Southern Kings 4


Book Description

No matter how hard they try, the Masters just can't seem to catch a break. But this time. they're in complete control. Hayes has to make a tough decision that could cost him his happy ending with Rah, but, as always, it's family over everything. Keys has finally made peace with who he is and why, so now all he has to do is let Asha in on the reason behind it. Will she accept him as he is, including the secrets of his past? Blood doesn't guarantee loyalty, or does it? Will Lorene be the reason why Yetti, Hayes, and Keys fall from their thrones? Or will they handle the situation by any means necessary? Reelle quickly learns that sometimes the family you choose can be better than the one you're born into. But with a man like Yetti Masters in her corner, there's no way she will fail. Sometimes you have to weather the storm in order to appreciate the sun, and the Masters clan has definitely seen their fair share of rainy days. In this last installment, join Yetti, Keys, and Hayes as they fight their way to their happy ending. The legacy of a Southern King is only as great as the story behind the men who own it, and the women who love them.




1 & 2 Kings


Book Description

This commentary on 1 and 2 Kings demonstrates the continuing intellectual and practical viability of theological interpretation of the Bible for today's church.




Southern Kings


Book Description

The Masters brothers Yetti, Hayes, and Keys are the epitome of sibling love and loyalty. Their circle is tight, and no one comes before family. Keys being the oldest holds the family together since all they have are each other. However, each brother often takes the leading role when it comes to business and life decisions. Together, they run an empire that has allotted them money, respect and power, which of course fuels tensions and has enemies lurking in the shadows. Either way, they stand tall and they stand together. After surviving a traumatic childhood, all three brothers are left a little unstable, with hearts of stone. It drives them to succeed in the streets, but creates a void where matters of the heart are concerned. Yetti especially was dealing with some serious demons, one of which was forced by his mother choosing his life over hers. His past has made him unwilling to open up, and his motto in life has basically been hit and run as far as women were concerned. Their only benefit to him was to satisfy his needs. No connection, no emotional commitments. Reelle was exactly what Yetti needed, although neither of them realize it at the time. She is the ying to his yang, so to speak, and the peace in the middle of a storm. After being burned by the one person she put her all into, Reelle, much like Yetti, had no plans to give her heart away, but unfortunately the universe had other plans. Keys is set in his ways and enjoying life by his own terms. His status has placed him in the position to have just about any woman he sets his sights on until he runs across Asha. Their first encounter was one for the records. She took control and forced him to play by her rules This only fueled Keys’ curiosity and had him chasing her for more. Asha has no intention of being any man’s fool, not even the infamous Keys Masters. As much as she’s drawn to him, she fully intends to make him earn a role in her life, but little does she know, that attitude is what wins him over. Hayes is the baby of the family and seems to have it all together, with a long term girlfriend and beautiful baby girl, you’d think life should be perfect, however new struggles seem to be finding the two of them daily. These brothers and the women they’ve crossed paths with have a few life lessons to learn. It could either make them or break them especially when you add jealousy, and envy from outsiders. The streets aren’t kind when it comes to matters of the heart and defending your empire. Hopefully they will all find their way out with their hearts intact.




1 & 2 Kings


Book Description

Violence on the streets. Military expansion. Consumerism. Policies exploiting people and natural resources. Harassment and abuse: 1 & 2 Kings could hardly be more relevant. In the thirty-fourth volume of the Believers Church Bible Commentary series, Old Testament scholar Lynn Jost claims 1 & 2 Kings were written to form a community that would embrace the Ten Commandments and the Great Shema and would champion righteousness and compassion. Jost traces the characteristics of royal justice, with its systems of excess and indulgence, as well as the court intrigue, succession politics, interfamily rivalries, and prophetic judgment that mark the books. Through it all, Israel remains in a covenant relationship with a delivering God. Through it all, God calls the leaders and the people to practice justice, protect shalom, and live righteously. In vivid and accessible prose, Jost invites pastors, scholars, and lay readers to read 1 & 2 Kings as books of promise—ones that gesture toward a faithful God who rescues, judges, commands, and provides. About the Believers Church Bible Commentary series This readable commentary series is for all who seek more fully to understand the original message of Scripture and its meaning for today—Sunday school teachers, members of Bible study groups, students, pastors, and other seekers. –From the Series Foreword




