Book Review: Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia: A Reader’s Edition

Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia: A Reader’s Edition

ISBN: 9781598563429

By: Donald R. Vance, George Athas, and Yael Avrahami

Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft/Hendrickson Publishers, 2014

Review by: David Burnett

After surviving your first year of Biblical Hebrew, many are anxious to jump right into reading their Hebrew Bible but lack the vocabulary proficiency to make any real progress. The Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia: A Reader’s Edition is the perfect tool for you. For students, pastors, and scholars alike, the BHS Reader provides features necessary for those with a basic understanding of the language to begin their foray into the Hebrew Bible:

– Complete text of the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, checked against the Leningrad Codex

– All words that occur fewer than 70 times are parsed and contextually defined in the apparatus

– Glossary listing of all other words

– Improved layout of poetic texts

– All weak verb forms are parsed

The text is clean and easy to to read, though the “improved” layout of the more poetic texts can take some getting used to. The parsing at the bottom of the page has a bit of a learning curve as well. Zondervan’s A Readers Hebrew Bible (which we also carry) may have a bit clearer vocabulary and parsing section for some, while the text of the BHS Reader may be a bit more crisp and clear. The BHS Reader also includes a helpful paradigms section at the back of the bible that covers all the major conjugations for reference.

German Bible Society along with Hendrickson has produced a helpful resource for all students and teachers of Hebrew that wish to dive into their Hebrew Bible/Old Testament with assistance. Make sure and come by the DTS Book Center and pick up your copy today!

Book Review: The Girl’s Still Got It

The Girl’s Still Got It

ISBN: 9781578564484

By Liz Curtis Higgs

Random House (2012)

Guest Review By: Kim Davis 

“If only we could jump into a time machine!” writes popular speaker and author Liz Curtis Higgs. “Instead of simply reading about biblical history, we could live it. Rather than merely studying maps and books, we could see, touch, and experience that long-lost world firsthand. Wouldn’t that be something?” Yes. I jumped in Doc Brown’s DeLorean with Marty McFly, and I rode the roads of Ruth.

How do we travel? With half of the reader sitting in the seat of Biblical context and the other half in 2013 application, life and Scripture intertwine. Honest questions emerge, such as what do we do with the problem of pain in Ruth’s life and ours? Many “aha” moments occur as the author flies through history, linguistics, geography, culture, and psychology with the navigational skills of an explorer, poet, comedian, researcher, and novelist. The trip transcends time. This book scripts a journey for individual meditation, as well as providing a guide for Bible study groups and global discussion questions for book clubs.

Who journeys with us? God. He reveals His plan for both Ruth and readers. The author shares snapshots of her experience: “But in the early days of my marriage, I was so worried about staking my claim on my man, about having Bill all to myself, about raising our kids our way (Okay, my kids my way), I barely cracked open the door of my heart to my mother-in-law.” Some readers nod, but Ruth’s devotion demonstrates the loyalty and care divinely desired of all relationships. “Be ready for a gentle (or not-so-gentle) nudge from the Holy Spirit. Ruth’s sacrificial love sets a high bar, though it’s nothing you and the Lord together can’t handle.”

While Liz has done extensive research by consulting over two dozen scholars, she presents interpretive options for personal rumination. She includes sentence prayers and examples of “Ruth[s] in Real Life” to prod the jet-lagged traveler. She also provides thought-provoking phrases along the way, such as “Stay in Bethlehem? Risk starving their bodies. Move to Moab? Risk starving their faith.”

This author knows her audience. She writes for women about women. Although men can still purchase passports to this estrogen island, the book targets a feminine clientele.

My trip through this book transformed my approach to my Naomi. I now call my “mother-in-love” every Wednesday morning. I also plan to use this book for my weekly Bible study group. Returning customers signify a great travel experience.

