For the past two hundred years biblical scholars have increasingly assumed that the Hebrew Bible was largely written and edited in the Persian and Hellenistic periods. As a result, the written Bible has dwelled in an historical vacuum. Recent archaeological evidence and insights from linguistic anthropology, however, point to the earlier era of the late-Iron Age as the formative period for the writing of biblical literature. How the Bible Became a Book combines these recent archaeological discoveries in the Middle East with insights culled from the history of writing to address how the Bible first came to be written down and then became sacred Scripture. This book provides rich insight into why these texts came to have authority as Scripture and explores why Ancient Israel, an oral culture, began to write literature, challenging the assertion that widespread literacy first arose in Greece during the fifth century BCE.

A literary history of our most influential book of all time, by an Oxford scholar and Anglican priest In our culture, the Bible is monolithic: It is a collection of books that has been unchanged and unchallenged since the earliest days of the Christian church. The idea of the Bible as "Holy Scripture," a non-negotiable authority straight from God, has prevailed in Western society for some time. And while it provides a firm foundation for centuries of Christian teaching, it denies the depth, variety, and richness of this fascinating text. In A History of the Bible, John Barton argues that the Bible is not a prescription to a complete, fixed religious system, but rather a product of a long and intriguing process, which has inspired Judaism and Christianity, but still does not describe the whole of either religion. Barton shows how the Bible is indeed an important source of religious insight for Jews and Christians alike, yet argues that it must be read in its historical context--from its beginnings in myth and folklore to its many interpretations throughout the centuries. It is a book full of narratives, laws, proverbs, prophecies, poems, and letters, each with their own character and origin stories. Barton explains how and by whom these disparate pieces were written, how they were canonized (and which ones weren't), and how they were assembled, disseminated, and interpreted around the world--and, importantly, to what effect. Ultimately, A History of the Bible argues that a thorough understanding of the history and context of its writing encourages religious communities to move away from the Bible's literal wording--which is impossible to determine--and focus instead on the broader meanings of scripture.

In this sweeping narrative, Michael Satlow tells the fascinating story of how an ancient collection of obscure Israelite writings became the founding texts of both Judaism and Christianity, considered holy by followers of each faith. Drawing on cutting-edge historical and archeological research, he traces the story of how, when, and why Jews and Christians gradually granted authority to texts that had long lay dormant in a dusty temple archive. The Bible, Satlow maintains, was not the consecrated book it is now until quite late in its history. He describes how elite scribes in the eighth and seventh centuries B.C.E. began the process that led to the creation of several of our biblical texts. It was not until these were translated into Greek in Egypt in the second century B.C.E., however, that some Jews began to see them as culturally authoritative, comparable to Homer’s works in contemporary Greek society. Then, in the first century B.C.E. in Israel, political machinations resulted in the Sadducees assigning legal power to the writings. We see how the world Jesus was born into was largely biblically illiterate and how he knew very little about the texts upon which his apostles would base his spiritual leadership. Synthesizing an enormous body of scholarly work, Satlow’s groundbreaking study offers provocative new assertions about commonly accepted interpretations of biblical history as well as a unique window into how two of the world’s great faiths came into being.

Demonstrating how the Old Testament or Hebrew Bible represents the first, and one of the most elaborate, projects of peoplehood, Wright tells the dramatic story of the Bible's origins in relation to 1, a longstanding political division between North and South (Israel and Judah) and 2 the traumatic experience of defeat" --

In this groundbreaking work that sets apart fact and legend, authors Finkelstein and Silberman use significant archeological discoveries to provide historical information about biblical Israel and its neighbors. In this iconoclastic and provocative work, leading scholars Israel Finkelstein and Neil Asher Silberman draw on recent archaeological research to present a dramatically revised portrait of ancient Israel and its neighbors. They argue that crucial evidence (or a telling lack of evidence) at digs in Israel, Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon suggests that many of the most famous stories in the Bible—the wanderings of the patriarchs, the Exodus from Egypt, Joshua’s conquest of Canaan, and David and Solomon’s vast empire—reflect the world of the later authors rather than actual historical facts. Challenging the fundamentalist readings of the scriptures and marshaling the latest archaeological evidence to support its new vision of ancient Israel, The Bible Unearthed offers a fascinating and controversial perspective on when and why the Bible was written and why it possesses such great spiritual and emotional power today.

