An examination of MT Esther’s relationship to the Joseph story, this study employs recent advances in author-oriented biblical intertextuality to address the debate concerning the religious purpose of the Scroll. While previous scholarship has seen Esther’s divine silence indicating God’s hidden hand, the characters’ or readers’ quiet faiths, or the secular concerns of an ancient Jewish nationalism, key aspects of Esther’s allusive character illustrate how the book purposefully constructs a theology of divine absence. As good-looking Israelites continue to rise in foreign courts to deliver themselves and their people from imminent dangers, the patterns God initiated in the Egyptian past are shown to extend into the Persian present even when the divine remains out of sight. Since this diachronically-oriented analysis suggests this theological interest was developed by Esther’s authors, it engages with Esther’s ancient Greek witnesses to demonstrate that the MT redactors altered an earlier version of the Scroll to position the Hebrew Megillah alongside Joseph’s instructive backdrop. By attending to these historical and interpretive issues, this work thus speaks to both Scroll scholarship and the study of inner-biblical allusions.

This unique commentary provides historical, social and cultural background for each passage of the Old Testament. From Genesis through Malachi, this single volume gathers and condenses an abundance of specialized knowledge, and includes a glossary, maps and charts, and expanded explanations of significant background issues.

A Companion to Renaissance and Baroque Art provides a diverse, fresh collection of accessible, comprehensive essays addressing key issues for European art produced between 1300 and 1700, a period that might be termed the beginning of modern history. Presents a collection of original, in-depth essays from art experts that address various aspects of European visual arts produced from circa 1300 to 1700 Divided into five broad conceptual headings: Social-Historical Factors in Artistic Production; Creative Process and Social Stature of the Artist; The Object: Art as Material Culture; The Message: Subjects and Meanings; and The Viewer, the Critic, and the Historian: Reception and Interpretation as Cultural Discourse Covers many topics not typically included in collections of this nature, such as Judaism and the arts, architectural treatises, the global Renaissance in arts, the new natural sciences and the arts, art and religion, and gender and sexuality Features essays on the arts of the domestic life, sexuality and gender, and the art and production of tapestries, conservation/technology, and the metaphor of theater Focuses on Western and Central Europe and that territory's interactions with neighboring civilizations and distant discoveries Includes illustrations as well as links to images not included in the book

The New International Encyclopedia of Bible Characters is a complete index of every person named in the Bible, from Aaron to Zurishadai. Discover the roles that men and women—from the obscure to the famous to the infamous—have played in the unfolding story of Scripture. Entries range from one-line biblical references for minor characters to full-length articles that address the theological significance of over forty major figures. With entries based on the New International Version?today's most read, most trusted Bible translation?this easy-to-use volume will help pastors, teachers, students, and church workers quickly and easily identify and understand the importance of every person in the Bible. The New International Encyclopedia of Bible Characters features contributions from top biblical scholars of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. In addition to the alphabetic name-entries, twenty supporting articles shed light on topics of particular interest and relevance, such as: Kings of Judah and Israel Women in the Bible Children in the Bible The Apostles Pharisees The Elderly in the Bible Angels in the Bible Jewish Genealogies —ZONDERVAN'S UNDERSTAND THE BIBLE REFERENCE SERIES— This four-volume series supplies users of today's most popular modern Bible translation, and New International Version, with scholarly, economical, and uncompromisingly evangelical study tools. It includes: New International Bible Commentary New International Encyclopedia of Bible Words New International Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties New International Encyclopedia of Bible Characters

Paul M. Lederach presents the stories and dream-visions of Daniel with wisdom drawn from years of developing curriculum materials and teaching and preaching in the church. He sees in Daniel a persistent call to endurance and loyality to God, even while believers suffer for their faith, pray for deliverance, and speak truth to kings. God’s reign is ever present and moving to fullness in God's own way. Although ruling beasts may rampage for a while, God is sovereign over history and cuts their time short. This Old Testament apocalyptic book interprets ancient history through signs and symbols. It predicts a future in which martyrs are raised to everlasting life and share in the triumph of God’s kingdom, which shall fill the whole earth.

This books examines the life of William Dunn, colonist. He and his family lived in Enfield, Connecticut; Sussex, New Jersey; and Wyoming Valley, Pennsylvania. Four of his sons participated in the Revolutionary War.

Rediscover the incomparable literary richness and strength of a book that all of us live with an many of us live by. An international team of renowned scholars, assembled by two leading literary critics, offers a book-by-book guide through the Old and New Testaments as well as general essays on the Bible as a whole, providing an enticing reintroduction to a work that has shaped our language and thought for thousands of years.

The gospel story begins in Torah. What culminates at Golgotha starts with the rebellion in the garden. The Torah's story can be framed as a question: How will the word of God overcome the human revolution? Torah Story offers a student-friendly introduction to the redemptive narrative housed in the first five books of the Bible. Every main chapter introduces a section of Torah with attention to its basic structure. This is followed by another look at how this portion of Torah connects to the rest of the Christian Bible. The dynamic design includes opportunities in every chapter to make the most of Torah study including: Helps for getting started (focus questions, key terms, outline) An interactive workshop with challenge questions and advanced questions Suggestions for research projects Next steps for further study A refreshingly new approach to the Torah--neither an introduction nor a commentary--Torah Story provides an apprenticeship on the Old Testament's first five books. But it also provides a model of how to read Scripture intertextually with an eye to the New Testament gospels. It leaves no doubt as to the overarching unity of the message and composition of the Pentateuch. The second edition is streamlined and simplified throughout, with updated examples and new sidebars and imagery.

Paul R. House provides a comprehensive theology of the Old Testament, carefully exploring each Old Testament book, thematically summarizing its content and showing its theological significance within the whole of the Old Testament canon.