Customer Reviews

Crossway ESV Bible Atlas

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Having seen the detailed reviews of several others, I wanted to focus on some things that teachers/pastors/or strong lay leaders might be interested in. How does the ESV Bible Atlas compare to other wonderful Bible Atlases? How usable is it?

The Crossway ESV Bible Atlas is a marvelous resource. I would be shocked that anyone would ever rate it lower than a 4 star resource. I gave it 5. But I noticed that if you read the reviews for the other major Bible atlases, that you see similar reviews. They all tout how marvelous this and that atlas is and how it is the one to buy. So, how does the ESV Bible Atlas stack up? What are strength and weaknesses? How about teaching resources?

As a teacher, let me point out two key things that make this Bible Atlas stand out: the ESV includes a CD with digital maps and searchable indexes, and, in addition, a removable, 17 x 22-inch map of Palestine. The wall map is very nice, but probably too small to be considered a "wall map." Still, very nice. (It is inside the back cover). The CD-ROM is worth the price of the book by itself. It is highly useful, and unlike one other reviewer, I thought the resolutions are wonderful. No, you don't get the high-def brilliant images that are in part 4 of the book, but you can easily print (note: I am not saying you should) an 8x10 or larger copy and you will not notice any poor image quality.

The CD-ROM:
As a teacher, I can imagine using these images in a PowerPoint presentation or on a hand-out. They are wonderful. So, the question becomes, is that permissible? I couldn't find a direct answer, but many reviewers have said that this can be done. Several bloggers mention, "These maps can be easily added to Powerpoint for use in the classroom." I will update this, if I find out differently. Obviously, if the user has permission to use these maps in PowerPoints or hand-outs for a class, this makes this Atlas top choice for teachers and other leaders.

The CD-ROM comes with 127 maps that are taken from the Bible Atlas (and a couple from the ESV Study Bible?). How big? One is a 1575×2298 pixel map of Palestine and the ANE in the late Bronze Age. Another is a map of the Roman Empire that is an amazing 2240×1463 pixels. Most of the others are smaller, but they fit nicely on a page, and look very good and readable. The CD-ROM indexes these maps by chapter and number. A HTML starter page gives brief descriptions. For me, the easiest way to use the maps is 1) use the book as a guide to what I want, or 2) just pull up my Windows Picture Preview pane and scroll through the maps that way.

As far as I know, the only other Atlas that gives digital maps is "Biblica: The Bible Atlas" (and only certain editions of that) and that is a big plus to have such usable Bible Maps in a handy CD-ROM format. Much like the ESV Bible Atlas, I recommend Biblica for the CD-ROM of Maps, just be sure you get the edition that has the CD-ROM Biblica: The Bible Atlas: The Story of the Greatest Story Ever Told (with CD-ROM and in Slipcase). Biblica's maps are the same (or nearly so) as the maps you see in New Moody Bible Atlas. Doh! I am failing to mention Rose Publications maps. They now have CD-ROM's of their maps. Rose maps are known for clarity, color, and usability. You are certain to have rights to use the Rose Publication maps, just purchase the right format for you. Rose Publication maps are much "simpler" and cleaner looking, but if you teach kids or lay people, they are great. There is also an online set of maps form BibleMapper.

How about the Atlas itself?

Crossway's ESV Bible Atlas is amazing. I recommend it whole heartedly. Throw in the CD-ROM and it is a no-brainer. :) If I could only buy one Bible Atlas, the ESV Bible Atlas would be top on my list. The detail of the text (and yes, this is a "study atlas") is outstanding. The only other recent atlas that comes close is the New Moody Atlas of the Bible(2009) which was just recently updated. Some will prefer the New Moody Atlas of the Bible to the Crossway ESV Bible Atlas. That is understandable. They are both so solid and have so many maps and so much good historical and societal information that it is very hard to place one above the other. And if that isn't tough enough, I put Zondervan's Atlas of the Bible (rev. ed.) right there in the mix. All three are outstanding. *(I love Rasmussen's first hand experience and his clear text which supports some of the most beautiful maps I have seen in an Atlas...be sure to get latest edition).

The ESV Bible Atlas is such a solid buy, I don't see how you would be disappointed. If you don't need/want the CD-ROM and want good technical details and history, Beitzel's New Moody Atlas of the BibleThe New Moody Atlas of the Bible is every bit as solid. Dr. Beitzel has many years of experience both in the classroom and in the Middle East. Where he shines is that he presents alternatives to a biblical question and then provides his possible solution. Rasmussen's text is that of a first hand historian and archeologist; he knows the land so well, and that comes out in his Atlas Zondervan Atlas of the Bible. The beauty of the maps are unsurpassed. The other Bible atlases (IVP) may also be excellent, but I think that most would agree that the level of detail and information, the clarity and beauty of the maps, and the cultural and historical information within are best with Crossway's ESV, the New Moody, and Rasmussen's Atlas from Zondervan.

