Reading the Old Testament: Introduction to the Hebrew Bible (with CD-ROM and InfoTrac) 
asked by nutshell on November 7, 2006 5:39 AM
READING THE OLD TESTAMENT, now in its third edition, has proven itself as a guide that successfully teaches students how to read the Hebrew Bible and how to go about mining the Biblical text for literary, historical, and thematic meaning. The book actively applies recent literary, rhetorical, and structural studies that shed light on art, design, coherence, characterization, theme, and other literary features of the Hebrew Bible. An engaging and instructive CD-ROM also comes packaged free with the text. This innovative and much acclaimed resource--developed by the author himself--includes the entire text of the Bible, the entire text of the book, and an interactive Study Guide. In both the book and on the CD-ROM, Bandstra demonstrates how knowledge of ancient culture, religion, and history is essential for interpreting Biblical texts. While history, archaeology, and extra-biblical documents are heavily utilized, they are presented only as they apply directly to specific Biblical texts.
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I used this book as a primary textbook in two classes: one on the Hebrew prophets, the other a general survey of the Old Testament. I found the book to be quite readable and even enjoyable, in spots. Most of my fellow classmates grumbled about reading this book. They complained that it was boring and lengthy. However, if you have no knowledge of the OT, this book will certainly illuminate the intricacies of the Hebrew Bible. Bandstra manages to maintain a good degree of neutrality with his writing, a process that is not easy to do when writing about the Bible. There is a CD included with the book that has maps, tons of texts and other helpful information that supplements the text. If you are assigned this book for your class, don't worry. You could do much worse.
reviewed by jdog on November 11, 2006 5:50 AM
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Bandstra focusses on the story line of the Hebrew Bible and does an admirable job of integrating historical and literary studies. A student reading this book will have a clear grasp of both the biblical story of Israel's history and the work of modern scholars on the subject. Bandstra writes with a sensitivity to the faith stance of the biblical writers yet does not shy away from critical issues which challenge a facile reading of the biblical texts. He introduces critical biblical scholarship as it becomes relevant to understanding those texts. Students will learn the content of the Hebrew Bible as well as scholarly methods for interpreting biblical texts.
The CD included with the book is extremely helpful. It includes the entire text of the book, the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible (with links between the two at relevant points), and a wealth of learning aids for students.
reviewed by gilbert on November 15, 2006 11:51 AM
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I am a student at Houston Baptist University and I am currently reading this book as part of a course that studies the Old Testament. Surely there are better texts that discuss the translations of the Old Testament
reviewed by perfect10 on November 16, 2006 9:45 AM