Zondervan Handbook to the Bible

by David Alexander, Pat Alexander

This new fourth edition, still available in its popular flexiback binding, has been revised to include new and updated articles and images. From the history and design of the temple in Jerusalem to God’s relationship to the universe, you’ll find it here. The land, cultures, battles, feast days, heroes, and villains of Scripture come alive through spectacular color-filled articles and images of meticulous clarity and detail. Special features include: • Four-color guide to all the books of the Bible • 119 articles by an international team of experts • Over 500 color photographs • 68 maps, 30 charts • Complete “Rapid Fact-Finder” reference section “Rich with study helps” (Kay Arthur) and “indispensable” (Charles Colson), the Zondervan Handbook to the Bible is the most important Bible resource a Christian can own.

Genres: Reference, Religion, Christian, Theology, Biblical Studies, Christianity, Nonfiction

816 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1971

About the author

Librarian Note:
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Ieva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Šī noteikti nav grāmata vieglai izklaidei un, ja temats ir aktuāls, ieteiktu drīzāk turēt mājās un lasīt pa rakstam vien. Tā kā sakrita, ka šobrīd ir neierobežots brīvais laiks ar ļoti ierobežotām tā pavadīšanas iespējām, saņēmos lasīt vienlaidus. Pilnīgi noteikti šī ir kristietības vēsture no kristiešu viedokļa, centrēta angliski runājošā pasaulē, taču tas jau bija nojaušams puems lasīšanas un man pret to nav Valoda pasausa un faktiem piebārstīta - sen nebiju trennējusi smadzenes ar ko tik nopietnu, un tas vien ir ko vērts.

[Anne Ellissa]

Nice heavy book with square corners and a little flexibility. Great for killing spiders.

I obviously have not read the book cover to cover, but i’ve spent enough time with it that I want it to count towards my reading goal

[Tung · Rating 2 out of 5]

A lot of people like USA Today because it has more color than most mainstream newspapers, and colorful graphs and charts to simplify information for the average people (read: people who don’t read real newspapers). This Zondervan book is the USA Today version of real Bible handbooks – that statement is every bit the backhanded compliment it sounds like. This book walks the reader through every book of Scripture, with quick, easy-to-digest summaries of the author, audience, and intended purpose. It provides bullet points of major themes in each chapter within each book. The pages are glossy, with tons of pictures and sidebars that provide interesting contextual information. The language is easy to understand. I can see why the average person would find this book a valuable resource. My big criticism, however, is that for graduate theology courses, this textbook is the equivalent of “The Bible for Dummies.” This book is academically shallow, and doesn’t provide the theological depth needed for seminary papers. It’s a good resource for people who don’t know anything about the Bible, but not for those of us who leave the USA Today in the hallway when we stay at a hotel.

[Rachel Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING book! Gives so much insight and understanding to the whole Bible and his inception and history. Good for all peoples... no matter what you believe!

[Teri Pizza · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must have for every serious Bible student.

[TRISHA · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hopefully a good reference book. I found it to be clunky.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

At over three million copies sold, the Zondervan Handbook to the Bible edited by David and Pat Alexander is arguably the most widely used study tool since it was originally published in 1973. Now, in a newly revised and updated fifth edition, Pat Alexander has built upon the great legacy of the previous four editions with updated visuals, new and revised articles, and more.

The feature list of the Zondervan Handbook to the Bible is quite astounding, and the presentation is even more attractive. Over 800 full-color pages, packed with valuable illustrations and reliable insight. In fact, there are over 700 full-color photographs and illustrations that vividly illumine a world of characters and events known to many through the biblical narrative. Beyond the photos and illustrations, there are a countless number of vibrant, full-color maps and charts of historical background information.

The content of the Zondervan Handbook to the Bible is equally as pleasant as the visual appeal. The contributors to the volume include Richard Bauckham, John Goldingay, R.T. France, Ben Witherington III, Gordon Wenham, I. Howard Marshall, Richard Hess, Michael Green, Walter Wangerin Jr., and many more. The format and organization of the volume is a section-by-section guide to the Bible, including explanatory notes and insights into the biblical world. The volume opens with a sizable introductory section (95 pages) that is devoted to orienting readers towards the Bible and biblical interpretation. There follows a canonical guide through the Old Testament (~ 430 pages) and the New (~ 250 pages), as well as a “Rapid Factfinder” (~ 34 pages) section that serves as an A to Z directory to both the book and the Bible.

The design of the Zondervan Handbook to the Bible is to offer readers a supplemental resource to be used alongside the Bible. This is not necessarily a reference work or textbook, as some might imagine. It is a resource that has been intentionally organized and presented to bring the reader into the biblical world by gathering together information only otherwise found in a number of different reference works. In this sense, the Zondervan Handbook to the Bible functions as a supercharged Study Bible that is divorced, or separated from the biblical text. This affords the room necessary to illuminate the biblical world in a way not possible in the space provided by a standard Study Bible, and this to the benefit of the reader.

