Dictionary of Biblical Imagery Hardcover – Illustrated, November 2, 1998

Great Studying Tool!

Usually dictionaries are not my idea of leisure reading, but InterVarsity Press's Dictionary of Biblical Imagery is as at home on my bed stand as it is on my desk. From Head to Toe and Happiness to Hanging, the 980 pages between A-Aaron's rod and Z-Zion contain a wealth of information on the rich imagery and literary patterns of the Bible.So often we approach the Bible from a theological point of view, but God, in His multi-faceted wisdom and creativity, has given us His truth wrapped in dazzling layers of imagery, metaphor, and symbols that engage our affective, emotional faculties as well as our cognitive. He uses story and all its literary conventions to present situations to which our human spirits can relate and experience the lessons therein.His Word is replete with metaphors and motifs that appeal to our image-making faculties. Although aware of the power of pictures, most of us have only a cursory understanding of the layers of meaning they convey, whether universal or contextual. How is my body like a tent? My daughter like a corner pillar? My prayer like an arrow?We have many theological resources available to us, but until now, have had little to open the doors to the literary treasures of the Bible. Editors Ryken, Wilhoit, and Longman have provided us with an informative, engaging, and much needed biblical tool that "explores the patterns that the biblical writers have imposed on life, with a view toward understanding what those patterns clarify about life."This ambitious work speaks to a large audience. Clearly written, The Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, will appeal to the lay reader, as well as the scholar. It will help preachers to enrich their presentations of the literal biblical text with a deeper understanding of the concrete images, themes and archetypes common to the human experience. And--a particular bonus to writers-- the treasure trove of plot structures, motifs, metaphors, and archetypes contained within these pages will provide writers with enough information and inspiration to sit right down and crank out that elusive masterpiece.

Absolutely love this Dictionary! I highly recommend as it will deepen your understanding of the Word. Shines the light on what many of the things/words mentioned in the Bible meant to the original readers.

Well edited so it reads as though written by one author. Solid evangelical Christian perspective will appeal to many Bible readers, and stimulate a casual reader to dig deeper into many sections of the New and Old Testaments. The breadth and depth of topics invites the perusing reader into extended study. Very well indexed for several thousand verses and hundreds of subjects. Useful 8 pp Introduction summarizes how this is eminently practical to: 1) improve the reader's grasp of the literal text, 2) improve our ability to interpret the figurative level of meaning, 3) see the unity and progression of the NT following from OT foreshadowings, 4) enable a study of Biblical images and motifs that help the reader bridge the gap between the Biblical times and our own world.

Book arrived with pages 451 to 638 badly damaged. Book was shipped in a box larger than needed AND without any packing material to keep the book secure in the box while in transit. Not the publisher's error; an error in the shipping department.

Very edifying book. The thought put into each article is fantastic! I purchased this for a class but I’m extremely satisfied with that purchase. This will be a book that I reference routinely in my studies. The Bible is so full of imagery, both in word etymology/meaning and in God’s use of illustrative language. This book focuses primarily on the illustrative language but periodically brings in cultural context and grammar/etymology to reinforce some of the imagery. A fantastic book and a great buy!Also, I’ve yet to run across anything heretical in any of the articles (it’s written in article form, by the way), which is always a danger when discussing imagery.

The book is very informative I was disappointed because some of the references are not there like "The Spirit of Jezebel" Overall it is worth buying

An amazing resource for anyone studying the Bible. This book uses short detailed summaries of largely unbiased straight-forward historical information to help explain the exegetical aspects of the Bible. I purchased a hardcover copy of this book to assist with my Course of Study work as a Locally Licensed Pastor. Now, every time I write a paper I have to push myself to seek other sources so I am not just citing this one! It explains what I need to know succinctly without reading page after page of useless information to find what I am looking for. It makes it easy to identify when further information can be found by bold printing other subject headings as you read along. Amazing reference for the dedicated lay theologist.