Chronicle of the Old Testament Kings: The Reign-By-Reign Record of the Rulers of Ancient Israel (Chronicle)

Features

• Cover Type: Hard Cover with 208 pages
• Published by: Thames & Hudson October 1999
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0500050953
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0500050958
• Book Dimensions: 10.2 x 7.6 x 1 inches
• Weighs: 2.3 pounds

Product Review
Chronicle of the Old Testament Kings charts the rise and fall of the leaders of Israel from Abraham to Herod. The first founders of the nation (such as David, Solomon, and Moses) and the prophets who first judged their leadership (such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Elijah) are brought vividly to life, with lavish color maps, time lines, photographs of archaeological treasures, and reproductions of later artists' imaginative renderings of each figure. These features alone make Chronicle of the Old Testament Kings a whiz-bang coffee-table book. In addition, author John Rogerson, a professor of Religious Studies at the University of Sheffield, also provides an accessible, absorbing set of profiles of Israel's leaders. He considers all of the crucial debates in biblical scholarship today: Did the earliest biblical leaders of Israel actually exist? How much can we know about them? And how should that historical knowledge influence our reading of the Bible? Rogerson's intrepid exploration of these questions, presented in such a stylish volume, makes Chronicle of the Old Testament Kings a valuable addition to any library of books about religion.

Book Description
The story of ancient Israel's rulers, from Abraham to Herod, encompasses some of the greatest events and most powerful personalities in history. Covering a span of 1,500 years, Chronicle of the Old Testament Kings charts all the leaders of Israel from the Ancestors--the physical and spiritual founders of the nation--through the united monarchy under David and Solomon, to the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, Persian and Greek rule and, finally, Roman domination. Chronicle of the Old Testament Kings searches through the mists of tradition to reveal the historical figures behind familiar names such as Moses, David, and Solomon. Did they exist? What is known about them? The rulers are placed in the context of their own world and brought vividly to life, complete with their outstanding feats and their equally notable failings. We are also introduced to less-known but fascinating figures, such as Ahab and his Ivory House; Hezekiah, who withstood the might of the Assyrians; and Judas Maccabeus, who restored Jewish independence. Although leaders of a people dedicated to God, they frequently lapsed into morally questionable behavior, resulting in criticism and censure from Prophets such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Elijah. Key features of the book include:
* data files for every ruler, listing important information such as the meaning of their names, their lineage, wives, and children, and Bible references;
* portraits of rulers, genealogical trees, full-color maps, and illustrations taken from a huge range of sources;
* special features, including the Exodus, the Philistines, the Exile, Solomon's Temple, and the Dead Sea Scrolls;
* timelines providing at-a-glance visual guides to reigns and events.

Reader Reviews
This book is simplistic in the extreme. The overviews are cursory and often details given conflict with other scholarship. I give it three stars for one reason -- it is a useful basic reference. In my research I use it to give me a chronology of the kings and for the maps. Other than that, it is not very worthwhile. Comment (1) | | (Report this)