Includes bibliographical references and index.

Publisher's preface -- Editor's preface -- Editor's preface -- The ancient world -- Bible history -- Bible chronology -- Text and translations -- Archaeology -- Pagan religions and cultures -- The Egyptians -- The Babylonians and Assyrians -- Ugarit and the Canaanites -- The Persians -- The Greeks and Hellenism -- The Romans -- The geography of Palestine -- The minerals and gems of Palestine -- The animals and insects of Palestine -- Plants and herbs -- Agriculture -- Tools and implements -- Trade -- Transportation -- Warfare and weapons -- Forms of government -- Money and economics -- Languages and writing -- The literature of the Bible -- The poetry of the Bible -- Laws and statutes -- Worship rituals -- Family relationships -- Women and womanhood -- Marriage and divorce -- Birth and infancy -- Childhood and adolescence -- Diseases and healing -- Food and eating habits -- Clothing and cosmetics -- Architecture and furniture -- Music -- Jews in New Testament times -- Jesus Christ -- The apostles -- The early church -- Paul and his journeys -- Outline of the books of the Bible -- People of the Bible -- Places of the Bible -- Acknowledgments -- Index.

A comprehensive handbook of the people of the Bible and how they lived. Covers for ancient Israel/Palestine/Middle East: geography, minerals, gems, animals, insects, plants, herbs, agriculture, tools, implements, trade, transportation, warfare, weapons, languages, writing, literature, poetry, laws, statutes, worship rituals, family relationships, women, marriage, divorce, birth, infancy, childhood, adolescence, diseases, medicine, food, eating habits, clothing, cosmetics, architecture, furniture, music.