Celsus

Mod's note: Celsus posted this reading list from eblaforum, based on Peter Kirby's original list.

Celsus and I had a misunderstanding about who was going to do what with this update. I replaced his version with an edited version that I had been working on, containing II standard Amazon URL's and a few notes for this board.

This thread is open for suggestions, corrections, or comments


This is an expanded reading list based on the excellent one Peter Kirby put up earlier. I have tried to sort the books with the more basic ones first (according to each section), followed by the more in-depth books. However, where Peter Kirby has made his suggestions, they are placed at the top. This reading list is aimed primarily at beginners wanting to explore, or those neither wanting too simplistic or too in-depth an analysis.

Joel


-by Peter Kirby

There's no substitute for reading the texts for yourself.

The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha

The RSV used here is praised as an accurate and nonsectarian translation. This edition comes with scholarly notes.

The Dead Sea Scrolls Bible by Abegg and Flint

The oldest known Bible translated for the first time into English.

The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English

This is the most popular edition of the Dead Sea Scrolls, Jewish texts from around the turn of the Common Era discovered at Qumran.

The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha: Apocalyptic Literature and Testaments by James H. Charlesworth et. al.

This is the first volume of a comprehensive two-volume collection of ancient Jewish literature. Anyone who is interested in ancient Judaism should have these volumes along with the Dead Sea Scrolls. The first volume contains the following: Apocalypse of Abraham, Apocalypse of Adam, Testament of Adam, 2 Baruch, 3 Baruch, Apocalypse of Daniel, Apocalypse of Elijah, 1 Enoch, 2 Enoch, 3 Enoch, Apocryphon of Ezekiel, Fourth Book of Ezra, Greek Apocalypse of Ezra, Questions of Ezra, Revelation of Ezra, Vision of Ezra, Testament of Job, Testament of Moses, Apocalypse of Sedrach, Treatise of Shem, Sibylline Oracles, Testament of Solomon, Testaments of the Three Patriarchs, Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, and Apocalypse of Zephaniah.

The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha: Expansions of the 'Old Testament' and Legends, Wisdom and Philosophical Literature, Prayers, Psalms, and Odes, Fragments of Lost Judeo-Hellenistic Works by James H. Charlesworth et. al.

This is the second volume of a comprehensive two-volume collection of ancient Jewish literature. Anyone who is interested in ancient Judaism should have these volumes along with the Dead Sea Scrolls. The second volume contains the following: Life of Adam and Eve, Ahiqar, Letter of Aristeas, Aristeas the Exegete, Aristobulus, Artapanus, 4 Baruch, Cleodemus Malchus, More Psalms of David, Demetrius the Chronographer, Eldad and Modad, Eupolemus, Pseudo-Eupolemus, Ezekiel the Tragedian, Fragments of Pseudo-Greek Poets, Pseudo-Hecataeus, Hellenistic Synagogal Prayers, Martyrdom and Ascension of Isaiah, Ladder of Jacob, Prayer of Jacob, Jannes and Jambres, Joseph and Aseneth, History of Joseph, Prayer of Joseph, Jubilees, 3 Maccabees, 4 Maccabees, Prayer of Manasseh, Syriac Menander, Orphica, Philo the Epic Poet, Pseudo-Philo, Pseudo-Phocylides, The Lives of the Prophets, History of the Rechabites, Odes of Solomon, Psalms of Solomon, and Theodotus.


Look ma, no footnotes!

The Unauthorized Version: Truth and Fiction in the Bible by Robin Lane Fox

A respected secular historian provides a fresh look at the questions of historicity.

Ken's Guide to the Bible by Ken Smith

See the review by clicking on the link.


Don't have room in the house for commentaries on each individual book?

The New Jerome Biblical Commentary

Don't be fooled by the nihil obstat . . . this is a great reference, if you can muster the strength to lift it!


All about the world in which the Bible writers lived, and the texts they produced. These books presuppose knowledge of the Bible, and I have not included popular summaries.Let's all get more familiar with the Jewish scripture.

