The Old Testament World

(Paperback)

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Description

Written by two leading Old Testament scholars with a wide range of expertise, this unique introduction describes the historical, social and cultural setting in which the Old Testament was written and a description of the major genres of literature that it contains. It seeks therefore to illuminate the literature of the Old Testament by showing how it was shaped by the events, social structures, and religions and intellectual ideas of the ancient civilizations and cultures in which it was produced. Unlike most Introductions, it does not build largely on the traditional formats. It also reflects the huge changes that our understanding of the Old Testament has undergone in the recent decades Rather than a conventional canonical-theological approach, the book offers an approach for those interested in the Old Testament as a monumental cultural achievement, ideal for students of ancient history and religion in general as well as theology, and requires a minimum of prior knowledge or expertise.

Reviews

'...provides essential background information about Israel's culture, institutions and literature, as well as valuable insights into the geographical and ecological context, and the wider history of the Middle East in the second and first millennia BC...reader-friendly guide' -- John Barton * TLS *

Author Bio

Philip R. Davies is Professor Emeritus of Biblical Studies at the University of Sheffield, UK. Professor John Rogerson is a former head of the department of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Sheffield and Canon Emeritus of Sheffield Cathedral.