From the tumbling walls of Jericho to a Jewish girl who became the queen of Persia, the historical books of the Bible are intriguing and unquestionably fascinating. In this comprehensive introduction, veteran Old Testament professor Victor Hamilton demonstrates the significance of the messages contained in these biblical books by carefully examining content, structure, and theology. He details the events and implications of each book chapter by chapter, providing useful commentary on overarching themes and the connections and parallels between Old Testament texts. Now in paper.

About the Author

Victor P. Hamilton (PhD, Brandeis University) was professor of Bible and theology at Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky, for more than thirty years. He is the author of a two-volume commentary on Genesis and Handbook on the Pentateuch.

Reviews

"[An] excellent introduction to the Old Testament historical books... While deliberately not adhering to the style of a commentary, Hamilton makes incisive exegetical and interpretive comments at important junctures. The greatest value to his approach, however, is the synthesis of the whole, which helps the reader appreciate the strategy and literary skill of the composition as literature. Commentaries usually fail to accomplish this worthy objective... The book is an important addition to the literature on the Old Testament historical books. Hamilton has clearly done his homework and has packaged his findings in good prose and a coherent, readable style."Eugene H. Merrill, Bibliotheca Sacra