Overview

The Old Testament tells the story of a particular nation, ancient Israel, from its origins to its collapse in the face of foreign invaders. But what sort of story is this? How does it fit in with the findings of archaeological explorations of ancient Syro-Palestine? Joshua to Kings picks up the two aspects of the story told in the books from Joshua to 2 Kings, that of an actual historical society and that of a literary presentation of a nation, told from a religious perspective. By exploring the contents of these books the student is led into the use of basic tools for biblical study, such as historical criticism, narrative criticism and ideological criticism, in order to engage in a structured manner with the task of reading and interpreting biblical texts in the modern world. For this third edition the text has been revised and updated to take into account the changes and shifts in scholarship. Reading lists and bibliographies have been comprehensively revised.

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9780567656469

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Reviews

That this volume has now reached its third edition demonstrates the continuing demand for a biblical commentary that is easily accessible to the general reader, while, at the same time, presenting new insights into biblical narrative from recent and authoritative scholarship. By focussing on three important approaches - historial, literary and theological - Mills ensures that the multi-dimensional aspects of this rich and challenging corpus are structured and articulated in a clear and comprehensible way, and that individual stories are explained and contextualised within the larger narrative framework. Mill's impressive scholarship and powers of communication are in evidene throughout the volume. Students, teachers and the general reader can be assured that this commentary is the most up to date and comprehensive of its kind in existance today. Martin O'Kane, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, UK Mary Mills offers an insightful set of ways of reading the so-called Deuteronomistic History. She challenges naive historical readings, yet discloses that Joshua- Kings reflect various historical realities. She stresses the importance of literary insights, yet insists that stories mirror actual political circumstances. She describes how the texts reveal the anxieties of a relatively small emergent people, yet she makes room for some profound theology. This is a very accessible way in to a complex collection of texts that remain at the centre of scholarly debate. George J. Brooke, University of Manchester, UK

Author Information

Mary E. Mills is Professor of Biblical Studies at Liverpool Hope University, UK.

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