The Oxford Handbook of the Apocrypha addresses the Old Testament Apocrypha, known to be important early Jewish texts that have become deutero-canonical for some Christian churches, non-canonical for other churches, and that are of lasting cultural significance. In addition to the place given to the classical literary, historical, and tradition-historical introductory questions, essays focus on the major social and theological themes of each individual book. With contributions from leading scholars from around the world, the Handbook acts as an authoritative reference work on the current state of Apocrypha research, and at the same time carves out future directions of study.This Handbook offers an overview of the various Apocrypha and relevant topics related to them by presenting updated research on each individual apocryphal text in historical context, from the late Persian and early Hellenistic periods to the early Roman era. The essays provided here examine the place of the Apocrypha in the context of Early Judaism, the relationship between the Apocrypha and texts that came to be canonized, the relationship between the Apocrypha and the Septuagint, Qumran, the Pseudepigrapha, and the New Testament, as well as their reception history in the Western world. Several chapters address overarching themes, such as genre and historicity, Jewish practices and beliefs, theology and ethics, gender and the role of women, and sexual ethics.

PrefaceContributorsPart I: The Apocrypha in Judaism and ChristianityThe Apocrypha: An Introduction1. The Apocrypha in the Context of Early Judaism2. The Apocrypha, the Septuagint, and other Greek Witnesses3. A Canonical History of the Old Testament Apocryphay4. The Apocrypha in the History of Christianity5. The Protestant Reception of the ApocryphaPart II: The ApocryphaHistorical and Legendary:6. Apocrypha, Genre, and Historicity7. 1 Esdras (Greek Ezra)8. Baruch9. Book of Judith10. 1 Maccabees' Ethics, Etiquette, Political Theology, and Structure11. 2 Maccabees12. 3 Maccabees13. 4 MaccabeesApocalyptic:14. The Apocrypha and Apocalypticism15. 2 EsdrasDidactic:16. Wisdom Literature of the Apocrypha and Related Compositions of the Second Temple Era17. Sirach18. Tobit19 .The Wisdom of SolomonAdditions to Biblical Books:20. The Additions to Daniel21. The Additions of the Greek Book(s) of Esther22. Epistle of Jeremiah23. Prayer of Manasseh24. Psalm 151-155Part III: Major Themes in the Apocrypha25. Jewish Religion in the Apocrypha: Between Biblical Precepts and Early Rabbinic Thought26. Women and Gender in the Apocrypha27. Theology and Ethics in the Apocrypha28. Sexuality in the Apocrypha29. Biblical Theology and the ApocryphaIndex