This study of the word «people» in the biblical context touches one of the central issues of biblical literature. The author addresses the semantic and literary-critical problems involved in interpreting the Hebrew word םע within the complex texts of 1-2 Samuel and 1-2 Kings. While the word is often rendered by the English word «people» and its cognates in the modern languages, it is also shown that the idea of «people», together with its semantic range in the modern usage, is not identical to the ancient Hebrew. Concerted effort is thus made to identify the basic factors and patterns that explain its meaning in various Hebrew contexts. The study explains how םע expresses both Israel's identity as a secular polity as well as its identity as a religious entity. The discussion is carried out in the light of a number of chosen texts, and these are analyzed both synchronically and diachronically.

"A masterpiece of contemporary Bible translation and commentary."—Los Angeles Times Book Review, Best Books of 1999 Acclaimed for its masterful new translation and insightful commentary, The David Story is a fresh, vivid rendition of one of the great works in Western literature. Robert Alter's brilliant translation gives us David, the beautiful, musical hero who slays Goliath and, through his struggles with Saul, advances to the kingship of Israel. But this David is also fully human: an ambitious, calculating man who navigates his life's course with a flawed moral vision. The consequences for him, his family, and his nation are tragic and bloody. Historical personage and full-blooded imagining, David is the creation of a literary artist comparable to the Shakespeare of the history plays.

Chronicles the ancient history of Israel and its prophets, from Samson to Elijah.

The King James Version Bible Commentary is a complete verse-by-verse commentary. It is comprehensive in scope, reliable in scholarship, and easy to use. Its authors are leading evangelical theologians who provide practical truths and biblical principles. Any Bible student will gain new insights through this one-volume commentary based on the timeless King James Version of the Bible.

In John 5:39 and 46, Yeshua (Jesus) emphatically stated that the Torah was written about Him! Furthermore, in Luke 24:27 and 44-47, He stated that the following truths were prophesied in the Torah, the Prophets and the Psalms: He would suffer, die, be buried in the grave, resurrected, and finally, repentance and remission of sins would be preached in His name among the nations. With Yeshua's statements in mind, would you be able to find one such prophecy? Unfortunately, most who believe that Yeshua is the Messiah are hard pressed to point to any such prophecies. Even so, The Scroll of the Gospel of David will introduce you to an entire world of Messianic prophecy in the Old Testament and will help you understand how the death, burial and resurrection of Yeshua in three days is the most prophesied event in the Old Testament! Tony Robinson is a writer, teacher, worship leader and songwriter who has been involved in Messianic ministry for the past seven years. He graduated from the University of Illinois with a B.S. in chemistry and from Kansas State University with a M.S. in analytical chemistry. He is director of Restoration of Torah Ministries, a non-profit organization established to 1) teach the Hebraic roots of the faith, 2) lead Messianic worship and 3) write Messianic songs that celebrate the Torah. Furthermore, he is author of the web page, Restoration of Torah. The web page contains many articles and a complete set of Torah lessons. He currently attends Beth Abara Hebraic Assembly in Cleveland, TN, and lives in Ringgold, GA, with his wife, Tina, and four children, Sean, Evan, A.J. and Erica. Restoration of Torah Ministries http: //www.restorationoftorah.org [email protected]

This extract from the Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible provides Tomes’ introduction to and concise commentary on First and Second Kings. The Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible presents, in nontechnical language, the best of modern scholarship on each book of the Bible, including the Apocrypha. Reader-friendly commentary complements succinct summaries of each section of the text and will be valuable to scholars, students, and general readers. Rather than attempt a verse-by-verse analysis, these volumes work from larger sense units, highlighting the place of each passage within the overarching biblical story. Commentators focus on the genre of each text—parable, prophetic oracle, legal code, and so on—interpreting within the historical and literary context. The volumes also address major issues within each biblical book—including the range of possible interpretations—and refer readers to the best resources for further discussions.