Includes bibliographical references (p. 151-155) and index

Acknowledgments -- 1. Introduction: What Are You Reading? -- 2. Morals, Manners, and the Good Life: Wisdom Literature -- 3. Praise, Lament, and Thanksgiving: Poetry of Worship -- 4. The Appeal to the Past: Historical and Quasi-Historical Narratives -- 5. Justice, Judgment, and the Fate of Nations: Prophetic Literature -- 6. Regulating Life: Legal Collections -- 7. The Appeal to the Future: Apocalyptic Literature -- 8. I Want You to Know: Letters -- 9. Redemptive Persuasion: The Gospels -- 10. Conclusion: Making Sense of the Bible -- Appendix A Forms of Ancient Hebrew Poetry -- ppendix B Major Literary Types and Selected Biblical References -- Suggestions for Further Reading -- Maps -- Index

In this book Marshall Johnson gives students the tools needed to make sense of the Bible, a task that begins with recognizing the diverse kinds of literature found between its covers. Focusing on the eight major literary forms in the Bible -- wisdom literature, liturgical materials, quasi-historical material, prophetic writings, collections of laws and precepts, apocalyptic literature, letters, and Gospels -- Johnson describes each form's central features and gives readers a sense of what to expect from each literary form and how to approach it. Appendixes discuss the forms of ancient Hebrew poetry, highlight the major literary types in biblical books, and provide suggestions for further reading