For Introduction to Hebrew Bible/Old Testament courses and Biblical Literature courses.    Written for undergraduates and to satisfy and encourage curiosity, this work leads the readers on an engaging, non-sectarian tour of the Hebrew Bible.    James E. Bowley taught many years of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament survey and never found a book that was accessible to students and still had academically challenging content, though he tried many.  As a result, over a 2-3 year period, he developed his own “library approach” and began to write it and use it with his own students with great success in the classroom.    

Table of Contents:
A Note to Teachers   Preface Welcome to the Library! Easy Access for All Why a “Library”? How This Guide Works Acknowledgements   **************THE ENTRANCE************** Chapter 1. What is a Bible? The Bible is Not a Book Books and Scrolls The Bible or Bibles? Which Library Are We Touring? Naming the Library Arranging the Library Subsections in the Library The Rare Book Room: Our Oldest Manuscripts   Chapter 2. Preliminary Matters of Interpretation Translations Valuing the Scrolls Ways of Studying/Reading A Brief Word about Meaning History Then and Now Religion in Ancient Israel   Chapter 3. Preliminary Matters of Ancient History Where Are We Going and Why? Ancient Near Eastern Political History             Sumer, at the Beginning             Egypt, “Gift of the Nile”             Back to Mesopotamia             Persia, Conquest from the East             Greece, Conquest from the West Where We Are Canaan: The “Land Between” Topography and Travel Ancient Israel’s Political History and the Library Scrolls Everybody’s History   Chapter 4. The Composition of Biblical Scrolls Hebrew Language Time Periods of Composing the Scrolls Collecting the Scrolls Authoring a Scroll Literary Forms             Hebrew Narrative             Hebrew Poetry     ***************IN the LIBRARY************** Chapter 5. Torah/Instruction The First Five Scrolls Moses (Moshe) One Story Begins Explaining the Composition of Torah   1. Genesis  Bereshit Literary Format and Movement Composition of Bereshit Bereshit and History Setting the Stage: Creation Setting the Stage: From Creation to Abraham Abraham Our Great Father Stories of Isaac and Jacob Themes of Bereshit The Main Character   2. Exodus  Shemot Literary Format and Movement Date, Composition, and Manuscripts Exodus and Historiography The Dramatic Liberation God, Moses, and YHWH Women and the Rescue Who Was Rescued? The Celebration The Instruction on the Mountain How Shall YHWH Live with Israel?   3. Leviticus  Vayikkrah Literary Format and Movement Leviticus as Literature Dating Leviticus Sources and Sections in Leviticus Holiness and the Big Ideas of Leviticus Areas Covered by Holiness Laws Leviticus and Other Nations “Behind the Scenes” Observations   4. Numbers  BeMidbar Literary Format and Movement Date and Composition The Behavior and Punishment of One Generation YHWH’s Blessings Numbers and History Laws in BeMidbar   5. Deuteronomy  Devarim Literary Format and Movement Composition and Date The Unique Voice of Moshe in Devarim The Covenant of YHWH and Israel Devarim and Other Scrolls of Moses     Chapter 6. Neviim/Prophets- Part I Narratives: Four Scrolls 6. Joshua  Yehoshua Literary Format and Movement A Familiar Story Continues Joshua and History Complexity/Reality in Narrative   7. Judges  Shophtim Literary Format and Movement Formation and Dating What’s the Point? A Literary Genius Judges and History   8. Samuel  Shemuel Literary Format and Movement History and Composition The Man Samuel Saul David The Text of Samuel   9. Kings  Melakhim Literary Format and Movement Composition and sources History and Historiography Organizing the Religious History Prophets in Kings Religion and Writing     Chapter 7. Neviim/Prophets-Part II Prophetic Oracles   10. Isaiah  Yeshayahu Literary Format and Movement Compositional History The world of Yeshayahu of Yerushalim (Jerusalem) The world of Yeshayahu of Babylon Oracles of Criticism Oracles Inspiring Trust and Hope Poetry and Pictures   11. Jeremiah  Yermiyah Literary Format and Movement The Scrolls