Enjoy!

The ESV BIBLE ATLAS is an exquisite, well-crafted and accessible volume. The level of detail and the quality of the maps make this a very useful tool for "getting it right" when attempting to place biblical events in their proper location and context. This hard cover edition has significant weight and size, while not being too cumbersome.

There is a pull-out, physical map of the land of "Palestine" in full color that is nice, but a little small.

Along with the usual writings and maps one would expect, this atlas contains a number of historic illustrations of ancient architecture and particularly a series that shows Jerusalem's growth over time; with the development of the subsequent Holy Temples there. Archaeologist and temple mount historian, Leen Ritmeyer, was an adviser on this atlas project and his team had a significant hand in the development of these scholarly illustrations. They look exquisite!

For me, the only disappointment with this atlas was the promised CD inside the back cover. The disc contained a simple HTML file with links to low-resolution maps in chronological/biblical order. Pretty good for quick study, but I was hoping for a little more bang for the buck!

Four Stars! All-in-all a refreshing and accurate book that will assist many in learning more about the Bible.

I've always enjoyed maps. This is most clearly evident in my early childhood and pre-teen years. It began with drawing maps of fantasy lands and the drawing of battles upon maps of the world collected free from the library. I fondly remember asking my Grandma for a Webster's Geographical Dictionary and promptly receiving the volume for my birthday which sits on my shelf to this day. For a time, I even contemplated putting up "map-of-the-world" wallpaper on the walls of my bedroom and bathroom. Though I have moved on to other subjects of interest I still enjoy looking at maps and putting historical events in their geographical context. It was therefore with great excitement that I opened up the newly released ESV Bible Atlas from Crossway. I am a user of the ESV translation and I have greatly appreciated the work Crossway has done with this translation, especially with last years ESV Study Bible which is a very helpful (and hefty!) volume.

Geography is a very important area of study but takes on a special importance when geography is intimately involved with the events that took place in the Word of God. It is in time and place in which the revelation of God took place through history. The Biblical interpreter should have an intimate understanding of the geographical and historical conditions surrounding the events of Scripture. In this regard, the ESV Bible Atlas is an indispensable tool for doing historical and geographical research. The atlas has four sections:

Part 1: This section is an introduction and overview of the Biblical world providing historical information in the text regarding the surrounding lands and customs of these ancient peoples.

Part 2: This is the majority of the atlas taking about 200 pages and serves as a chronological guide to the whole of Scripture beginning in Genesis and concluding with the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. There is a helpful section on the inter-testamental period covering geographical and historical information that is crucial to understanding the context of the New Testament.

Part 3: This section is about 40 pages of beautiful, highly-detailed full color maps on glossy paper. There are maps throughout the text on almost every other page but this section contains the largest maps and the most detail for these various areas.

Part 4: This section has a number of helpful charts providing chronologies of Biblical history, kings of Israel, and the Herodian Dynasty. The index is contained in this section as well.

The text is engaging and very well written and could serve as a basic Old and New Testament survey covering the major events and providing geographical and archeological information. There are photos on almost every page of both archeological artifacts and sites as well as modern photography of the Biblical lands. Throughout the text there are a number of "excursus" sections providing information on such subjects as The Garden of Eden, The Golden Calves, The Lachish Letters, and Alexandria among others. There are also a large variety of illustrations, many taken from the ESV Study Bible but there appears to be new ones as well. If you are in the market for a Bible atlas (and you should be if you don't have one) I would highly recommend this volume for any student of Scripture which provides a comprehensive view of the lands of the Bible and makes a valuable reference tool.

Thank you to Crossway for providing me with a review copy!

"Crossway ESV Bible Atlas" is a Bible atlas. The lovely, full-color photographs of the regions, city ruins, and archaeological artifacts were one of the strongest points of this atlas. I also loved the full-color artist reconstructions of various buildings and places based on archaeological findings or the descriptions in the Bible. These illustrations included: ziggurats; Ur at the time of Abram; the Tabernacle; Jericho; Jerusalem at the time of David; Jerusalem at the time of Solomon; Solomon's Temple; the city of Nineveh; Jerusalem at the time of Hezekiah; the city of Babylon; Zerubbabel's Temple; Jerusalem at the time of Nehemiah; at time of Jesus: Jerusalem, the Temple Mount, the Temple, a fishing boat, Golgotha and temple mount, and a tomb; at the time of Paul: Philippi, Corinth, Ephesus, Rome, and the synagogue at Gamin.

There were also 3D "viewpoint" maps, like what Abraham would have seen of the Jordan Valley when Sodom, Gomorrah, and the other two cities were destroyed. Since the elevation was indicated with similar shades of green, some of these 3D Old Testament maps required some studying to understand. However, the New Testament 3D maps used more colors and so were easier to "see."

