The Old Testament World, Second Edition

Written by two leading Old Testament scholars and widely used throughout the world, Davies and Rogerson's The Old Testament World describes the historical and cultural setting in which the Old Testament was written and explains the major genres of literature that it contains. Ideally suited for college-level introductory classes, it illuminates the literature of the Old Testament by showing how it was shaped by the events, social structures, and religious and intellectual ideas of the ancient civilizations in which it was produced. Unlike most introductions, it goes beyond traditional formats and reflects the vast and significant changes that our understanding of the Old Testament has undergone in the recent decades. Rather than using a conventional canonical-theological approach, the book presents the Old Testament as a monumental cultural achievement. Now thoroughly revised and updated to reflect the many developments of recent years, it is arranged according to major topics for study, followed by sections that introduce the major divisions of the text. Illustrated with pictures, maps, and charts.