"Authoritative but eminently readable""No sound interpretation of the Old Testament can afford to ignore the world from which the text came. Physical, historical, archaeological, cultural, social, and religious features all need to be taken into account. Available information, however, is usually scattered through many publications and difficult for students to access. In this volume the editors have done sterling work in gathering a galaxy of leading specialists to collect and present all such relevant information in modest-length chapters that present the data in an authoritative but eminently readable manner. Coursework and personal study stand to be hugely enriched by this valuable compendium."--H. G. M. Williamson, University of Oxford"Featuring an outstanding range of international contributors, Behind the Scenes of the Old Testament is an up-to-date introduction to the theological, social, and historical contexts of the Hebrew Scriptures. The attention paid to neglected topics, such as climate, economy, foodways, historical geography, iconography, music/dance, social stratification, trade, and women--in addition to the substantial attention given to archaeology, history, kingship, literature, prophecy/divination, and worship--is most welcome."--Gary Knoppers, University of Notre Dame"As the editors of Behind the Scenes of the Old Testament remind us, the Old Testament, while written for us, was not written to us. We must understand the world in which the Old Testament was written to interpret it for our world today. For this reason, I highly recommend this book as a reference or textbook for all serious readers of the Old Testament. Each chapter provides background to and comparative analysis of the biblical text and is written by foremost experts in the field."--Tremper Longman III, Westmont College"The publishers and editors are to be commended for making this compendium of up-to-date essays available to students of the Old Testament. It is an ideal text for courses in Old Testament backgrounds and an excellent supplement for survey courses. Specialists needing a summary of the latest thinking regarding background issues will also find it a handy tool."--Robert B. Chisholm Jr., Dallas Theological Seminary"A unique opportunity to learn from leading scholars of the world in which the Old Testament events took place and the Old Testament texts were written. Accessible, accurate, and engaging, Behind the Scenes of the Old Testament will serve as a key resource for interpreting biblical texts."--Mark J. Boda, McMaster Divinity College