The Ancient Near East: An Essential Guide

Abingdon Essential Guides fulfill the need for brief, substantive, yet highly accessible introductions to the core disciplines in biblical, theological, and religious studies.

The only way humans can know God’s Word is through human words that arise in human cultures. Without  knowledge of ancient cultures, no words about God can be understood deeply. Without  knowledge of ancient cultures, biblical interpretation can be distorted, mistaken, or even wrong. John McLaughlin has written a wonderful book in clear English that describes literary works and cultural worlds of major civilizations in antiquity that have bearing on the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible. He explains basic concepts, terminology, and texts to help students, scholars, and even perhaps preachers who want to understand God’s word expressed through human words.
--Kathleen M. O’Connor, William Marcellus McPheeters Professor of Old Testament, emeriti, Columbia Theological Seminary