. I found that Lau explained a very complicated subject rather clearly. I did read this in order. I find when utilizing a commentary, sometimes I tend to jump around and only seek it when I need more help, depth, historical context, connection, and so on. I do not know how well this commentary could be bounced around in. Although, I do find if I am bouncing around it is because I know the material better and just need a gap filled in. I did find his personal antidotes were really helpful or missed the mark for me. I enjoyed this commentary and look forward to utilizing it more in my study of 1 and 2 Chronicles this year. I received an eARC from John Murray Press US through NetGalley. All opinions are 100% my own.

This is perhaps one of the books of the Bible that I knew the least and so started with high expectations, the other books in the series I have, have proved excellent and a great resource to dip into for inspiration for sermons, home groups or to settle myself for a period of reflections.
I may have put chronicles off a little as it is tough going, it is full of hard names to read, passages that I have already heard in part but not necessarily understood the message to. What the author does here is celebrate the hard journey towards restoration and does this with the usual care that I expect from these books.
The author manages to weave the huge sweep of time covered by chronicles and make it bespoke to this book and not just the tidbits from stories in Kings or Samuel. The long introduction is great scene setting and goes into understandable detail about the literature themes,the setting out of the text to high light the key areas and prepared the way for the actual scripture. The intro is essential reading to be able to follow the line by line study in the main part of the book and it is worth taking time to get to grips with this detail.
The scripture unpacking is done in a pragmatic way and the specialness of gods people shines through as well as the covenant and how God will give to us what we deserve as his people depending on our actions. Also super helpful is the laying out of key characters which I confess to keep flicking back to.
A harder read than some of the other books, however this is more thwt chronicles, to me, is a difficult book to get it to and to dwell in. In taking my time and using it as a personal study guide with my own note taking alongside, I got a lot from this.