Reading the Old Testament: An Introduction to the Hebrew Bible

by Barry L. Bandstra

Intended for the first course on the Old Testament or courses entitled Hebrew Bible offered in departments of religion or religious studies at two- and four-year schools. This text is designed to teach students how to read the Hebrew Bible and how to go about mining the Biblical text for literary, historical, and thematic meaning. This book is accompanied by a CD-ROM that includes the entire text of the Bible, the entire text of the book, and an interactive...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0534213545
• ISBN13: 9780534213541
• Release Date: December 1994
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing Company
• Length: 576 Pages
• Weight: 2.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 7.7" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

very good with the basics

this is prob the easies book to read. its not going to make you a scholar on all the detailed aspects of the bible, but it will definitely teach you about the main aspects and each book

Old Testament Information

I used this book as a primary textbook in two classes: one on the Hebrew prophets, the other a general survey of the Old Testament. I found the book to be quite readable and even enjoyable, in spots. Most of my fellow classmates grumbled about reading this book. They complained that it was boring and lengthy. However, if you have no knowledge of the OT, this book will certainly illuminate the intricacies of the Hebrew Bible. Bandstra manages to maintain a good degree of neutrality with his writing, a process that is not easy to do when writing about the Bible. There is a CD included with the book that has maps, tons of texts and other helpful information that supplements the text. If you are assigned this book for your class, don't worry. You could do much worse.

Great textbook with an interactive CD

Bandstra focusses on the story line of the Hebrew Bible and does an admirable job of integrating historical and literary studies. A student reading this book will have a clear grasp of both the biblical story of Israel's history and the work of modern scholars on the subject. Bandstra writes with a sensitivity to the faith stance of the biblical writers yet does not shy away from critical issues which challenge a facile reading of the biblical texts. He introduces critical biblical scholarship as it becomes relevant to understanding those texts. Students will learn the content of the Hebrew Bible as well as scholarly methods for interpreting biblical texts.The CD included with the book is extremely helpful. It includes the entire text of the book, the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible (with links between the two at relevant points), and a wealth of learning aids for students.