Ancient Near East

Second Temple Judaism

This book explores the daily activities of life in Israel during the years immediately preceding the life of Christ. Into the Late Second Temple period Jesus was born, was raised, and eventually, conducted his ministry. Using photo's and archeological evidence, this book is an excellent primer for understanding the culture, practices, and basic living activities that defined Roman occupied Palestine. A perfect supplement for both scholars and students of the Old Testament and New Testament.

Extra-Canonical Texts

James H. Charlesworth's classic 2 volume compendium The Pseudapigrapha is the fullest compilation of ancient non-canonical Jewish writing available. Originally published by Yale University Press, this critical edition has now been made available from Hendrickson Publishers in paperback. Charlesworth is a widely regarded expert in the field, and these two volumes are a standard library component for serious students of both the OT and the NT.

Qumran & Dead Sea Scrolls

In the field of Qumran scholarship, concentration within the Dead Sea Scrolls can seem highly specialized and inaccessible. Rediscovering the Dead Sea Scrolls seeks to make access to this complex field easier of by opening an interdisciplinary dialogue, and making methodological discussions accessible to all interested students regardless of academic specialization. The result is an incredibly rich volume that orients readers not just to DSS jargon, but to the meaning of the Scrolls themselves.

Socio-Historical Study

Considered a modern classic, Ancient Israel offers a fascinating, full-scale reconstruction of the social and religious life of Israel in antiquity. Drawing principally on the text of the OT, archaeological evidence and Israel's geo-political context, de Vaux provides an extensive introduction to the nomadic life in Israel, and then systematically traces the development of Israel's most important institutions within their historical context including, family, military, religious and political institutions.

Archaeology

Early Judaism

Hess provides a comprehensive and accessible account of archaeological and textual materials that relate to the nature of Israelite religions and their practice. This information is crucial to understanding the problem of religious pluralism in Israel and its impact on mainstream-state sponsored religion in the monotheist state. Hess first surveys the field of scholarship with regard to Semitic religious traditions, and then considers how other documentary evidence might enlarge our understanding of ancient Israelite religious practices and beliefs.

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Christians often assume that Judaism, unlike Christianity, is not a missional religion. But as Michael Bird argues in Crossing Over Sea and Land: Jewish Missionary Activity in the Second Temple Period there is substantial historical evidence to the contrary. Examining his topic under four major rubrics including, the Ancient World, Jewish Missionary Activity in Palestine, Jewish Missionary Activity in the Diaspora, and in Early Christian Literature, Bird demonstrates that Judaism actively engaged in evangelism in the ancient world...

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Theology Bargains

Extra-Biblical Texts

In The Dead Sea Scrolls: What Have We Learned? Schuller invites her readers into the many controversies that have surrounded the scrolls and their publication. She provides an authoritative overview to how the discovery and study of the Dead Sea Scrolls have sharpened our understanding of the early Jewish faith, including the Jewish religion that served as the foundation for early Christianity, and many other questions.

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This DSS Study Edition combines both the English translation and the original Hebrew from the DSS manuscripts on facing pages, while also documenting cave of origin, and providing text critical and/or textual notes in relation to the modern OT. Combines expert translations with key study resources, this collection examines and explores the manuscripts found at Qumran. Ideal for serious students.

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