The Act of Bible Reading by Elmer Dyck (Editor)

Words of Life by Leland Ryken

The Bible as Literature by John B. Gabel; Anthony D. York; Charles B. Wheeler; Nicola Denzey (As told to); David Citino As in the widely popular earlier editions, the latest revision of this comprehensive and systematic text approaches the Bible from a literary/historical perspective, studying it as a body of writing produced by real people who intended to convey messages to actual audiences. Avoiding assessments of the Bible's truth or authority, the authors maintain a rigorously objective tone as they discuss such major issues as the forms and strategies of biblical writing, its actual historical and physical settings, the process of canon formation, and the nature of biblical genres including prophecy, apocalypse, and gospel. The fifth edition features a new coauthor, David Citino; a new chapter by contributor Nicola Denzey on the essential yet often overlooked role of women in the Bible; and a new appendix on modern approaches to the Bible. It also incorporates new maps, a timeline, updated bibliographies, and revised material throughout. This objective, easy-to-use, and exciting presentation of the Bible is indispensable to students and accessible to general readers.

A Complete Literary Guide to the Bible by Leland Ryken (Editor); Tremper Longman (Editor)

The Art of Biblical Narrative by Robert Alter Since it was first published nearly three decades ago, The Art of Biblical Narrative has radically expanded the horizons of biblical scholarship by recasting the Bible as a work of literary art deserving studied criticism. Renowned critic and translator Robert Alter presents the Hebrew Bible as a cohesive literary work, one whose many authors used innovative devices such as parallelism, contrastive dialogue, and narrative tempo to tell one of the most revolutionary stories of human history: the revelation of a single god.

The Art of Biblical Poetry by Robert Alter Three decades ago, renowned literary expert Robert Alter radically expanded the horizons of biblical scholarship by recasting the Bible as not only a human creation but a work of literary art deserving studied criticism. In The Art of Biblical Poetry, his companion to the seminal The Art of Biblical Narrative, Alter takes his analysis beyond narrative craft to investigate the use of Hebrew poetry in the Bible. Updated with a new preface, myriad revisions, and passages from Alter’s own critically acclaimed biblical translations, The Art of Biblical Poetry is an indispensable tool for understanding the Bible and its poetry.

Literary Forms in the New Testament by James L. Bailey; Lyle D. Vander Broek

The Poems and Psalms of the Hebrew Bible by S. E. Gillingham Because of the command not to make `graven images' the creativity of the ancient Jews was always somewhat constrained: instead of the visual arts, poetry and story became the two most important forms which depicted the relationship between God and his people. This book concentrates on the poetry of the Hebrew Bible. After considering the essential elements of Hebrew verse, it looks as the most familiar poems - the Psalms, the Song of Solomon, and the poetry in Job and Proverbs - as well as at less familiar examples of poems which by contrast areembedded in narrative, such as war poetry, harvest hymns, elegies, prayers of protest, and thanksgiving songs. Much of this poetry suggests an earlier setting in the life of the people - from a more popular family or clan setting as well as the official royal court, and from local outlyingsanctuaries as well as at the Temple in Jerusalem. Hence although these biblical poems should be understood primarily as ancient literary texts, many also have a setting in life beyond the text, offering a broader framework of reference on account of their pre-literary history. This is a study for those who already have some grounding in the contents of the Hebrew Bible, but it is also designed to be read by non-specialists, and no knowledge of Hebrew is presumed. A select bibliography following each chapter offers suggestions for further study. This study completes theOxford Bible Series.

The Literary Guide to the Bible by Robert Alter (Editor); Frank Kermode (Editor) Rediscover the incomparable literary richness and strength of a book that all of us live with an many of us live by. An international team of renowned scholars, assembled by two leading literary critics, offers a book-by-book guide through the Old and New Testaments as well as general essays on the Bible as a whole, providing an enticing reintroduction to a work that has shaped our language and thought for thousands of years.

The Poetics of Biblical Narrative by Meir Sternberg