The Zondervan Handbook to the Bible is a classic by any count. There is a reason so many have found this volume to be a blessing to their personal Bible study. It’s clear and concise, readable and informative, and attractively presented. It truly is the best book to have next to your Bible. I would recommend getting the Zondervan Handbook to the Bible over all major Study Bibles on the market. The content and visual appeal are attractively paired, and the list of contributors is as good as one could ask. Skip the Study Bible and grab the Handbook! It will offer more to your personal study than you think. Trust me!

[Jimmy Reagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This handbook that is the favorite of many has garnered a fifth addition. I’m told that there are over 3 million copies in print in many languages for the first four editions. Even the earliest editions, edited by David and Pat Alexander, were colorful and more eye appealing than most on the market. That tradition is extended in this latest edition. It’s beautiful, colorful, full of helpful articles, and contains wonderful maps, charts, diagrams, and photographs.

Section 1 introduces the Bible with broad discussion, helps put the Bible in its proper setting, explains keys to understanding, looks at the unity of the Bible, and surveys the challenges of reading the Bible today. The next section covers the Old Testament, breaking it down by looking at the four genres found there. Each book of the Bible is given an overview and a synopsis of its contents. There’s many articles of special features found in the book as well as lavish illustrations. The New Testament is approached in the same helpful way.

You will enjoy the final section too that they call the “rapid factfinder”. I describe it as a brief Bible dictionary as well as a reference on where to find further discussion in the book itself.

The book is beautiful and well done. The paperback cover is sturdier than most and actually works well in this case. Many of the contributors are well-known scholars. I imagine any Bible student would crave this book. It’s a winner.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

[Christiaan · Rating 5 out of 5]

What drew me to the book was the colourful photos, maps and layout of the Bible commentary handbook. It stood out for me that it elaborates on topics about the Bible before diving it with a book-by-book and chapter-by-chapter commentary on the entire Bible. The authors went to great lengths to make the topics visually appealing to enrich our understanding of the ancient Biblical world. It also has a concordance for useful references of topics in the Bible. I quite liked the fact that the commentary is not based on a particular translation and that the scholars who worked on the book were mentioned.

Overall, I am quite satisfied with my purchase of this book and would highly recommend it for anyone wanting a handbook that gives context about the Bible and the content inside of it (with lots of pictures!).

[Madi Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

For everyone who keeps saying that this handbook has no theological information and understanding of the Bible, I agree. Although, this is a HANDBOOK not a THEOLOGY book! If you want a contextual breakdown of the Bible get Tony Evans Theology book. This particular book, Zondervan’s handbook, is to guide you through the Bible text and give you information on when certain events took place etc. not to go into in depth study and opinion. Great book for those who enjoy historical timelines, fact finders, and colorful pages.

[Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a book in its own right, the Handbook needs to be read in conjunction with a bible. As such it tries to explain and enhance your bible reading with not only suggestions by 'experts' but also maps, photographs, historical backgrounds etc. Quite intense so I have taken a pause before I go on to the New Testament.

[暧夜夜 · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the beginning of this year, I decided to approach and study the Bible. So I chose this book as my Bible study tool. It's perfect for a beginner, and I love it!

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this difficult to read for pleasure, I found the purpose to be more of a reference book. Very comprehensive, with excellent quality of detail and illustrations/photographs.

[Matei · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first encounter with theology. It is a book which opens your perspective slowly and ina confortable way.
Recommend it for reading in parallel with your devotional Bible reading.

[Casa Cărţii · Rating 5 out of 5]

Semnalez cu vădită plăcere apariţia Manualului biblic, pentru că e, aşa cum îl trădează numele, un instrument deosebit de util pentru studiul individual sau de grup. Conţine o seamă întreagă de informaţii sistematizate şi prezentate succint, esenţializat. Fiecare dintre subiectele mai fierbinţi (din punct de vedere istoric, dogmatic, filosofic sau apologetic) beneficiază de un spaţiu aparte, fără a se intra însă în toate amănuntele şi nuanţele pe care le înregistrează bibliografiile de strictă specialitate.

Cititorul de rând are prilejul să cunoască şi chestiunile controversate, dar şi o bună măsură de date contextuale care adaugă la informaţiile consemnate în Biblie (viaţa popoarelor străvechi, scrierile lor, legile după care trăiau, zeii cărora li se închinau etc). Extinderea orizontului teologic, istoric şi cultural este de bun augur, fiindcă, la urma urmei, orice element suplimentar care vine să completeze ceea ce ştim despre Biblie şi despre creştinism e bine-venit.

