Zondervan Illustrated Bible Background Commentary OT and NT

[Mer]

I am looking for some bible background tools. I would like to have a better understanding of the Hebrew people in the times of the bible

there customs and culture and  some of there saying that we may not understand as they did.I was looking at the Zondervan Illustrated Bible background commentary OT and NT if anyone has these tools and they would work in this area of study. Or if you would have any other suggestions that might be a better choice for this type of study 

 

Thank you for your help

John

[Solly]

I have the following in my library:

• ​ZIBBCOT/ZIBBCNT
• IVP OT Background Commentary and NT partner (IVP-NT Commentary 2 / IVP- OT Commentary)
• Dictionary of NT Background (IVP-NT Background)

All provide useful information with some overlap, but enough distinctive material that I like using all of them. The Zondervan products are much richer in graphics than the others. The NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible Notes may also be of interest if you enjoy something more like a study Bible with a specific theme. I own this in paper form and find that it is also quite useful. (I will use paper products when working with people not comfortable with technology.)

 

Often Google Books will give a sample view of a book that is enough to evaluate its usefulness. A search of the forums will often provide useful information on products as well.

 

Shalom,

Joseph

[Mark Allison]

The two IVP volumes together are about $58, while the ​ZIBBCOT/ZIBBCNT together are over $300. Both series are excellent, and I agree with Solly that there's enough distinctive material in each that it's worth having both sets. That being said, you're certainly going to get more "bang for the buck" with the IVP series.

[Lester P. Bagley]

The New International Dictionary of Biblical Archaeology (NIDBA) edited by Edward M. Blaiklock and R. K. Harrison is an older work (1983) but still presents an excellent overview of the subject.

[Mark Allison]

Solly and Lester have mentioned two excellent background dictionaries that I access frequently. Remember that a background commentary will scroll in parallel with your Text, which can be very handy at times. Dictionaries, not being organized by Scripture reference, don't have this ability.

[A.D. Riddle]

John,

 

Are you looking for resource in Accordance only, or are you interested also in materials not (yet) in Accordance?

 

A.D.

[Mer]

Thanks I was looking for Accordance resources But i am not opposed to using any other that you might find useful and thank you for your input

[Tim Hall]

I also have ZIBBC NT & OT, IVP background OT & NT, and the IVP NT background dict.

 

I regularly use both background commentaries and echo Solly that both are worth having, especially since they run parallel to the text. The Zondervan images are fantastic, while the price is steeper, I was able to get them on a great sale (if you can wait Zondervan might do it again). The IVP commentaries are just as good quality content wise but offer no pictures and less expensive as Mark pointed out.

 

I find I don't use the NT background dictionary much as the commentaries answer all my questions 90% of the time.

 

If finances are not an issue, buy them all. If finances are limited, I would highly recommend the IVP background commentaries.

[Solly]

It is very nice to have the background resources running parallel to texts. I also heavily use Research just for general events, people, or topics—often doing a research on a topic related to a verse as listed in the Info Pane. Thus, I have created a Background Info folder in My Groups that contains all of my background resources. Have I mentioned recently how much I like the Research feature?

 

—Joseph

[A.D. Riddle]

John,

 

Here are some non-Accordance resources that sound like they would fit the bill.

 

King, Philip J., and Lawrence E. Stager.

2001 Life in Biblical Israel. Louisville: Westminster John Knox.

 

Yamauchi, Edwin M., and Marvin R. Wilson, eds.

2014 Dictionary of Daily Life in Biblical and Post-Biblical Antiquity. 4 vols. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson.

 

Greer, Jonathan S.; John W. Hilber; and John H. Walton, eds.

2018 Behind the Scenes of the Old Testament: Cultural, Social, and Historical Contexts. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic.

 

Beck, John A.

