Dictionary of the Old Testament: Historical Books

Bill T. Arnold, H. G. M. Williamson

• Publisher: IVP Academic
• Year: 2011
• Print ISBN: 9780830817825
• eBook ISBN: 9780830869466
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Biblical Criticism & Interpretation

Edited by Bill T. Arnold and Hugh G. M. Williamson, the Dictionary of the Old Testament: Historical Books picks up where the Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch left off—with Joshua and Israel poised to enter the land—and carries us through the postexilic period. Following in the tradition of the award-winning IVP dictionaries focused on the New Testament, this encyclopedic work is characterized by in-depth articles focused on key topics, many of them written by noted experts. The history of Israel forms the skeletal structure of the Old Testament. Understanding this history and the biblical books that trace it is essential to comprehending the Bible. The Dictionary of the Old Testament: Historical Books is the only reference book focused exclusively on these biblical books and the history of Israel. The dictionary presents articles on numerous historical topics as well as major articles focused on the books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, Ezra and Nehemiah. Other articles focus on the Deuteronomistic History as well as the Chronicler's History, the narrative art of Israel's historians, innerbiblical exegesis, text and textual criticism, and the emergence of these books as canonical. One feature is a series of eight consecutive articles on the periods of Israel's history from the settlement to postexilic period, which form a condensed history of Israel within the DOTHB. Syro-Palestinian archaeology is surveyed in one article, while significant archaeological sites receive focused treatment, usually under the names of biblical cities and towns such as Jerusalem and Samaria, Shiloh and Shechem, Dan and Beersheba. Other articles delve into the histories and cultures of the great neighboring empires—Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia and Persia—as well as lesser peoples, such as the Ammonites, Edomites, Moabites, Philistines and Phoenicians. In addition there are articles on architecture, Solomon's temple, agriculture and animal husbandry, roads and highways, trade and travel, and water and water systems. The languages of Hebrew and Aramaic, as well as linguistics, each receive careful treatment, as well as the role of scribes and their schools, and writing and literacy in ancient Israel and its environs. The DOTHB also canvases the full range of relevant extrabiblical written evidence, with five articles focused on the various non-Israelite written sources as well as articles on Hebrew inscriptions and ancient Near Eastern iconography. Articles on interpretive methods, on hermeneutics and on preaching the Historical Books will assist students and communicators in understanding how this biblical literature has been studied and interpreted, and its proper use in preaching. In the same vein, theological topics such as God, prayer, faith, forgiveness and righteousness receive separate treatment. The history of Israel has long been contested territory, but never more so than today. Much like the quest of the historical Jesus, a quest of the historical Israel is underway. At the heart of the quest to understand the history of Israel and the Old Testament's Historical Books is the struggle to come to terms with the conventions of ancient historiography. How did these writers conceive of their task and to whom were they writing? Clearly the Old Testament historians did not go about their task as we would today. The divine word was incarnated in ancient culture. Rather than being a dictionary of quick answers and easy resolutions readily provided, the DOTHB seeks to set out the evidence and arguments, allowing a range of informed opinion to enrich the conversation. In this way it is hoped that the DOTHB will not only inform its readers, but draw them into the debate and equip them to examine the evidence for themselves.

Scripture Index

(Page numbers refer to the print version.)

Old Testament

Genesis

1, 131, 404

1—2, 8

1—3, 711

1—11, 313, 316, 767

1:1—2:3, 542, 713

1:1—2:4, 697

1:2, 130

1:14, 695

1:16-18, 697

2, 404

2—3, 216, 688

2:7, 8

2:10-14, 709

2:19, 8

3, 902, 989

3:6, 902

3:22-24, 710

4, 404

4:13, 901

4:17-22, 312

5, 309, 712

5:3-32, 312

5:24, 217

6, 20

6:1-4, 711

6:2, 710

6:4, 710

6:5-8, 712

6:7, 8

6:12, 20

6:14-20, 8

8:22, 697

9:1-17, 664

9:11, 517

10, 309, 313

10:1-32, 312

10:4, 373

10:14, 783

10:15-19, 132

10:15-20, 792

10:16, 550

10:18, 792

10:18-19, 317

10:22, 97

11:1-9, 711

11:10-30, 312

11:26—50:26, 708

11:27—12:5, 431

11:31-32, 625

12, 403

12—13, 20

12:1-3, 639, 875

12:6, 132, 712, 891

12:7, 639, 968

12:8, 21, 116, 117

13, 317

13:3, 21, 116, 117

13:18, 391

14, 612

14:14, 194

14:15, 45

14:18, 129, 130, 342, 548, 550

14:19, 130, 342

14:20, 342

14:22, 130, 342

15:2, 45

15:16, 266

15:18, 316, 317

15:18-21, 640

15:19, 120

17, 446

17:1-2, 664

17:1-16, 664

17:3-8, 664

17:6, 351, 446

17:7, 350

17:8, 316, 640

17:9-14, 527, 664

17:10-14, 648

17:14, 517

17:15-16, 664

17:16, 351, 446

18, 391

18—19, 710

18:19, 260

19, 966

19:1-8, 352

19:1-10, 714

19:25, 714

19:29, 714

19:30-38, 440, 705

19:36-38, 23

19:38, 23, 24

20:1...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• InterVarsity Press Project Staff
• InterVarsity Press
• Contents
• Preface
• How to Use This Dictionary
• Abbreviations
• Transliteration of Hebrew
• Contributors
• A
• B
• C
• D
• E
• F
• G
• H
• I
• J
• K
• L
• M
• N
• O
• P
• Q
• R
• S
• T, U, V
• W, X, Y
• Z
• Archaeological Periods
• Palestine
• The Ancient Near East
• Scripture Index
• Subject Index
• Articles Index
• About the Author
• Praise for Dictionary of the Old Testament: Historical Books
• The IVP Bible Dictionary Series
• Copyright