This book examines the small library of 24 separate books common to all Jewish and Christian Bibles - books that preserve the efforts of diverse individuals over the span of many centuries to make sense of their personal experiences and those of their people, the ancient Israelites. Professor Christine Hayes guides her readers through the complexities of this polyphonous literature that has served as a foundational pillar of Western Civilization, underscoring the variety and even disparities among the voices that speak in the biblical texts. Those who authored Old Testament books wrote in many contexts and responded to a sweeping range of crises and questions: political, economic, historical, cultural, philosophical, religious, and moral. In thoughtful chapters devoted to each of the 24 books, Hayes reconstructs the meanings and messages of each author and encourages a deeper appreciation of the historical and cultural settings of the Bible.