The Hebrew Scriptures by Samuel Sandmel

Sandmel was an extraordinary Jewish scholar who produced an insightful introduction. [-PK]

Introduction to the Old Testament by J. Alberto Soggin

Full of technical detail and critical argumentation. [-PK]

Reading the Old Testament by Lawrence Boadt

The traditional view, by a Catholic Bible scholar. It keeps a very readable format throughout, though its findings are a little dated. It is not an inerrantist introduction, but explains the Documentary Hypothesis and other theories outside the literalist perspective, as well as the life and times of the Biblical authors. Recommended by Apikorus and Celsus.

Introduction to the Old Testament by J. Alberto Soggin

Full of technical detail and critical argumentation.

The Hebrew Bible Today by Steven L. McKenzie & M. Patrick Graham

This is a more radical view, but also consequently much more up to date. John Van Seters' theory features prominently here, rightly or wrongly.

Theology of the Old Testament: Testimony, Dispute, Advocacy by Walter Brueggemann

Departing somewhat from understanding the writing of the Hebrew Bible, Brueggeman instead focuses on the theological ideas of the writers, reviving theology for critical scholarship, which has mostly left it to evangelicals and conservatives. He is one of the leading Hebrew Bible theologians today, even though he presupposes some degree of Christianity in his interpretation.

Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament

Anyone looking to compare Gilgamesh, Atrahasis, and other Near Eastern parallels to the Bible ought to begin here. Recommended by Brian [Johnston]. See more of Brian's recommendations (some may overlap with books below).


Not an introduction so much as a discussion of some critical issues, including the documentary hypothesis.

Who Wrote the Bible? by Richard E. Friedman

Friedman's exposition of the Documentary Hypothesis first espoused be Wellhausen. Well-recommended by many others, the views herein are again, a traditional approach.

The Pentateuch by Joseph Blenkinsopp

A standard textbook on the Pentateuch that reviews many of the various theories about the formation of the first five books of the Bible. Highly recommended to those who have some grasp of what the Documentary Hypothesis is about, even as it calls it into question.

Introduction to Composition of the Pentateuch by Alexander Rofé. Read Apikorus' review at the link.

Apikorus's Amazon lists



[-PK]The overview of the history of source criticism is in itself worth the price of admission.

The Catholic Deuterocanon consists of seven books--Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, 1 Maccabees, and 2 Maccabees--as well as septuagintal additions to Daniel and Esther, all of which are printed as Scripture with the rest of the Old Testament. The Eastern Orthodox canon includes Psalm 151, the Prayer of Manasseh, 1 Esdras, and 3 Maccabees as well. The Protestant Apocrypha, which is not Scripture, adds 2 Esdras and 4 Maccabees, compared to the Orthodox canon. Confused yet? Then get these books.

Introducing the Apocrypha by David A. deSilva

I checked several introductions to the Apocrypha, and this one consistently had more useful information. Completely up to date too. [- Celsus]

An Introduction to Early Judaism by James C. VanderKam

VanderKam covers both the Apocrypha and the most important Pseudepigrapha, with chapters on the historical background of the texts.

Introduction to the Talmud and Midrash by Hermann L. Strack

Recommended by Haran [Ish] [Bryan Cox]. See more of Ish's recommendations.


The Meaning of the Dead Sea Scrolls: Their Significance For Understanding the Bible, Judaism, Jesus, and Christianity by James C. VanderKam & Peter Flint

An outstanding, up-to-date introduction to the Dead Sea Scrolls. It also introduces various theories surrounding the Qumran group who (possibly) wrote them, as well as the palaeographical and archaeological methods and results of dating the scrolls.

The Complete World of the Dead Sea Scrolls by Philip R. Davies, George J. Brooke, Phillip R. Callaway

Another introduction--it is not a minimalist introduction despite Davies' involvement.



Don't call it "biblical archaeology" to an archaeologist!