Uitarea şi ignoranţa pot fi boli grele pentru Biserică. Aşadar, e absolut necesar să existe nişte antidoturi. Şi cred că acest Manual biblic are potenţial de antidot. În plus, furnizează puncte de plecare către alte lecturi ce îmbogăţesc şi mai mult perspectiva celui ce vrea să studieze Cartea Cărţilor.

În zilele noastre, se mizează foarte mult pe imagine. Fără să se supună neapărat modei, Manualul conferă cititorului posibilitatea de a-şi reprezenta vizual locuri de referinţă (Ierusalimul, Templul, Marea Galileei şi împrejurimile, Babilonul etc.) şi contextele istorice ale diferitelor evenimente (robia asiriană, confruntările din Judecătorii, răstignirea, călătoriile lui Pavel etc.).

Nu e deloc puţin lucru ca într-o singură carte să aduni date istorice, demografice, geo-politice, geografice, literare, ştiinţifice, arheologice, comentarii biblice aplicate, exegeză, hermeneutică. Fireşte că spaţiul limitat nu permite abordări exhaustive, dar permite sistematizarea unor puncte de vedere reprezentative pentru fiecare temă importantă luată în discuţie.

Prezentarea completă, aici: http://edituracasacartii.wordpress.co...

[Silvia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very useful for understanding the Bible better. It has lots of beautiful pictures and historical context background explanations, and it's very nice that so many different authors contributed their insights and opinions. But especially useful are the chapter-by-chapter notes and explanations of difficult verses. It also helps to keep the big picture and the central themes of the Bible in mind by referring to similar (or seemingly opposite) verses throughout the Bible, and trying to explain the meaning of it all together. I think this is very important, since people often are too tempted to quote some verses out of context and come up with an interpretation that does not fit the bigger story of the Bible, or the teachings in other verses.

Another thing I really liked is that the authors stay close to explaining the actual text of the Bible, without imposing too many dogmas or specific teachings. It's very refreshing to see that they don't pretend to know and understand everything. In difficult passages or when it comes to contented interpretations (e.g. in Revelations), they will often simply admit that we don't know for sure, or that the exact meaning is contented, 'but whatever these details may mean, in any case the general message is that...' They do mention some of the available interpretations, so the reader can think about them for himself/herself. At the same time they do make it clear what is wrong with some of the more obviously false doctrines (e.g. prosperity gospels).

All in all, a wonderful book to read side by side with the Bible! I think that it is especially helpful to get you through those Bible books and chapters that may seem difficult or boring, and still feel like you learned something interesting from reading them.

[David Tensmeyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

My study of the Bible has become much deeper, more heartfelt, and more meaningful since I found the Lion Handbook in 2009. Not only does it offer the reader insight into the historical and historiographical context of each book, it also strives to emphasize the unity of the Bible narrative between the widely varying texts that make up the book.
The Handbook touches on all the major theological issues that the Bible raises, offering different interpretations for the reader's consideration without promoting one sectarian reading over another. Although the commentary is probably most relevant to a Protestant audience, Christians of all denominations will gain from using the Handbook as a Bible companion.

[Rosa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just looked this up on Amazon.com. I did not know that this book is a really good reference tool to use during your quiet times and bible studies. I like how this book is designed and is very user friendly. I like the photos in this book. This book is excellent to have in companion to your Protestant Bible.

This book really reminds me of an encyclopedia for the Bible. This book is great to read if you are now to Christianity or are a new comer to a new church. This book does not seem dated despite the copyright year.

[Dave Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received this as a Christmas book from Sue. It's a sort of on-again, off-again devotional of sorts. Actually, it is a survey of the Bible that also includes study helps, history, and essays. Richly illustrated with color photos and illustrations.

Good reference material.

[R. Fox · Rating 3 out of 5]

If someone at church asks, "Is there a book that will help me read the Bible," get them this. If you have theological training, however, this won't be much more than a source of good and helpful pics.

[Skuld · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this guidebook very much. It's layout and design is well suited for a quick reference and study guide. Also, it treats the Bible in a nondenominational way, and looks at it as literature, instead of religious text, which is much appreciated.

[John Wick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made the bible just a little more approachable. I found it treated the bible more as a history anthropology lesson but it was interesing nonetheless.

[Atchisson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Colorful and rich in scope, but it doesn't offer as many answers to the weightier issues as "Bible Ansers" by Towns does. It is full of pictures and maps and such, but it still feels lacking.

[Blair Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great for studying the Bible!!!

[Maggie]

Bought this book some time back. But haven't got to reading it.

[Grant Davis]

I consider this book at the "heart" of my study material

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

If your not an archeologist, historian, theologian, etc... this is an excellent book (companion) to have along side your Bible during your studying.

[Nou Sreyoun]

Its title is interesting, I want to read it than I can provide my own opinion to this book leter

[Kingsley Layton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was both very helpful and very resourceful.

[Robby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continue to reference; on going (infinity).