How did the ancient Israelites view and measure time? The Hebrew Bible, the chief source of information for Israelite time-reckoning during the monarchic period (ca. 1000-586 B.C.E.), contains chrono
This book evaluates the theory that the Persian Empire authorized and influenced the formation of the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Jewish and Christian Bibles. Seven chapters detail the th
Hoffner (emeritus Hittology, U. of Chicago) introduces non-specialists to the rich epistolary documentation of the ancient Hittite kingdom, located in what is now Turkey about 1600-1200 BC. First he e
Reventlow (emeritus Old Testament exegesis and theology and Protestant theology, U. of the Ruhr, Germany) begins here a four-volume series tracing more than two millennia of biblical interpretation. T
Although the Persians are seldom mentioned explicitly in the Hebrew Bible, the Persian period (539–331 B.C.E.) gave new shape to ancient Israel, as the biblical text evolved and the foundations of the
The sanctuary and rituals that formed the heart of ancient Judaism ceased to exist a long time ago, yet their images and concepts, especially that of “sacrifice,” have remained essential to the rhetor
According to the biblical image of Israel's history, the time before the Israelite state can be divided into two periods: the conquest and division of the land (Joshua) and Israel's self-preservation
The Bible is an ancient book, written in a language other than English, describing social and cultural situations incongruent with modern sensibilities. To help readers bridge these gaps, this work ex
Eastman (New Testament Greek and Christian history, Yale Divinity School) identifies four broad practices--places, stories, objects and rituals, and patronage relationships--through which Christians c
This second volume of studies by members of the SBL Seminar on Ancient Myths and Modern Theories of Christian Origins reassesses the agenda of modern scholarship on Paul and the Corinthians. The contr
This introduction to, commentary on, and translation into English of the first book of letters by Quintus Aurelius Symmachus shows the leading orator and statesman of the fourth-century Roman Senate d
Interpreting Exile considers forced displacement and deportation in ancient Israel and comparable modern contexts in order to offer insight into the realities of war and exile in ancient Israel and th
Priestly functionaries occupy a paramount position in the study of the Hebrew Bible. Despite more than a century of critical research, questions still abound regarding social location and definitions
Reading the Epistle to the Hebrews: A Resource for Students addresses major issues in the interpretation of this important but complex biblical text and provides an introduction to contemporary schola
This book presents an up-to-date discussion of the Roman imperial cult (the divinization of the emperor) and its general importance in early Christianity and ancient Mediterranean religions. It featur
