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Customer Reviews for Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. On the Reliability of the Old Testament
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. On the Reliability of the Old Testament
For more than two hundred years controversy has raged over the reliability of the Old Testament. Questions about the factuality of its colorful stories of heroes, villains, and kings, for example, have led many critics to see the entire Hebrew Bible as little more than pious fiction. In this fascinating book, noted ancient historian K. A. Kitchen takes strong issue with today's "revisionist" critics and offers a firm foundation for the historicity of the Old Testament writings.
In a detailed, comprehensive, and entertaining manner, Kitchen draws upon an unprecedented range of historical data from the ancient Near East - the Bible's own world - and uses it to soundly reassess both the biblical record and the critics who condemn it. Working back from the latest periods (for which hard evidence is readily available) to the remotest times, Kitchen systematically shows up the many failures of favored arguments against the Bible and marshals pertinent permanent evidence from antiquity's inscriptions and artifacts to demonstrate the basic honesty of the Old Testament writers.
Enhanced with numerous tables, figures, and maps, On the Reliability of the Old Testament is a must-read for anyone interested in the question of biblical truth. 662 pages, softcover from Eerdmans.
In a detailed, comprehensive, and entertaining manner, Kitchen draws upon an unprecedented range of historical data from the ancient Near East - the Bible's own world - and uses it to soundly reassess both the biblical record and the critics who condemn it. Working back from the latest periods (for which hard evidence is readily available) to the remotest times, Kitchen systematically shows up the many failures of favored arguments against the Bible and marshals pertinent permanent evidence from antiquity's inscriptions and artifacts to demonstrate the basic honesty of the Old Testament writers.
Enhanced with numerous tables, figures, and maps, On the Reliability of the Old Testament is a must-read for anyone interested in the question of biblical truth. 662 pages, softcover from Eerdmans.
Average Customer Rating:
(7 Reviews) 7
Rating Snapshot (7 reviews)
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2 out of 367%customers would recommend this product to a friend.
Customer Reviews for On the Reliability of the Old Testament
Review 1 for On the Reliability of the Old Testament
Overall Rating:
Recommend with some minor qualifications...
Date:June 10, 2013
Quality:
4
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
4
out of
5
I recommend this book to both christians and non-christians alike. However, when I do so, I cannot fully endorse everything Kitchen says (how could I? I am not familiar with the primary evidence?). I would recommend Kitchen as a solid and respectable example of the biblical maximalist school. However, scholars more familiar with the actual biblical material like Philip Davies of Sheffield (Note: Kitchen is an egyptologist, not a biblical scholar by training) express some discontent with Kitchen's conclusions. They don't always go to the extent of saying that he is WRONG per se, only that his conclusions can be overstated and not properly peer-reviewed. One would do well to recognize that many of Kitchen's evidences are designed to be more speculative than definitive. We Christians should be careful not to believe everything we read in maximalists just because it seems to appreciate the Bible more fully than minimalist works do. With those qualifications expressed, I highly encourage you to read this book and read others like it from different schools, knowing that all TRUTH is God's truth, sometimes it's just not what we expect.
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Review 2 for On the Reliability of the Old Testament
Overall Rating:
Date:October 15, 2012
Meir
Location:Salem, Oregon
Age:35-44
Gender:male
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
I feel that this book is the authoritative work on the historical accuracy of the Old Testament. There are few errors, and Dr. Kitchen did well keeping his data remarkably neutral, something that many Christian apologists unfortunately fail to do. The data is thorough and very hard for anyone to refute. He addresses minimalist claims and shows well how little evidence there is to support them. I had previously used this book for a historiography paper in a class, and was so impressed with it that I bought it for a reference to my own person Bible studies. My instructor, an atheist, was also impressed with the book. This book is a classic, and I would recommend it as a must for anyone wanting to study the Old Testament.
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Review 3 for On the Reliability of the Old Testament
Overall Rating:
Product as presented did not match book.
Date:April 22, 2011
gary
Location:Goshen, IN
Age:55-65
Gender:male
Quality:
1
out of
5
Value:
1
out of
5
I was expecting a book that represented what the selling points indicated. The book did not match at all. I wanted a book that an average person could understand and enjoy not something requiring a PHD in religion to understand. I was very disapointed and feel mislead.
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Review 4 for On the Reliability of the Old Testament
Overall Rating:
Date:June 7, 2010
Barbara Binsfeld
Was not what I was really looking for, but at the same time I have found it very interesting. I will be keeping it
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+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
Review 5 for On the Reliability of the Old Testament
Overall Rating:
Date:December 1, 2008
According to Kitchen, there are more documents from the Ancient Near East (ANE) than from ancient Greece and Rome combined. However, most Old Testament (OT) scholars get limited exposure to these documents when pursuing their doctorates. Thus, there is a lot of ignorance about the ANE among OT scholars. The bold pronouncements by many scholars about the fictional character of much of the OT never get checked against ANE history. Kitchen claims OT scholars work in a vacuum from the OTs ANE background and history. Like a breath of fresh air, Kitchen's book systematically brings to bear documents, artifacts, and archeological findings on questions related to the historicity of the Old Testament. The results are very encouraging. Kitchen shows how the Bible contain customs, information, etc. that fit the era they claim to be from. For example, the Mosaic covenant fits the kind of covenants from Moses era, not from any other era. Ever wonder about Sarah giving Abraham her maidservent to have a baby for her, and Rachel and Leah doing the same for Jacob? Sure enough, that custom turns up in documents from precisely the era of the patriarchs, but not later. These kinds of things show up time and time again in Kitchen's book. Extensive endnotes give his ANE sources.The bottom line is that Kitchen shows how historically appropriate and "in-sync" the OT is with the ANE, throughout all of its history. It would have been impossible for later Jews to "create" Israelite history as skeptical scholars claim. The stuff in the OT fits too well. Theres no way later Jews could have gotten that all correct. Unfortunately, this valuable information will not get the wide exposure it deserves due to the books length and often technical nature. I wish Kitchen would create a more popular 125 page summary version of this that hits the highlights and be a true companion to F. F. Bruces The New Testament Documents: Are The Reliable?
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Review 6 for On the Reliability of the Old Testament
Overall Rating:
Date:November 22, 2008
This author takes the Biblical account of history seriously. He also weighs the existing external evidence judiciously. And unlike many writers who are relying on third-hand information, most of the material in this volume presents a first-hand account. Kitchen, a well-known Egyptologist has reviewed the primary evidence himself. He has personally visited many of the archeological sites and has examined many of the actual artifacts in their original setting or in the museums where they currently reside. He has the educational, experiential, and linguistic background to comment as an authority on the subject, and he does so. The result is a work that both weighs the evidence and encourages faith based upon the existing data. Kitchen is also careful not misrepresent or overstate the archeological and paleographical evidence. He identifies his own speculation as speculation. Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the book is how interesting (and at times entertaining) Kitchens writing can be. This book is highly recommended.
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Review 7 for On the Reliability of the Old Testament
Overall Rating:
Date:November 24, 2007
If you have ever wondered whether or not the Old Testament is accurate, this book is for you.Kitchen brings to the table decades of research and study of the Ancient Near East. His knowledge and understanding of the culture of Israel and the surrounding peoples and lands is vast, and he brings it all into focus in this book.The Old Testament text was pulled out of the past and brought to life right in front of me on just about every page I read. I recommend this book to everyone who will listen. If you want to have answers to your questions, buy this book and watch as your faith is strengthened by the simple fact that what was written so long ago was and is a compelling tale of God seeking a people for Himself.
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1of 1voted this as helpful.