A Light to the Nations: An Introduction to the Old TestamentA Light to the Nations is a singularly well-organized survey of ancient Israel in its historical continuity, with special attention to the literature of the Old Testament viewed through the lens of historical-critical method. The book interweaves literary, historical and theological approaches, combining the best features of other scholarly texts that are strong in only one of these points of view. Thus it is not just an exegesis of the biblical books, nor simply a history of Israel, nor purely a theological study, but a synthesis of the interests and values of all three. Throughout, connections between the faith of Israel and that of the later synagogue and church are stressed. An immensely useful section on Canon and Text gives the student a knowledge of the Old Testament's ancestry that is foundational to studying the biblical text. The book is richly supplied with maps, illustrations, a glossary, recommended further reading, and translations of eleven chief ancient Near Eastern texts related to the Bible. |
Contents
5 | |
15 | |
21 | |
29 | |
37 | |
Translations | 46 |
THE OLD TESTAMENT WORLD | 57 |
The Fertile Crescent | 59 |
The Elohist | 246 |
The Origins of Hebrew Prophecy | 254 |
THE COLLAPSE OF ISRAEL | 266 |
Hebrew Prophecy | 273 |
Amos | 281 |
Hosea | 291 |
Micah | 305 |
NeoBabylonia and the Fall of Judah 700587 B C | 327 |
Palestine | 69 |
Old Testament Palestine | 79 |
THE FATHERS OF ISRAEL | 85 |
The Patriarchal Traditions | 92 |
THE PEOPLE OF THE COVENANT | 102 |
The Mosaic Traditions | 109 |
The Exodus | 119 |
Traditional Southern Route of the Exodus | 122 |
The Originality of Moses | 126 |
The Religion of Moses | 134 |
THE SETTLEMENT OF THE LAND | 145 |
The Traditions of Joshua | 152 |
Tribal Allotments in Canaan Joshua 1321 | 154 |
The Settlement Reconstructed | 160 |
Song of Deborah | 171 |
Religion During the Settlement | 177 |
Saul | 184 |
David | 191 |
Solomon | 202 |
The Secession of the North | 211 |
THE KINGDOM DISRUPTED | 234 |
Deuteronomy | 334 |
Nahum | 346 |
Jeremiah | 352 |
THE PEOPLE IN EXILE | 372 |
Ezekiel | 380 |
The Rise of Persia 550538 B C | 398 |
The Restored Community 538333 B C | 428 |
Postexilic Prophecy | 436 |
The Priestly Code | 448 |
Wisdom Literature | 463 |
RECONSTRUCTION UNDER THE HELLENISTS | 495 |
The Psalms | 503 |
Religious Fiction | 514 |
Apocalyptic | 524 |
Intertestamental Judaism | 533 |
Glossary | 539 |
553 | |
Near Eastern Texts Related to the Old Testament | 565 |
597 | |
609 | |
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Common terms and phrases
Abraham Amorite Amos ancient apocalyptic appears Arabah Assyria Baal Babylon Babylonian Bible biblical Canaan Canaanite century chap chapters Christian covenant critics cult cultural David deity Deutero-Isaiah Deuteronomy divine dynasty Egypt Egyptian Elijah Exile Exod Exodus Ezekiel faith father Genesis God's gods Greek Habiru Hebrew holy Hosea human interpretation Isaiah Israel Israelite Jacob Jeremiah Jeroboam Jerusalem Jesus Jewish Jews Joshua Judah Judaism Judean Judges Kadesh king kingdom lament land later literary Lord Marduk means Midianites monarchy monotheism moral Mosaic Moses mountain narratives nations northern Old Testament oracles original Palestine patriarchs Pentateuch Philistines poems poetic political postexilic prečxilic priest priestly probably prophecy prophet Psalms reign religion religious righteous ritual Samuel Saul scholars Semitic sense Servant Shechem social Solomon Song spirit story symbolic temple theory thou Tiamat tion tradition tribes vision words worship writing Yahweh Yahwist