This is significant revision of the 1987 edition, which was actually two previous books in a single volume: The Old Testament Story (1983) and The Old Testament Faith (1986). Separately and together these were widely praised and very popular, combining Lion’s innovative and attractive layout with a clear and readable text, and including many illustrations and ‘special articles’. The new edition retains and updates all these features. In presentation, the photographs are better chosen and more sharply produced (on coated paper), the line drawings are more numerous and the layout more modern. In content, the opening and closing sections are significantly rewritten, and the text lightly reworked throughout (though hardly as much as the back cover suggests). As before, this generally reflects mainstream critical scholarship, though with a keen theological interest. Unfortunately, however, the text gives little access to more conservative views, and the further reading is woefully inadequate in this respect. In summary, another excellently produced volume, which will introduce many to the OT and its study, but which needs to be complemented as well as complimented.

---