2016 Christian Book of the Year Award Winner in Bible Reference From Moses to Gutenberg, easily find out how we got the Bible we have today and discover why we can trust it with this highly visual and easy-to-understand handbook on the history of Bible! Dive into the fascinating stories of the people who risked their lives to print and distribute the Word of God (Tyndale, Wycliffe, etc). Perfect for personal or small group use. Have you ever wondered where the Bible came from? Who wrote the books of the Bible and how did they end up together? Perhaps you have been asked by a friend or coworker about books that were cut out of the Bible. Through seven dynamic chapters in How We Got the Bible, expert Dr. Timothy Paul Jones will guide you through all the important questions about the Holy Bible to show you why it can be trusted. Filled with dramatic stories and highly visual charts and illustrations, this exciting Bible History handbook will take you from the earliest clay tablets and papyrus copies to the first bound Bible and the various Bible translations that we use today! Discover the following: Three ways the Bible is unlike any other "Holy Book"What it means when we say that the Bible is inspired and inerrantWhat people did to preserve the text of the Bible over the centuriesHow we know that the Old and New Testament are reliableThe stories behind names like John Wycliffe, William Tyndale, Gutenberg, and King James I4 Key Features of the How We Got the Bible Handbook 1. Get a Simple Overview of the History of the Bible (Covers More Than 3,500 Years) Enjoy having a concise overview of the Bible's entire history at your fingertips. With this book, you can firmly grasp what biblical reliability means in six engaging and easy-to-understand chapters, packed with key events and people to deepen your understanding of the history of the Bible. Includes the following: 2. Provides Solid Proofs for Why You Can Trust the Bible Easily compare today's Bible with the Dead Sea Scrolls and many more early church records from past centuries to see how carefully the texts have been translated and recorded. Enjoy getting a simple explanation of the Bible's reliability with basic apologetics. 3. Packed with Fascinating Stories of Key People and Events History can be a dry and tedious subject--but not with the How We Got the Bible handbook! Easily absorb important facts and information in a fun and easy-to-understand way that will have you not wanting to put this book down, such as: 4. Filled with Visual Charts, Definitions, and Additional Resources Save hours looking up technical terms and searching for extra timelines and charts--it's all here in one easy-to-understand handbook! With the flip of a page, you'll find charts simplifying technical definitions, an English Bible Translations Comparison, and references to give you a complete overview of how the Bible was formed. These related resources are also available (each sold separately): How We Got the Bible Complete Kit (UPC 031809035658 or ISBN 9781628622072) which contains a DVD plus additional resourcesHow We Got the Bible DVD Bible Study (UPC 031809035665 or ISBN 9781628622065)Paperback edition of How We Got the Bible Leader Guide (ISBN 9781628622089, also available as an e-book)Paperback edition of How We Got the Bible Participant Guide (ISBN 9781628622126, also available as an e-book) with session outlines, discussion questions, definitions, and timelines. Buy a copy of the participant guide for each person.How We Got the Bible PowerPoint (ISBN 9781890947460) with dozens of slides providing even more in-depth information.

Hailed as "the most radical repackaging of the Bible since Gutenberg", these Pocket Canons give an up-close look at each book of the Bible.

A Clear, Simple Guide through the Bible Now in one volume and redesigned to help you understand God's Word even better, The Bible Study is your one-year roadmap through Scripture. • DAILY OR WEEKLY READING PLANS provide an uncomplicated, manageable way to personalize your study of the Bible and grow as a Christian. • THOUGHT-PROVOKING QUESTIONS AND SPACE TO WRITE help you discover what the readings mean and apply what you're learning to your daily life. • OVERVIEWS AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION for each book of the Bible provide helpful context to the big and small aspects of Scripture. With colorful imagery and an engaging design to propel you forward, this easy-to-use study--whether self-led or done with friends--offers a transformative way to connect deeper with God. Join more than 500,000 others who are learning the Bible like never before!

Readers will gain even more appreciation for their Bible when they see how God directed its development, from the original authors through today’s translations. How Did We Get the Bible? provides an easy-to-read historical overview, covering the Holy Spirit’s inspiration of the writers, the preservation of the documents, the compilation of the canon, and the efforts to bring the Bible to people in their own language. This fascinating story, populated by intriguing characters, will encourage readers with God’s faithfulness—to His own Word, and to those of us who read it. It’s a fantastic, value-priced resource for individuals and ministries!

In the Beginning Was the Word provides a sweeping, engaging, and insightful survey of the relationship between the Bible and public issues from the beginning of European settlement through the American Revolution. It focuses throughout on how people negotiated between the Bible and other social authorities, such as ecclesiastical tradition, national and imperial politics, and economic mandates.