NOTE
Several of the resources listed in the boxes on this page provide some overlap in the kind of content provided in terms of background/ culture/daily life in Ancient Israel, as is the case also as far as what the "archaeology" books inform us about the history and material culture/daily life in Ancient Israel and the Levant. See also the pages linked under the Commentaries tab on this research guide as those pages each also list a curated collection of monographs in addition to commentaries, some of which might deal with relevant background and/or history.
Old Testament Bible Backgrounds/Books on Culture, Daily Life
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The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament (4th ed.) by
Preaching's Preacher's Guide to the Best Bible Reference for 2014 (General Reference)How can we account for the "Book of the Law" suddenly being discovered during Josiah's renovation of the temple (2 Chron 34:14)? We know from Egypt and Mesopotamia that it was common to seal important documents--including theological documents--in the masonry or foundations of a palace or temple in order to inform a future king who might undertake restoration of the building.What might the psalmist have had in mind when praising God for removing our transgressions "as far as the east is from the west" (Ps 103:12)? In an Egyptian hymn to Amun-Re, the deity is praised for his judgment of the guilty. As a result of the god's discernment the guilty are assigned to the east and the righteous to the west.What is meant by God "weighing the heart" (Prov 21:2)? In Egyptian religious tradition we find the notion of the dead being judged before the gods. As the soul is examined, the dead person's heart is weighed in a scale against a feather symbolizing Truth. If the answers are correct and the heart does not outweigh the feather, the soul may enter the realm of everlasting life.The narratives, genealogies, laws, poetry, proverbs and prophecies of the Old Testament are deeply rooted in history. Archaeologists, historians and social scientists have greatly advanced our knowledge of the ancient world of the Bible. When we illuminate the stories of Abraham or David, the imagery of the Psalms or Proverbs, or the prophecies of Isaiah or Jeremiah with this backlight of culture and history, these texts spring to new life.The unique commentary joins The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament in providing historical, social and cultural background for each passage of the Old Testament. From Genesis through Malachi, this single volume gathers and condenses an abundance of specialized knowledge--making it available and accessible to ordinary readers of the Old Testament. Expert scholars John Walton, Victor Matthews and Mark Chavalas have included along with the fruits of their research and collaborationa glossary of historical terms, ancient peoples, texts and inscriptionsmaps and charts of important historical resourcesexpanded explanations of significant background issuesintroductory essays on each book of the Old TestamentThe IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament will enrich your experience of the Old Testament--and your teaching and preaching from Scripture--in a way that no other commentary can do.
Call Number: Stamps Reference Floor and Stamps Stacks BS1151.2 .W35 2000ISBN: 0830814191Publication Date: 2000-11-2008
The Oxford Companion to the Bible by
The Bible has had an immeasurable influence on Western culture, touching on virtually every aspect of our lives. It is one of the great wellsprings of Western religious, ethical, and philosophical traditions. It has been an endless source of inspiration to artists, from classic works such asMichaelangelo's Last Judgment, Handel's Messiah, or Milton's Paradise Lost, to modern works such as Thomas Mann's Joseph and His Brothers or Martin Scorsese's controversial Last Temptation of Christ. For countless generations, it has been a comfort in suffering, a place to reflect on the mysteriesof birth, death, and immortality. Its stories and characters are an integral part of the repertoire of every educated adult, forming an enduring bond that spans thousands of years and embraces a vast community of believers and nonbelievers.The Oxford Companion to the Bible provides an authoritative one-volume reference to the people, places, events, books, institutions, religious belief, and secular influence of the Bible. Written by more than 250 scholars from some 20 nations and embracing a wide variety of perspectives, theCompanion offers over seven hundred entries, ranging from brief identifications--who is Dives? where is Pisgah?--to extensive interpretive essays on topics such as the influence of the Bible on music or law.Ranging far beyond the scope of a traditional Bible dictionary, the Companion features, in addition to its many informative, factual entries, an abundance of interpretive essays. Here are extended entries on religious concepts from immortality, sin, and grace, to baptism, ethics, and the HolySpirit. The contributors also explore biblical views of modern issues such as homosexuality, marriage, and anti-Semitism, and the impact of the Bible on the secular world (including a four-part article on the Bible's influence on literature).Of course, the Companion can also serve as a handy reference, the first place to turn to find factual information on the Bible. Readers will find fascinating, informative articles on all the books of the Bible--including the Apocrypha and many other ancient texts, such as the Dead Sea Scrolls,Pseudepigrapha, and the Mishrah. Virtually every figure who walked across the biblical stage is identified here, ranging from Rebekah, Rachel, and Mary, to Joseph, Barabbas, and Jesus. The Companion also offers entries that shed light on daily life in ancient Israel and the earliest Christiancommunities, with fascinating articles on feasts and festivals, clothing, medicine, units of time, houses, and furniture. Finally, there are twenty-eight pages of full-color maps, providing an accurate, detailed portrait of the biblical world.A vast compendium of information related to scriptures, here is an ideal complement to the Bible, an essential volume for every home and library, the first place to turn for information on the central book of Western culture.
Call Number: THEO REF BS440 .M434 1993 and Theo Reserve BS440 .M434 1993ISBN: 9780195046458Publication Date: 1993-10-14
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Life in Biblical Israel by
This special-edition volume of the Library of Ancient Israel, based on the latest research, presents a vivid description of the world of Ancient Israel, covering such topics as domestic life, the means of existence, cultural expression, and religious practices. With over 175 full-color pictures and illustrations, Life in Biblical Israelopens the door to everyday life in biblical Israel for all readers. This volume is perfect for classrooms, coffee tables, and personal use. Volumes in the Library of Ancient Israel draw on multiple disciplines--such as archaeology, anthropology, sociology, linguistics, and literary criticism--to illuminate the everyday realities and social subtleties these ancient cultures experienced. This series employs sophisticated methods resulting in original contributions that depict the reality of the people behind the Hebrew Bible and interprets these insights for a wide variety of readers.
