Approaching the Bible in an original way—comparing biblical heroes to heroes in world literature—Elliott Rabin addresses a core biblical question: What is the Bible telling us about what it means to be a hero? Focusing on the lives of six major biblical characters—Moses, Samson, David, Esther, Abraham, and Jacob—Rabin examines their resemblance to hero types found in (and perhaps drawn from) other literatures and analyzes why the Bible depicts its heroes less gloriously than do the texts of other cultures: * Moses founds the nation of Israel—and is short-tempered and weak-armed. * Samson, arrogant and unhinged, can kill a thousand enemies with his bare hands. * David establishes a centralized, unified, triumphal government—through pretense and self-deception. * Esther saves her people but marries a murderous, misogynist king. * Abraham's relationships are wracked with tension. * Jacob fathers twelve tribes—and wins his inheritance through deceit. In the end, is God the real hero? Or is God too removed from human constraints to even be called a “hero”? Ultimately, Rabin excavates how the Bible’s unique perspective on heroism can address our own deep-seated need for human-scale heroes.

Features the stories of Bible heroes who fought on God's behalf and villains who fought against him.

Five stories from the Bible, retold by legendary actor and acclaimed author Kirk Douglas

This extensive, full-color guide to Bible characters includes fascinating facts and figures about the Bible’s most curious but sometimes relatable people. Including all-new illustrations from graphic artist Sergio Cariello, The Action Bible Heroes and Villains draws in young readers with: Colorful info about the crazy origins, amazing occupations, and strengths and failings of more than 75 Bible characters. Historical background and “Where Is It Now?” guides to ancient and modern-day locations. Diagrams, stories, and fun facts about food, clothing, traditions, individual quirks, and miraculous interventions. From Adam and Eve’s most embarrassing moment to the details of a Roman soldier’s armor to Zechariah’s hometown, the unique insights and dynamic illustrations in this jam-packed guide jump off the pages and into kids’ minds and hearts as they meet people just like them whom God used in His redemptive story.

Joel Baden, a leading expert on the Old Testament, offers a controversial look at the history of King David, the founder of the nation of Israel whose bloodline leads to Jesus, challenging prevailing popular beliefs about his legend in The Historical David. Baden makes clear that the biblical account of David is an attempt to shape the events of his life politically and theologically. Going beyond the biblical bias, he explores the events that lie behind the David story, events that are grounded in the context of the ancient Near East and continue to inform modern Israel. The Historical David exposes an ambitious, ruthless, flesh-and-blood man who achieved power by any means necessary, including murder, theft, bribery, sex, deceit, and treason. As Baden makes clear, the historical David stands in opposition not only to the virtuous and heroic legends, but to our very own self-definition as David’s national and religious descendants. Provocative and enlightening, The Historical David provides the lost truth about David and poses a challenge to us: how do we come to terms with the reality of a celebrated hero who was, in fact, similar to the ambitious power-players of his day?

From its greatest heroes to its darkest villains...the Bible as never seen before! The men and women of the Bible were not perfect, but nor were they ordinary. Faith gave some power. To lead. To save. To destroy evil. Others succumbed to the darkness. But still more was required. An ultimate hero. To fight the ultimate battle. Internationally recognised artists Jeff Anderson (Transformers, award-winning Angouleme Graphic Bible) and Siku (Judge Dredd, Manga Bible) recreate the epic stories of the Bible through their powerful and arresting illustrations.

My Big Book of Bible Heroes for Kids highlights the stories of 50 weird, wild, and wonderful Bible characters in a fresh, comic book-style approach that features attention-capturing illustrations and captivating stories.