ISBE vs AYBD & Tyndale Commentaries

Greetings fellow Logos users! I have some more advice to seek from everyone out there.

If I have the IVP Dictionary Set, is it worth my money to get ISBE too? Are they similar? Should I just get the Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary instead since there is more and varied content?

Also, I'm thinking of purchasing Tyndale Commentaries to round out my OT materials. Is this the best commentary set in this price range to get some good OT materials?

Lastly, if you already had the IVP Dictionary Set would you buy the AYBD or the Tyndale set to round at your OT materials? Which should come first?

Thanks for everyone's suggestions.

CL

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Comments

mab

The ISBE is the benchmark for a bible dictionary. You'll never regret buying it and the contributors respect the Bible. The AYBD is now considered the top of the heap if for no other reason then the extent of the articles. I got the ISBE first and then added the AYBD. It depends on how much background information you need or want. A scholar would need the AYBD, the ISBE would satisfy most anyone else.

The Tyndales are excellent and worth having. I wouldn't compare a dictionary to a commentary set though. To me a dictionary is a basic tool. You can add commentaries at any time. Doing your own inquiry as to bible meaning comes before seeing what someone else has to say.

Kevin Becker

There are reviews on the wiki too http://wiki.logos.com/Resource_Review#Encyclopedias

John Nerdue

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/277611#Comment_277611

I have the ISBE and like it

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/277628#Comment_277628

So does the ISBE far 'out shine' the IVP Reference Collection? I just don't want to get something I practically already have. That is why I'm thinking about the AYBD...

Friedrich

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/277649#Comment_277649

I don't think it is a matter of "outshining". They are both excellent sets. ISBE and IVP cover material differently. If you are looking for a standard encyclopedia, ISBE is more what you want. I might add that the recent Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible has had great feedback, and it is newer than ISBE. I couldn't stand the old set for various reasons, but really like this new set. You might want to look into that, too. Its graphics are hands down better than ISBE.

Tyndale is a sweet little set. Some people will choose Expositor's over it because the latter is more pre-mill and Tyndale tends Amill. However, that aside, the Tyndale OT volumes have more breadth of quality--ie, more volumes are quality and well thought of, irrespective of the eschatological outlook.

The Dictionary of Biblical Imagery is one of my favorite go-tos.

To sum up: get them all, and more. [;)]

Brother Mark

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/277649#Comment_277649

So does the ISBE far 'out shine' the IVP Reference Collection? I just don't want to get something I practically already have. That is why I'm thinking about the AYBD...

CL

Let me restate the advice already given: There is nothing like the AYBD for depth and breadth of content. Everything else (and there is plenty of "else" that is both good and scholarly) suffers by comparison with the AYBD. If you can get it, you will bless the day you did.

Friedrich

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/277664#Comment_277664

So does the ISBE far 'out shine' the IVP Reference Collection? I just don't want to get something I practically already have. That is why I'm thinking about the AYBD...

CL

Let me restate the advice already given: There is nothing like the AYBD for depth and breadth of content. Everything else (and there is plenty of "else" that is both good and scholarly) suffers by comparison with the AYBD. If you can get it, you will bless the day you did.

I love AYDB. Some of the best articles I have read. I love the wide range of more evangelical to "liberal" articles. But the two works (ISBE/AYDB) are not the same. ISBE has more "word study" type articles. For instance, I could not locate "heart" "mind" "cross" as articles in AYDB, but did in ISBE. Then again, AY will have other topics probably not in ISBE, but I have no examples for that yet. depends on your need. Both are standards to be gotten before others.

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/277873#Comment_277873

Thanks for all the great feedback. If you owned the IVP Reference Collection would you get AYBD or ISBE first?

Still trying to discern what I need to buy first... Tyndale Commentaries or one of the dictionaries.

CL

Todd Phillips

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/277966#Comment_277966

Thanks for all the great feedback. If you owned the IVP Reference Collection would you get AYBD or ISBE first?

ISBE for me. It covers theological issues that AYBD avoids. This is because of their differing focus: AYBD is more ecumenical, and ISBE is more evangelical.

See here: http://community.logos.com/forums/p/31973/237952.aspx#237952

Because of that, ISBE is more multi-purpose for me. (I would also suggest checking out Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible, though I don't own it)

Edwin Bowden

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/277966#Comment_277966

If you owned the IVP Reference Collection would you get AYBD or ISBE first?

Still trying to discern what I need to buy first... Tyndale Commentaries or one of the dictionaries.

I don't yet own the AYBD, although I see plenty of good reasons to buy it. If I had the money now--and it was at a good price, I would add it.

The IVP Reference Collection dictionaries are unique from other dictionaries in specifically covering parts of the Bible. I think they are a must have for everyone. They are not yet complete on the whole Bible, and even if they were, I would still want a good Bible dictionary/encyclopedia set.

I waited until the ISBE was on a very good sale and picked it up.

I waited until the Tyndale Commentaries were on a very good sale and picked it up.

Everyone should have a "wish list" because eventually much of the Logos titles will be on sale. The forum can always confirm for you when it is really a very good price.

Black Friday and the 12 Days of Logos sales are sure to be full of bargains. There will probably be other specials offered before then as well.

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/277971#Comment_277971

I have ISBE (non-Logos) and Tyndale and I find them both to be very useful.

Peter

Friedrich

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/277966#Comment_277966

Thanks for all the great feedback. If you owned the IVP Reference Collection would you get AYBD or ISBE first?

Still trying to discern what I need to buy first... Tyndale Commentaries or one of the dictionaries.

CL

did some more research. the ZEB, which is newer and more colorful still is filled with 30+ year old articles, that, for instance, don't refer to NT Wright in articles on Paul. There are a few major new articles (Type, Typology by Osborne) and several minor ones (on "aleppo" for instance). I was disappointed to realize how dated much of it was. I would have thought editor Silva to have a more thorough influence to update. Still is a nice set, but . . .

We could show you articles that compare the two (ISBE/AYDB), but each article will only anecdotally compare the two, depending.

Weighing what others have said,

is it important to you what the general theological leaning is?
Do you want it more like you, or to push the envelope a bit--stretch you?
What are you going to use it for? Class? Sermon prep? Solving disputes? [:O]
the ISBE is slightly older than AYDB, but only by about half a decade.

As for Encyclopedia vs. Tyndale set--which are you likely to use most this next year or two? Are you preaching a lot from the OT? If not, what would your need for Tyndale's set be? Class? Library growth? Unless you plan to do a lot of OT study, you'd likely be better off getting a biblical/theological encyclopedia, and buy one or two cheap hardcopies of a Tyndale book if you needed something for sermon or class, until you could get the whole set on Logos (it is worth it!).

Some thoughts.