It Ain't Necessarily So by Matthew Sturgis

UK users should get this in soft cover at most Waterstone's or large bookshops. An excellent introduction to the current state of archaeological discovery, focusing on its divergence from traditional biblical interpretation. This was the book that enticed me into "Biblical" archaeology. It is actually helped in some way by being written by a journalist instead of an archaeologist, so that terms are better explained, and disputes better clarified. [- Celsus]

The Bible Unearthed by Israel Finkelstein and Neil Asher Silberman

A widely read, level-headed introduction to the Biblical world. It tends to hide some of the disputed claims of the authors, but it is another engaging book to get into the field of archaeology.matter.

Who Were the Early Israelites and Where Did They Come From? by W.G. Dever

While I am biased against him (see my review based on an earlier book, What Did the Biblical Writers Know, and When Did They Know It?) by William G. Dever, his book is necessary reading, and shows problems with Israel Finkelstein's theories that you'll come across briefly in The Bible Unearthed. The moral of the story is that archaeology is interpretive, never definitive. [- Celsus]

From Nomadism to Monarchy: Archaeological and Historical Aspects of Early Israel edited by I. Finkelstein and N. Na'aman

Finkelstein sets forth his case for the rise of the hill country settlers in this work, against Dever's interpretations.
A response to those who would like to view the Hebrew Bible as a Hellenistic romance.

Prelude to Israel's Past by Neils Peter Lemche

A minimalist take on the patriarchal origins of Biblical Israel, prior to the monarchy. It relates surprisingly well with either Finkelstein or Dever, though it is based more on textual evidence.perspective to compare with Dever. [- Celsus]

Archaeology and the Bible by John C. H. Laughlin

"Absolutely readable, with an introduction to how archaeological method developed, contemporary debates, new methods and discoveries, avoids the polemics of minimax debates (while giving the minimalists a fair hearing), and lots of pictures to boot! And all in less than 200 pages!" [- Celsus]

The Oxford History of the Biblical World edited by M.D. Coogan

A maximalist introduction which should be obtained just for its sheer scope in such a compact work. Lawrence Stager's chapter, "Forging an Identity" is indispensable, but there are rather uncritical approaches elsewhere inside.

Archaeology of the Land of the Bible: 10,000-586 B.C.E. by Amihai Mazar

Archaeology of the Land of the Bible: The Assyrian, Babylonian, and Persian Periods (732-332 B.C.E.) by Ephraim Stern

"A solid series covering Palestine from Prehistory to Persia. Readable, and quite comprehensive. These are more or less 'orthodox' or mainstream views of the field. My only gripe is they don't have matching covers (it's an artificial "series" hammered together: even the dates overlap)." - Celsus

The Early History of God: Yahweh and the Other Deities in Ancient Israel by Mark S. Smith

A fine book covering the rise of monolatory and then its distinction from monotheism in ancient Israel. Quite technical, and presupposes a fair amount of archaeological knowledge. What it excels at is not begging questions and understanding the subjectiveness of literary interpretation.

The Religions of Ancient Israel by Ziony Zevit

A voluminous and up-to-date textbook for serious inquirers. Zevit's look at the contemporary minimax debate as a paradigmatic battle is very interesting, and a must-read. The rest involves understanding early Israelite beliefs.It's well worth every penny though. [- Celsus]


The Biblical Criticism, Archaeology, and History section of Eblaforum Library.

The Bible and Interpretation
an excellent source of current news and opinion, maintained by a community college in Wyoming

Biblical Archaeological Review – Hershel Shanks' publication.

Biblical Studies

Early Jewish Writings (Peter Kirby's excellent site!)

The Journal of Hebrew Scriptures (DrJim publishes here!)

Journal of Religion and Society (occasionally related to the Hebrew Bible)

K.C. Hanson's Home Page (see his links as well)

The Net Bible

Old Testament Life and Literature by Gerald A. Larue (1968)

Reading the Old Testament by Barry L. Bandstra

Review of Biblical Literature

West Semitic Research Site

Celsus

Just clarifying a few loose lines:

• "I checked several introductions to the Apocrypha, and this one consistently had more useful information. Completely up to date too. [- Celsus]"

This comment was not made by me, but by Peter.

