As we read through the Bible, it's common to encounter puzzling or confusing passages. This is especially the case with the Old Testament, since its time and cultural setting are so far removed from our own. It's tempting to skip over these problem passages in our personal Bible study or in our preaching and teaching. But if all Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, those passages were preserved for our benefit.
In
Navigating Tough Texts of the Old Testament, veteran scholar and translator Tremper Longman III guides us through difficult passages in Genesis through Deuteronomy, answering questions like
- Why are there different English translations of Genesis 1:1-2?
- Were the Hebrew midwives wrong to lie to Pharaoh?
- How do we make sense of the purity laws in Leviticus?
- What were the
urim and
thummim?
- and more
Along the way, we will understand why Bible translations differ and become better readers of the entire Bible, not just the difficult passages.
