A Reader of Ancient Near Eastern Texts

Michael D. Coogan is Lecturer in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament at Harvard Divinity School, Director of Publications for the Harvard Semitic Museum, and Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies at Stonehill College. He is the editor of Oxford Biblical Studies Online and The New Oxford Annotated Bible.

• 1. MYTHS; 2. EPICS; 3. HISTORIOGRAPHIC TEXTS; 4. LEGAL AND COMMERICAL TEXTS; COLLECTIONS AND CODES; TREATIES; CONTRACTS; COMMERCIAL TRANSACTIONS; 5. LETTERS; ROYAL CORRESPONDENCE; CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN OFFICIALS; PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE; 6. HYMNS, PRAYERS, LAMENTS, AND RITUALS; HYMNS AND PRAYERS; 94. HYMN TO THE ATEN; RITUALS; OTHER RITUAL TEXTS; 7. BURIAL TEXTS; FUNERARY TEXTS; 8. COMMEMORATIVE AND DEDICATORY TEXTS; 9. LOVE POEMS; 10. PROPHETIC TEXTS; 177-79. TO ESARHADDON; 11. WISDOM LITERATURE

"Without a doubt, I would use this volume. In studying the Hebrew Bible, students need to develop an appreciation not only for ideas expressed in the larger ancient Near Eastern context; they must also be able to recognize the diverse literary forms found both in the ancient Near East and the Bible Itself."--W. Dennis Tucker, George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Baylor University"The strengths of this book lie in its organization of sources by genre; the use of up-to-date translations; the provision of contextual information through the general introduction, chapter introductions, and footnotes; the biblical cross-references; and the author's depth and breadth of knowledge of the relevant sources and their significance for interpreting the Hebrew Bible."--Greg Schmidt Goering, University of Virginia"This book is excellent and a very welcome addition to Coogan's Old Testament textbook."--Steven Leonard Jacobs, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa