This fresh introduction to the Old Testament historical books explains the primary features of this literary genre and describes the books’ relationship to history. Biblical scholar Steven McKenzie discusses the larger units of the Bible that the books belong to–the “Deuteronomistic History” and the “Chronicler's Histor”y–and surveys the critical methods that scholars use to study them.
These introductory matters are followed by a chapter on each of the Historical Books—Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, and Ezra-Nehemiah. Each of these chapters contains a detailed outline of the book’s contents and a thorough discussion of the issues peculiar to that book— its text, composition, relationship to history, special literary features, and theology.
Although his book is not principally a primer in the use of different methods, McKenzie does introduce readers to a range of critical approaches—textual, literary or source, tradition, canonical, intertextuality, and others— and demonstrates that the ultimate goal of these approaches is to determine how the biblical materials reflect or convey actual history as understood today. His explanation of the purpose of ancient history writing helps readers come to terms with apparent tensions between the Bible’s account and modern historical analyses.
Interspersed with various reading strategies and tips for reading and interpretation, McKenzie’s up-to-date, scholarly (yet not overly technical) guide to these rich documents at the intersection of history, literature, and religion will be ideal for undergraduates, seminary students, and Bible study groups alike.
In the Logos edition, this volume is enhanced by amazing functionality. Important terms link to dictionaries, encyclopedias, and a wealth of other resources in your digital library. Perform powerful searches to find exactly what you’re looking for. Take the discussion with you using tablet and mobile apps. With Logos Bible Software, the most efficient and comprehensive research tools are in one place, so you get the most out of your study.