• "A response to those who would like to view the Hebrew Bible as a Hellenistic romance."

This line was by Peter refering to Dever's book(s).

• "The overview of the history of source criticism is in itself worth the price of admission."
  
  "Not an introduction so much as a discussion of some critical issues, including the documentary hypothesis."

These lines refers to Blenkinsopp's Introduction and McKenzie & Graham's The Hebrew Bible Today, respectively. Both comments were made by Peter.

• "(see my review based on an earlier book, What Did the Biblical Writers Know, and When Did They Know It?) by William G. Dever,"

The closing bracket is in the wrong place (it should be after Dever)

All comments under "Archaeology of Syro-Palestine" are my own, so there's no real need to put [- Celsus] there, unless everyone really enjoys seeing my name peppering this post. Actually, the following sections are by me, unless otherwise stated:

Introduction to The Hebrew Bible
The Pentateuch/Torah
The Dead Sea Scrolls
Archaeology of Syro-Palestine and the Mini-Max Israel Debates - Archaeology of the Biblical World (except the first comment by Peter, "Don't call it "biblical archaeology" to an archaeologist!")

The rest are by Peter, unless otherwise stated, i.e.:

Primary Sources in Translation
Popular Overviews of the Bible
All-in-One Bible Commentaries
Apocryphal, Pseudepigraphical, and Later Books

Apologies for the misunderstanding on my part as well. The only reason I'm being anal about this whole thing is I never did ask Peter's permission to alter his reading list, but so I'm making sure he gets credit for everything he contributed. I did modify it slightly from the Ebla one since certain things don't make sense when translated across the boards, and Toto's done a good job clearing up all the rest.

Joel

spin

I strongly recommend that people don't use this translation:

"The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English", Geza Vermes, Penguin

There are better translations available:

The Dead Sea Scrolls Translated, Florentino Garcia Martinez, Brill/Eerdmans

The Dead Sea Scrolls: A New Translation, Michael Wise, Martin Abegg, Jr., and Edward Cook, Harper

For really keen people,

The Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition (2 vols), Martinez & Tigchelaar, Brill/Eerdmans

This pair includes transcriptions of the original languages.

Eerdmans has also put out quite a range of single volumes about the scrolls, each volume containing a number of useful though specialist essays. Volumes include "The Bible at Qumran", "The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Origins of the Bible", "Religion in the Dead Sea Scrolls" and various others.

A book on Messianism with respect to the scrolls is "The Sceptre and the Star", J.J. Collins.


spin

Toto

Other comments or additions are requested.

Celsus

More useful links: Jewish History Resource Center and the Jewish History Ring.

Joel

Celsus

I absolutely must add P.R. Davies' In Search of 'Ancient Israel'. Fantastic book. My description would be:

Davies examines the preconceptions surrounding the 'ancient Israel' constructed by Biblical scholars of the past. In conflating the biblical Israel with the historical Israel, scholars managed to create an 'ancient Israel' that does not exist, and rests on shaky methodological grounds.

Insert after Dever's book.

Rick Sumner

If memory serves, which it probably doesn't, didn't this have a broader scope than Messianism just in the scrolls?

My own reccommendation on the same topic would be Evans and Flint (eds) _Messianism, Eschatology and the Dead Sea Scrolls_ (from the Eerdman's series you recommended already, so a little redundant).

Regards,
Rick Sumner

copernicus

How about Cyrus Gordon and Gary Rendsburg's classic The Bible and the Ancient Near East?

rob117

There seems to be some unwarranted ill will towards Dever. While he does sometimes use arrogant language and polemic, archaeologically his overviews of the monarchy are very detailed and well-annotated.

I also think you should list The Hidden Book in the Bible and The Bible with Sources Revealed, both by Richard Friedman. Who Wrote the Bible demonstrates the Documentary Hypothesis in theory; these two demonstrate it in fact.

austin2

in your opening statement you write this politically biased statement, meaningless actually, as there was NO palestine at that time

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/...ry/Romans.html