Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke (1762–1832) was a British Methodist theologian and biblical scholar whose Commentary on the Holy Bible (1810–1826) covered all sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments in eight volumes. One of the most comprehensive English-language commentaries of the early nineteenth century, it drew on Clarke's extensive knowledge of Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic, and Syriac as well as rabbinic literature, patristic sources, and contemporary philology. Clarke served as president of the Methodist Conference three times and was among the leading Wesleyan theologians of his generation. His commentary, written over forty years of pastoral and scholarly labor, is notable for its attention to original languages, detailed word studies, and interaction with a wide range of ancient and modern sources. It entered the public domain and remains a widely consulted reference in evangelical scholarship.