Death is a profound and complex subject - how did Israelites respond to it? - The dead apparently went to Sheol - where and what was it? - Its inhabitants are sometimes called 'shades' - what does this indicate? - Many ancient peoples venerated their ancestors - did Israelites do this? - Did anyone hope for a positive afterlife - if so, in what form? - What about resurrection - how and when did this belief emerge? Philip Johnston explores these and other issues. He examines Israelite views on death and afterlife as reflected in the Hebrew Bible and in material remains, and sets them in their cultural, literary and theological contexts. He argues in detail that the Israelites were not as preoccupied with the underworld or the dead as some scholars have recently alleged. Instead, their faith that Yahweh was the God of the living, and that Sheol was cut off from him, led eventually to the hope of a positive afterlife. This important study sheds fresh light on Israelite beliefs, in an area central to late Christian faith. (view table of contents)

The book of Deuteronomy has been immensely influential, not least within the Old Testament itself. It is found among the most frequently occurring manuscripts at Qumran, and it is also one of the Old Testament books most frequently cited in the New Testament. In Matthew's Gospel, it is Deuteronomy which Jesus cites in rejecting temptation. As with so many other Old Testament books, study of Deuteronomy is in the midst of significant change. While for many scholars the Documentary Hypothesis has continued to provide a framework for interpretation, it no longer commands the status of an "assured result." Instead, fresh approaches have been developed, engendering their own debates. Recent as well as older study affirms that Deuteronomy represents a distinctive theological voice within the Pentateuch. While many excellent resources are now available, these tend to be either introductory or highly specialized; there are fewer that bridge the gap between the two. This volume contributes to that need: it assumes some foundational knowledge and guides readers through current issues and approaches. Here is evangelical scholarship that will inform, stimulate and reward diligent teachers and preachers of the Old Testament. The contributors are Paul Barker, Jenny Corcoran, David G. Firth, Greg Goswell, Christian Hofreiter, Philip S. Johnston, James Robson, Csilla Saysell, Heath Thomas, Peter T. Vogt and John H. Walton.