Richard S. Hess - Böcker

Stanley E. Porter offers a keynote contribution to this collection of essays on the various issues involved in translation of the Bible, and when accurately rendering the message of the Bible when words seem to obfuscate, rather than enhance, clarity. Contributions offer a survey of the current versions of the Gospels available, with commentary and analysis of their success and popularity. Particular attention is given to the Contemporary English Version (CEV), with a critical review provided of the reviews of this Bible translation to date.

What does the Bible say about the importance of the family? How can we apply these ancient perspectives to modern Christian life? The essays gathered in this volume provide reflections from leading biblical scholars.The authors focus on reading the Scriptures from the perspective of the authors in ancient Israelite society and the surrounding cultures. They find there an overarching sense of the central role the family played in the larger social structure. However different our contemporary culture might be, these reflections can form the basis of an evangelical vision of the family informed by a biblical worldview.

A Respected Scholar Introduces Students to the Discipline of Old Testament StudiesRichard Hess, a trusted scholar of the Old Testament and the ancient Near East, offers a substantial introduction to the Old Testament that is accessibly written and informed by the latest biblical scholarship. Hess summarizes the contents of the Old Testament, introduces the academic study of the discipline, and helps readers understand the complex world of critical and interpretive issues, addressing major concerns in the critical interpretation of each Old Testament book and key texts.This volume provides a fulsome treatment for students preparing for ministry and assumes no prior knowledge of the Old Testament. Readers will learn how each book of the Old Testament was understood by its first readers, how it advances the larger message of the whole Bible, and what its message contributes to Christian belief and the Christian community. Twenty maps, ninety photos, sidebars, and recommendations for further study add to the book's usefulness for students. Resources for professors are available through Baker Academic's Textbook eSources.

The Amarna letters are foundational documents for the study of Late Bronze Age history and language in the ancient Near East. One of the most significant aspects of these letters has been the discovery of Canaanite influence in the Akkadian language of these letters. This discovery has provided a wealth of linguistic knowledge concerning that period and its influence on subsequent ages.Though much has been written about the Amarna letters, until now there has been no comprehensive study of the personal names found in the cuneiform texts from El-Amarna. Dr. Hess fills the void with this comprehensive reference tool. The main part of the book catalogs the Amarna personal names, providing necessary information for each name, including attested spellings, occurrences, identification, textual notes, and analysis. The author then offers a grammatical analysis of the names and glossaries of the seven languages attested in personal names in the letters. Glossaries of divine name and geographical name elements and an extensive bibliography complete the study.This volume is essential for research libraries and for scholars and students working with the Amarna letters or Akkadian and Northwest Semitic languages.

The history of Israel is a much-debated topic in Old Testament studies. On one side are minimalists who find little of historical value in the Hebrew Bible. On the other side are those who assume the biblical text is a precise historical record. Many serious students of the Bible find themselves between these two positions and would benefit from a careful exploration of issues in Israelite history.This substantive history of Israel textbook values the Bible's historical contribution without overlooking critical issues and challenges. Featuring the latest scholarship, the book introduces students to the current state of research on issues relevant to the study of ancient Israel. The editors and contributors, all top biblical scholars and historians, discuss historical evidence in a readable manner, using both canonical and chronological lenses to explore Israelite history.Illustrative items, such as maps and images, visually support the book's content. Tables and sidebars are also included.

Genesis 1–11 is a text that may well have received more attention than any other in the history of literature. Nevertheless, what do we know about the personal names that occur in these chapters and whose influence has permeated all of Western literature? Hess provides a thorough investigation of the ancient Near Eastern background of these names and discusses how each played a key role in adding significance to the stories and genealogies in which they are found. By studying both the linguistic contexts in the surrounding cultures and the wordplay in the biblical texts, the author provides the first comprehensive study of the importance of these names and traces the implications of his results for the antiquity and power of the familiar stories in which they appear.

This volume collects the best of recent research and classic essays on the Primeval History, including several articles that have not appeared heretofore in English. The articles provide students and scholars with easy access to significant scholarship illuminating both the world outside the text and the world within the text.