Call Number: Stamps Stacks DS112 .K48 2001ISBN: 0664221483Publication Date: 2002-01-01
Manners and Customs in the Bible (3rd ed.) by
Fully updated with vivid new photos and images, this resource will help readers gain valuable cultural background on the biblical world. Each chapter introduces the political and physical setting of specific periods in Israel's history, and outlines the basic structure of its social world.
Call Number: THEO DS112 .M33 2006ISBN: 9781565637047
Daily Life in Biblical Times by Call Number: THEO DS112 .B63 2003ISBN: 9781589830424Publication Date: 2003-03-01
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The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Ancient Israel by
The Companion to Ancient Israel offers an innovative overview of ancient Israelite culture and history, richly informed by a variety of approaches and fields. Distinguished scholars provide original contributions that explore the tradition in all its complexity, multiplicity and diversity. A methodologically sophisticated overview of ancient Israelite culture that provides insights into political and social history, culture, and methodology Explores what we can say about the cultures and history of the people of Israel and Judah, but also investigates how we know what we know Presents fresh insights, richly informed by a variety of approaches and fields Delves into 'religion as lived,' an approach that asks about the everyday lives of ordinary people and the material cultures that they construct and experience Each essay is an original contribution to the subject
ISBN: 9780470656778Publication Date: 2016-01-26
Atlases/Historical Geography
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The Carta Bible Atlas by
271 two-color maps and text depicting religious, political, military, and economic events of the Old Testament, Second Temple, Intertestamental, New Testament, and Early Church periods in Bible history. Illuminating maps and text are illustrations of statues and likenesses, tools and weapons, coins and artifacts. In addition, there are valuable appendices, a detailed comparative chronology of early civilizations, a key to the maps according to the books of the Bible, and a new index to persons, making this work the most comprehensive Bible atlas available. Book jacket.
Call Number: Stamps Reference Floor and Stacks G2230 .A2 2002ISBN: 9652204870Publication Date: 2004-01-01
The IVP Atlas of Bible History by
A 2007 ECPA Christian Book Award WinnerTaking a narrative approach, The IVP Atlas of Bible History draws you into the rich resources available today on the Bible's history, geography and archaeology. The many maps, photographs, drawings and reconstructions on every page help you see for yourself what the people of Bible times saw and did. The Atlas presents the latest findings in history and archaeology in a readable style that will appeal to anyone wanting to know more about the history of the Bible.The world of the Bible deals with more than the modern state of Israel. Almost half of the events in the Bible are set outside this territory, and much of the Bible is addressed to people in other lands. Thus this atlas covers the world of the Bible, stretching from Spain to Iran, from Yemen to northern Greece. Trade widened these horizons even further to include India and possibly China and the east coast of Africa.The history of the Bible is played out on the stages of Egypt, Rome, Babylon and Persia. Many of the places in the ancient world are still important today, like Jerusalem, Damascus and Athens. These all play their role in the story that has shaped the imaginations and dreams of peoples and nations for centuries. All this, and more, is found in the pages of this enlightening, wonderful book.
Call Number: THEO REF BS630 .L38 2006ISBN: 9780830824526
The Land of the Bible: a Historical Geography (2nd ed.) by Call Number: THEO BS630 .A4213 1979ISBN: 0664242669
Books on Old Testament Archaeology/Background/Culture and History
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Archaeology of the Land of the Bible by Call Number: Stamps Ref Floor BS621 .A73 1990 v.1 & v. 2ISBN: 9780385239707
The Archaeology of the Bible by
Taking the reader on a fascinating journey around the archaeological remains of the Ancient Near East, The Archaeology of the Bible provides a review of Bible history and examines the role of archaeology in understanding the biblical text. Beginning with Genesis and the origins of the world, it follows the Bible narrative right through to the early churches of Revelation. Beautifully illustrated, the book is interspersed with stories from the author's own experience as an archaeologist, bringing the thrill of archaeological discovery vividly to life. It is an ideal introduction for anyone interested in learning more about the societies and events of the Ancient Near East and how they affect our understanding of the Bible.
Call Number: THEO BS621 .H644 2008ISBN: 9780745952260
The Lives of Ordinary People in Ancient Israel: When Archaeology and the Bible Intersect by Call Number: THEO DS112 .D48 2012ISBN: 9780802867018
Israelite Religions: An Archaeological and Biblical Survey by Call Number: THEO BM165 .H47 2007ISBN: 9780801027178
Additional Historical/Archaeological Monograph
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Did I Not Bring Israel Out of Egypt? Biblical, Archaeological, and Egyptological Perspectives on the Exodus Narratives by
The Hebrew Scriptures consider the exodus from Egypt to be Israel's formative and foundational event. Indeed, the Bible offers no other explanation for Israel's origin as a people. It is also true that no contemporary record regarding a man named Moses or the Israelites generally, either living in or leaving Egypt has been found. Hence, many biblical scholars and archaeologists take a skeptical attitude, dismissing the exodus from the realm of history. However, the contributors to this volume are convinced that there is an alternative, more positive approach. Using textual and archaeological materials from the ancient Near East in a comparative way, in conjunction with the Torah's narratives and with other biblical texts, the contributors to this volume (specialists in ancient Egypt, ancient Near Eastern culture and history, and biblical studies) maintain that the reports in the Hebrew Bible should not be cavalierly dismissed for ideological reasons but, rather, should be deemed to contain authentic memories.
ISBN: 9781575064291Publication Date: 2016-05-19
