John J. Collins's A Short Introduction to the Hebrew Bible 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 Introduction to the Hebrew Bible is combined with even more student-friendly features, including charts, maps, photographs, chapter summaries, and bibliographies for further reading. 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. The third edition is presented in a new and engaging format with new maps and images. An index has been added to the volume for the first time.

When Jean Louis Ska's Introduzione alla lettura del Pentateuco was first published in Italy, it was quickly hailed as the most attractive and usable introduction to the Pentateuch to appear in modern times. Because of its strengths, it was soon translated into French. The English translation published by Eisenbrauns has been completely reviewed and updated (including the bibliography) by Ska. Among the book's many strengths are its close attention to the ways in which modern cultural history has affected Pentateuchal interpretation, attention to providing the kinds of examples that are helpful to students, presentation of a good balance between the history of interpretation and the data of the text, and the clarity of Ska's writing. For both students and scholars, many consider this book the best contemporary introduction to the Pentateuch.

The volume focuses on variants between the Masoretic Text and the Samaritan Pentateuch prompted by graphic similarities between letters. As a phenomenon that occurs during the transmission of ancient texts, an in-depth study of the linguistic and paleographic background of these variants provides fruitful ground for the exploration of the Pentateuch transmission. This volume gathers all the relevant variants from the Masoretic Text and the Samaritan Pentateuch, comparing them to further witnesses, primarily the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Septuagint. Each case is examined independently through a linguistic analysis of the variants, their process of development and an evaluation of which version is preferable (when possible). It then presents a statistical analysis of the data. Moreover, the volume offers a paleographic analysis of the interchanging letters in the three relevant scripts – Hebrew, Jewish, and Samaritan script. Through this process it determines the script in which the variants have occurred and estimates the chronological framework of the variants. This study has implications for the textual history of the Samaritan Pentateuch and, more broadly, for the distribution of the Pentateuch and the extent of its transmission in the late Second Temple period.

Applying scriptural insight to contemporary issues is one of the most important, yet most difficult, tasks that the church faces. The Bible, though written long ago, can speak authoritatively to contemporary ethical, doctrinal, and practical issues. Respected author I. Howard Marshall offers guidance for this perennial task in Beyond the Bible. Using a "principled approach," Marshall moves from Scripture itself to contemporary understanding and application of Scripture. He examines how principles can be established from Scripture, whether explicitly or implicitly, and explores how the continuing development of insight can provide us with guidelines for the ongoing task of developing and applying Christian theology. Responses from Kevin Vanhoozer and Stanley Porter are included. Students and scholars of the Bible and theology will be interested in this latest work from I. Howard Marshall, and it offers an accessible approach to a perennial topic of concern that pastors, church leaders, and interested laity will appreciate. Beyond the Bible is the first book of the Acadia Studies in Bible and Theology series. Produced in partnership with Acadia Divinity College in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, this series gathers leading authorities to succinctly assess the major issues faced by the twenty-first century church and present their findings in a way that is rewarding to scholars yet accessible to students, pastors and laity. Readers will gain a fresh understanding of important issues that will enable them to take part meaningfully in discussion and debate. Series editors are Craig A. Evans and Lee Martin McDonald. Forthcoming series volumes will include contributions from J. D. G. Dunn, John J. Collins, and Craig Evans.

A seasoned interpreter presents a "principled approach," showing how the Bible, though written long ago, can speak authoritatively on contemporary ethical, doctrinal, and practical issues.

What is the Bible? How did it get to us? Why are translations so different? And what influence has the Bible had on culture? From its very first pages, The Bible: An Introduction, Third Edition, offers clear answers to the most basic questions that first-time students and curious inquirers bring to the Bible. Without presuming either prior knowledge of the Bible or a particular attitude toward it, Jerry L. Sumney uses straightforward language to lead the reader on an exploration of the Bible's contents and the history of its writings, showing how critical methods help readers understand what they find in the Bible. Filled with maps, charts, illustrations, and color photographs to enhance the student's experience with the text. This third edition offers a number of revisions and a new section on the deuterocanonical books. Neither polemical nor apologetic, The Bible presents the biblical writings as the efforts of men and women in the past to understand their lives and their world in light of the ways they understood the divine.

J. I. Packer maintains that anyone who wants to know God will want to know as much as they can of what is in the Bible. For through it God reveals himself and his purpose to us; and in it we discover his fellowship and grace. Packer presents the case for reliability of the Bible and urges us to return with open hearts to reading God's word, and to discovering its overwhelming power in our lives.This challenging sequel to Knowing God is a great resource for the Christian journey.