An Introduction to Ancient Israel and the Hebrew Bible: A Diachronic Approach pairs biblical material with primary source texts from the Middle Bronze Age to the Hellenistic Period. It places emphasis on archaeological and historical data that help to illuminate the Hebrew Bible in its ancient Near Eastern context. The opening chapter focuses on the Middle Bronze Age, including information on societal development, innovations, material culture, Abraham and the Amorite Migration, Joseph in Egypt, Genesis, and more. Characteristics of the Late Bronze Age, the Exodus Narrative, Leviticus, and Numbers are addressed in Chapter 2. The Iron Age is covered in Chapters 3 and 4, speaking to the emergence of Israel, Deuteronomy, the archaeology of the period, Samuel and Kings, Excursus, and latter Prophets. The final chapter addresses the end of the kingdom of Judah, the rise of the Medes and Persians, Psalms, the Book of Ruth, Proverbs, Job, wisdom literature, and more. An Introduction to Ancient Israel and the Hebrew Bible is an ideal text for introductory courses in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament.

The origin and integrity of the Biblical text are described with gematria and equidistant letter spacing requiring Divine inspiration. There should therefore be no conflict between the Bible and established Science. Key conflicts perceived by the secular world are evaluated in detail. The fine tuning of the Earth and Universe enabling humankind to survive and flourish are summarised, and the supreme perfections of design in humanity, in nature and Universe described. General Relativity since the Big Bank is used to resolve a timescale matching the events of the Six Days of Genesis terminating in the recent special creation of humankind.

Together with my story of travelling through the tough circumstances of a brain tumour diagnosis; 'Embracing the Father' takes us on a journey through some of the well known stories from the Old Testament, and some less well known ones, in order to grasp a fuller understanding of the true nature of God, and how we react to those difficult situations we come across. Is he a mean and self centred being or is he kind and generous? Is the Old Testament God relevant to us today? Does he become in the New Testament a much more approachable God, or maybe a different God altogether? I explore our relationship with God as a Father, and how that has developed in my own journey, in both serious and humorous ways.

"The title, Old Testament, creates difficulties of its own. If it is "Old" and we are people of the "New", surely we may properly let it fade away into history? Besides, it seems very unlike the New Testament, even contradictory: all those wars when Jesus is the Prince of peace; all those commandments to obey when we are not under law but under grace. And can the God of the Old Testament be a God of love like the Father, Son and Holy Spirit?" These are the questions that Alec Motyer, a life long lover of the Old Testament, seeks to answer starting with the conviction that Jesus is the fulfilment of the Old Testament Scripture. This is for the Christian who wants to know what the Old Testament has to do with the New Testament and why the Christian should read it. A comprehensive survey of the Old Testament organised around its authors and major characters, the theme of this book is that the Holy Spirit chose, fashioned and equipped the biblical authors to convey distinctive truths through each of them.'

Respected Old Testament scholar Craig Bartholomew, coauthor of the well-received "Drama of Scripture," provides a careful exegetical reading of Ecclesiastes in this addition to the Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms series. Along with helpful translation and commentary, "Ecclesiastes" considers the theological implications of the text and its literary, historical, and grammatical dimensions. Footnotes deal with many of the technical matters, allowing readers of varying levels of interest and training to read and profit from the commentary and to engage the biblical text at an appropriate level. Pastors, teachers, and all serious students of the Bible will find here an accessible commentary that will serve as an excellent resource for their study.