2013 The Baker Illustrated Guide to Everyday Life in Bible Times. Grand Rapids: Baker.

 

I have not looked at or used all of these titles, but based on the authors, publishers and table of contents, it seems like they would provide what you asked for in your original post. The advantage of commentaries (IVP, ZBBC) is you are sure to get explanations of the cultural element actually mentioned in the biblical text. The advantage of these other works is you get a fuller discussion that will take into account more than just what is mentioned in the biblical text.

 

A.D.

 

 

Edited December 6, 2018 by A.D. Riddle

[Michael Hunt]

John,

 

I agree with what others have said about the NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, Zondervan Bible Background Commentary & the IVP Bible Background Commentary.

 

For a bit of a comparison here are the results for a search I did in my background tools for the term "horn of salvation". It appears in Luke 1:69 and is part of Zechariah's song that I am speaking on this Sunday. As it is a Hebraic saying that matches your original question I thought you might find it useful.

 

1:69 horn of salvation. Cf. 2Sa 22:3; Ps 18:2. For the connection between “horn” and “deliverance” (or “salvation”) in Hannah’s song, see 1Sa 2:1. Because animals could use horns in battle, the horn was a natural figure for strength.

 

Walton, John H. and Craig S. Keener, eds., NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible. Accordance electronic edition, version 1.0. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2016.

 

He has raised up a horn of salvation (1:69). “Horn” indicates the horn of a powerful animal, a symbol of strength (Deut. 33:17). The lifting or exalting of a horn denotes an increase in power. The horn of David is exalted by the Lord in Psalm 89:24, a messianic context (cf. 1 Sam. 2:10). The image of “raising up” a horn is close to Psalm 132:17, another messianic passage, where it is said that a horn will “sprout” or “grow up” for David.

 

Strauss, Mark. “Luke.” Pages 318-516 in Matthew, Mark, Luke. Vol. 1 of ZIBBCNT-26. Edited by Clinton E. Arnold. Accordance electronic edition, version 1.0. 4 vols. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002.

 

1:69. Because a horn could give an animal the victory in battle, it indicated strength. “Horn of salvation” parallels the meaning of “rock” and “strength” in Psalm 18:2 (also 2 Sam 22:3; cf. the linking of “horn” and “salvation” in Hannah’s song in 1 Sam 2:1). Thus the Davidic *Messiah would be their deliverer (cf. Ps 132:17). David often was called God’s servant (e.g., 2 Sam 3:18; 7:5, 8, 26).

 

Keener, Craig S. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament. 2d; Accordance electronic edition, version 1.0. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2014.

 

 

It is very nice to have the background resources running parallel to texts. I also heavily use Research just for general events, people, or topics—often doing a research on a topic related to a verse as listed in the Info Pane. Thus, I have created a Background Info folder in My Groups that contains all of my background resources. Have I mentioned recently how much I like the Research feature?

 

—Joseph

 

Joseph: I would be interested in what tools you have placed in that group.  Could you upload a screenshot for us?

[Solly]

I simply included the background resources I mentioned earlier:

• ​ZIBBCOT/ZIBBCNT
• IVP OT Background Commentary and NT partner (IVP-NT Commentary 2 / IVP- OT Commentary)
• Dictionary of NT Background (IVP-NT Background)

I am looking at some commentaries that present a fair amount of background and some other tools that keep popping up when I research for background type material out of the total tools library. My goal is to collect the most productive tools for background information into one collection. Right now I am quite interested in commentaries that work with socio-rhetorical themes. I will also be paying attention to dictionaries that appear fairly often as well. However the Research function is so fast that my modest library is searched pretty rapidly and it is pretty easy to view what may be useful from the excerpts. 

 

This evening I am finding that The Encyclopedia of Christianity and  Eerdmans Commentary have appeared pretty consistently in some searches on topics, so I think I shall add them to the user group I created.

 

I will get back to you when I make some decisions on what else I add to the tools mentioned earlier.

 

I am always experimenting,

Joseph

Edited December 7, 2018 by Solly

[Mer]

I would like to thank all of you for your help

 

John