The Hebrew Bible: A Contemporary Introduction to the Christian Old Testament and the Jewish Tanakh

Discover the historical and social context of one of the most influential works ever written with this authoritative new resource The newly revised second edition of The Hebrew Bible: A Contemporary Introduction to the Christian Old Testament and Jewish Tanakh delivers a brief and up-to-date introduction to the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament in the broader context of world history. Its treatment of the formation of the Bible amidst different historical periods allows readers to understand the biblical texts in context. It also introduces readers to scholarly methods used to explore the formation of the Hebrew Bible and its later interpretation by Jews and Christians. Written by a leading scholar in the field, this new edition incorporates the most recent research on the archaeology and history of early Israel, the formation of the Pentateuch, and the development of the historical and poetic books. Students will benefit from the inclusion of study questions in each chapter, focus texts from the Bible that illustrate major points, timelines, illustrations, photographs and a glossary to help them retain knowledge. The book also includes: A deepened and up-to-date focus on recent methods of biblical study, including trauma studies, African American, womanist, and ecocritical approaches to the Bible An orientation to multiple bibles, translations and digital resources for study of the Bible An exploration of the emergence of ancient Israel, its first oral traditions and its earliest writings Discussions of how major features of the Bible reflect communal experiences of trauma and resilience as Israel survived under successive empires of the Ancient Near East. Fuller treatment of the final formation of biblical books in early Judaism, including coverage of diverse early Jewish texts (e.g. Ben Sira, Enoch, Judith) that were revered as scripture before there were more clearly defined Jewish and Christian Bibles Designed for students of seminary courses and undergraduate students taking an introduction to the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, this second edition of The Hebrew Bible also will interest general readers with interest in the formation of the Bible.

Table of Contents:
List of Figures vi List of Maps viii List of Boxes ix Preface xii Acknowledgments xiv List of Abbreviations xvi Overview of the Historical Period xvii Timeline xviii Prologue: Orientation to Multiple Bibles and Multiple Translations 1 1 Studying the Bible in Its Ancient Context(s) 15 2 The Emergence of Ancient Israel and Its First Oral Traditions 33 3 Beginnings of the Monarchy and Royal and Zion Texts 53 4 Echoes of Past Empires in Biblical Wisdom, Love Poetry, Law, and Narrative 71 5 Narrative and Prophecy amidst the Rise and Fall of the Northern Kingdom 91 6 Micah, Isaiah, and the Southern Prophetic Encounter with Assyria 115 7 Torah and History in the Wake of the Assyrian Empire 131 8 Prophecy in the Transition from Assyrian to Babylonian Domination 153 9 Laments, History, and Prophecies after the Destruction of Jerusalem 165 10 Torah and Trauma 187 11 The Torah, the Psalms, and the Persian-Sponsored Rebuilding of Judah 207 12 Other Texts Formed in the Crucible of Post-Exilic Rebuilding 229 13 Hellenistic Empires and the Formation of Multiple Scriptures 245 Glossary 264 Index 273

About the Author :
DAVID M. CARR is Professor of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament at Union Theological Seminary in New York. He is an accomplished scholar and author and has written several books on the formation of the Bible, trauma studies and the Bible, and sexuality and the Bible.

Review :
"Not only does this textbook place the biblical writings within their different historical periods in a way that helps students to understand them in their respective backgrounds, but it also introduces students to a wide range of scholarly methods, equipping them to explore the compositional process of the biblical material."