The Essential Companion to Life in Bible Times
Overview
The Essential Companion to Life in Bible Times organizes material in thematic fashion and distills from the various articles the information that is most useful for appreciating the cultural background of the biblical writings. The book begins with a chapter on the family, describing what the Bible says about children, from their birth through their education, and discusses the roles played by men and women when they reached adulthood. The topics of sex, marriage, divorce, old age, death, and burial are also treated. From there, topics include:
- The household: from house architecture and furniture to the subjects of food and water, as well as health and illness in biblical times
- Social life: including population, the calendar, economics, crafts, travel and trade, dress, and music
- Government: in the towns, the larger cities, and the state; including the role of the king, as well as the function of elders and officials
- Israel’s religious life: from the use of high places and altars, to the importance of the tabernacle and the temple, to the role of priests and Levites
Drawing on a wealth of material from the Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible and the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary, this book is most useful for uncovering, understanding, and appreciating the cultural background of the biblical writings.
- Variety of topics on the life and customs in biblical times
- Cultural background of the biblical writings
Top Highlights
“ It is significant that the wives of the Hebrew patriarchs—Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel (but not Leah)—were by nature barren” (Page 11)
“to be a wife without motherhood was regarded not merely as a matter of regret, but also of reproach and humiliation” (Page 11)
“The term patriarch commonly refers to the oldest male representative of a family or clan (it is especially applied to the founders of the Hebrew nation, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob).” (Page 14)
“The living conditions of many slaves were better than those of free men, who often slept in the streets of the city or lived in very cheap rooms.” (Page 72)
“Attainment to old age is frequently recognized in the Bible as a divine blessing, a reward for godliness, and an indication of the favor of God to those who are faithful to his commandments (Job 5:26).” (Page 19)
- Title: The Essential Companion to Life in Bible Times
- Author: Moisés Silva
- Series: Essential Bible Companion Series
- Publisher: Zondervan
- Print Publication Date: 2011
- Logos Release Date: 2012
- Pages: 144
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subjects: Bible. O.T. › Criticism, interpretation, etc; Bible. N.T. › Criticism, interpretation, etc; Jews › Social life and customs--To 70 A.D; Jews › Antiquities
- ISBNs: 9780310497455, 9780310286882, 9780310535447, 0310497450, 0310286883, 0310535441
- Resource ID: LLS:ESSCOMPLFSILVA
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-29T23:42:40Z
