Now, after over three decades of studying and teaching Isaiah, Alec Motyer presents a wealth of commentary and perspective on this book. His emphasis is on the grammatical, historical, structural, literary and theological dimensions of the text. Though based on the Hebrew text, his exposition easily accomodates readers without a working knowledge of biblical Hebrew. And he writes with an interest in Isaiah's meaning for Christians today. Along the historical timeline on which the Isaianic prophecies are strung, Motyer finds three central and recurring themes: the messianic hope, the motif of the city and the theology of the Holy One of Israel. Moreover, he argues, the Isaianic literature is organized around three messianic portraits: the King (Isaiah 1-37), the Servant (Isaiah 38-55) and the Anointed Conqueror (Isaiah 56-66). Preachers, teachers and serious Bible students of all types will find this commentary a wise, winsome and welcome guide to the prophecy of Isaiah. It may easily be the best one-volume evangelical commentary on Isaiah available today.

    It's the laypeople's Bible down to earth, clearly written, easy to read and understand, filled with practical and contemporary applications. Each volume includes that book's complete text from the NIV Bible. The Christ-centered commentaries following the Scripture sections contain explanations of the text, historical background, maps, illustrations, and archaeological information. The People's Bible commentaries are great for personal or group study. Samuel's mother, Hannah, dedicated her young son to the work of the Lord. Samuel grew up to become one of Israel's great prophets and led God's people through turbulent times. The two books of Samuel tell the story of this great leader who anointed the first two kings of Israel, Saul and David.

    Recent developments like the publication of the Aramaic Enoch fragments from Qumran and interest in questions of genre in the study of the apocalypses make this a particularly appropriate time to undertake this study. Martha Himmelfarb places the apocalypses in relation to both their biblical antecedents and their context in the Greco-Roman world. Her analysis emphasizes the emergence of the understanding of heaven as temple in the Book of the Watchers, the earliest of these apocalypses, and the way in which this understanding affects the depiction of the culmination of ascent, the hero's achievement of a place among the angels, in the ascent apocalypses generally. It also considers the place of secrets of nature and primeval history in these works. Finally, it offers an interpretation of the pseudepigraphy of the apocalypses and their function.

    Shaking traditional views, this book sets the "sacred language"within the life and dynamics of Hebrew thinkingoa method that makes learning Hebrew easy, exciting, and theologically relevant. Doukhan uses both deductive and inductive methods in order to make his case. The book contains original mnemonic devices and tables, and a brief summary of Hebrew grammar and vocabulary at the end of the book.

    Kings constantly presupposes knowledge of the remainder of the story of Israel and invites reflection upon itself in the light of the prophetic writings and of the New Testament. It is examined here as narrative literature with historiographical intent, designed to teach its readers about God and the Ways of God. Provan does a masterful job of drawing the reader's attention to themes that are repeated in Kings, such as the theme of God's promise and how it is fulfilled among God's people. He has succeeded in making Kings a more readily accessible book.

    and the conquest of Egypt by Alexander the Great in 332 B.C.E., after which Egypt became part of the Hellenistic world. It was a time when Libyans, Kushites, Persians, and Greeks ascended to the throne more frequently than did indigenous kings. The history of this phase of pharaonic Egypt, marked by rapid changes in rule, has been relatively neglected until now.Egypt had become increasingly involved in the affairs of its Near Eastern neighbors (Assyria, Babylon, and Persia) and of the Mediterranean world. These many cultures greatly enriched and influenced pharaonic traditions. At the same time, Egyptian civilization extended far beyond the borders of Egypt itself. One of the most important cultural products of this period is the Old Testament, called here "an inestimable source of information on daily life in pharaonic Egypt". Mysliwiec perceives in recent archaeological discoveries clear evidence that the First Millennium B.C.E. was witness to more than a slow, progressive dying out of the pharaonic past; new and creative elements profoundly altered the culture of Ancient Egypt.Originally published in Polish, The Twilight of Ancient Egypt appeared in 1998 in a German edition. The Cornell edition has been updated by the author and also contains previously unpublished photographs of recently discovered treasures.

    This indispensable collection of biblical information has illustrations of biblical sites as they exist today, masterworks of religious art, and information on virtually all of the characters in the Old and New Testaments.

    Where is that song of praise in the Christian's life today?The responsorial psalm of the Sunday liturgy both summarizes the Word of God for the day and invites the community to join, mind and spirit, in affirming their part in that Word. Many books have examined the readings of the Sunday Lectionary. Sing a New Song focuses on the psalms (1991 NAB translation), grouping them by genre, then considering each in its relationship to the set of readings it accompanies.While the insights of scholarship are used, the intent of the work is to inspire more insightful and imaginative celebration of God's Word. It will therefore be of service to those who preach the Word, those who plan the liturgy and provide music, and most of all to everyone who prays and is nourished by the Sunday readings.

    Rex Mason's doctoral dissertation in the early 1970s contributed significantly to the foundation of this consensus. However, although Mason's thesis remains a seminal work for those studying Deutero-Zechariah, it has never been published. This volume contains the first publication of that work together with reflections from leading biblical scholars who have published onZechariah 9-14. The volume is rounded off with a response by Mason to these scholars and a reflection on his own contribution thirty years ago.Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement series, Volume 370.

    An accessible approach to critical evaluation of the Old Testament, this book includes a detailed discussion of the transmittal of the Bible during the period of the Second Temple as well as extensive information on textual and literary criticism, including the relevance of the historical context.

    Bruce provide exegesis, exposition, notes on background, date, and authorship. Fresh translation and NRSV text.