David G. Firth

A Biblical History of Israel, Second Edition

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“The history of Israel and the relevance of the biblical testimony to understanding it continue to be contested areas. Building on the work of their previous edition by clarifying points of dispute and updating their discussion, Provan, Long, and Longman offer a thoughtful and well-reasoned argument in favor of giving serious attention to the Bible’s own testimony. A crucial element of this must therefore be a careful reading of the text itself, one that takes seriously its own forms and agenda, because only when this is done can the Bible’s testimony be evaluated. One of the real strengths of this work is the way in which it integrates careful exegesis with its wider discussion of historiography and history. This discussion is irenic and well-informed, showing that all our sources for Israel’s history need to be interrogated for their testimony. The result is a volume that is epistemologically and methodologically sophisticated and yet accessible to a wider readership and which presents a strong case for making use of the Bible in understanding Israel’s history. This should be a standard work for years to come.”

A People Heeds Not Scripture

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“With methodological clarity and close attention to the text, Jillian Ross demonstrates how the book of Judges engages with the Pentateuch. What emerges is a theologically sensitive and informative reading of Judges that demonstrates the perils of failing to heed Scripture. This is a persuasive work that merits close attention.”

A Survey of the Old Testament

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“With deep awareness of the historical context and literary form, Hill and Walton provide guidance on both the content of the Old Testament and how to read it well. With this fourth edition, they have provided a new generation of readers with invaluable assistance in understanding and applying its riches.”

A Survey of the Old Testament Workbook

Discipleship & Christian Education

“With deep awareness of the historical context and literary form, Hill and Walton provide guidance on both the content of the Old Testament and how to read it well. With this fourth edition, they have provided a new generation of readers with invaluable assistance in understanding and applying its riches.”

A Table in the Wilderness

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“With close attention to the text’s rhetorical features, Michelle Stinson’s use of food as a lens for reading Psalm 78 provides a rich and nourishing banquet. Stinson opens up important dimensions of this psalm while also integrating it more fully into other parts of the Psalter. Taste and see, for this is good!”

Bloody, Brutal, and Barbaric?

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“Reading the Bible well involves asking questions of the text. In probing some of the ethically troubling passages of the Old Testament, Oeste and Webb show that we not only need good questions, we must also learn to ask the right questions. Doing this helps us to place the text more carefully in its own time, while also helping us to understand more clearly how it speaks to ours. Anyone who has struggled with the issue of violence in the Bible will therefore find this volume to be a helpful and constructive guide that shows how to ask the right questions and so understand the Bible better.”

David

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“‘Who is David?’ It is a question posed by both the biblical text and modern readers. With insight and wit, Benjamin Johnson helps us to see how David is presented in the books of Samuel. The David who emerges is neither saint nor villain, but rather a complex figure of potential strength and weakness. Johnson’s careful reading helps us understand both who David is and why he remains a crucial figure for readers today.”

Divine Council, Ethics, and Resistance in Psalm 82

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

Foreword

(wrote the foreword)

Exegetical Gems from Biblical Hebrew

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“Many theological students spend hours laboring to learn the grammar of Biblical Hebrew. Although many excellent grammars are available, few works help students take the next step and see the exegetical payoff from studying the Old Testament in Hebrew. Hardy’s helpful resource now addresses this problem. With well-chosen examples from the biblical text, the author leads students through key areas of grammar, lexica, and syntax. This book provides an important bridge to help students move from a knowledge of grammar to informed exegesis of the Hebrew text.”

Finding Lost Words

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

Foreword

(wrote the foreword)

God is Good

Apologetics

“Richard Dawkins and his followers spew out adjectives in an attempt to discredit the God made known to us in the Bible. By contrast, Martin Kuhrt here shows that when the Bible is read carefully and with attentiveness to its real content, it shows us a God who is good and worthy of worship. This is indeed good news.”

God's Relational Presence

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“From creation to new creation, God’s relational presence stands as a cohesive center for the whole Bible. With care and clarity, Duvall and Hays trace this through the canon, demonstrating both its prevalence and its relevance for understanding how the Bible fits together. This will be essential reading for all courses on biblical theology.”

Holiness

Theology

“With careful attention to the biblical, historical, and doctrinal material, Ayars, Bounds, and Friedeman make a powerful case for recovering the importance of holiness as a real possibility in the Christian life. Although the authors are confessionally Wesleyan, this book reaches across traditions, inviting all to reflect on this crucial matter.”

How to Read the Psalms

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“With this second edition, Tremper Longman III has placed us all in his debt. With theological and literary sensitivity, and drawing on his wide research on Psalms, he introduces readers to the main issues needed to read Psalms well and the resources that can enable their further reading. A foundational work, this deserves to be read widely.”

Imprecations in the Psalms

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“Imprecations in the Psalms have long posed a critical problem in their interpretation. Where the dominant approach in recent decades has been to look behind each individual poem, Steffen Jenkins suggests we look instead at the Psalter, which provides the context for interpretation. He shows that the final form of the Psalter provides the guardrails which guide how we are to read these prayers. This is a crucial work that will need to be considered by all who wrestle with this issue.”

Is God a Vindictive Bully?

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“Serious criticisms are often made of the Old Testament in general and of its portrayal of God in particular. These criticisms come both from within the church and from without. Copan here subjects these criticisms to careful scrutiny, testing them against the claims of the Old Testament. He finds that when we read the Old Testament with attention to its time and context, these criticisms are misplaced. Rather, the Old Testament is consistent with the New in revealing a God who is prepared to get involved with the mess of life and bring redemption. A careful and reflective work, this is important reading for thinking Christians who want to understand why the Old Testament matters for their faith.”

Job

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“With literary awareness and theological insight, Lindsay Wilson guides us through the contested waters of Job's interpretation and significance. . . . Anyone wrestling with the issues raised by the book will find here a resource that builds a robust faith rooted in exegetical and theological depth.”

Lamentations

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“Through close attention to context, literary form, and voicing, Mark Boda offers a rich and deeply informed interpretation of Lamentations. This commentary amply demonstrates the historical and contemporary significance of this book through its integration of disorientation prayer with the prophetic voice found throughout Lamentations' complex poems. The result is an essential work for anyone interested in Lamentations.”

Reframing Biblical Theology

Theology

“Unlike many, Dan Fredericks here outlines an approach to biblical theology that offers something to all believers. Starting from God’s design for creation, and with close attention to the text, he offers a fresh and invigorating read of the Bible. This work will be required reading for those seeking to integrate detailed biblical inquiry with growth in discipleship.”

Say It Again, Sam

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

Foreword

“[T]his book is an important contribution to Old Testament studies. As an Old Testament scholar with an interest in narrative, and also a film maker, Grenville Kent is well qualified to explore the interface between these disciplines and to show the fruitfulness of bringing them together.”