This comprehensive and authoritative volume is the first reference work devoted exclusively to Second Temple Judaism. A striking and innovative project, it combines the best features of a survey and a reference work:
- 13 major essays synthesizing significant aspects of Judaism in the period between Alexander the Great and the Bar Kokhba Revolt
- 520 alphabetical entries, many with cross-references and all with select bibliographies
- 130 illustrations, including photos, drawings, and plans
- 24 maps
- 270 authors from 20 countries
The Eerdmans Dictionary of Early Judaism is ecumenical and international in character, bringing together the contributions of a superb group of Jewish, Christian, and other scholars. With equal attention paid to literary and nonliterary (archaeological and epigraphic) evidence, this substantial volume will prove to be an invaluable resource for scholars, students, and general readers alike.
The Eerdmans Dictionary of Early Judaism was awarded an honorable mention by the 2011 AJL Judaica Reference and Bibliography Awards
- The first reference work ever on Judaism in the Greco-Roman age
- Complete essays by James C. VanderKam, Eugene Ulrich, Loren T. Stuckenbruck, Daniel C. Harlow, and more
- Topical list of entries
- Contributor's notes
Praise for the Print Edition
This dictionary, containing an immense amount of useful information presented with great clarity by an impressive range of scholars including many leading experts in the field, will be an essential resource for all those interested in studying the late Second Temple period and the Jewish background to the origins of Christianity.
—Martin Goodman, Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Oxford
A welcome, handy reference tool for students of early Judaism. . . . Presented in an easily accessible format, it is usable for general readers as well.
—Eric M. Meyers, Center for Jewish Studies, Duke University
The Eerdmans Dictionary of Early Judaism is an outstanding reference work that not only introduces this important era but also serves as a status report for scholarly activity in this area over the past few decades. Highly recommended for theological, research, and large public libraries.
- Title: The Eerdmans Dictionary of Early Judaism
- Editors: John J. Collins and Daniel C. Harlow
- Publisher: Eerdmans
- Publication Date: 2010
- Pages: 1,397
About the Editors
John J. Collins is Holmes professor of Old Testament Criticism and Interpretation at Yale Divinity School and has served as president of both the Society of Biblical Literature and the Catholic Biblical Association. His many books include Beyond the Qumran Community, King and Messiah as Son of God, The Bible after Babel, and The Apocalyptic Imagination.
Daniel C. Harlow is professor of biblical, early Jewish, and early Christian studies at Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan.