The Old Testament WorldWritten by two leading Old Testament scholars with a wide range of expertise, this unique introduction describes the historical, social and cultural setting in which the Old Testament was written and a description of the major genres of literature that it contains. It seeks therefore to illuminate the literature of the Old Testament by showing how it was shaped by the events, social structures, and religions and intellectual ideas of the ancient civilizations and cultures in which it was produced.Unlike most Introductions, it does not build largely on the traditional formats. It also reflects the huge changes that our understanding of the Old Testament has undergone in the recent decadesRather than a conventional canonical-theological approach, the book offers an approach for those interested in the Old Testament as a monumental cultural achievement, ideal for students of ancient history and religion in general as well as theology, and requires a minimum of prior knowledge or expertise. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
according Ahab Akkadian Ammon Ammonites apocalypses Assyrian Babylon Babylonian Ben Sira Bethel Bible biblical Canaanites canon century BCE chapters Chronicles covenant creation cult culture Daniel David Dead Sea deportations Deuteronomy divine Edom Egypt Egyptian empire Enoch example Exodus Ezekiel Ezra Galilee Genesis gods Greek groups Hasmonean Hebrew Hellenistic Herod high priest hills Hittite holy human humankind Hyrcanus Isaiah Israel and Judah Israelite Jacob Jeremiah Jerusalem Jewish Jews Judah Judaism Judean Judges king land later Leviticus literary literature Maccabees mantic Moab monarchy narrative nations Nehemiah northern kingdom offerings Old Testament Omri oral original Palestine Pentateuch period Persian Philistines political Press probably Prophecy prophets Proverbs psalms Qumran reign religion religious royal sacrifice Samaria Samuel sanctuary Saul scholars scribes scriptures Scrolls Seleucid Sheffield Shephelah social Solomon story Sumerian Syria Temple territory texts tion traditions Transjordan tribes verse Wisdom words writing Yhwh