Donley - The Everything History Of The Bible Book : From Divine Inspiration to Modern-Day Discoveries--a Complete Reference

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THE

HISTORY
OF THE
BIBLE BOOK

Dear Reader:

Thank you for joining me in this exploration of the origin of the Bible and its modern-day discoveries. You wont need a doctoral degree to appreciate and learn from this bookonly a willingness to investigate the historical, scientific, archaeological, and cultural evidence within these pages.

I get excited learning about the ancient world, whether its about the Egyptians, the Greeks, or the Romans. The cultures of those times were incredibly advanced in their engineering, their architecture, and their understanding of science. Because of my interest, I have studied seventeen languages, searched for lost treasure, and been given this opportunity to share what Ive learned with you. The information in this book is derived from many sources, including professors, books, and Internet Web sites. The credit for this information solely belongs to my sources. Almost every biblical passage is taken from the New International Version (NIV). In those few instances where the King James Version provides a better translation of the Hebrew, a notation is provided after the Scripture reference.

Whether or not you are a Christian, I hope this book gives you a deeper knowledge of the history of the Bible. This book is written for anyone interested in the topic. My allegiance is to whatever I am studying, researching, speaking about, or writing about.

Together, we are embarking on a scholarly investigation. Lets put on our Sherlock Holmes deerstalker caps and begin sleuthing.

Editorial

Production

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THE

HISTORY
OF THE
BIBLE BOOK

From divine inspiration to modern-day discoveries
a complete reference

Jeffery Donley, Ph.D.

This work is dedicated to my mother, Donna Donley, for her unwavering
belief in me. Thanks also go to my dad, Rex Donley, for all his help.

Many people have helped me over the course of this projects inception and development. First, my heartfelt gratitude goes to my wife, Johnnie Alexander Donley, for her contributions to the writing process. I owe her more than thanks because without her this project would not have been completed on time. Second, I acknowledge and express gratitude to my editor, Gina Chaimanis, for her constructive criticism and encouragement. She gave me crucial advice and assistance at various points and in many ways. I also enjoyed my spirited discussions with editor Katie McDonough. And finally, Id like to tell my children, Bethany and her husband Justin, Jill, and Nathaniel: You enrich my life more than youll ever know. I thank God every day for giving each of you to your mom and me.

The Dead Sea Scrolls

The John Rylands Papyrus

The House of David Inscription

The Pilate Inscription

The Jesus/Galilee Boat

The Ossuary of Caiaphas

The Baruch Bulla

The Ekron Inscription

Peters Home

The Ruins of Sodom and Gomorrah

The history of the Bible is invaluable in explaining the present. Many questions that puzzle over 1,000 Protestant, Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and Russian Orthodox groups can be answered by studying the history of this one book. Differing beliefs and practices become more understandable when examined in the light of past events.

For Christians, the value is even greater. By studying the history of the Bible, they discover their spiritual legacy. An intellectual foundation for a Christians faith and belief comes from knowing the origins of the Bible and discovering the archaeological, historic, and scientific discoveries that suggest the true events of that era. Understanding varying viewpoints, and knowing why one holds particular beliefs, leads to personal enrichment.