Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel (Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary) - Hardcover

Hess, Richard; Block, Daniel I.; Manor, Dale W.; Long, V. Philips

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0310255740 ISBN 13: 9780310255741

Publisher: Zondervan, 2009

Synopsis

Many today find the Old Testament a closed book. The cultural issues seem insurmountable and we are easily baffled by that which seems obscure. Furthermore, without knowledge of the ancient culture we can easily impose our own culture on the text, potentially distorting it. This series invites you to enter the Old Testament with a company of guides, experts that will give new insights into these cherished writings. Features include * Over 2000 photographs, drawings, maps, diagrams and charts provide a visual feast that breathes fresh life into the text. * Passage-by-passage commentary presents archaeological findings, historical explanations, geographic insights, notes on manners and customs, and more. * Analysis into the literature of the ancient Near East will open your eyes to new depths of understanding both familiar and unfamiliar passages. * Written by an international team of 30 specialists, all top scholars in background studies.

About this title

About the Author:

John H. Walton (PhD, Hebrew Union College) is professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College Graduate School. He is the author or coauthor of several books, including Chronological and Background Charts of the Old Testament; Ancient Israelite Literature in Its Cultural Context; Covenant: God's Purpose, God's Plan; The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament; and A Survey of the Old Testament.

Richard Hess (PhD, Hebrew Union College) is Earl S. Kalland professor of Old Testament and Semitic Languages, Denver Seminary.

Daniel I. Block (D.Phil, University of Liverpool) is Gunther H. Knoedler professor of Old Testament, Wheaton College.

Dale W. Manor (PhD, University of Arizona) is Professor of Archaeology and Bible at Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas. He has been the Field Director of the Tel Beth-Shemesh Excavation Project in Israel since 2000. In addition, he served on the staff of the Tel Miqne/Ekron and Tel Rehov Projects in Israel. He served as an Assistant to the Editor of the Anchor Bible Dictionary in which he has several articles. Additional articles appear in the Oxford Encyclopedia of Archaeology in the Near East, the Eerdmans' Dictionary of the Bible, and the New Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible.

V. Phillips Long (Ph.D., Cambridge) is professor of Old Testament, Regent College, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Review:

'This is a unique and important commentary. It is a milestone in the collection and comparative interpretation of ancient Near Eastern texts, pictures, and other archaeological materials as well as geographical, historical, and cultural information as they relate to the Old Testament. There is nothing else like it available today. The interpretations provided are usually cogent and convincing. Where there is legitimate debate, the explanations generally show due caution. There will always be disagreements between scholars on such matters, but the many comparative and archaeological resources assembled in these volumes make it a veritable gold mine for those who desire to take the ancient context of the Lord's work and word seriously in their study, teaching, and preaching of Holy Scripture.' -- Richard E. Averbeck, Ph.D., Professor of Old Testament and Semitic Languages, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

About this edition

• Publisher: Zondervan
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0310255740
• ISBN 13: 9780310255741
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 544
• Editor: Walton John H.