Table of Contents

Preface.
Introduction: Reading the Bible.
Part 1: TORAH: PROLOGUE TO THE TORAH.
1. Genesis 1-11: The Primeval Story.
2. Genesis 12-50: The Ancestral Story.
3. Exodus: Deliverance and Covenant.
4. Leviticus and Numbers: In the Wilderness.
5. Deuteronomy: The Torah of Moses.
Part 2: PROPHETS: PROLOGUE TO THE PROPHETS.
6. Joshua: The Conquest of Canaan.
7. Judges: Securing the Land.
8. Samuel: The Rise of Kingship.
9. Kings 1: The Early Monarchy.
10. Kings 2: The Assyrian Crisis.
11. Kings 3: The Babylonian Crisis.
12. Exilic Prophecy: Hope for the Future.
13. Post-exilic Prophecy: Return and Restoration.
Part 3: WRITINGS: PROLOGUE TO THE WRITINGS.
14. Psalms: Complaint and Thanksgiving.
15. Proverbs and Job: The Wisdom of Israel.
16. Five Scrolls: Stories of the People.
17. Daniel: From History to Apocalypse.
18. Chronicler's History: Retelling the Story After the Hebrew Bible.
19. Apocrypha: Additions to the Story.
20. Pseudepigrapha: In Their Name.
Conclusion: The Biblical Canon.

About the Author

A respected scholar and teacher in the field of religious and Biblical studies, Barry L. Bandstra received his Ph.D. in Near Eastern Languages and Literature from Yale University. He also holds degrees from Calvin Theological Seminary and the University of Illinois at Urbana. He is the chairman of the Religion Department at Hope College, where his primary teaching fields are Biblical studies and Biblical theology. He also serves as director of instructional technology. In addition to this Old Testament text and the accompanying interactive study guide, Barry Bandstra has published articles and reviews on many aspects of religion and scripture. He is married and has three sons.

Reviews

Preface. Introduction: Reading the Bible. Part 1: TORAH: PROLOGUE TO THE TORAH. 1. Genesis 1-11: The Primeval Story. 2. Genesis 12-50: The Ancestral Story. 3. Exodus: Deliverance and Covenant. 4. Leviticus and Numbers: In the Wilderness. 5. Deuteronomy: The Torah of Moses. Part 2: PROPHETS: PROLOGUE TO THE PROPHETS. 6. Joshua: The Conquest of Canaan. 7. Judges: Securing the Land. 8. Samuel: The Rise of Kingship. 9. Kings 1: The Early Monarchy. 10. Kings 2: The Assyrian Crisis. 11. Kings 3: The Babylonian Crisis. 12. Exilic Prophecy: Hope for the Future. 13. Post-exilic Prophecy: Return and Restoration. Part 3: WRITINGS: PROLOGUE TO THE WRITINGS. 14. Psalms: Complaint and Thanksgiving. 15. Proverbs and Job: The Wisdom of Israel. 16. Five Scrolls: Stories of the People. 17. Daniel: From History to Apocalypse. 18. Chronicler's History: Retelling the Story After the Hebrew Bible. 19. Apocrypha: Additions to the Story. 20. Pseudepigrapha: In Their Name. Conclusion: The Biblical Canon.