The Trouble with Kings


Book Description

This book investigates the composition of the book of Kings and its implications for the Deuteronomistic History (DH) of which it is a part. McKenzie analyses Kings on the basis of Noth's model of a single author/editor behind the original DH. He contends that the Deuteronomist (Dtr) wrote the series of oracles against the Northern royal houses without utilizing a prior, running prophetic document that some scholars have posited behind Samuel and Kings. He regards many other prophetic stories in Kings, including most of the Elijah and Elisha legends as later additions to the DH, in accord with Noth's recognition that the original DH was frequently supplemented by various writers. McKenzie illustrates Dtr's compositional techniques in a treatment of the accounts of Hezekiah and Josiah in Kings. He tentatively dates Dtr to Josiah's reign but believes that tensions among the many later additions to the work, including the report from Josiah's death on, suggest that they are not the result of systematic editing (e.g., Dtr2). The book offers the most up-to-date survey of research on the DH and the most recent detailed analysis of the lengthy variant version of Jeroboam's reign in LXXB at 1 Kings 12:24a-z. It offers a fresh perspective on the original shape of the DH based on recent scholarship and the author's own critical investigation.




Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary


Book Description

For 25 years the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary has been the go-to Bible reference resource for lay Bible students, teachers, pastors, academic courses, and libraries. Now this bestselling dictionary has been UPDATED with 200 new articles and over 500 new photos compiling a collection of over 6,500 articles from Aaron to Zuzite are written so as to equip the reader for greater competence in understanding and interpreting the Scriptures. TAn excellent companion to the Holman Illustrated Bible Commentary.




Reconsidering the Book of the Four


Book Description

Although many scholars recognize literary similarities between Hosea, Amos, Micah, and Zephaniah, defining the compositional relationship between these texts remains a matter of debate. Following the scholarly trajectory of exploring the compositional relationship between the Twelve prophets, several scholars argue that these four prophetic texts formed a precursory collection to the Book of the Twelve. Yet even among advocates for this ‘Book of the Four’ there remain differences in defining the form and function of the collection. By reexamining the literary parallels between these texts, Werse shows how different methodological convictions have led to the diverse composition models in the field today. Through careful consideration of emerging insights in the study of deuteronomism and scribalism, Werse provides an innovative composition model explaining how these four texts came to function as a collection in the wake of the traumatic destruction of Jerusalem. This volume explores a historic function of these prophetic voices by examining the editorial process that drew them together.







1 and 2 Samuel


Book Description

Continuing a Gold Medallion Award-winning legacy, the completely revised Expositor's Bible Commentary puts world-class biblical scholarship in your hands. A staple for students, teachers, and pastors worldwide, The Expositor's Bible Commentary (EBC) offers comprehensive yet succinct commentary from scholars committed to the authority of the Holy Scriptures. The EBC uses the New International Version of the Bible, but the contributors work from the original Hebrew and Greek languages and refer to other translations when useful. Each section of the commentary includes: An introduction: background information, a short bibliography, and an outline An overview of Scripture to illuminate the big picture The complete NIV text Extensive commentary Notes on textual questions, key words, and concepts Reflections to give expanded thoughts on important issues The series features 56 contributors, who: Believe in the divine inspiration, complete trustworthiness, and full authority of the Bible Have demonstrated proficiency in the biblical book that is their specialty Are committed to the church and the pastoral dimension of biblical interpretation Represent geographical and denominational diversity Use a balanced and respectful approach toward marked differences of opinion Write from an evangelical viewpoint For insightful exposition, thoughtful discussion, and ease of use—look no further than The Expositor's Bible Commentary.




The Transjordanian Palimpsest


Book Description

This study analyzes several passages in the Former Prophets (2 Sam 19:12-44; 2 Kgs 2:1-18; Judg 8:4-28) from a literary perspective, and argues that the text presents Transjordan as liminal in Israel’s history, a place from which Israel’s leaders return with inaugurated or renewed authority. It then traces the redactional development of Samuel-Kings that led to this literary symbolism, and proposes a hypothesis of continual updating and combination of texts, beginning early in Israel’s monarchy and continuing until the final formation of the Deuteronomistic History. Several source documents may be isolated, including three narratives of Saul’s rise, two distinct histories of David’s rise, and a court history that was subsequently revised with pro-Solomonic additions. These texts had been combined already in a Prophetic Record during the 9th c. B.C.E. (with A. F. Campbell), which was received as an integrated unit by the Deuteronomistic Historian. The symbolic geography of the Jordan River and Transjordan, which even extends into the New Testament, was therefore not the product of a deliberate theological formulation, but rather the accidental by-product of the contingency of textual redaction that had as its main goal the historical presentation of Israel’s life in the land.