Explore the literature, history, and social context of the Old Testament/ Hebrew Bible and their relevance for making sense of this ancient collection. This significant revision of a classroom standard pays particular attention to the original Mediterranean context-how it differs from modern Western culture-and its importance for interpretation. The significance of critical scholarly methods as well as the value of archaeology are likewise explored. Designed with the realities of the classroom in mind, it includes helpful illustrations, insets, and maps; study questions; a glossary, and indexes of subjects, personal and place names, and Scripture citations.