of Yermeyahu The Life and Times of Yermeyahu Baruch, Scribe and Associate Yermeyahu’s Poetic Preaching   12. Ezekiel  Yehezkael Literary Format and Movement Yekhezkael the Prophet in His Setting Yekhezkael the Entertainer Text and Composition Major Messages   13. The Twelve Twelve to One   Hosea  Hoshea Literary Format and Movement Hosea’s Time: Politics Hosea’s Time: Religion The Text   Joel  Yoel Literary Format and Movement Dating the Composition Today’s Priestly-Prophetic Message, Yesterday’s Words   Ahmos  Amos Literary Format and Movement Influence of Amos The non-Prophet’s World and his Oracles Amos the Social Critic Amos the Revisionist Construction of the Scroll   Obadiah  Ovadyah Literary Format and Movement Structure and Message Obadiah’s Times Obadiah and Other Poems   Jonah  Yonah Literary Format and Movement Questions of Genre and Origin Compositional Date The International Times Foreigners The Poem A True Prophet A Strange Ending   Micah  Mekhah Literary Format and Movement Who and When Composition of the Scroll Mekhah’s Opposition A Court Case and Mekhah’s Priorities   Nahum  Nakhum Literary Format and Movement The Times of Nahum National and Religious Overtones Poetic Video   Habakkuk  Khabakkuk Literary Format and Movement A Poet’s Question and Answer Time with YHWH   Zephaniah  Ts’fanyah Literary Format and Movement The Times of Ts’fanyah The Urgent Poetry of Ts’fanyah   Haggai  Khaggai Literary Format and Movement The Times of Khaggai Khaggai’s Encouragements   Zechariah  Zekharyah Literary Format and Movement The Times of Zekharyah and the Composition of the Scroll The Visions and Message of Zekharyah 1-8 The Themes of Zekharyah 9-14   Malachi  Malakhi Literary Format and Movement Date and Setting of the Messenger Message and Tradition     Chapter 8.  Ketuvim/Writings Overview 14. Psalms Literary Format and Movement Psalm Literature in the Ancient Near Eastern World Collecting Poems in Ancient Israel and Later Manuscripts Music and Tehelim Authors and Dates Larger Poetic Structures Kinds of Psalms Psalms and Prayers   15. Proverbs Literary Format and Movement Wisdom in the Ancient Near East Wisdom in Mishlei Lady Wisdom The Fear of YHWH and Wisdom What is a Proverb? Collecting Proverbs A Jewish “Patron Saint” of Wisdom? A Final Poem   16. Job Literary Format and Movement The Basic Drama Date and Composition The Ancient Hebrew Text of Job Historical Names and Places Job as Wisdom Literature The Prologue The Poetic Disputes The Epilogue Job in the Library   17. Song of Songs Literary Format and Movement Link to Solomon Who Is Speaking? What Are They Saying? Specific Metaphors Female and Male Reflection on Love Religious Literature?   18. Ruth Literary Format and Movement A Simple Story, Well Told Dramatic Setting and Date The Point?   19. Lamentations Literary Format and Movement A Poetic Monument of Sorrow Poem One Poem Two Poem Three Poem Four Poem Five   20. Ecclesiastes Literary Format and Movement Date and Authorship The Quest The Findings Method of the Search Resulting Advice God and Hevel The Epilogue Qohelet in the Library   21. Esther Literary Format and Movement Dramatic Setting and Plot Date and Composition History Esther and History Esther and Religion A Later Version   22. Daniel Literary Format and Movement Ancient Daniel Stories The Longer Version Daniel’s Dramatic Settings, History, and Date of Composition Apocalyptic Literature and Daniel Where to Put Daniel?   23. Ezra-Nehemiah Literary Format and Movement History and ‘Ezra-Nekhemyah Stories with a Purpose   24. Chronicles Literary Format and Movement A Historical Review Ancient Source Citation Watching the Writer The Writing Continues The End of the Story     Chapter 9. Additional Scrolls More Scrolls? Deuterocanonicals Tobit Judith 1 Maccabees 2 Maccabees 3 Maccabees 4 Maccabees Wisdom of Solomon Wisdom of Ben Sira (Ecclesiaticus, Sirach) Baruch Letter of Jeremiah     ************AFTER THE TOUR************ Chapter 10. Meeting the Librarians: The Communities of the Books Religious Communities and Biblical Literature Jewish Practice Christian Practice Muslim Practice The Library in Our Pluralistic World   Checking Out   Glossary   Index