신앙도서 > 해외원서 > 학문
신앙도서 > 성서연구 > 사전 > 성경사전

성경사전 성경 속 어려운 인물, 인물 지명까지 정확하게!

스터디바이블 성경을 더 깊이 있게 보는 방법

IVP는 Bible Dictionary Series 신약 부문(Dictionary of New Testament Background, dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, Dictionary of the Later New Testament & Its Developments, Dictionary of Paul and His Letters 등)을 통해 많은 신학자들과 학생, 일반 크리스천의 신앙 생활을 도와왔다. 여기서 소개하는 Dictionary of the Old Testament: Historical Books(DOTHB)는 신약 사전 이후 구약 부분을 다룬 것 중 두 번째 편(첫 번째는 Pentateuch편)으로 구약 성경의 "역사서"를 대상으로 하였다. 여호수아, 사사기, 사무엘상하, 열왕기상하, 역대상하, 에스라, 느헤미야서 등 출애굽 이후 시기를 다룬 역사서는 이스라엘 역사가 구약의 기본 뼈대가 된다는 점에서 매우 중요하다. 나아가 그 역사와 그 시기에 쓰여진 성경을 이해하는 것은 성경 전체를 이해하는 데 있어서도 본질적인 요소다. 그 역사서와 이스라엘의 역사에 철저히 집중하고 있는 사전인 본서는 해당 성경 본문에 나타난 인물, 사건, 지역, 개념과 같은 일반 표제어는 물론, 주요한 역사 주제를 폭넓고 심도 깊게 다루고 있다. 편집자들은 특히 신명기적 역사(Deuteronomistic History)만큼이나 연대기적 역사(chronicler's History)에도 주의를 기울였으며 이스라엘 역사가의 화술법과 성경내적 해석, 텍스트 및 원문 비평 등이 수록되어 있다. 4개의 상을 수상한 바 있는 신약 사전 시리즈와 마찬가지로 저명한 전문가들의 깊이 있는 글들로 구성되어 있다.


Edited by Bill T. Arnold and Hugh G. M. Williamson, the Dictionary of the Old Testament: Historical Books is the second volume in IVP's Old Testament dictionary series. This volume picks up where the Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch left off--with Joshua and Israel poised to enter the land--and carries us through the postexilic period. Following in the tradition of the four award-winning IVP dictionaries focused on the New Testament, this encyclopedic work is characterized by in-depth articles focused on key topics, many of them written by noted experts.

The history of Israel forms the skeletal structure of the Old Testament. Understanding this history and the biblical books that trace it is essential to comprehending the Bible. The Dictionary of the Old Testament: Historical Books is the only reference book focused exclusively on these biblical books and the history of Israel.

The dictionary presents articles on numerous historical topics as well as major articles focused on the books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, Ezra and Nehemiah. Other articles focus on the Deuteronomistic History as well as the Chronicler's History, the narrative art of Israel's historians, innerbiblical exegesis, text and textual criticism, and the emergence of these books as canonical. One feature is a series of eight consecutive articles on the periods of Israel's history from the settlement to postexilic period, which form a condensed history of Israel within the DOTHB.

Syro-Palestinian archaeology is surveyed in one article, while significant archaeological sites receive focused treatment, usually under the names of biblical cities and towns such as Jerusalem and Samaria, Shiloh and Shechem, Dan and Beersheba. Other articles delve into the histories and cultures of the great neighboring empires--Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia and Persia--as well as lesser peoples, such as the Ammonites, Edomites, Moabites, Philistines and Phoenicians. In addition there are articles on architecture, Solomon's temple, agriculture and animal husbandry, roads and highways, trade and travel, and water and water systems.

The languages of Hebrew and Aramaic, as well as linguistics, each receive careful treatment, as well as the role of scribes and their schools, and writing and literacy in ancient Israel and its environs. The DOTHB also canvases the full range of relevant extrabiblical written evidence, with five articles focused on the various non-Israelite written sources as well as articles on Hebrew inscriptions and ancient Near Eastern iconography.

Articles on interpretive methods, on hermeneutics and on preaching the Historical Books will assist students and communicators in understanding how this biblical literature has been studied and interpreted, and its proper use in preaching. In the same vein, theological topics such as God, prayer, faith, forgiveness and righteousness receive separate treatment.

The history of Israel has long been contested territory, but never more so than today. Much like the quest of the historical Jesus, a quest of the historical Israel is underway. At the heart of the quest to understand the history of Israel and the Old Testament's Historical Books is the struggle to come to terms with the conventions of ancient historiography. How did these writers conceive of their task and to whom were they writing? Clearly the Old Testament historians did not go about their task as we would today. The divine word was incarnated in ancient culture.

Rather than being a dictionary of quick answers and easy resolutions readily provided, the DOTHB seeks to set out the evidence and arguments, allowing a range of informed opinion to enrich the conversation. In this way it is hoped that the DOTHB will not only inform its readers, but draw them into the debate and equip them to examine the evidence for themselves.