In the mid-20th century, the unearthing of the Dead Sea Scrolls--to cite just one of many modern finds--deepened our understanding of the Biblical world, its peoples, and their beliefs. Since then, new evidence has appeared--the Tel Dan inscription, the Merneptah Stele, and the Gabriel Revelation--with each revelation providing richer insights into the scriptural narrative and the way these stories were written and handed down, confirming the details of historical events and personages, or clarifying the meaning and chronology of biblical ideas.

Meticulous, scholarly, yet always accessible, this is required reading for anyone interested in both Old and New Testaments and the creeds, cultures, and civilizations of ancient Hebrews and early Christians alike.