The Old Testament in the Light of the Historical Records and Legends of Assyria and Babylonia

A thoughtful survey of the ancient Near East, this work places the earliest Hebrew scriptures beside the tablets, steles and legends unearthed in Assyria and Babylonia. By slipping in literal translations of royal inscriptions, legal codes and mythic epics, the author lets the sources speak for themselves, letting listeners hear the voices that once shaped the world of the Old Testament. The approach avoids academic controversy, focusing instead on the shared cultural backdrop that connects the biblical stories to their neighbors.

The book also offers a practical guide to the phonetics of Assyro‑Babylonian names, helping the audience picture how “Tiglath‑pileser” or “Hammurabi” might have sounded in their own tongues. Recent excavations at sites such as Babylon, Susa and Elephantine are woven into the narrative, and appendix material presents newly discovered letters and papyri that shed light on temple life and royal correspondence. Listeners will come away with a clearer sense of how ancient history and biblical tradition intersect, without venturing beyond the opening chapters.