Whether one approaches the Bible from a perspective of faith, culture or literature, the power of the writing, the human situations, language and genres that make up the Scriptures speak potently across the ages. From whatever angle, the texts have a revelatory power that shines a light on the human condition, our sense of purpose, place in the world, and even our destiny. Born out of the common reflection on the history of single nation with a sense of divine election, the Bible has spoken, and continues to speak to all people in various circumstances, in words of such power that seem divinely inspired.

This volume provides an opportunity for studying those special areas of Scripture known as the Prophets and the Wisdom Books. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel spoke to Ancient Israel from the situation of their national story shaped by the Covenant with God, especially before, during and after the sorrow of their Exile in Babylon (587–38 BC). The Wisdom Books of the Bible reflect on the ontology of the human condition under any circumstance: how to live wisely and sensibly by looking at the world of nature and the human heart to discern the purpose of life. The approach adopted here, building on a fundamental understanding of the Old Testament, searches for deeper understanding of both approaches and genres. This study enables a thematic overview of the subject, a way into some of the critical issues endemic to grasping both traditions, and by implication, some of the fundamental approaches used in biblical scholarship.

This study encourages reading the texts themselves, developing a sharper perception of language, imagery, genre and style. The book, thus, provides an overall picture of the literary types employed, locates the sacred books in a chronological and thematic context, exploring the texts through the specific passages provided, always looking to find the theological keyscritical to understanding these particular books and their enduring message across the ages.

A particularly interesting aspect of this study is its collection of iconography, offering a cross-section of artistic responses to the power of the biblical discourse through the centuries. While Gustave Doré's famous etchings form the axis of the centrefolds, many other painters are included from different periods.