Jews call the Hebrew Scriptures the “Tanakh” and Christians call them the “Old Testament.” It doesn't take long to see that Jews and Christians view the same set of books differently and interpret these scriptures in unique and at times conflicting ways. The Hebrew Bible for Beginners introduces students to the tremendous influence the Hebrew Bible has had on western society for over two millennia and explores the complexities of reading ancient religious literature today. The book also addresses how certain modern critical approaches may initially be alarming, indeed even shocking, to those who have not been exposed to them, but it tackles the conversation in a respectful fashion. Avoiding jargon and convoluted prose, this highly accessible volume provides textboxes, charts, a timeline, a glossary, and regularly includes artistic renderings of biblical scenes to keep lay and beginning readers engaged.

This volume charts the extraordinary developments witnessed over the last 50 years of the 20th century, since the chance discovery in 1947 of biblical scrolls in a cave in the vicinity of the Dead Sea. This collection of article represents cutting-edge research by an international team of scholars. Together, they chart the findings and controversies sparked off by the discovery and publication of some 900 scrolls which have transformed our understanding of the state of the biblical text at the turn of the last millennium. With subjects encompassing rewritten scriptures, canonical development, and the ramifications of the Qumran discoveries for modern textual criticism and the Bible today, this volume should hold something for both scolar and layperson alike.

Understanding the Old Testament: An Introductory Atlas to the Hebrew Bible provides a well-structured, comprehensive framework for the Hebrew Bible that places biblical events and persons within a concrete historical and geographical context. This composite introduction to the Hebrew Bible comes with illuminating texts, maps, chronologies, and charts, as well as a special section on the Hebrew alphabet and calendar. All major empires, battles, and events are covered in an eye-catching format. This atlas of the Bible will answer nearly all of the questions you've always wanted to ask about the Old Testament and some you didn't even know to ask!

John J. Collins’ Introduction to the Hebrew Bible is one of the most reliable and widely adopted critical textbooks at undergraduate and graduate levels alike, and for good reason. Enriched by decades of classroom teaching, it is aimed explicitly at motivated students regardless of their previous exposure to the Bible or faith commitments. Collins proceeds through the canon of the Old Testament and the Apocrypha, judiciously presenting the current state of historical, archaeological, and literary understanding of the biblical text, and engaging the student in questions of significance and interpretation for the contemporary world. The second edition has been revised where more recent scholarship indicates it, and is now presented in a refreshing new format.

". . . and it was Evening and it was Morning, the Third Day." Why was this day different from all others according to the Bible? In the Book of Genesis we are told that every plant on earth, including trees, was created on that day. In this seminal study, Jo Ann Gardner shows how the ancient Israelites, the compilers of the Hebrew Bible, not only made practical use of native plants but studied them to reveal meanings that enabled them to better understand the Biblical text. From the forbidden fruit Adam and Eve ate, to the mandrakes Rachel pleaded with her sister to share with her, to the reeds used to protect Moses when he was set adrift as an infant, deeper insights are provided regarding their significance. Seeds of Transcendence has been designed to enable readers to develop a more profound appreciation of the most influential book ever written. Over 100 full-color photos. "One of the most erudite and fascinating books I have read in recent times" -- Blu Greenberg, author of On Women and Judaism

This book offers a new framework for reading the Bible as a work of reason.

From two expert scholars comes a comprehensive study of the dating of the Hebrew Bible The age of the Hebrew Bible is a topic that has sparked controversy and debate in recent years. The scarcity of clear evidence allows for the possibility of many views, though these are often clouded by theological and political biases. This impressive, broad‑ranging book synthesizes recent linguistic, textual, and historical research to clarify the history of biblical literature, from its oldest texts and literary layers to its youngest. In clear, concise language, the authors provide a comprehensive overview that cuts across scholarly specialties to create a new standard for the historical study of the Bible. This much‑needed work paves the path forward to dating the Hebrew Bible and understanding crucial aspects of its historical and contemporary significance.

It is the goal, or it should be the goal, of every serious Christian to learn to effectively study the Bible. Effective Bible study can be defined as the ability to do independent research in the Bible without the aid of commentaries. Hebrew is the foundation stone on which the Old Testament revelation was given to man. This was the linguistic vehicle that God chose to reveal Himself and His plan, for not only the Jew, but also for all of mankind. It is an accepted fact that a person cannot study the Old Testament in depth without a working understanding of the language of Hebrew. The same could and should be said about the New Testament because of certain facts that remain constant. Every single writer of the New Testament, with the possible exception of Luke, was a native speaker of a Semitic language. The Bible, both Old and New Testaments, is a Jewish manuscript. It is a book written by Jews, to Jews, not only pointing the way for a Jewish Messiah, but also showing how Jesus fulfilled the role as the Jewish Messiah. It is impossible to separate the way a person thinks from what he writes. It can be said then that the New Testament is Hebraic thought that has been clothed in Greek garments. In order to effectively see these thought patterns, a person must have at least some ability to handle Hebrew to unlock the rich storehouse of knowledge that is available to us as we study the New Testament.

"Magisterial. . . . A learned, brilliant and enjoyable study."—Géza Vermès, Times Literary Supplement In this exciting book, Paula Fredriksen explains the variety of New Testament images of Jesus by exploring the ways that the new Christian communities interpreted his mission and message in light of the delay of the Kingdom he had preached. This edition includes an introduction reviews the most recent scholarship on Jesus and its implications for both history and theology. "Brilliant and lucidly written, full of original and fascinating insights."—Reginald H. Fuller, Journal of the American Academy of Religion "This is a first-rate work of a first-rate historian."—James D. Tabor, Journal of Religion "Fredriksen confronts her documents—principally the writings of the New Testament—as an archaeologist would an especially rich complex site. With great care she distinguishes the literary images from historical fact. As she does so, she explains the images of Jesus in terms of the strategies and purposes of the writers Paul, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John."—Thomas D’Evelyn, Christian Science Monitor