Hebrew Bible / Old Testament

Hebrew Bible and the Ancient Near East

This is a guide that explores resources in biblical studies focusing on the Hebrew Bible, or Old Testament.

When researching the historical context of the Hebrew Bible, a lot of information can be found in commentaries and monographs. But it can be extremely helpful to learn more comprehensively about the cultures and peoples of the Ancient Near East. These resources will introduce students to the world where the Hebrew Bible was composed and provide a rich contextual base for a more comprehensive understanding.

Books on the Bible and Ancient Near East

The Context of Scripture: Canonical Compositions from the Biblical World by William W. Hallo (Editor); K. Lawson Younger (Editor)
Call Number: Theology and Ministry Folio - BS1180 .C66 1996
"This authoritative three-volume reference work is an invaluable research tool and essential reading for all those engaged in the study of the Hebrew Bible in its ancient Near Eastern context."
Ancient near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament by John H. Walton
Call Number: Theology and Ministry Library Stacks - BS1171.3 .W35 2006
John Walton provides here a thoughtful introduction to the conceptual world of the ancient Near East. Walton surveys the literature of the ancient Near East and introduces the reader to a variety of beliefs about God, religion, and the world. In helpful sidebars, he provides examples of how such studies can bring insight to the interpretation of specific Old Testament passages.
Ancient near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament with Supplement by James B. Pritchard (Editor)
Call Number: Available Online
This anthology brings together the most important historical, legal, mythological, liturgical, and secular texts of the ancient Near East, with the purpose of providing a rich contextual base for understanding the people, cultures, and literature of the Old Testament.

Original Language Texts of the ANE

For students looking to explore original texts of the Ancient Near East, these resources provide access to almost the entire known corpus of texts in Ugaritic, Akkadian, and Sumerian. Many texts are not translated, though almost equally as many are.

Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI)
- The CDLI is a project that seeks to "virtually reassemble the scattered textual heritage of the Ancient Near East" by creating digital replicas of cuneiform tablets and publishing them online. By cooperating with numerous museums, libraries, and organizations, the CDLI is able to provide open access to an impressive range of tablets.
Electronic Tools and Ancient Near East Archives (ETANA)
- "ETANA is a multi-institutional collaborative project initiated in August 2000, as an electronic publishing project designed to enhance the study of the history and culture of the ancient Near East." ETANA provides electronic tools, electronic access to Ancient Near Eastern texts, and open access to early 20th century translations of entire bodies of cuneiform tablets.

More Books

The Origins of Biblical Monotheism by Mark S. Smith
Call Number: Available Online
According to the Bible, ancient Israel's neighbors worshipped a wide variety of gods. In recent years, scholars have sought a better understanding of this early polytheistic milieu and its relation to Yahweh, the God of Israel. Drawing on ancient Ugaritic texts and looking closely at Ugaritic deities, Mark Smith examines the meaning of "divinity" in the ancient near East and considers how this concept applies to Yahweh.
Old Testament Parallels by Victor H. Matthews; Don C. Benjamin
Call Number: Theology and Ministry Library Stacks - BS1180 .M42 2016
A portable anthology of ancient Near Eastern laws and stories that share parallel themes and issues with biblical stories, now in a fourth edition, revised and expanded. It has brought fresh and reader-friendly translations of the most important near east documents that share parallel themes and issues with biblical stores.
The World Around the Old Testament by Bill T. Arnold (Editor); Brent A. Strawn (Editor)
Call Number: Theology and Ministry Library Stacks - DS62.2 .W67 2016
In this up-to-date volume, leading experts introduce the peoples and places of the world around the Old Testament, providing students with a fresh exploration of the ancient Near East. The contributors offer comprehensive orientations to the main cultures and people groups that surrounded ancient Israel in the wider ancient Near East, including not only Mesopotamia and the northern Levant but also Egypt, Arabia, and Greece. They also explore the contributions of each people group or culture to our understanding of the Hebrew Scriptures.
The Sacred Bridge by Anson F. Rainey; Steven Notley
Call Number: Theology and Ministry Library Reference Folio - BS630 .C37 2006
This atlas traces the course of Near Eastern history from the Chalcolithic Age (c. 3500 BCE) to the defeat of Bar Kochba's fighters and their retreat to the caves east of En-gedi. It provides 300 state-of-the-art maps to show as far as possible in terms of modern knowledge the changes and historical processes that affected the lands of the Bible. Included are all historical and biblical episodes that can be depicted cartographically. A special feature of this atlas is the insertion of these texts and their meaning within the narrative proper.