Introduction to the Hebrew Bible | 
 enlarge | Author: John J. Collins
Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Publishers
Category: Book
List Price: $49.00
Buy Used: $20.58
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Rating:  11 reviews
Sales Rank: 25115
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 700
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.8
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 7 x 1.7
ISBN: 0800629914
Dewey Decimal Number: 221.61
EAN: 9780800629915
ASIN: 0800629914
Publication Date: March 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: Inventory subject to prior sale. Used items have varying degrees of wear, highlighting, etc. and may not include supplements such as infotrac or other web access codes. Expedited orders cannot be sent to PO Box. Sorry, not able to ship to APO, FPO, Alaska, and Hawaii.
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Product Description
This accessible introduction to the Hebrew Bible, including the Apocrypha, features a CD-ROM that uses Libronix software and offers extensive additional materials, including discussion questions, maps, illustrations, and Web resources.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 6 more reviews...
Extremely Informative, A Little Judgmental November 17, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
It is difficult to imagine a critical, scholastic, introductory textbook to the entire Hebrew Bible (and deuterocanonical texts) that could do a better job than this. The book tops out at just over 600 pages, which is somewhat daunting, but well-worth a studious read. There is only so much that can be done in an introductory textbook without becoming overwhelming. I believe the book found it's way to that boundary between too much and not enough. Inevitably, with a book of this quality, criticisms might tend to become nit-picky. The "illustrations" gathered together in the center of the textbook are lackluster, few in number, and rather common. Anyone with a real interest in the Hebrew Bible or the ancient Near East will be familiar with most of the objects and places pictured. They could at least have presented color photographs. Even better, they could have included a CD with a large archive of photographs to flip through as you read--which brings us to the included CD. I've always felt that including the textbook on an accompanying CD was rather pointless. It's probably done to claim an added value for the product and substantiate an increase in price. Fortunately, you can find the book steeply discounted on places like Amazon.com and then toss the CD without regret (except, perhaps, for the increase in environmental waste). But even if having the book on CD was a welcome option, the publisher chose to discriminate against a large number of its customers by making the work accessible only through a Windows-based operating system. The CD will not load, install, or run on Linux or (I assume) Mac. Being a Linux user, therefore, I found the CD doubly worthless. As a lover of the Tetrateuch, I was thrilled at how much space and time was committed to Genesis and the first half of Exodus. Unfortunately, the rest of the Tetrateuch suffered. The last half of Exodus as well as Numbers receive, perhaps, the poorest treatment in the entire textbook. Leviticus, thankfully, was not treated so unjustly, but it's treatment still suffered. My biggest complaint is the biased judgment calls that Collins weaves subtly or not-so-subtly through the entire work. He repeatedly inserts factual judgments on ideas or arguments which he either has not presented evidence for or had previously discussed only as a possible way of viewing things. I found myself repeatedly writing the word "why?" in the margin or making some sort of note where Collins proceeded upon an assumption or argument that I found rather thin or unconvincing. It is clear that Collins attempts to bypass his own biases by giving time and attention to various arguments and evidences, but he is not consistent. Perhaps Collins felt the need when dealing with sacred literature to guard against the abuses of Fundamentalism. But since when was he the guardian of the text? Overall, the book comes highly recommended. One cannot fail to receive a great deal of critical, theological, and historical insight, while building a solid foundation in their study of the Hebrew Bible.
 Introduction to the Hebrew Bible by John V. Collin July 20, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
This is extremely comprehensive. The DVD that comes with it is excellent for research -- especially good for writing papers.
Mythological February 22, 2007
6 out of 10 found this review helpful
The author presupposes that the Old Testament (the Hebrew Bible) is myth and builds all suppositions and arguments around that premise. Keep this in mind when you read.
Illuminating Historical and Archeological INformation January 3, 2007
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
The author offers considerable information which illuminates the Old Testament. He makes points for supporting as well as refuting stories, details, which otherwise might well be taken for granite by the casual reader.
You'll keep coming back for more! November 10, 2006
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
In my six years of study as a post-graduate Theology student,I have read many books introducing me to Hebrew Scripture. Many were excellent and scholarly yet none possessed the "flow and enticement" of Collins' research and presentation. I looked forward each night to resuming my study. Collins managed to tie all the information together, fill in all the gaps, present many perspectives and offer the latest assessment of the evidence thus far. I teach an Adult Bible Study - and ALWAYS have this book at my side. It's as pleasurable a read as it is informative!
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