The first section published was written by theologian Edward Hayes Plumptre in 1878 and covered the Epistle of St. James; the last volumes to appear, in 1918, were Deuteronomy by Sir George Adam Smith, and the revised edition of Joshua by George Albert Cooke.
The editors exercised limited editorial control over the writers of individual commentaries.
Perowne stated that his aim was "to leave each contributor to the unfettered exercise of his own judgment".
Facsimiles of the individual printed volumes are available on various websites: Introduction to the Pentateuch, Genesis (US access only), Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges and Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, Chronicles, Ezra and Nehemiah, Esther, 1 Maccabees, Job, Psalms 1-41, Psalms 90-150, Ecclesiastes, Solomon, Isaiah 1-39, Jeremiah and Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel and Amos, Obadiah and Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah, Haggai and Zechariah.
Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, Timothy and Titus, Hebrews, James, 1 & 2 Peter and Jude, 1-3 John (US access only), Revelation.