P. R. Ackroyd – författare

Professor Ackroyd's introduction summarizes the place of the First Book of Samuel in the Old Testament canon, its relationship with history and its theological purpose. The main divisions of the text are those provided by the New English Bible itself, but the text is further subdivided for the purposes of the commentary, which draws out the kind of significance indicated in the introduction. As in the series of Cambridge Bible Commentaries on the New English Bible New Testament, short passages of text and the editor's commentary are interspersed so that the reader does not have to refer to another part of the book to find the commentary. A final brief section asks what is the theological message today of this account of the beginnings of the line of David, of Samuel's role as judge and of Saul's as king.

This is the illustrations volume which accompanies the Old Testament series of the Cambridge Bible Commentary. It is arranged on the same general plan as Mr Jones's successful companion volume on the New Testament. It contains 201 photographs, maps and drawings arranged in groups with a connected commentary which describes each picture in detail, explaining its significance. The whole collection provides a background study of the Old Testament lands and peoples. The sections deal with the geographical setting, the archaeology of the region, the periods of Old Testament history from the earliest times to the Hellenistic period, the social background, the Old Testament books as literary productions, the background of Jewish religious life. Maps are skilfully simplified to give only the information relevant to understanding the Old Testament itself The diagrams explain technical subjects. The photographs, of scenes, buildings and works of art, and the continuing tradition of Jewish religious practice, give life and visible confirmation to the study of the Scriptures.