{"product_id":"9780062366764","title":"The Cities That Built the Bible","description":"\u003cstrong\u003eThe Cities That Built the Bible\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor(s): Dr. Robert Cargill\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor many, the names Bethlehem, Babylon, and Jerusalem are known as the setting for epic stories from the Bible featuring rustic mangers, soaring towers, and wooden crosses. What often gets missed is that these cities are far more than just the setting for the Bible and its characters—they were instrumental to the creation of the Bible as we know it today.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRobert Cargill, Assistant Professor of Classics and Religious Studies at the University of Iowa, is an archeologist, Bible scholar, and host of numerous television documentaries, such as the History Channel series \u003cem\u003eBible Secrets Revealed\u003c\/em\u003e. Taking us behind-the-scenes of the Bible, Cargill blends archaeology, biblical history, and personal journey as he explores these cities and their role in the creation of the Bible. He reveals surprising facts such as what the Bible says about the birth of Jesus and how Mary’s Virgin Birth caused problems for the early church. We’ll also see how the God of the Old Testament was influenced by other deities, that there were numerous non-biblical books written about Moses, Jacob, and Jesus in antiquity, and how far more books were left out of the Bible than were let in during the messy, political canonization process.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Cities That Built the Bible\u003c\/em\u003e is a magnificent tour through fourteen cities: the Phoenicia cities of Tyre, Sidon, and Byblos, Ugarit, Nineveh, Babylon, Megiddo, Athens, Alexandria, Jerusalem, Qumran, Bethlehem, Nazareth, and Rome. Along the way, Cargill includes photos of artifacts, dig sites, ruins, and relics, taking readers on a far-reaching journey from the Grotto of the Nativity to the battlegrounds of Megiddo, from the towering Acropolis of Athens to the caves in Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAn exciting adventure through time, \u003cem\u003eThe Cities That Built the Bible \u003c\/em\u003eis a fresh, fascinating exploration that sheds new light on the Bible.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReview(s):\u003cbr\u003e“Cargill serves the reader as both an expert guide and teacher. As a geographical, historical and archaeological approach to the formation of the Bible, he delves into difficult topics with humor and ease and without seeming to pander to any particular audience. Well worth reading.”\u003cbr\u003e“An engaging journey into the Bible and archaeology from a new perspective: instead of starting with kings, prophets, or texts, the author starts with ancient cities in which so much was born - all the while combined with a lively personal account that puts flesh and bones on the tale.”\u003cbr\u003e“Behind the pages of the book most revered by Jews and Christians, Cargill transports readers to these ancient locales, illuminating the municipal dynamics that shaped the Bible. Readers skeptical and pious will learn much here about the history and archaeology of the Bible. ”\u003cbr\u003e“A compelling read. Cargill captures the excitement of different times and places as he narrates the history of the major events and influences that derive from each location. For the interested layperson wanting an up-to-date introduction to biblical studies, this is the book to read.”\u003cbr\u003e“With heartfelt sincerity and timely humor, Cargill possesses the historical knowledge, command of biblical languages, and archaeological expertise necessary to successfully communicate the tale of the Bible’s beginnings with a passion that highlights his love for the biblical world.”\u003cbr\u003e“The most original and entertaining approach to telling the story of the Bible that I’ve seen. This is both a delight to read and reliable in its scholarship. Anyone who wants to know how recent archaeological discoveries how have revolutionized our understanding of the Bible should read this book.”\u003cbr\u003e“Professor Robert Cargill is among the world’s most capable and impressive biblical scholars and archaeologists. \u003ci\u003eThe Cities that Built the Bible\u003c\/i\u003e is without peer. Scholars and enlightened laypeople will want to have this volume in their personal libraries.”\u003cbr\u003e“In an appealing narrative full of interesting discussions and asides, Cargill takes the reader on a journey over the lands and through the pages of the Bible. A must read for anyone wanting to learn more about the Old and New Testaments...and the cities that built them.”\u003cbr\u003e“Woven through with insightful scholarship, humor, and the warmth of his own personal experience, Cargill will take you under the ground, into a cistern, across a border, and into closely-guarded archives to see things you’d never otherwise see, which allows you to see the Bible itself in new ways.”\u003cbr\u003e“A riotous gazetteer, one filled with astute observations about the literal and figurative building materials that biblical authors mined from key cities of the ancient world. Readers will happily accompany their learned tour guide as they reconsider Near Eastern influence on the Bible and perceive its text from new perspectives.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN:  9780062366764\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ","brand":"HarperOne","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":41091551953102,"sku":"9780062366764","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0600\/7029\/7806\/products\/9780062366764_ed4cba8f-0771-43cb-971f-64b256bba9ba.jpg?v=1652149800","url":"https:\/\/pickwickbookshop.com\/products\/9780062366764","provider":"Pickwick Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}