Book Review: A Reader’s Hebrew and Greek Bible

A Reader’s Hebrew and Greek Bible

ISBN: 9780310325895

By: A. Philip Brown II; Bryan W. Smith; Richard J. Goodrich; Albert L. Lukaszewski

Zondervan (2010)

Review By: Eric Wood

In April of 2010, Zondervan released A Reader’s Hebrew and Greek Bible. Finally, this work combined their reader’s editions of Old and New Testaments into one volume. For those not familiar with the concept of a “reader’s” Bible, I’ll take a moment to explain. For those that do know, on to the next paragraph. (For those that don’t care, well you probably won’t read this for much longer anyway, though you are most welcome.) A reader’s edition of an original language Bible is a little like a bike with training wheels. Open up the front cover and you’ll find the Greek New Testament. As a student new to the Greek language (or even not so new), you will come upon words that are not used very frequently in the NT. For these words (specifically those used 30 times or less), the notes at the bottom of each page will show you the word with an English gloss. Handy, right? I know. If you begin at the “back cover” (or the other front cover, since Hebrew is read right to left), you’ll find the Hebrew Old Testament with similar notes for words appearing 100 times or less in the OT. Like I said, a bike with training wheels – you’ve still got to put in work to read, but it provides that little bit of extra stability right there on the page, rather than sending you off to check a lexicon several times per paragraph.

The OT is based off the Westminster Leningrad Codex, the accepted official text of the Hebrew Bible. The font is clear and readable. And notes are clear and straightforward with numbers in the text coinciding with the Hebrew word and English gloss in the notes below. For a verb, they also supply the stem (Qal, Nifal, etc.) with the gloss to aid in your reading. Proper names are grayed out just a bit in order to save you from spending a great deal of time trying to parse Amalek. The NT text is “the eclectic text that underpins the Today’s New International Version” (page 9 of the Introduction). This gave me pause when I originally looked at this Bible. I found, however, that any place their “eclectic text” differs from that of the United Bible Society, they’ve placed a note marking the discrepancy and stating the UBS reading. The notes for the NT are not quite as clear as those in the OT. The italic font that they use is a little difficult to read at a glance, but it stands as a great improvement over Zondervan’s first edition for a NT reader (which I declared I would not even consider buying until they fixed the text). The content of the notes are fairly simple – the Greek word, English gloss or two with a note on the passive gloss (if directly applicable).

Dividing the two testaments is a brief lexicon for the Greek words used over 30 times and Hebrew over 100 (based on the BDB). Let’s face it, just because I learned the word in class, doesn’t mean it’s always going to spring to mind while I’m reading. 8 full color maps grace the center of the division between the testaments.

This volume makes a great addition to a student’s library. It serves now as the Bible that I take to church with me. That offers the chance to be able to practice the language skills into which we’ve invested so much time and money in a great setting. If the pastor ever called on me to read before the church, you’d better believe I’d be borrowing my wife’s Bible. But for reading along during the sermon, this is a great exercise.  The notes are ok. I prefer the way the UBS has parsing and, in my opinion, a better format for their notes (columns rather than inline notes), but they only offer the NT. For a whole  Bible reader, this offering from Zondervan is my go-to.

Book Review: frameworks: How to Navigate the New Testament

frameworks: How to Navigate the New Testament
ISBN: 9780615633121
By: Eric Larson
Frameworks Resources LLC, 2012

Review by: Kevin Stern

Eric Larson’s frameworks^TM: How to Navigate the New Testament fills a niche that is really needed in today’s Biblically illiterate Church–a bottom step. Too many Christian books assume a working knowledge of the Bible that is missing in much of their audience. Larson’s book works to bridge that gap. It’s a visually appealing title, full of color and black-and-white photography and modern typography.

He divides the book into two parts: New Testament Frameworks, which gives an overview of the New Testament as a whole, and Book Frameworks and Themes, which treats each New Testament book individually. It’s in the first part that the book shines brightest. The graphics were clean and user-friendly. The maps and introductions to the geography and culture of the New Testament were very accessible. The six boxes used to divide Jesus’ ministry were really helpful. A lot of seminary students could use this as a memory aid in exams. A chart with the comparative lengths of the books was clever (and might not be easily seen in chapter counts). There were a couple of issues that I questioned: the author’s choice to treat speculations as fact (e.g. Mary and Salome as sisters p.45) and his treatment of English translations (few would see NIV as a word-for-word translation and translation philosophies are hard to simplify into accurate vs. enjoyable reading). Also, I wondered why the notes weren’t somehow tagged. (I discovered them at the end and went back to see if I had missed notation in the text).

