Illuminates each Old Testament historical book by examining its content, structure, and theological message.
"[An] excellent introduction to the Old Testament historical books. . . . Hamilton makes incisive exegetical and interpretive comments at important junctures. The greatest value to his approach, however, is the synthesis of the whole, which helps the reader appreciate the strategy and literary skill of the composition as literature. . . . The book is an important addition to the literature on the Old Testament historical books. Hamilton has clearly done his homework and has packaged his findings in good prose and a coherent, readable style."--Eugene H. Merrill, Bibliotheca Sacra
"Issues of 'history' swirl notoriously around Old Testament studies, highly subjective judgments made in the sober name of critical objectivity. In the midst of the acrimonious swirl, Hamilton cautiously, carefully, and judiciously works his way through the so-called history books of the Old Testament. Hamilton knows all about current scholarly issues but is more interested in the text itself, the way it works, and the way the past is rendered imaginatively. As a consequence, students will find here a clear guide in considering the detail and claim of the text itself, at least for now not needing to engage the scholarly debates that focus outside the text and outside its claims."--Walter Brueggemann, Columbia Theological Seminary
"Handbook on the Historical Books manages to steer between the oversimplified approaches found in many evangelical texts and the complex and speculative theories found in many critical studies of Hebrew historiography. The book gives proper attention to interpretive and critical issues, but this does not obfuscate Hamilton's thorough exposition of the ideology, theology, and content of these ancient Israelite histories. This volume is destined to become a standard evangelical introductory text."--Kenton L. Sparks, Eastern University
"This highly readable handbook combines clear exposition with an informed synthesis of scholarship--truly the work of a master teacher! Hamilton presents narrative summaries of the Historical Books that seamlessly integrate historical, compositional, and literary analysis. Students at all levels will find it to be an excellent guide to the biblical text and to the issues that lie at the heart of scholarly discussion."--L. Daniel Hawk, Ashland Theological Seminary
