Old Testament Times

Old Testament Times deals in a non-technical manner with the broad social and cultural context in which the events recorded in the Bible took place. Particular attention is given to recent archaeological discoveries and the light they shed on the Old Testament. Certain of the more problematic issues of Old Testament history are also examined in outline.

The world of the Old Testament was geographically and politically interdependent and coexisted with the world of the ancient Near East. The people and times of the Old Testament cannot and must not be studied in isolation from the larger Near Eastern background. Any information that can be discovered about the history, religion, languages, literatures and cultures of ancient Oriental peoples have an important bearing upon our understanding of the people of God.

Old Testament Times is more than a survey of the Old Testament; it is an examination of the background in which the Old Testament was written. Dr. Harrison explores the relevance of the historical, political, social, and economic framework relating to the beginning and growth of the Israelite people and the development of Judaism.

Designed to complement Merrill C. Tenney's well-known New Testament Times, this present volume contains more than one hundred photos as well as indexes and a list of books for further reading.

R.K. Harrison (1920-1993) was Professor of Old Testament at Wycliffe College, University of Toronto. He authored the classic work, Introduction to the Old Testament and was the General Editor of the New International Commentary on the Old Testament.