A CONTEMPORARY INTRODUCTION TO THE BIBLE
SECOND EDITION
SACRED TEXTS AND IMPERIAL CONTEXTS
Colleen M. Conway and David M. Carr
This second edition first published 2021
© 2021, 2010 Colleen M. Conway and David M. Carr
Edition History
John Wiley & Sons Ltd. (1e, 2010)
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the Library of Congress
Paperback ISBN: 9781119637059; ePub ISBN: 9781119636991; ePDF ISBN: 9781119637028.
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Set in 9.5/12pt STIX Two Text by Integra Software Services Pvt. Ltd, Pondicherry, India
CONTENTS
1 Cover
6 MAIN DISCUSSIONS/OUTLINES OF BIBLICAL BOOKS
8 PREFACE
11 OVERVIEW OF THE HISTORICAL PERIOD
12 TIMELINE
13 PROLOGUE: ORIENTATION TO MULTIPLE BIBLES AND MULTIPLE TRANSLATIONS
14 CHAPTER 1: STUDYING THE BIBLE IN ITS ANCIENT CONTEXT(S)Chapter OverviewWhy History Is Important in Studying the BibleThe Geography and Major Characters of the Biblical DramaMajor Periods in the Biblical DramaMultiple Contexts, Multiple MethodsLooking Forward to the Big PictureChapter One ReviewResources For Further StudyAppendix: Israel’s History and Empires
15 CHAPTER 2: THE EMERGENCE OF ANCIENT ISRAEL AND ITS FIRST ORAL TRADITIONSChapter OverviewImagining Early IsraelProblems in Reconstructing Early IsraelTraces of the Most Ancient Israelite Oral Traditions in the BibleThe Oral Background of GenesisFocus Text: The Song of DeborahThe Creation of “Israel” Through Cultural Memory of Resistance to DominationChapter Two ReviewResources for Further Study
16 CHAPTER 3: THE RISE OF WRITING AND ECHOES OF PAST EMPIRES IN MONARCHAL ISRAELChapter OverviewImagining Early Monarchal IsraelThe Rise of the Israelite Monarchy and Resistance to ItInfluence of Ancient Empires on Early Israel’s Monarchy and WritingsEchoes of Near Eastern Royal Theology in the Royal and Zion PsalmsEchoes of Texts from Earlier Empires in Writings Attributed to SolomonFocus Text: The Speech of Lady Wisdom in Proverbs 8Echoes of Texts from Past Empires Elsewhere in the BibleFocus Text: The Garden of Eden Story (Gen 2:4–3:24)ConclusionChapter Three ReviewResources for Further Study