Her extraordinary beauty sentences her to a life she does not want. King Solomon is well-known as a wise man and the wealthiest king to have ever lived. But with great power often comes great corruption, and Solomon unfortunately allowed himself to be lured by the many temptations this world has to offer—including the hundreds of wives and concubines he brought into his court. But who were these women? What was life like for them in Solomon's harem? Nalussa is a simple Jewish girl, living with her family in a small town a day's travel from Solomon's kingdom. When a strange man meets her one day at the town well, Nalussa suddenly finds herself whisked away from all that she wants and desires to fulfill the lusts of a king she has never met. But one word of outcry can lead to her family's harm and her own disgrace and removal from society. While giving in to her new life at Solomon's palace, Nalussa still holds onto hope that God will rescue her. When the king suddenly dies, the kingdom is in turmoil over who will be king next. Could this be her opportunity to escape? But where will she go, and will anyone want the king's concubine? S.A. Jewell looks at life in Solomon's harem through the eyes of a concubine, taking the reader on a quest through Scripture to see a different side to the king who was given great wisdom and wealth from the one true God. Did Solomon die outside the will of God? And who is the mysterious woman he writes to in Song of Songs? In Solomon's Concubine, S.A. Jewell uses historical references and Scripture to dive into a deeper part of Solomon's kingdom and to show how God is always faithful, even when we may doubt His plan.

In Ancient Israel Lester L. Grabbe sets out to summarize what we know through a survey of sources and how we know it by a discussion of methodology and by evaluating the evidence. The most basic question about the history of ancient Israel, how do we know what we know, leads to the fundamental questions of Grabbe's work: what are the sources for the history of Israel and how do we evaluate them? How do we make them 'speak' to us through the fog of centuries? Grabbe focuses on original sources, including inscriptions, papyri, and archaeology. He examines the problems involved in historical methodology and deals with the major issues surrounding the use of the biblical text when writing a history of this period. Ancient Israel provides an enlightening overview and critique of current scholarly debate. It can therefore serve as a 'handbook' or reference-point for those wanting a catalogue of original sources, scholarship, and secondary studies. Grabbe's clarity of style makes this book eminently accessible not only to students of biblical studies and ancient history but also to the interested lay reader. For this new edition the entire text has been reworked to take account of new archaeological discoveries and theories. There is a major expansion to include a comprehensive coverage of David and Solomon and more detailed information on specific kings of Israel throughout. Grabbe has also added material on the historicity of the Exodus, and provided a thorough update of the material on the later bronze age.

Originally published in 1892, "the object of this Handbook is to supply readers and speakers with a lucid, but very brief account of such names as are used in allusions and references, whether by poets or prose writers; - to furnish those who consult it with the plot of popular dramas, the story of epic poems, and the outline of well-known tales. The number of dramatic plots sketched out is many hundreds. Another striking and interesting feature of the book is the revelation of the source from which dramatists and romancers have derived their stories, and the strange repetitions of historic incidents. It has been borne in mind throughout that it is not enough to state a fact. It must be stated attractively, and the character described must be drawn characteristically if the reader is to appreciate it, and feel an interest in what he reads." This work, an American reprint of The Reader's Handbook by E. Cobham Brewer, ..".while retaining all of the original material that can interest and aid the English-speaking student, gives also 'characters and sketches found in American novels, poetry and drama.'"

King Solomon, regarded by many as the wisest man to ever live, gave us his most prized poem of love, the Song of Solomon. Author Mark Washburn plumbs the depths of this ancient wisdom in To Find and Enjoy the Love of Your Life, daringly leading readers into the heart of this sacred love song. With sharp perception and insightful study, the obscure is made clear, and the modern reader can effortlessly identify with the Song's young couple. Whether you are building a foundation for a future relationship, seeking advice for newfound love, or rekindling the flames of a mature marriage, Washburn's insight will guide you into God's timeless wisdom in this millennia-old ode to pure, biblical, passionate love.

The world needs leaders who are prepared to dismantle injustice. Through the story told in the Song of Solomon, you will learn to use the one tool that heals both victim and oppressor: God's love. This once popular interpretation of the Song of Solomon details a young woman's struggle between submitting to King Solomon as his sex slave and accepting her beloved Shepherd's invitation to come away. The scholars who subscribed to this interpretation believed the Song of Solomon was a rallying cry to dismantle the injustices perpetuated by the unpopular King Solomon against his Northern Kingdom. Was this interpretation buried in modern times to justify slavery and segregation? You will need to judge for yourself. The book is divided into eight lessons, each ending with a suggested spiritual practice. The reader gets a solid understanding of the Song of Solomon wrapped around an unforgettable parable: the story of an African-American baseball coach turned congressional representative, who, influenced by the Song of Solomon, spent his life dismantling injustice. The Disorderly Parable Bible Studies teach the way Jesus taught, by using stories of everyday people and things to illustrate spiritual truths.

Solomon's idolatry, his murder of his political enemies, and his role in the breakup of the kingdom, which are bluntly presented in Kings, are omitted in Chronicles. Is King Solomon presented as impeccable in Chronicles, in stark contrast to his portrayal in Kings? Is Solomon idealized in Chronicles at the cost of honest writing of history? To this question, the consensus view says, "Yes." However, Yong Ho Jeon takes a different route and maintains that the Chronicler's portrait of Solomon is much more nuanced than many suppose. Jeon employs a "reader-sensitive" approach that considers the biblical writer's intention to use his readers' prior knowledge and the reading process itself to present a portrait of Solomon. Applying this methodology results in a new interpretation of Solomon not only in Chronicles but in Kings as well.

An accessible, objective understanding of what the major ‘beliefs’ are about. The major beliefs include: Polytheism, Judaism, Daoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Christianity, Islam, Nationalism, Communism and Environmentalism. All have over 100 million followers and the full structure of faith-determined behavioural guidance.