A Short Introduction to the Hebrew Bible (4th Edition)

This compact version of John J. Collins's renowned textbook is combined with student-friendly features. The 4th edition is supplemented in areas that go beyond historical criticism and answer questions crucial for students today, including patriarchy, environment, and race.|<p>John J. Collins's <i>A Short Introduction to the Hebrew Bible</i> is one of the most popular introductory textbooks in colleges and seminary classrooms. Enriched by decades of classroom teaching, it is aimed explicitly at motivated students, regardless of their previous exposure to the Bible or faith commitments. This more compact version of Collins's renowned <i>Introduction to the Hebrew Bible</i> is combined with even more student-friendly features, including charts, maps, photographs, chapter summaries, and bibliographies for further reading.</p>

<p>Collins proceeds through the canon of the Old Testament and the Apocrypha, judiciously presenting the current state of historical, archaeological, and literary understanding of the biblical text, and engaging the student in questions of significance and interpretation for the contemporary world.</p> <p>The fourth edition is supplemented in areas that go beyond historical criticism and answer questions crucial for students today. John J. Collins discusses the issues that arise when studying the Hebrew Bible that aren't always addressed in introductory textbooks. The issues discussed include gender, patriarchy, social justice, violence, race and ethnicity, environment, salvation and death, the messiah, and colonialism. In addition tothe new essays, John J. Collins has updated bibliographies to include the most recent scholarship that students and professors need to know.</p>|<p>John J. Collins's <i>A Short Introduction to the Hebrew Bible</i>&#8239;is one of the most popular introductory textbooks in colleges and seminary classrooms. Enriched by decades of classroom teaching, it is aimed explicitly at motivated students, regardless of their previous exposure to the Bible or faith commitments. This more compact version of Collins's renowned&#8239;<i>Introduction to the Hebrew Bible</i>&#8239;is combined with even more student-friendly features, including charts, maps, photographs, chapter summaries, and bibliographies for further reading.</p> <p>Collins proceeds through the canon of the Old Testament and the Apocrypha, judiciously presenting the current state of historical, archaeological, and literary understanding of the biblical text, and engaging the student in questions of significance and interpretation for the contemporary world.</p> <p>The fourth edition is supplemented in areas that go beyond historical criticism and answer questions crucial for students today. John J. Collins discusses the issues that arise when studying the Hebrew Bible that aren't always addressed in introductory textbooks. The issues discussed include gender, patriarchy, social justice, violence, race and ethnicity, environment, salvation and death, the messiah, and colonialism. In addition tothe new essays, John J. Collins has updated bibliographies to include the most recent scholarship that students and professors need to know.</p>|<p>Introduction: What Are the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament?</p> <p><b>Part One: The Torah/Pentateuch</b></p> <p>The Near Eastern Context</p> <p>The Nature of the Pentateuchal Narrative</p> <p>The Primeval History</p> <p><i>Excursus: Is the Bible Patriarchal?</i></p> <p>The Patriarchs</p> <p>The Exodus from Egypt</p> <p><i>Excursus: Slavery</i></p> <p><b> </b></p> <p>The Revelation at Sinai</p> <p>The Priestly Theology: Leviticus and Numbers</p> <p><i>Excursus: The Bible and Gender</i></p> <p>Deuteronomy</p> <p><i>Excursus: A Chosen People</i></p> <p><b>Part Two: The Deuteronomistic History</b></p> <p>Joshua</p> <p><i>Excursus: A Right to Land?</i></p> <p>Judges</p> <p>First Samuel</p> <p>Second Samuel</p> <p><i>Excursus: Messianic Expectation</i></p> <p>1 Kings 1-16: Solomon and the Divided Monarchy</p> <p>1 Kings 17-2 Kings 25: Tales of Prophets and The End of the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah</p> <p><b>Part 3. Prophecy</b></p> <p>Amos and Hosea</p> <p><i> </i></p> <p><i>Excursus: The Priority of Justice</i></p> <p><b> </b>Isaiah, Micah, Nahum, and Zephaniah</p> <p>The Babylonian Era: Habakkuk, Jeremiah, and Lamentations</p> <p>The Exilic Period: Ezekiel and Obadiah</p> <p><i>Excursus: A Right to Life?</i></p> <p>The Additions to the Book of Isaiah</p> <p>Postexilic Prophecy: Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, Joel, Jonah</p> <p><i>Excursus: A Time to Kill</i></p> <p><b>Part 4. The Writings</b></p> <p>Ezra and Nehemiah</p> <p><i>Excursus: Race and Ethnicity</i></p> <p>The Books of Chronicles</p> <p>The Psalms and Song of Songs</p> <p>Proverbs</p> <p>Job and Qoheleth</p> <p><i>Excursus: The Bible and the Environment</i></p> <p>The Hebrew Short Story: Ruth, Esther, Tobit, Judith</p> <p>Daniel, 1-2 Maccabees</p> <p><i>Excursus: Salvation</i></p> <p>The Deuterocanonical Wisdom Books: Ben Sira, the Wisdom of Solomon, Baruch</p> <p>From Tradition to Canon</p> <p><i>Excursus: What is Scripture?</i></p> <p><b> </b></p> <p>Glossary</p>