Dictionary of Biblical Imagery

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.

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.

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.

I love this book

This book has got to be nearly 3" thick and chock full of useful information pertaining to history, legend, culture and themes. As a bible college graduate I can say this is one of the most useful resources I have found for unpacking the bible. All you have to do is look up a person, place or thing and you will soon be reading large articles on any given topic. You can look up the sea monster that is found in antiquity and how this theme weaves it's way through the bible and what it represents in Revelation. You could flip to the article on wind and see what it has presented in scripture and how it was perceived in ancient world view to give you an understanding of the events of Pentecost in Acts. No matter what passage you are studying, this book can help unpack and illuminate the ancient world that is so removed from us modern day readers. It's perfect for exegetical studies, sermon preparation and personal curiosity. I would highly suggest this book for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of the ancient biblical world.

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.

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

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.

I wish I could give this book 10 stars because it is worth every penny and every bit of the space it will take up on your shelf. This hefty book is an encyclopedia of much of the Bible’s rich imagery, symbolism, metaphors, figures of speech and literary patterns. It is beautifully written and wondrously rich. I use this book to help me make sense of the ways that the Bible uses these typologically to tell the story of redemption. Most recently, I have thoroughly enjoyed and benefitted from the entry for Job. Though the amount and depth of the content is as impressive as it is enriching, the book has some substantial gaps (by necessity, given the amount of material it covers), which suits me very well indeed. In this way, it leaves room for further study, pushing readers always back towards the Scriptures. I am an academic and have several years of NT Greek education, but in my view this book is accessible to a wide audience. I highly recommend every member of the clergy and every layperson purchase this book. It is far and away the best companion to the Bible I have found. I tell everyone I possibly can about this book!

Treasury. Very keen and informative

I write weekly messages for a faith-based podcast and this book has easily become my most valuable resource. The amount of information I am able to pull out of it, in terms of Imagery associations is phenomenal. I love that I can look up a single word, go down a bunch of rabbit trails & yet still stay organized. I would highly recommend this to anyone in a teaching position or anyone interested in deeper theological studies.

If your interested in dream imagery, the Bible and enjoy reading then this is for you. I say enjoy reading because it is a big, heavy book with lots of references/ cross-references and smallish font. Also, it's not cheap so you do need to have more than a passing interest in the subject. If your wanting a quick fix type ...tell me what my dream means ...don't buy it, it's not the right book for you. A great resource for any bible detectives. Fascinating snippets pop up all over the place. It is in alphabetical order and has 1058 pages.Heavy duty hard backed.I am not doing a degree,or thinking of doing any preaching and I can understand it very well. Read page 160- Comedy as Plot Motif-...loved it... hadn't thought of the Bible quite like that before. Enjoy.

This is a DICTIONARY thus there isn't a table of contents as one negative reviewer complained. There are few drawings even to speak of. What you will find is detailed descriptions and explanations with scripture references to enrich your understanding if scriptures. Buy and treasure.