Several distinctives set this volume apart from other introductions to the Old Testament: - It is thoroughly evangelical in its perspective. - It emphasizes 'special introduction' -- the study of individual books. -It interacts in an irenic spirit with the historical-critical method. - It features high points of research history and representative scholars rather than an exhaustive treatment of past scholarship. - It deals with the meaning of each book, not in isolation but in a canonical context. - It probes the meaning of each book in the setting of its culture. With an eye on understanding the nature of the Old Testament historiography, An Introduction to the Old Testament offers the reader a solid understanding of three key issues: historical background, literary analysis, and theological message.