A History of the Bible


Book Description

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.




The Literature of the Old Testament in Its Historical Development (Classic Reprint)


Book Description

Excerpt from The Literature of the Old Testament in Its Historical Development The plan of this volume needs a word of explanation. It was originally intended to publish translations of the most important texts of the Old Testament, grouped topically and edited in such a way as to show both their relation to each other and to that process of development into the work as a Whole by which they found their place in the collection. Considerable progress had been made along these lines when the war interrupted the preparation of the series. After it was over, publishing conditions still presented sufiieient difficulties to compel a modification in the original plan, since that would have involved reprinting large parts of the Old Testament which, with but slight textual yariants, would be already accessible to any reader. It was therefore decided to shorten the quoted text to such an extent that it could be readily printed in the midst of the editorial comment, instead of as a body of documents by itself. Where necessary, the larger sections are summarized, and their significance is thus brought out at the same time. The book is obviously not any longer self-sufiicing; it is a companion to the study of the Old Testament, rather than a repository of its texts. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.




The Old Testament


Book Description

Renowned Hebrew Bible scholar Konrad Schmid here provides a comprehensive discussion of the task, history, and conditions of the history of Old Testament literature. He carefully considers the dynamics of language, orality, literacy, and the range of social and political conditions that shaped Israel's writing at each period of the people's history and explores the significance of the transformation of various writings into "Scripture" and a biblical canon.




Old Testament Times


Book Description

Recent years have seen a renewed interest in the study of background materials relating to Scripture. More and more Christians are seeking out resources that will help them understand the culture of the times when the Bible was written. Indeed, to fully understand the Old Testament, one must first understand the social, historical, and political forces that affected its writers. Old Testament Times explores and explains the characters and events of the Old Testament in historical perspective. Being released for the first time in a full-color edition, this guide includes - thirty-two maps - seventy photos - eight charts - five illustrations Pastors, small groups, and anyone wishing for a better understanding of biblical times will find an excellent tool in this comprehensive handbook written by one of America's foremost biblical scholars.




The Literature of the Old Testament in Its Historical Development


Book Description

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.







Old Testament History


Book Description

In brief sections, this book gives an overview of the Old Testament of the Bible—from the primeval history to the period after the Babylonian captivity. When busy people want to know more about the Bible and the Christian faith, the Zondervan Quick-Reference Library offers an instant information alternative in a manageable length. Covering the basics of the faith and Bible knowledge in an easy-to-use format, this series helps new Christians and seasoned believers alike find answers to their questions about Christianity and the Bible. The information in Old Testament History is presented in units of one or two pages, so that each section can be read in a few minutes, covering: The creation account. The patriarchal history. The Exodus and Israel in the desert. The Judges and the united monarchy. The divided kingdoms. The Babylonian exile. The Intertestamental period. The Zondervan Quick-Reference Library makes important knowledge affordable, accessible, and easy to understand for busy people who don’t have a lot of time to read or study.