One of the pioneers of the socioliterary study of the Hebrew Bible introduces the beginning student to the social forces that shaped ancient Israel's history and scriptures. Norman K. Gottwald brings new light to every book of the Hebrew Bible, and to the older traditions and sources on which those writings in part depend, paying particular attention to the rise and fallof empires and the social revolution achieved in Israel's beginnings. Rebecca J. Kruger Gaudino has prepared a clear and concise abridgement of Gottwald's classic textbook, now thoroughly updated and lavishly illustrated with maps, diagrams, and photos.