Customer Reviews

Who's Who in the Bible

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Biographical Scope:
This alphabetical encyclopedic dictionary is a good basic reference and starter biographical source, readable and rich in illustrations, that will please the browser and help the inquirer, bringing to life all the characters of the Hebrew patriarchs, kings, priests, prophets, sages, heroes and villains, as well as Apocrypha's entries. New Testament named and anonymous characters are exposed, with Jesus disciples, apostles, Gospels and epistles writers, and other historically related places. Gospels and epistles authors style and character are interpretively analyzed, to help shedding light on their portrait of Jesus himself.

Who's Who in the Bible:
Men and women mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, Christian Scripture, and the Apocrypha, even those not mentioned by name but important to clarify biblical history are explored in this reference, where biographical characters are entered in alphabetical order of their English spelling. Most of them take a paragraph or two, but several deserve many pages, to contain an absorbing biographical narratives. Most entries include pronunciation and meaning of original name (Hebrew, Greek, Latin), if it exists, and each name is followed by a reference to the Bible passage in which it first appeared, and a verse from the Bible are cited. Biographical analysis of persons of noted importance to Jewish and/or Christian history is offered in many cases, and Cross-referenced names. If a name is found for more than one person, they are entered as can be judged by their importance or chronology.

Encyclopedic Methodology:
The entries, three thousand for the OT alone, vary in length from a short informative paragraph to several pages essays in some cases, to sufficiently clarify a character or group, ex. Essenes, Gentiles, Pharisees. References to the biblical context, together with recently available information from scholarship and/or tradition are included. A guide to pronunciation, and meaning is provided for each name, with cross references to other entries. In addition to the main sections, the book also provides introductory background, time charts, and relevant historical facts designed for the lay reader, but might be of some use to those versed in the field as well. Lavishly illustrated and clearly written, it is an effective teaching and entertaining companion for all biblical inquirers. The color illustrations are taken from frescoes, paintings, photographs of recent locations manuscripts, and objects, stained glass, miniatures, plus some drawings made for this work. Ten maps show the Middle East in ancient Biblical times, and seventeen for NT times, some tracing Paul's journeys through the area.

A good biblical biography:
In addition to a Bible dictionary, and Topical Bible, a biography of biblical figures is an indispensable tool for those who want to enhance their study the Bible even more. There are some good reference works available on biblical biographies including; Who's Who in the Bible: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary (Reader's Digest), and Harper's Bible Dictionary. Meanwhile, this unique reference, combining The OT section written by Joan Comay and the NT section by Ronald Brownrigg, is a reissue edition, presents virtually all the characters of the Old and New Testaments, based on the RSV (Revised Standard Version) and supported by the most recent biblical scholarship and archaeological research, a fact-filled, abundantly illustrated volume (over 900). All biblical characters are described, in thousands of entries, conveniently arranged in alphabetical order, providing one of the most complete Bible references available. It is a beautifully illustrated reference covering OT, NT and the Apocrypha. The black & white illustrations are impressive, and maps supplement the text, depicting the places and people of the Bible. Illustrations of biblical sites as they now exist, and masterworks of religious art are included as full-color plate inserts.

This is a great book if you have a hard time with keeping track of who is who in the Bible.

The only caution I have is the book is divided into two sections, Old Testament and New Testament.

So if you are looking for Zipporah don't flip to the back of the book and expect to find her name there as it is somewhere in the middle.

This is a wonderful compilation describing every individual in the Old and New Testament. It's a great research aide.

Very informative and easy to use - and I used it to find the religious reference to my new grandson's name.