NO OF PAGES: 323 SUB CAT I: Tanach SUB CAT II: SUB CAT III: DESCRIPTION: You make a distinction between genres every time you read a newspaper. A single sentence or phrase may take on vastly different meanings, depending on whether you find it printed in an ad, a news report, an editorial commentary or a comic strip. In "Cracking Old Testament Codes", a team of scholars provides insight into the literary genres of the Old Testament and how to use them to improve your understanding of biblical texts. Consider this example from scripture: "He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters." Could this be Jonah's account of his deliverance form the sea? Or, is it Peter's description of his rescue by Jesus when he tried to walk on water? If you know that this verse comes from 2 Samuel 22, you may recognize it as part of a psalm by David. By knowing the genre of the text - poetry - you understand that David is not describing real drowning bus is using a striking illustration to communicate profound gratitude for God's protection in time of deep crisis. Today's serious students of biblical interpretation need to understand the literary genres of the Bible - just as future archeologists will need to understand the difference between advertising and news reports in the newspapers they find in 20th century civilizations.NOTES: Purchased from CBD. SUBTITLE: A Guide to Interpreting the Literary Genres of the Old Testament