For more than thirty-five years, students have used Eugene H. Merrill's An Historical Survey of the Old Testament as a comprehensive but concise study of the first thirty-nine books of the Bible.

Assured of the accuracy of the Old Testament, Merrill approaches it as God's revelation to the world through Israel, his chosen people. This historical structure provides the basic framework for his text, which is enriched by

· insights from the history of the Middle East;
· geographical backgrounds;
· archaeological perspectives; and
· cultural, religious, and social points of view.

Introductory material examines the nature of the Old Testament and its literary genres, recounting a history of challenges to its credibility. Subsequent chapters isolate each epoch covered by the Old Testament, from creation to the postexilic period. Hebrew words are set in a linguistic context. A short review of intertestamental history is also included.