Exploring Biblical Backgrounds - by Derek S Dodson & Katherine E Smith (Paperback)

About the Book

An indispensable companion for understanding how history and ancient ideas resonate in Scripture, Exploring Biblical Backgrounds guides students through the world out of which Scripture grew and prepares readers to hear the voice with which the Bible speaks.

Book Synopsis

Exploring Biblical Backgrounds provides students and teachers with a rich compendium of ancient primary sources that form essential readings for studying both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. Containing a wide range of comparable texts from the ancient Near East, Second Temple Judaism, the Greco-Roman world, and early Christianity, this collection furnishes students with awareness and insight of the various contexts of the Bible and views into important parallels. Headnotes to the sections and to each individual reading enable students to understand how a reading connects to the biblical text, while the expansive Scripture index provides an easy tool for identifying the biblical texts referenced in the introductions.

An indispensable companion for understanding how history and ancient ideas resonate in Scripture, Exploring Biblical Backgrounds guides students through the world out of which Scripture grew and prepares readers to hear the voice with which the Bible speaks.

Review Quotes

Exploring Biblical Backgrounds offers non-specialists a convenient resource for the study of the historical and literary background of the biblical writings. Its accessible and user-friendly format, reliable translations, and value as a possible introduction to more advanced study makes the volume an ideal supplementary textbook for various courses in Old and New Testament while providing a valuable resource for interested readers to expand their knowledge of the biblical world.

--Benjamin Laird "Themelios"

Not meant to cast doubt on the merits of the Bible's truth claims, this book provides a rich resource to better understand Scripture alongside archaeology, history, and grammar. Exploring Biblical Backgrounds is a welcome tool that offers readers the opportunity to become aware of their surroundings and the stimulus to explore further.

--Brent Niedergal "Reading Religion"

About the Author

Derek S. Dodson is a Senior Lecturer and Katherine E. Smith is a Part-Time Lecturer and PhD candidate in the Religion Department at Baylor University.