Navigating Tough Texts of the Old Testament, Volume 1: A Guide to Problem Passages from Genesis Through Deuteronomy

Preaching certain passages of the Bible comes with challenges for even the most experienced of pastors. In this book, a respected Old Testament theologian dives deep into some of the most difficult passages from Genesis to Deuteronomy, illuminating how they can be used to share God's plan and wisdom. Learn to interpret difficult biblical texts As we read through the Bible, it's common to encounter puzzling or confusing passages. This is especially the case with the Old Testament, since its time and cultural setting are so far removed from our own. It's tempting to skip over these problem passages in our personal Bible study or in our preaching, but if "all Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16, NIV), those passages were preserved for our benefit. In Navigating Tough Texts of the Old Testament, volume 1, veteran scholar and translator Tremper Longman III guides you through difficult passages in Genesis through Deuteronomy, answering questions such as ● Why are there different English translations of Genesis 1:1-2? ● Were the Hebrew midwives wrong to lie to Pharaoh? ● How do we make sense of the purity laws in Leviticus? ● What were the Urim and Thummim? ● and more As you learn how to make sense of these texts, you will also understand why Bible translations differ and become a better reader of the entire Bible, not just the difficult passages. Learn to interpret difficult biblical texts and never skip a hard passage again As we read through the Bible, it's common to encounter puzzling or confusing passages. This is especially the case with the Old Testament, since its time and cultural setting are so far removed from our own. It's tempting to skip over these problem passages in our personal Bible study or in our preaching and teaching. But if all Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, those passages were preserved for our benefit. In Navigating Tough Texts of the Old Testament, volume 1 of a planned series, veteran scholar and translator Tremper Longman III guides us through difficult passages in Genesis through Deuteronomy, answering questions like ● Why are there different English translations of Genesis 1:1-2? ● Were the Hebrew midwives wrong to lie to Pharaoh? ● How do we make sense of the purity laws in Leviticus? ● What were the urim and thummim? ● and more Along the way, we will understand why English Bible translations differ from one another and become more confident, discerning readers of the entire Bible, not just the difficult passages. For pastors who preach the whole Bible, students who study it seriously, and readers who have always wanted better answers to the questions they were afraid to ask, Navigating Tough Texts of the Old Testament is the guide you've been waiting for.