Biblical and religious scholars from many countries and traditions synthesize the current scholarship on each of the books of the Bible and on such topics as the history of the tradition; premodern, modern, and postmodern studies; Syro-Palestinian and biblical archaeology; Old Testament and New Testament apocrypha; the pseudepigrapha; and the Dead Sea Scrolls. Some entries treat the text passage-by-passage, while others explore themes and other features. All include bibliographies. The reference is designed primarily for beginning and intermediate students of religion or biblical studies. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)