The Hebrew Bible

More about the book

Discover the historical and social context of one of the most influential works ever written with this authoritative new resource. The newly revised second edition delivers a concise introduction to the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament within the broader scope of world history. It examines the Bible's formation across various historical periods, helping readers understand the texts in context. The book introduces scholarly methods for exploring the Hebrew Bible's formation and its interpretations by Jews and Christians. Written by a leading scholar, this edition incorporates recent research on early Israel's archaeology, the Pentateuch's formation, and the development of historical and poetic books. Students will benefit from study questions, focus texts, timelines, illustrations, photographs, and a glossary. Key features include an updated focus on recent biblical study methods, an orientation to multiple translations and digital resources, and an exploration of ancient Israel's emergence and its earliest writings. Discussions highlight how the Bible reflects communal experiences of trauma and resilience under ancient empires. Additionally, it covers the final formation of biblical books in early Judaism, including diverse texts revered as scripture. This edition is designed for seminary and undergraduate students, as well as general readers interested in the Bible's formation.