Ancient Biblical Hebrew goes back nearly 3,000 years into the past and preserves myths, laws, and ritual traditions that date even earlier. But learning to read this ancient language usually requires years of formal training or books written with overly technical jargon. Reading the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament has therefore been restricted to the lucky few - until now!

“Learn to Read Ancient Sumerian” gave you the basic tools to understand the world’s oldest written language, now Volume Two gives you the detail and nuance that you’ve been waiting for!

This extensively revised and expanded second edition includes a wealth of information and analysis, including three additional chapters and two new appendices. Dr. Bowen thoroughly explores law collections of the ancient Near East, asking why they matter, and how they influence our understanding of slavery in the Old Testament.

Explores the profound effect education had upon the practice of prayer in second millennium Mesopotamia, shaping traditions and perceptions that resonate through history to our understanding of Judeo-Christian religion today

Sumerian is the world's oldest written language, but the ability to read it is restricted to the lucky few - until now!

Learn to Read Ancient Sumerian: An Introduction for Complete Beginners is written specifically for people with no training in ancient languages, letting the reader learn Sumerian without having to learn grammatical jargon first.

Slavery in the Old Testament: what it allowed, how it worked, and what that means for modern readers.

A clear, accessible guide to Old Testament history and controversy — from the conquest to the monarchy, violence to the Exodus.

A clear, accessible look at the Old Testament’s most debated topics, grounded in ancient context.