In brief sections, this book gives an overview of the Old Testament of the Bible—from the primeval history to the period after the Babylonian captivity. When busy people want to know more about the Bible and the Christian faith, the Zondervan Quick-Reference Library offers an instant information alternative in a manageable length. Covering the basics of the faith and Bible knowledge in an easy-to-use format, this series helps new Christians and seasoned believers alike find answers to their questions about Christianity and the Bible. The information in Old Testament History is presented in units of one or two pages, so that each section can be read in a few minutes, covering: The creation account. The patriarchal history. The Exodus and Israel in the desert. The Judges and the united monarchy. The divided kingdoms. The Babylonian exile. The Intertestamental period. The Zondervan Quick-Reference Library makes important knowledge affordable, accessible, and easy to understand for busy people who don’t have a lot of time to read or study.

A team of international authors builds a case for a positive appraisal of biblical Israel. Approaching the authenticity of Scripture from several angles--philosophical, archaeological, and literary--the contributors attack the issues involved in this controversial area.

Provides a discussion of introductory matters such as authorship, date, historical background, purpose, structure, and outline of the historical books of the Old Testament.

Merrill has extensively updated this popular-level Old Testament history to discuss updates in archaeology and textual understanding. It is also more current as a defense of the Bible's accuracy.

The Bible contains the greatest story ever told. It reveals the God of history, who is writing his story through history’s events. It tells us about life, and it itself is life. It tells us about Jesus, God’s Son, who secured salvation for a lost world two thousand years ago. Maybe you’ve tried to read the Bible all the way through before and didn’t finish. Maybe you need a tool to guide you in your journey. That’s what we hope this book will be for you. The Bible is sixty-six books, yet it is one book with one story. It was written over 1,500 years ago, but with one theme—Jesus! The Bible has forty human authors, but one divine author and one central story. It invites us into that story to embrace the life God designed for us. Scripture’s Grand Story can help people with little Bible knowledge achieve a basic framework for grasping the Bible’s main story. Those with a basic understanding of Scripture will benefit by seeing how each story plays a part in the one central story—Jesus.

Despite the fact that the name of many characters mentioned in the Old Testament, like David, King of Israel, have been recently confirmed by archaeology as well as their epoch and the events in which they were involved, most archaeologists continue to deny the historicity of the Bible they view as pious fiction or a mythical account. They argue that the major events in the Bible such as the victory of Abraham against Chedorlaomer, an unknown king of Elam around 2000 BCE, the victory of Moses against an unknown Pharaoh around 1500 BCE or the victory of Esther, an unknown Persian Queen, against an unknown vizier of Xerxes, never existed because they left absolutely no evidence. They also explain that according to what we know today, these events could not have occurred. These logical arguments are impressive but a precise chronological analysis based on absolute dates, coupled with a rigorous historical investigation, shows that all those major events really took place at the dates and places indicated.