The maps were mainly flat maps (no elevation given) that showed the cities, rivers, and known ancient international and intra-national roads with the biblical movements indicated over them. Overall, the maps effectively conveyed the information when combined with the text in the captions. However, the underlying features (roads and rivers) were indicated with a gray dotted or solid line. While most movement was indicated with an easy-to-spot red line, for wars the opposition's movement was indicated with a blueish-gray line (solid or dotted) that was at hard to quickly distinguish from the numerous similarly-colored roads and rivers.

As for the text, it was well-written and informative. The first section of the atlas gave an overview of the biblical world. It covered the physical features of the main regions in Israel, temperature and rainfall, what various regions produced, vegetation, roads, and archaeological dig sites. It also gave the Hebrew calender with when the rainy periods, harvest times, grazing & shearing times, and feasts occurred.

The second section gave a survey of biblical history. It had maps showing various movements, events, and wars. The text gave a summary of the biblical events using archaeological findings and extra-biblical sources to supplement the descriptions and to tell what was happening during the same period in the other lands mentioned in the Bible. The atlas had a sizable section describing the inter-testament period and also contained information on the period after Paul--the Jewish War and the Bar Kokhba Revolt. It ended at 135 AD. I found this additional information very interesting.

This second section started with trying to identify the location of the Garden of Eden. It didn't mention the Flood or other early biblical history but began with describing the various "archaeological periods" that the authors believed occurred during Genesis 1-11. They started with "The Paleolithic Period (Pre-10,000 B.C)," so they apparently believe the earth is older than 10,000 years old.

For those who care, the authors have Abraham placed at about 2000-1550 BC, which they place in the Middle Bronze II period and align with the Middle Kingdom and Second Intermediate Period in Egypt and the Third Dynasty in Ur. They placed the Exodus from Egypt during the Late Bronze period and during the New Kingdom's 18th and 19th Dynasties in Egypt. They placed Joshua beginning his conquest of Canaan at probably 1200 B.C. and as causing the break between the Late Bronze period and Iron Age. David was dated at 1010-970 B.C.

For much of the early Old Testament, I don't agree with how the authors aligned these archaeological periods and outside rulers to the Bible accounts, but I still found much of the information useful once converted to the alignment I use.

The third section of the atlas was a series of elevation maps (with cities, rivers, and roads indicated) for all the areas talked about in the Bible. These were most useful when combined with the index in section four.

The fourth section contained the authors' timeline of Biblical history with rulers from Egypt, Palestine, and Mesopotamia aligned on it. There was a list of the Kings of Israel and Judah with the dates they ruled; a chart of the Herodian Dynasty; a place-names index to find cities on the maps in the second section; a place-names index to find cities on the maps in the third section; an index of known biblical sites; a general index; and a scripture references index.

On the inside of the back cover, there's a CD-ROM in a cardboard holder and, in a cover-sized pouch behind that, a nice 16.5 x 22-inch map of Palestine. When I put the CD-ROM in my computer, the content didn't automatically install or open. (I use Windows Vista.) So I used Explore to view the disk contents. You can click on ESVAtlas-Historical-Maps_1.html to get a clickable index of the digital maps to then view the maps using a web browser. Or you can explore the map folder and open the pictures in an your favorite image-viewing program. I also installed the ESV Atlas Search Center. Once installed, I couldn't get the program to work. No matter what I tried--map/caption name, verse reference, city name, etc.--I got back an error page. The digital maps were web resolution but fairly large and--so I've heard--are easy to use in a PowerPoint presentations.

Overall, there were a lot of very nice features in this atlas. In my opinion, its unique and strongest points were the photographs, artist reconstructions, and information given on the inter-testament, new testament, and after events. I liked the maps a little better in Zondervan Atlas of the Bible Revised Edition, but both altas' had their own strong points. I liked and would recommend both of them.

I received this book as a review copy from the publisher.

Reviewed by Debbie from ChristFocus Book Club.

Any in-depth Christian collection must have the ESV BIBLE ATLAS. It offers a powerful reference combining history, geography and archaeological findings along with religious connections to Biblical passages, offering students of Scripture or pastors a fine survey of the Bible's setting and background. Maps and pictures all in color pack a powerful presentation perfect for any student of Biblical history.

This is a wonderful Bible Study tool. After using it once, you will wonder how you did with out it! While the maps and photos are wonderful, this volume is more than just a book of maps. It is a reference tool that is full of not only geographical information, but historical and archaeological background as well. Used correctly, the ESV Bible Atlas will help you better understand the Bible by giving you a broader knowledge of the setting and culture in which the books were written. I highly recommend it to those who want to enhance their Bible knowledge.

In order to use the ESV Atlas Search Center, you must have your browser open. Then you can search by word (i.e. Israel) or by map. When searching by map title, put a dash between the numbers (for example, to find the map entitled "Syria and Israel Attack Judah," type 7-2.