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We know from Egypt and Mesopotamia that it was common to seal important documents--including theological documents--in the masonry or foundations of a palace or temple in order to inform a future king who might undertake restoration of the building.

What might the psalmist have in mind when asking God to remove transgressions "as far as the east is from the west" (Ps 103:12)?

In an Egyptian hymn to Amun-Re, the deity is praised for his judgment of the guilty. As a result of the god's discernment, the guilty is assigned to the East and the righteous to the West.

What is meant by the image of God "weighing the heart" (Prov 21:2)?

In Egyptian religious tradition we find the notion of the dead being judged before the gods. As the soul is examined, the dead person's heart is weighed in a scale against a feather symbolizing Truth. If the answers are correct and the heart does not outweigh the feather, the soul may enter the realm of everlasting life.

The narratives, genealogies, laws, poetry, proverbs and prophecies of the Old Testament are deeply rooted in history. Archaeologists, historians and social scientists have greatly advanced our knowledge of the ancient world of the Bible. When we illuminate the stories of Abraham or David, the imagery of the Psalms and Proverbs, or the prophecies of Isaiah or Jeremiah with this backlight of culture and history, these texts spring to new life.

This unique commentary joins The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament in giving historical, social and cultural background for each Old Testament passage. From Genesis through Malachi it gathers and condenses an abundance of specialized knowledge and makes it available to ordinary readers of the Old Testament. It will enrich your study of these biblical books in a way that no other commentary can do.

Written in clear, nontechnical language, this invaluable aid includes

_ a glossary of historical terms as well as ancient peoples, texts and inscriptions _ maps and charts of important historical resources _ expanded explanations of significant background issues _ introductory essays on the background of each book

30 Days to Understanding the Bible, the innovative teach-yourself guide that's helped so many readers get more out of the Bible, just got even better! Now Max Anders' remarkable resource for Bible learning is available in a new, expanded edition, with all the features that made the original so popular plus much more.

Proven effective by over 200,000 readers, 30 Days to Understanding the Bible helps you learn to position key Bible characters, places, and events in chronological order so that you can "think your way through" the entire Word of God. Through interesting, memory-enhancing exercises, 30 Days to Understanding the Bible acquaints readers with the core teachings of Scripture in just 15 minutes a day!

Like NA27, this is the leading edition of the original text of the New Testament. It contains the same Greek text as NA27, differing only in some details of punctuation and paragraphing. The format of UBS4 is in several respects more user-friendly for students and translators than NA27. It has a more spacious appearance and a larger font. English sub-headings assist in navigating the text for those who may be less familiar with Greek. Old Testament quotations appear in easily recognizable bold font. Synoptic parallels are clearly listed under English headings.

The critical apparatus includes exegetically significant variants (fewer than NA27) but adds extensive manuscript evidence (more than NA27) for each variant, thereby offering in-depth instruction for students on how variants and the evidence for them work together.

* A thorough reexamination of the historical evidence for acceptance of the canon

* Focuses on the central issues of criteria of canonicity, the idea of a canon within a canon, and canonical criticism

* Includes the most recent discoveries and literature pertaining to the canon

* Comprehensive and yet still readable