Includes bibliographical references (pages 281-283) and indexes.

Acknowledgments -- Preface -- What's the Old Testament "God" to do with me? -- The commitment to really reading -- From talking to tablets to tabernacle to today -- Reading from today back to the text -- The confessions of a close reader -- How the Old Testament is told: Narrative -- Learning to love the law? -- Seeds of remembrance -- Redeeming Rahab the conqueror -- Why is the book of Judges so weird? -- Hannah and Ruth: Mothers of the monarchy -- King David's true legacy -- Divided allegiances to divided kingdom: The tragedy of King Solomon -- How biblical poets wrote poetry: The importance of parallelism -- How biblical poets wrote poetry: The proliferation of metaphors -- Metaphors and retributive justice in the poetry of Job -- How prophets prophesy -- How to engage poetic prophecy -- Who is Isaiah's suffering servant? -- Postscript -- Bibliography -- Scripture index -- Subject index.

"This introductory textbook invites students into the depths and riches of the Old Testament, showing its relevance for Christian readers"--