In the second part, NT books are introduced through a series of ten questions. Each helps the reader gain interest into the reading of the Biblical text itself. Group study questions are included to help it be used in those settings. I loved in the Read It sections that give approximate times each book takes to read (as well as breaking them up into shorter periods for the less ambitious). The highlights of Paul journeys were good. I question characterizing the cherubim as portraying the gospel writers and basing the focus of each gospel on geography or an imagined audience. The Synoptics portray Jesus’ divine nature as much as does John.

This book is brings a synthetic look to Biblical studies and is well worth reading. I hope that others join Eric Larson in trying to make the Bible more accessible to beginners.

– Kevin Stern
DTS Book Center Director

Tips on How to Buy a Great Bible

How To Buy a Great Bible

Article By: Kevin Stern, DTS Book Center Director

Buying a new Bible is one of the toughest purchases most Christians make. It’s hard enough to find a translation you love. Then there are hundreds of decisions after that. Here are some questions to ask that should make the process easier.

Translation—2011 is the 400^th anniversary of the King James Version. It was easy then. Now, with more English translations available than at any time in history, where do you start? The first question to ask is how do I want to use the Bible? Will I be doing devotional reading or deep study? Is this a gift for a new believer or an old Bible study pro?

Bibles can be lined up on a continuum from translations that use a more word-for-word philosophy to Bibles that translate more thought-for-thought. The New American Standard’s word-for-word style makes it great for study, but with a twelfth-grade reading level, sometimes it can be hard to understand. The New Living Translation is much clearer English, but there are times I’d like to see it reflect more of the structure of the original languages. Most folks are doing a combination of things and are looking for a Bible in the middle of the spectrum like an NIV, ESV, or NET. If you’d like more help choosing a translation, you can talk with us in the Book Center or read How To Choose a Translation For All It’s Worth by Fee and Strauss.

Style—Once you’ve picked a translation, then ask yourself what special features you’d like to have in your new Bible. Is it going in a purse or on a desk? Do I want devotional helps or a plain text? Do I want study notes, maps, and a concordance? Or do I want a wide margin for my own notes? How big a font do I need? Some study Bibles could double as a coffee table, but I keep one in my briefcase that is really small and has a snap cover so the pages don’t get wrecked. The Bible I teach with is a large print, single-column, black letter because I think it’s easier to find my place when I look back and forth between it and my audience. No Bible is going to be able to have everything and still fit in your pocket. The key is to ask what features are important to you.

Binding—When you’ve found a Bible that has what you want, the last question to ask is what binding you’d like. Do I need a paperback, hardback, or leather? How much do I want to spend? Do I need it to lay flat? How long do I want it to last? The least expensive option is a paperback. If I’m giving Bibles away as part of an evangelism ministry, I want to be able to buy as many as I can with my budget. In college, I needed a hardback to have on campus—a big, black, leather Bible would not have communicated what I wanted at a Northern California university.

The newest bindings in Bibles are the synthetics in lots of colors and designs. Whether you’re looking for a sophisticated, two-color cover or a fun kid’s Bible, there are hundreds of options. These are a great option that replaces the old bonded leather binding. They’ll last about the same amount of time (5-10 years). Many of them are softer than the bonded, which are made from the scraps left over from the manufacture of genuine leather and never lose their stiffness.

If you’ve found a Bible you love and want to keep it for a long time or if you take notes in your Bible that you can’t bear to lose, buy genuine leather. Genuine leather will last much longer and the leather will become softer with use. Genuine Bibles usually cost $10 to $15 more than the synthetics or bondeds, but are worth the investment. Many publishers add lifetime warranties and sewn bindings to their genuine Bibles as well. Most genuine Bibles are made from cowskin or pigskin, but when people want the best, only calf or goat will do. Bibles made from calf, sheep or goat are as durable as genuine cow or pig leather, but will be much softer.

Bibles may be one of the hardest books to choose, but the reward in having or giving the right one is worth the research.

Some Cool New Features from Accordance 9

For all of you Accordance users out there, Version 9.5 is now live. Find out all about the new features from Accordance 9.5 here.

New Arrival: What’s in the Bible? Vol. 6

What’s in the Bible? Vol. 6: A Nation Divided
85302600228
Created by: Phil Vischer

Short Description by: Mike Meiser

The most recent installment from the incredible kids’ video series What’s in the Bible has just been released. This sixth DVD entitled A Nation Divided includes two 25 minute episodes that cover the contents of the Biblical books of Kings and Chronicles. The first episode entitled “The Big Split” discusses the events that lead to the splitting of Israel into two kingdoms, the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah. The kingdoms of Israel and Judah had a troubled history littered with unfaithful kings and unfaithful people. The story of the eventual destruction of these two unfaithful nations at the hands of the Assyrians and the Babylonians is content of the second video entitled “The End of Israel.” However, the DVD does not leave the viewer in a state of depression, but rather, it ends with a positive message from the prophet Isaiah during Israel’s darkest hour.

Check out What’s in the Bible? Vol. 6: A Nation Divided today at the DTS Book Center.

Bible Knowledge Commentary Available Again

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 2 vol set
9780882078120
Edited By: John Walvoord & Roy Zuck
David C. Cook

For those who have been waiting, the beloved Bible Knowledge Commentary two  volume set has just recently become available again for purchase.  The change to the set is solely aesthetic; leaving the actual content of the commentary untouched.  The only difference between the new version and the old is its new cover.  This set, as well as its separate individual volumes, are available through our physical store as well as online.

New Arrival: What’s In the Bible V. 4

What’s In the Bible? v. 4: Battle for the Promised Land
9781414336336
Created By: Phil Vischer
Tyndale

The most recent volume of the What’s In the Bible DVD series has arrived! What’s In the Bible v. 4: Battle for the Promised Land includes two 25 minute episodes that cover the books of Joshua, Judges, and Ruth.  In this DVD, Vischer walks kids through tough questions like “Why is there so much fighting in the Old Testament?” and “Did God want certain people to die?”  He also covers important themes like God’s grand story of redemption and how it has been woven throughout the Bible.  This is surely a DVD from which kids as well as adults will benefit.  You can find this volume, as well as the first three, on display in the middle of our store. Come check them out.

New Title: The Essential Bible Companion to the Psalms

The Essential Bible Companion to the Psalms
9780310286899
By: Brian Webster
Zondervan, 2010

Dr. Brian Webster, a Dallas Seminary professor, has recently released a companion to the book of Psalms.  This volume includes the theme, type, author, structure, special notes, and reflection on every psalm found within the Biblical Psalter, and is a great volume for any student of the psalms to own.  You can find this title in our faculty section as well as on our new titles display.

Jacket Description/Back:
The Essential Bible Companion to the Psalms provides fundamental information regarding the meaning, background, context, and application of the Psalms. In addition to practical application, numerous charts are included that provide information about the various types of psalms (messianic, prophetic, etc.) along with a quick reference list of psalms that lend themselves to being used for worship or personal meditation or as a basis for praying the Scriptures. Through the use of full-color visual images, the message and world of the Psalms are brought to life in a way never before presented, making this book not only an excellent resource for understanding the Psalms, but a wonderful gift as well. The Essential Bible Companion to the Psalms is a must-have for students of the Bible, pastors, and anyone who desires to possess a unique reference guide to these ancient works of poetry and worship.

New Arrival: ESV Bible Atlas

ESV Bible Atlas
9781433501920
Author(s): John D. Currid & David P. Barrett
Crossway (2010)

This just arrived at the Bookcenter.  It looks to be a very promising addition to anyone’s personal Bible reference library.  The ESV Bible Atlas is divided into three sections beginning with a very helpful introduction to Biblical lands, followed by a historical geography of the Biblical world, and ending in a section devoted entirely to full-color regional maps.  A really cool added feature of this atlas is the CD that it provides in the back which has a searchable index along with digital maps.  Make sure to stop by the store to take a look at this.  You can find this atlas on our new titles display at the front of the store.

Publisher Marketing:

This groundbreaking, full-color companion to the ESV Bible combines visual appeal with state-of-the-art historical and geographical resources in one user-friendly volume.
Capitalizing on recent advances in satellite imaging and geographic information systems, the Crossway ESV Bible Atlas offers Bible readers a comprehensive, up-to-date resource that blends technical sophistication with readability, visual appeal, and historical and biblical accuracy.

All the key methods of presenting Bible geography and history are here, including more than 175 full-color maps, 70 photographs, 3-D re-creations of biblical objects and sites, indexes, timelines, and 65,000 words of narrative description. The atlas uniquely features regional maps detailing biblically significant areas such as Egypt, Mesopotamia, Italy, and Greece. It also includes a CD with searchable indexes and digital maps, and a removable, 16.5 x 22-inch map of Palestine.

This carefully crafted reference tool not only sets a new standard in Bible atlases but will help ESV readers more clearly understand the world of the Bible and the meaning of Scripture.

New Arrival: What’s In the Bible? #3

Wanderin’ in the Desert (What’s in the Bible #3)
ISBN: 9781414336329
Created By: Phil Vischer
Tyndale

The third DVD installment from the What’s in the Bible series has arrived.  Wanderin’ in the Desert features the return of Buck Denver and his colorful band of puppet friends covering the remainder of the Pentateuch.  This DVD will aid both children and adults in understanding the remaining three books of Moses: Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.  Buck Denver and friends explore what these books of the Bible had to say to Ancient Israel, as well as what they have to say to us today.  You can find the What’s in the Bible DVDs in our store, or, find them on our website.

Cute Quote from a grateful parent:

“I need to tell Phil Vischer that my son pulled out the Bible from the hotel nightstand drawer and started reading.  When I asked him if he was reading a particular passage, he said, “I’m reading Leviticus because Buck Denver’s going to talk about that in the next DVD and I want to be ready.”

New Arrival: Introducing the New Testament: Abridged

Introducing the New Testament: A Short Guide to Its History and Message
9780310291497
Contributor(s): D.A. Carson (Author), Douglas Moo (Author), Andrew Naselli (Editor)
Zondervan

For those who enjoyed Carson and Moo’s Introduction to the New Testament; here is the abridged version Introducing the New Testament: A Short Guide to Its History and Message. You can find this title in the store, or online here.

Description: Abridgement of An Introduction to the New Testament. This abridged edition of an established major textbook brings the best of New Testament scholarship to the church and makes it accessible to the average reader. Focusing on historical questions dealing with authorship, date, sources, purpose, and destination of the New Testament books, this book will help a new generation of students and church leaders better grasp the message of the New Testament.

Review: What’s In the Bible, V.1 & V.2

What’s In the Bible: In the Beginning, V. 1
ISBN 9781414336305

What’s In the Bible: Let My People Go!, V. 2
ISBN 9781414336312

Created By: Phil Vischer (creator of VeggieTales) w/ Buck Denver
Review By: Kevin Stern

I’ve just spent four hours with what I think will be two of the most life-changing titles of the year. Hang onto your seats. They’re children’s DVD’s called What’s In The Bible? They were so good that I watched each one twice.

Phil Vischer (creator of VeggieTales) has just released the first two of what will ultimately be a 13-DVD series covering the whole Bible. With puppets, animation and live-action craziness, you get the silly songs, clever jokes and what you might not expect–some great Bible teaching. Along with a good overview of Genesis and Exodus, the first two DVD’s hit some meaty issues as well. Canon, redemption, inspiration and salvation are simply explained by a Sunday School lady with a magic flannelgraph, a piano-playing pastor, a church-history-loving pirate and a lovable cast of characters. How many adults can answer the question of why Catholic and Orthodox Bibles have more books than the Protestant version? My favorite was the Popsicle-stick theater debate on how to depict God (I cheered with the conclusion). Now, I’m trying to figure out how I can get my adult class to watch these.

These DVD’s fill a huge void in presenting an entire overview of the Bible for children. With Biblical literacy at a low, these DVD’s need to be in the hands of every kid in the church. My real hope is that with repeated viewings, their parents will watch them and learn the Bible also.

New Arrival: Dr. Pentecost’s New Wine

New Wine: A Study of Transition in the Book of Acts
ISBN 9780825435973
Released March 1, 2010
By: J. Dwight Pentecost
Paperback

 

Come check out Dr. Pentecost’s new book New Wine. It is available on our new titles table at the front of the store.

Product Description

A work on the birthing and youthful church from an elder exegete and seminary professor has been needed for some time and now is fulfilled. J. Dwight Pentecost pours out his many years of in depth study on the book of Acts in this new study. New Wine emphasizes the study of Acts as a transitional narrative. The Kingdom has been inaugurated and the church has been birthed.