Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible

By: Freedman, David Noel

Book Overview

The Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible gathers nearly 5,000 alphabetically ordered articles that thoroughly yet clearly explain all the books, persons, places, and significant terms found in the Bible.... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0802824005
• ISBN13: 9780802824004
• Release Date: October 2000
• Publisher: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
• Length: 1480 Pages
• Weight: 4.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 2.3" x 6.6" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

superb resource!!

Excellent one volume bible dictionary. Treats a tremendouse amount of topics from books of the bible to people, places and things in the bible, and more. Probably the best one volume bible dictionary available. Very up to date research backs the articles, pespectives range from moderate to conservative.

excellent resource

This book is an essential resource for the serious Bible student as well as for the casual reader. I purchased this book as well as the Commentary on the Bible by the same author, after countless times of looking up words found in the Bible, but not in the dictionary! This book is comprehensive and clear as to the meaning of words and phrases, descriptions of people, places, events, including explanations of concepts and words NOT found in the Bible, such as "Trinity." It also contains photographs, maps, practices and customs, and so much more. This book is a must-have and should be part of eveyone's Bible library.

A handy reference

Like many major modern reference works, the 'Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible' is a significant accomplishment of scholarly teamwork. Under the direction of David Noel Freedman, professor of Hebrew biblical studies at the University of California San Diego, two assistant editors and 12 consulting editors marshaled 600 scholars to work on this comprehensive achievement. The authors come from a wide range of backgrounds academically and theologically, but all are committed to the increasing importance of multiple interpretations and interdisciplinary pursuits.Freedman explains something of the scope of this book in the preface, by beginning the Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible by defining both the terms 'bible' and 'dictionary' -- for Bible, the works referenced in this volume include the Hebrew Bible, the Apocryphal and Deuterocanonical books, and the New Testament. For Dictionary, Freedman describes the different kinds of dictionaries of the Bible available -- multi-volume sets such as the Anchor Bible Dictionary, and single-volume editions such as the subject of this present review. The multi-volume sets, Freedman states, should more appropriately be called encyclopedias. 'A one-volume Bible dictionary is intended to be a rapid-response reference work.' Containing much the same information in briefer form, this kind of text serves most needs handily.Another important use of one-volume Bible dictionaries is to provide a guide to further research by bibliographic information. As the majority of people cannot afford the multi-volume sets, one-volume dictionaries such as the 'Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible' fill an important, affordable role for the 'average' person, who is unlikely to invest in the more expensive works. This dictionary represents scholarly views from all major denominational and scholarly viewpoints in Judaism and Christianity. Published in the year 2000, it provides up-to-date research and scholarship, drawing on the latest archaeological finds and interpretations from literary, historical, sociological and linguistic sources. This dictionary has approximately 5000 entries. Among them, one will find all persons and places named in the Bible, as well as political, cultural, language and natural topics that relate to biblical stories and narratives. Additionally, specific and significant articles on archaeology, theology, the history of the Bible, extra-biblical writings beyond the apocryphal/deuterocanonicals, and particular developments within ecclesiastical traditions fill out the articles in the text. Each article is signed by the contributor, and the list of contributors is in the front of the book, with basic biographical information. All major articles include bibliographic information that includes pertinent books, articles, and journals for further research. A few examples of how entries are treated will show how they are developed in this volume. I have selected a biographical entry, a geographical entry, and a topical

Provides a new tool for reading and studying the Bible

Dictionary Of The Bible is a weighty reference which provides a new tool for reading and studying the Bible, offering nearly 5,000 alphabetically ordered articles explaining all the books, people and terms of the Bible. Accompanying discussions of cultural, geographic and literary influences provide Bible readers with a wider range of insights than most, with nearly 600 Bible authorities contributing their articles and insights.

The best overall Bible Dictionary.

This dictionary is the best on the market. The articles are indepth and provide a wealth of information. At the same time, the style is understandable and easy to use. The contributors respresent a wide range of Christian backgrounds and give the book an excellent scope of views. If you are interested in getting a better understanding of the Bible, a good Bible dictionary is a must -- and this is the best one to have.