Introduction To The Old Testament - Sacred Texts And Imperial Contexts Of The Hebrew Bible

This comprehensive, introductory textbook is unique in exploring the emergence of the Hebrew Bible in the broader context of world history. It particularly focuses on the influence of pre-Roman empires, empowering students with a richer understanding of Old Testament historiography.
Provides a historical context for students learning about the development and changing interpretations of biblical texts
Examines how these early stories were variously shaped by interaction with the Mesopotamian and Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, and Hellenistic empires
Incorporates recent research on the formation of the Pentateuch
Reveals how key biblical texts came to be interpreted by Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faiths
Includes numerous student-friendly features, such as study questions, review sections, bibliographies, timelines, and illustrations and photos

David M. Carr is Professor of Old Testament/Hebrew Bible at Union Theological Seminary in New York. Professor Carr's book-length publications include From D to Q: A Study of Early Jewish Interpretations of Solomon's Dream at Gibeon (1991); Reading the Fractures of Genesis: Historical and Literary Approaches (1996); The Erotic Word: Sexuality, Spirituality and the Bible (2003); and Writing on the Tablet of the Heart: Origins of Scripture and Literature (2005).

List of Figures.
List of Maps.
List of Boxes.
Preface.
Acknowledgments.
List of Abbreviations.
Overview of the Historical Period.
Timeline.
Prologue: Orientation to Multiple Bibles and Multiple Translations.
1. Studying the Bible in Its Ancient Context(s).
2. The Emergence of Ancient Israel and Its First Oral Traditions.
3. The Emergence of the Monarchy and Royal and Zion Texts.
4. Echoes of Past Empires in Biblical Wisdom, Love Poetry, Law, and Narrative.
5. Narrative and Prophecy amidst the Rise and Fall of the Northern Kingdom.
6. Micah, Isaiah, and the Southern Prophetic Encounter with Assyria.
7. Torah and History in the Wake of the Assyrian Empire.
8. Prophecy in the Transition from Assyrian to Babylonian Domination.
9. Laments, History, and Prophecies after the Destruction of Jerusalem.
10. The Pentateuch and the Exile.
11. The Torah, the Psalms, and the Persian-Sponsored Rebuilding of Judah.
12. Other Texts Formed in the Crucible of Post-Exilic Rebuilding.
13. Hellenistic Empires and the Formation of the Hebrew Bible.
Glossary.
Index.