Contents Preface to the Third Edition Preface to the Second Edition To the Professor To the Student 1. What Is the Old Testament and Why Study It? 2. Where and When Did the Events of the Old Testament Take Place? Part 1: Encountering the Pentateuch 3. Introduction to the Pentateuch: The Birth of God's People 4. Genesis 1-11: The Prelude to Israel 5. Genesis 12-50: The Patriarchs: Ancestors of Israel's Faith 6. Exodus: A Miraculous Escape 7. Leviticus: Instructions for Holy Living 8.

Numbers: Failure in the Desert 9. Deuteronomy: Restoring the Covenant Part 2: Encountering the Historical Books 10. Introduction to the Historical Books: The History of Israel's Nationhood 11. Joshua: Conquest and Division 12. Judges and Ruth: Israel's Moral Crisis 13. First Samuel: God Grants a King 14. Second Samuel: David's Reign 15. First Kings: The Glory of Solomon and the Beginning of the End 16.

Second Kings: The End of National Israel 17. First and Second Chronicles: A Look Back 18. Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther: A Time to Rebuild Part 3: Encountering the Poetical Books 19. Introduction to the Poetical Books: The Literature of God's People 20. Job: One Man's Search for Justice 21. Psalms: The Songbook of Ancient Israel 22. Proverbs: Advice on Living in God's World 23. Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs: Israelite Faith in Everyday Life Part 4: Encountering the Prophets 24.

Introduction to the Prophets: Voices of God's Servants 25. Isaiah 1-39: Prophet of Judah's Royal Court 26. Isaiah 40-66: Great Days Are Coming! 27. Jeremiah 1-20: Struggling with God's Call 28. Jeremiah 21-52 and Lamentations: Dealing with Disaster 29. Ezekiel 1-24: Rough Days Are Coming! 30. Ezekiel 25-48: God Is Planning an Exciting Future! 31. Daniel: The Kingdom of God--Now and Forever 32.

Hosea, Joel, and Amos: A Call for Repentance and a Promise for Blessing 33. Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah: God's Plan for the Nations 34. Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi: Rebuilding a People Epilogue: A Final Word Glossary Indexes.