Richard S. Hess

a historical, theological, and critical introduction

The Old Testament

Helps readers consider the importance of contemporary archaeological discoveries and juxtapose them with the biblical narrative to understand ancient Israelite religions.

An Archaeological and Biblical Survey

Israelite Religions

M. Daniel Carroll R.

""This volume is exemplary of evangelical scholarship at its best. The theme is pertinent, indeed basic, to all expressions of Christianity, and the contributors engage their subject with the passionate inquiry and critical acumen it deserves. The essays are comprehensive in scope but unpredictable in conclusion, displaying a diversity of perspective united only by common allegiance to the advancement of biblical understanding. Anyone interested in biblical prophecy or a historical understanding of Jesus will find here a useful survey of the relevant materials and some surprising new insights."" --Mark Allan Powell, Trinity Lutheran Seminary ""Israel's Messiah is a very timely, helpful work on one of the more important topics for our day. In fairly short compass, it manages to cover nearly everything the student will want to know about the development of the messianic idea in Judaism and the early church. It is a must reading "" --Grant R. Osborne, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School ""There has been a notion circulating in certain circles of New Testament scholarship that the concept of a messiah was of little significance in early Judaism. This volume helps dispel that notion and in the process gives us some keen insight into how the messianic material in the New Testament fits into the larger matrix of Old Testament and early Jewish messianic thought. Highly recommended."" --Ben Witherington III, Asbury Theological Seminary ""The complexities of biblical scholarship are all too often hidden from most students of the Bible. This collection of essays, however, opens up contemporary issues concerning the concept of the messiah. The main authors and respondents offer helpful and insightful presentations on the messiahship of Jesus Christ. The format of essays and responses enriches the volume by permitting the reader to weigh differing viewpoints on the vitally important topic. Here we have constructive, critical, evangelical scholarship of the highest quality."" --T. D. Alexander, Union Theological College, Belfast, Ireland Richard S. Hess (Ph.D., Hebrew Union College) and M. Daniel Carroll R. (Ph.D., University of Sheffield) are professors of Old Testament at Denver Seminary.

Israel's Messiah in the Bible and the Dead Sea Scrolls

Richard Hess has written an insightful commentary on one of the most intriguing books of the Bible, which celebrates God's gift of love. Following an introduction to the biblical book and a history of its interpretation, Hess divides his discussion into seven major sections. Each section begins with a fresh translation, followed by paragraph-by-paragraph commentary, and concluding with a summary of the passage's theological implications. Technical questions related to the Hebrew text or scholarly debate are addressed in the footnotes. Pastors and teachers will find here an accessible commentary that will serve as an excellent resource for their study. This is the first volume in the Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms series.

Song of Songs (Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms)

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.

Amarna Personal Names

The book of Joshua memorializes a transitional episode in Israel's national history. The heroic figure Joshua, imbued with strength, courage and faith, leads the new generation of Israel across the Jordan into the land of promise. Richard S. Hess explores the historical, theological and literary dimensions of the book of Joshua.

An Introduction and Commentary

Joshua

A Respected Scholar Introduces Students to the Discipline of Old Testament Studies Richard 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.

A Historical, Theological, and Critical Introduction

Gerald A. Klingbeil

Paul J. Ray Jr

The origin of the Israelites is one of the most frequently discussed issues among archaeologists and biblical scholars. Only a few decades ago, biblical stories such as the Conquest were heralded as confirmed by archaeology. But in the 1970s, Thomas L. Thompson and John Van Seters were in the vanguard of a movement among scholars that was intent on reassessing the historical reliability of the biblical narratives. This reassessment gained momentum during the 1980s and 1990s; today, the mainstream opinion is that there was no Conquest, and the Israelites, if they can be identified as a national entity or as a people, did not arrive in Canaan by means of a military conquest. For three days in March 2004, a group of scholars met to consider the state of the question and to provide a response to the predominant academic skepticism, a response that considers the biblical text to be an important datum in the construction of the history of the people of Israel. To do so, the authors of the papers read at the conference take into account both biblical and extrabiblical literary evidence, as well as the contributions of archaeology, to describe as completely as possible what may be known about the early history of Israel. Critical Issues in Early Israelite History publishes the papers read at this conference in the hope that the result will be a balanced portrayal of this watershed event based on all of the currently available evidence.

Critical Issues in Early Israelite History

Gordon J. Wenham

For three thousand years Jerusalem has held a special place in the hearts of Jews and Christians. More than any other site in the Bible, Jerusalem signifies God's judgment and hope. It is the focus of much of the Old Testament, and acquaintance with this background is essential for understanding the importance of the city in Jesus' time, in our own age, and in the prophecies of the world to come.

Zion, City of Our God

Philip E. Satterthwaite

Gordon Wenham

At the heart of the earliest Christian self-understanding, explicit or implicit in much Christian use of the Old Testament, and crucial for Christian theology and interpretation, the concept of 'messiah' in the Old Testament has, however, been eclipsed by the pursuit of other goals in the Old Testament studies. Few recent sustained treatments have appeared from any school of thought. The Lord's Anointed aims to redress the balance. It also recognizes that the study of this topic must always be contemporary: Old Testament studies have changed dramatically in recent years, giving rise to new challenges as well as new opportunities for Christian reading of it.

Interpretation of Old Testament Messianic Texts

The Lord's Anointed

This verse-by-verse commentary offers a fresh reading of an intriguing book of the Old Testament.

Richard S. Hess

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