Lexham Geographic Commentary on the Historical Books, Volume 1: Joshua-Ruth

“The role of geography is the most significant dimension of any of the realia found in the early historical books, above all in Joshua. This review, update, and significant contribution to the geographical study of these biblical books and to the value of that study for interpretation of their message is a welcome addition to current scholarship. Every serious interpreter of Israel’s story, from its entrance into the land at the fords of Jericho to the love story of Ruth and its picture of early Israelite village life in Bethlehem, will find this work an essential asset for understanding these biblical texts.”

“Historical record or folktale including poetry or prophecy―opinions may differ over how best to evaluate the books covered by this commentary. But their geographical setting remains fixed and constant, and a galaxy of specialists here unpacks those details with full attention to texts and archaeology in a manner not paralleled in any other available resource. Ease of reference is aided by a plethora of exceptionally clear maps and other illustrations. It helpfully serves to remind us that biblical literature of all kinds is firmly grounded in space and time.”

“Geography often seems to be the weak step-sister of archaeology in biblical studies, so this thoroughgoing study of the geography of the Old Testament historical books is certainly in order. It will add perspective to any study of the biblical books covered here. And a welcome serendipity is that it is also a valuable resource for matters of archaeology, backgrounds, apologetics, and even exegesis. I recommend it highly!”

“This volume properly highlights the foundational, though often overlooked reality of the physical settings upon which the events recorded in the biblical text unfolded and which influenced the biblical authors’ narratives and poetry. By providing layered approaches to discreet corpora of texts from Joshua through Ruth, the contributors ground theological claims, provide guidance and parameters for text-critical interpretations, and offer much needed nuance that corrects more dogmatic and/or text-only studies that fail to appreciate the importance of geography for the biblical authors’ truth claims. This volume tackles the biggest issues in the historicity of ancient Israel’s story by integrating detailed understanding of the region’s geography, the available archaeological remains, and philologically informed discussions of the Hebrew language. The results are nuanced, refreshing, and, at times, novel interpretations of the biblical texts that are attuned to text-critical and theological matters.”

“The Lexham Geographic Commentary on the Historical Books continues the important approach to biblical interpretation found in the previous volumes of this project. The geographic setting in historical context is a crucial element in the interpretation of the biblical narratives, since the stories assume the implied readers’ knowledge of locations, topography, etc., as these impact the events that the stories narrate. This commentary successfully addresses this concern. Throughout the volume, the understanding of the individual narrative episodes is greatly enriched through a solid analysis of the geographic and cultural data. Readers will benefit from its wonderful maps, photos, and illustrations. It is an important contribution to the understanding of this portion of Scripture.”