An Introduction to the Old Testament
Sacred Texts and Imperial Contexts of the Hebrew Bible
1. Auflage April 2010
296 Seiten, Hardcover
Wiley & Sons Ltd
This comprehensive, introductory textbook is unique in exploring the emergence of the Hebrew Bible in the broader context of world history. It particularly focuses on the influence of pre-Roman empires, empowering students with a richer understanding of Old Testament historiography.
* Provides a historical context for students learning about the development and changing interpretations of biblical texts
* Examines how these early stories were variously shaped by interaction with the Mesopotamian and Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, and Hellenistic empires
* Incorporates recent research on the formation of the Pentateuch
* Reveals how key biblical texts came to be interpreted by Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faiths
* Includes numerous student-friendly features, such as study questions, review sections, bibliographies, timelines, and illustrations and photos
List of Maps.
List of Boxes.
Preface.
Acknowledgments.
List of Abbreviations.
Overview of the Historical Period.
Timeline.
Prologue: Orientation to Multiple Bibles and Multiple
Translations.
1. Studying the Bible in Its Ancient Context(s).
2. The Emergence of Ancient Israel and Its First Oral
Traditions.
3. The Emergence of the Monarchy and Royal and Zion Texts.
4. Echoes of Past Empires in Biblical Wisdom, Love Poetry, Law,
and Narrative.
5. Narrative and Prophecy amidst the Rise and Fall of the
Northern Kingdom.
6. Micah, Isaiah, and the Southern Prophetic Encounter with
Assyria.
7. Torah and History in the Wake of the Assyrian Empire.
8. Prophecy in the Transition from Assyrian to Babylonian
Domination.
9. Laments, History, and Prophecies after the Destruction of
Jerusalem.
10. The Pentateuch and the Exile.
11. The Torah, the Psalms, and the Persian-Sponsored Rebuilding
of Judah.
12. Other Texts Formed in the Crucible of Post-Exilic
Rebuilding.
13. Hellenistic Empires and the Formation of the Hebrew
Bible.
Glossary.
Index.
"An innovative approach to the Hebrew Bible. Instead of surveying
the Bible book-by-book beginning with Genesis, this work
introduces readers to the major works of the Bible by
timeframe. With this approach, it is easier for readers to see
both how biblical works are products of their times and how
they respond to their times - and to some degree, to one
another ... A very readable introduction and a model of judicious
synthesis."
--Mark S. Smith, New York University
"Carr's volume provides a very readable and informative
introduction to the study of the Hebrew Bible for beginning
theological students. He combines a very useful analysis of the
historical and social contexts in which the texts of the Bible were
written together with an insightful account of the contexts in
which they have been read in both Judaism and Christianity."
--Marvin A. Sweeney, Claremont Graduate
University
