Old Testament History

Old Testament History by Alfred Edersheim was originally published 1876–1887 in seven volumes. It went through several editions, some of which were bound in four volumes, and later in two volumes. This electronic version of his work is from an edition that appears in 1890 containing all seven volumes.

From the author's Prefaces:
“The object in beginning this series was to make a fresh study of Old Testament history from the original text.… Throughout, the desire has been not to ignore nor pass by difficulties or questions that might arise in the course of this History, but rather to anticipate and remove or answer them by what seemed the correct interpretation of the narrative.… The chief characteristics of each period were successively sketched, and the questions indicated to which they gave rise.… I have taken up the Scripture narrative successively, chapter by chapter, always marking the portions of the Bible explained, that so, in family or in private reading, the sacred text may be compared with the explanations furnished.”

“The readers in view were teachers, students, and generally the wider, educated and thoughtful public. I have endeavored to write in a form so popular and easily intelligible as to be of use to the Sunday-school teacher, the advanced scholar, and the Bible-class.”