Encountering the Old Testament: A Christian Survey (Encountering Biblical Studies) [Hardcover]

Bill T. Arnold (Author), Bryan E. Beyer (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0801021766 | ISBN-13: 978-0801021763 | Publication Date: June 1, 1999

"I highly recommend this volume to all who read the Old Testament. . . .This is a five star recommendation." --Messenger

Editorial Reviews

Review

Arnold and Beyer are well-versed in their fields and they succeed at explicating the message of the Old Testament in clear, readable style. A fine, college-level survey that sets a high standard for all such surveys in the future. -- David M. Howard Jr.

Arnold and Beyer have produced an exciting new survey of the Old Testament with the college student specifically in mind. They have masterfully designed their work with text and graphics in a way that will not only grip the students attention but will guide them through the material with their expert touch. I enthusiastically recommend this volume to you. -- Tremper Longman III, professor of Old Testament, Westmont College

Baker has done extensive market research and come up with a pleasing and useful format for its Encountering Biblical Studies series.... This particular volume is written in a clear and engaging style.... The college-level students for whom this is written will find that this is truly what it claims to be: a textbook aimed at them. It is not the generic, all-purpose work that is too often produced, aimed at all (college and seminary students, pastors, scholars, and interested laypeople) and succeeding at hitting very few. Arnold and Beyer are well-versed in their fields and they succeed at explicating the message of the Old Testament in clear, readable style. A fine, college-level survey that sets a high standard for all such surveys in the future. -- David M. Howard, Jr., Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

For college students who are encountering the Old Testament for the first time, this attractively produced textbook offers a clear and helpful orientation to the world and literature of the Old Testament. The full-color photographs and maps, as well as the user-friendly charts, sidebars, review aids, and interactive CD-ROM, combine to invite everyone who opens this book to begin reading it immediatelya refreshing improvement over the standard textbook fare! -- Richard Schultz

Hardly could an inquisitive student ask for better guidance. -- Elmer Martens

The authors are commended for providing their readers with a lucid survey of the Old Testament. They cover a wide array of issues in an easy to read text. Complex issues receive a balanced treatment. The illustrations, sidebars, glossary, and study questions open up the relevance of the biblical text both in its ancient context and our modern situation. A very useful volume -- Willem A. VanGemeren, professor of Old Testament and Semitic languages, Trinity International University

About the Author

Bill T. Arnold (Ph.D. , Hebrew Union College) is professor of Old Testament and Semitic languages at Asbury Theological Seminary. He is the author of Encountering the Book of Genesis: A Survey of Its Content and Issues. Bryan E. Beyer (Ph.D., Hebrew Union College) is professor of Old Testament at Columbia International University Seminary and School of Missions.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 528 pages
• Publisher: Baker Academic (June 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801021766
• ISBN-13: 978-0801021763
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #41,968 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #71 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Religious Studies > History

More About the Author

Bill T. Arnold (Ph.D., Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion) is the Paul S. Amos Professor of Old Testament Interpretation at Asbury Theological Seminary. Among his publications are Genesis: The New Cambridge Bible Commentary (Cambridge, 2009), Who Were the Babylonians? (Atlanta, 2004), A Guide to Biblical Hebrew Syntax (with John H. Choi; Cambridge, 2003), 1 and 2 Samuel: NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, Mich., 2003), and Encountering the Old Testament (with Bryan E. Beyer; Grand Rapids, Mich.: 1999 [second edition, 2008]). He has also edited The Face of Old Testament Studies (with David W. Baker; Grand Rapids, 1999 [paperback, 2005), and the Dictionary of the Old Testament: Historical Books (with H. G. M. Williamson; Downers Grove, Ill.: 2005).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent survey, May 15, 2002

By 

Neil "nwcs" (Tennessee) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Encountering the Old Testament: A Christian Survey (Encountering Biblical Studies) (Hardcover)

Although at times it reads like a high school textbook, this is an excellent survey of the Old Testament and ancient cultures. When I first encountered it, I had already studied a lot about the ancient world and the Old Testament and I still found this book to be a worthwhile read.

I recommend this book for any Christian, or non-Christian, who is interested in learning about the Old Testament and how the Israelite culture fit in to the ancient world. There are plenty of pictures and trivia pieces to keep the book from reading like a long essay.

After reading this, you'll gain so much appreciation for one simple fact: the New Testament is completely built upon the foundation of the Old Testament. And to learn the OT better is to know the NT better!

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Needs an editor's eye!, March 10, 2008

By 

MANK - See all my reviews

This review is from: Encountering the Old Testament: A Christian Survey (Encountering Biblical Studies) (Hardcover)

Good overview of each book of the OT -- BUT there were a LOT of mistakes (verse references and illustration references) in the book, which I believe decreases its integrity as it certainly takes away my respect of its credibility. For example, on pg 214, the citation for 2 Sm 6:6-8 should actually be 2 Sm 5:6-8. Another example, on pg. 242, "Jotham of Israel" should actually be "Jotham of Judah". These are only a few of the mistakes I've seen, and it makes me wonder what other mistakes there are. Seems like it needs a good editor's eye.

Other issues I had with this book: the key terms are never defined in the book. You have to look it up in the accompanying CD to find the definitions. Also, I found that often times, the point/message that the authors are trying to convey in their paragraphs and sections are never clearly stated (they beat around the bush and go in circles). Lastly, the attempts at application/contextualization seem to have been added to the ends of sections almost as an afterthought, and they stood out like a sore thumb as not belonging to the train of thought.

I am disappointed with the quality of this book. The pictures and color are very appealing in comparison to other Old Testament survey books, however, the other issues with the book make it a less than desirable textbook.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent intro to the OT, February 22, 2007

By 

theologicalresearcher "theologicalresearcher" (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Encountering the Old Testament: A Christian Survey (Encountering Biblical Studies) (Hardcover)

If you're a pastor, seminary student, or a layperson who needs a good, informative, and easy to read introduction to the Old Testament then this book will be perfect for you. Many OT introductions/surveys that are out there are either 1) too technical and academic, or 2) liberal/modernist. This introduction is solidly evangelical, easy to understand, and academic enough for even the novice biblical scholar.

The strength of the book is that it does not only survey each of the books in the Old Testament section by section but by topics of significance in each book. For instance, when the authors talk about the book of Genesis they do not only discuss what each of the 50 chapters say but about what the author said about the nature of election, the Abrahamic promise, the covenant, etc. Pretty much everything is covered regarding each book (authorship, date, place of writing, etc.).

Another feature of the book that will attract more novice pastors and students of the Bible is the colourful pictures that are abundantly printed in the book. Though some may find this comical, I think it added to the charm of this book. Pictures, graphs, maps, etc. help readers understand the background of each of the OT books better.

Finally, one other thing I really liked about this book is that the authors discuss side-issues related to the OT. The chapters on the historical background of the OT (chap. 2) and the introduction to the Prophetic books (chap. 24) are well written, informative, and orthodox. Sure, the authors could have written more deeply on these chapters but the intended audience demanded that they do not go too deeply in these matters.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book for those who want a better understanding of the OT books. Though it is not that scholarly and deep, it is still good enough for what it intends and many students of the Bible will find rich information that will greatly help in their personal spiritual growth and ministry.