The Life and Times of Herod the Great, Stewart Perowne, Hodder and Stoughton (The Camelot Press Ltd., London), 1956.
The Later Herods, Stewart Perowne, Hodder and Stoughton, 1958.
I have found these two books interesting and informative. As the titles indicate, the first volume gives the life story of the Herod who ordered the death of the boy babies of Bethlehem. But it opens a much wider view of the man than that. It tells of his close relationships with the Romans, which often resulted in advantages to the Jews. His great building enterprises are also freely described. The second volume takes up where the first leaves off, giving many pertinent facts with relation to all the other Herods mentioned in the New Testament. The facts and incidents related in these two books are essential to a full knowledge of the background of the New Testament.
An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, W. E. Vine, Oliphants Ltd., London and Edinburgh. First published in four volumes in 1940; now in one volume.
This is a most valuable reference book to one who wants to study the meaning of the Greek words of the New Testament. It is arranged alphabetically according to the English words as translated in the King James Version. In addition to the fine shades of meaning brought out, it clarifies the similarities and differences of various words that are translated as the same word in the KJV. Words are given in both English and Greek, so it is not necessary for one to know Greek to derive great benefit from the book. I recommend it most highly as a standard reference work.
Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament and The Ancient Near East in Pictures Relating to the Old Testament. Princeton University Press, 1955, 1954.
The first volume, a large book of two columns a page and 516 pages, gives the text of monuments, tablets, papyri, and every source that bears a relation to the Bible. Each text is well introduced and qualified so that the user can know its exact place in history and its value, those who have translated it, where the original may now be found, et cetera. There are also many helpful footnotes. The second volume contains 769 illustrations of monuments, wall paintings and inscriptions, carvings and statuary, figures of gods and men. Each picture carries a caption and a number. The numbers refer to the more full description of the pictures in the second half of the book. The pictures are well classified and adequately indexed. The first volume costs about $17 and the latter about $20, but they are worth the cost to the minister who is interested in being well informed about Old Testament matters.
