Peoples of the Old Testament World
Overview
The ancient Israelites lived among many nations. Knowing about the people and culture of these nations will enhance your understanding of the Old Testament. Peoples of the Old Testament World provides up-to-date descriptions of the people groups who interacted with and influenced ancient Israel. Detailed accounts by specialists cover each group’s origin, history, rulers, architecture, art, religion, and contacts with biblical Israel.
Part 1 covers the region of Mesopotamia and includes articles on the Sumerians, Babylonians, Assyrians, and Persians. Articles covering the Hittites, Canaanites and Amorites, Phoenicians, Arameans, Philistines, and Egyptians compose the second section. Part 3 explores the people of Transjordan—the Ammonites, Moabites, and Edomites.
Photographs, a chart of chronology, a map of the ancient Near East, and three comprehensive indexes complete the volume.
The Logos Bible Software edition of this volume is designed to encourage and stimulate your study and understanding of Scripture. Biblical passages link directly to your English translations and original-language texts, and important theological concepts link to dictionaries, encyclopedias, and a wealth of other resources in your digital library. In addition, you can perform powerful searches by topic and find what other authors, scholars, and theologians have to say about the Word of God.
- Examines people of the Old Testament and its times through archaeological and historical data
- Includes a variety of tables, maps, and illustrations to enhance study
- Mesopotamia
- Anatolia, Syria-Palestine, and Egypt
- Transjordan
Top Highlights
“The home of the Sumerians was in Mesopotamia, the land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers above the Persian Gulf.” (Page 22)
“The Babylonians were a notable people during the Old Testament period for two reasons. First, from a purely historical perspective, they were God’s instrument of destruction against Jerusalem late in the story of his people. Second and perhaps more importantly, they transmitted and in some cases even originated most of the cultural and religious foundations for the Old Testament world. They and their predecessors the Sumerians established the philosophical and social infrastructure for Israel’s neighbors. So, in addition to the historical contacts between the Babylonians and Israelites, it is important to understand the Babylonian contributions to Old Testament culture and society.” (Page 43)
“The Sumerians are the only one of the thirteen groups to which a chapter of this volume is devoted who are not mentioned in the Bible.1 Yet their influence on ancient Israel, as well as the rest of the ancient Near East, is as fundamental as that of most of the other peoples discussed here.” (Pages 19–20)
“Although the Sumerians no longer existed as a distinct political entity after the conquest of Mesopotamia by Hammurapi of Babylon, their influence lived on.” (Page 40)
“The kings of the Persian Empire were known as Achemenians after an eponymous ancestor, Achemenes (ca. 700).” (Page 110)
- Bill T. Arnold
- Walter R. Bodine
- William C. Gwaltney Jr.
- James K. Hoffmeier
- Harry A. Hoffner Jr.
- Kenneth G. Hoglund
- David M. Howard Jr.
- Gerald L. Mattingly
- Wayne T. Pitard
- Keith N. Schoville
- William A. Ward
- Edwin M. Yamauchi
- Randall W. Younker
Gives a superb introduction to major peoples of the biblical world (e.g., Babylonians, Hittites, Canaanites, Egyptians). The authors successfully assimilate and convey textual and archaeological information using the latest scholarly works as well as time-proven resources.
—Biblical Archaeology
This excellent work will be recognized as the standard encyclopedic reference on the major non-Israelite people groups mentioned in the Old Testament. Not only would it be an important addition to seminary and Bible school libraries, but it is fashioned in a manner to be profitable for secular university libraries. It is expected that it will be a resource for the next generation of scholars.
—Near East Archaelogical Society Bulletin
The book gives a superb introduction to major peoples of the biblical world. The authors successfully assimilate and convey textual and archaelogical information using the latest scholarly works as well as time-proven resources. This book would make a fine textbook for students in an upper level undergraduate class or in a graduate class, a good reference book for well-read lay person, or an excellent resource book for professionals in the field.
—Biblical Archaeologist
A useful volume for students and others who read the Hebrew Bible with predominately historical interests.
—Religious Studies Review
- Title: Peoples of the Old Testament World
- Authors: Alfred J. Hoerth, Gerald L. Mattingly, and Edwin Yamauchi
- Publisher: Baker Academic
- Publication Date: 1998
- Pages: 400
Alfred J. Hoerth recently retired as the director of archaeology at Wheaton College, where he taught for almost 30 years.
Gerald L. Mattingly is a professor of Bible at Johnson Bible College in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Edwin M. Yamauchi is a professor of history at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He is the author or editor of numerous books, including Persia and the Bible, Greece and Babylon, The Archaeology of New Testament Cities in Asia Minor, Harper’s World of the New Testament, and Africa and Africans in Antiquity.
Reviews
2 ratings
Unix
1/12/2016
Faithlife User
9/17/2014
