The Old Testament

by Various

In his introduction to the Everyman's Library edition of the Old Testament in the King James Version, George Steiner reminds us of the literary grandeur, uniqueness, and centrality of the Bible.  
   "What you have in hand is not a book. It is the book.  That, of course, is what 'Bible' means.  It is the book which, not only in Western humanity, defines the concept of a text.  All our other books, however different in matter or method, relate, be it indirectly, to this book of books...
   "All other books, be they histories, narrations of the imaginary, codes of law, moral treatises, lyric poems, dramatic dialogues, theological-philosophic meditations, are like sparks, often, to be sure, distant, tossed by an incessant breath from a central fire.  In the Western condition, but also in other parts of the planet to which the 'Good Book' has been taken, the Bible largely informs our historical and social identity...
   "No other book is like it; all other books are inhabited by the murmer of that distant source." Steiner underlines, as well, our great good fortune in being able to read the Bible—which has been translated in whole or in part into more than two thousand languages—in the resplendent language of seventeenth-century England. 
   "This is the instrument of Spenser, of Shakespeare, of Bacon, of Donne and the young Milton.  It encompasses the organblasts of the Queen's rhetoric, Sidney's intimacies of desire, the 'lapidary lightness' of Ben Jonson, and the compaction of the early Metaphysical poets.  It can command, seduce, enchant, and think aloud as never before or since...There could not have been a moment, a climate of feeling and general discourse, more apt to engender the two foremost constructs in the language: Shakespeare and the King James Version."

Genres: Religion, Classics, Christianity, Fiction, Ancient, Reference

1440 pages, Hardcover

First published February 4, 2014

About the author

Various is the correct author for any book with multiple unknown authors, and is acceptable for books with multiple known authors, especially if not all are known or the list is very long (over 50).

If an editor is known, however, Various is not necessary. List the name of the editor as the primary author (with role "editor"). Contributing authors' names follow it.

Note: WorldCat is an excellent resource for finding author information and contents of anthologies.

Reviews

[Jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my goodness, it has taken me just under three years (which was initially going to be one year), but I did it. I've finally reached the end of The Old Testament! Wow, that was hard going at times, but it feels great to have finally done it. Now the challenge is on to see if I can read the whole of The New Testament in 2018. See you in three years for an update on that challenge, ha ha :-)

[Ryan Hathaway · Rating 1 out of 5]

This must be the most boring uncivilized book of all time. There really is nothing else to be said about it. I'll stick with the Greek classics to seek the source of my western mind from now on.

[Illiterate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rambling, national epic, wisdom literature. God is superbly domineering and malevolent. His prophets are fanatics and fantasists. The lists are dull.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading it all in order, as an adult is very different than selecting stories as a kid/teen. Many great stories and lessons. Also many measurements and lists of descendents.

[Benjamin Stahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would be lying if I said this was an easy book to read. In fact, much of it was incredibly trying, for multiple reasons. It has to be the most dense text I have ever read. That being said, I am so happy that I can finally look back and say I read the Old Testament. Along with the rest of the Bible, it was a task I hoped to one day achieve. I worried it would end up being something I'd just keep procrastinating over. But here I am, with just the Apocrypha and then the New Testament to go.

[Alex]

Satisfying to read in full, in its way. A text that reflects your world and life back at you, so inevitably it's bound up for me in the year 2020 and the events of my life, in ways that were enriching. Fave books: Ecclesiastes, for its description of life with no sugar coating; 1 and 2 Kings, for the juicy dynastic storytelling; Lamentations, for the beauty and despair of its poetry; and Esther because my Hebrew School education made no mention of the climactic Tarantino-style revenge bloodbath...

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so glad I finally read the entire Old Testament. There is so much there that we never hear during church services. I t also helped to learn where many sayings a tradition come from.

[Christopher Humphrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspired. Authoritative. Sufficient. Insightful. Life-giving. Necessary. Profitable. Grace-filled. Priceless.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened through the Old Testament this year and supplemented that with the Bible Recap Podcast. If you have never tried Bible Recap, I highly suggest checking it out for the beginning of January!

[Abe Gabe · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took almost a year to read the Old Testament. Unlike other converted Christians I started to read the Old Testament while my mentor and also priest told me to start with the holy gospels. But unfortunately it was too late as I’ve read Torah by the time that I’ve been told to read the holy gospel and I was reading the second book of Samuel, so I decided to continue for another nine or eight months to finish the whole Old Testament. Even tho I started it passionately, at the middle and also at the end of the book, I lingered to read as fast as I started. The major and minor prophets were really exhausting as they have mostly a similar subject with a same them. I think the first two books of Torah were legendary and great but the other three weren’t that good but fine as they were mostly the mosaic sharia laws and its clauses of the law. Also the book of Judges, the books of Samuel and chronicles were also legendary and great. I really love mythical legends and for that reason I love the books that I’ve mentioned. As a Christian I believe in the Old Testament as well but not all of it. Because Jesus Christ came to give us a New Testament with his holy blood on his holy cross, that’s why I can’t accept several laws like stoning people, sacrificing animals or eating specific animals. Thank God for Jesus Christ and Thank God for his Service, He’s the King, The Messiah, Our Saviour, Our Lord and Our God… .

[Shawnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a valuable old text and I'm glad I read it. It gave me an overall view of the Lord's purpose and intent for humanity. I believe that most liberal Christians have not read it, or they would not hold the Gospel as such a lenient, flexible thing.

I have to be honest about the reading quality. It pales in comparison to the Book of Mormon, LDS Conference talks or Doctrine & Covenants for frequency of inspiring, powerful moments per number of pages read.

[Rui Coelho · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection of ancient Israelite literature is much more valuable as a whole than the sum of its books. It reflects the complexity and richness of the culture that gave birth to it. Exactly for this reason, it opens itself to a wide variety of different (and frequently conflicting) interpretations (love or cruelty, social justice or tyranny, etc) and that is, probably, its strongest feature.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know how many times I have read the old testament now, but I definitely plan on many more readings in the future. I can only say that the King James version is a masterpiece of both religion and literature. No greater book exists than the Bible, old and new testaments combined.

[Spring Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've loved studying the Old Testament this past year and am currently reading and studying the New Testament. I love how I've really grown closer to my Savior through the Old Testament and seeing His love for us all shine through.

[Natalie]

Finally read the Old Testament through, cover to cover. Probably the longest book I've ever read when I consider page numbers and font size. There are definitely books in here that I won't be rereading again, but I'm glad to have it done!

[Glen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read the Old Testament ... I'm really pleased to have stuck with it ... If I can do it anyone can ... Certainly gave a very rich source for Christian understanding ... Not that I understood everything ... Far from it ...

[Keith Breinholt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not always an easy read but well worth the time, especially if you can find a historical text and read the books in chronological order. Makes much more sense when you understand the history and read the books in order of the history.

[John Devlin]

Of what benefit are you to God?

[Keith Miller]

The Old Testament (Everyman's Library) (Everyman's Library (Cloth)) by Everyman's Library (1996)

[Kitty Red-Eye]

Well, at least in parts. But those parts were in the original Hebrew, so I totally felt like marking the OT down especially. Interesting, but unrateable.

[Shirley]

This was the King James Old Testament. My favorite book.

[stacie · Rating 5 out of 5]

finished the OT. haven't actually read this version but I finished the OT!

[Tobreth Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

i almost feel like if I give it less than 5 I am bashing it - I am not, I really enjoyed it but ...