Exploring Biblical Imagery: A Comprehensive Dictionary by Leland Ryken

Lelly1969: The book contents are excellent, it will be very useful, but the condition of an almost £50 book is very disappointing. There are marks on the front and back of the cover and part of the binding is coming away from the pages.

United Kingdom on Jul 22, 2023

Thankful: Highest star rating. Can’t go wrong with this book. Highly recommend.

United States on Feb 20, 2023

Prof Faraday: Well edited so it reads as though written by one author. Solid evangelical Christian perspective will appeal to many Bible readers, and stimulate a casual reader to dig deeper into many sections of the New and Old Testaments. The breadth and depth of topics invites the perusing reader into extended study. Very well indexed for several thousand verses and hundreds of subjects. Useful 8 pp Introduction summarizes how this is eminently practical to: 1) improve the reader's grasp of the literal text, 2) improve our ability to interpret the figurative level of meaning, 3) see the unity and progression of the NT following from OT foreshadowings, 4) enable a study of Biblical images and motifs that help the reader bridge the gap between the Biblical times and our own world.

United States on Feb 08, 2022

Amazon Customer: Very edifying book. The thought put into each article is fantastic! I purchased this for a class but I’m extremely satisfied with that purchase. This will be a book that I reference routinely in my studies. The Bible is so full of imagery, both in word etymology/meaning and in God’s use of illustrative language. This book focuses primarily on the illustrative language but periodically brings in cultural context and grammar/etymology to reinforce some of the imagery. A fantastic book and a great buy!

Also, I’ve yet to run across anything heretical in any of the articles (it’s written in article form, by the way), which is always a danger when discussing imagery.

United States on Dec 01, 2021

Client d'Amazon: good tool for studying the Bible. Gives you an insight of objects and places etc through out hystory.

Canada on Mar 03, 2021

Valerie HobbsValerie Hobbs: I wish I could give this book 10 stars because it is worth every penny and every bit of the space it will take up on your shelf. This hefty book is an encyclopedia of much of the Bible’s rich imagery, symbolism, metaphors, figures of speech and literary patterns. It is beautifully written and wondrously rich.

I use this book to help me make sense of the ways that the Bible uses these typologically to tell the story of redemption. Most recently, I have thoroughly enjoyed and benefitted from the entry for Job. Though the amount and depth of the content is as impressive as it is enriching, the book has some substantial gaps (by necessity, given the amount of material it covers), which suits me very well indeed. In this way, it leaves room for further study, pushing readers always back towards the Scriptures.

I am an academic and have several years of NT Greek education, but in my view this book is accessible to a wide audience. I highly recommend every member of the clergy and every layperson purchase this book. It is far and away the best companion to the Bible I have found. I tell everyone I possibly can about this book!

United Kingdom on Nov 10, 2020

Willowwind78: An amazing resource for anyone studying the Bible. This book uses short detailed summaries of largely unbiased straight-forward historical information to help explain the exegetical aspects of the Bible. I purchased a hardcover copy of this book to assist with my Course of Study work as a Locally Licensed Pastor. Now, every time I write a paper I have to push myself to seek other sources so I am not just citing this one! It explains what I need to know succinctly without reading page after page of useless information to find what I am looking for. It makes it easy to identify when further information can be found by bold printing other subject headings as you read along. Amazing reference for the dedicated lay theologist.

United States on Nov 13, 2019

C. BurellaC. Burella: This is a DICTIONARY thus there isn't a table of contents as one negative reviewer complained. There are few drawings even to speak of. What you will find is detailed descriptions and explanations with scripture references to enrich your understanding if scriptures. Buy and treasure.

Canada on Apr 07, 2019

Lover of the written word.: If your interested in dream imagery, the Bible and enjoy reading then this is for you.
I say enjoy reading because it is a big, heavy book with lots of references/ cross-references and smallish font.
Also, it's not cheap so you do need to have more than a passing interest in the subject. If your wanting a quick fix type ...tell me what my dream means ...don't buy it, it's not the right book for you.
A great resource for any bible detectives.
Fascinating snippets pop up all over the place.
It is in alphabetical order and has 1058 pages.Heavy duty hard backed.I am not doing a degree,or thinking of doing any preaching
and I can understand it very well. Read page 160- Comedy as Plot Motif-...loved it... hadn't thought of the Bible quite like
that before. Enjoy.

United Kingdom on Jun 22, 2013

Marcia L. Moston: Usually dictionaries are not my idea of leisure reading, but InterVarsity Press's Dictionary of Biblical Imagery is as at home on my bed stand as it is on my desk. From Head to Toe and Happiness to Hanging, the 980 pages between A-Aaron's rod and Z-Zion contain a wealth of information on the rich imagery and literary patterns of the Bible.

So often we approach the Bible from a theological point of view, but God, in His multi-faceted wisdom and creativity, has given us His truth wrapped in dazzling layers of imagery, metaphor, and symbols that engage our affective, emotional faculties as well as our cognitive. He uses story and all its literary conventions to present situations to which our human spirits can relate and experience the lessons therein.

His Word is replete with metaphors and motifs that appeal to our image-making faculties. Although aware of the power of pictures, most of us have only a cursory understanding of the layers of meaning they convey, whether universal or contextual. How is my body like a tent? My daughter like a corner pillar? My prayer like an arrow?

We have many theological resources available to us, but until now, have had little to...

United States on Jun 03, 2011