About the Book:

Every reader of the Bible has encountered the powerful, comforting and sometimes puzzling imagery of Scripture. These concrete pictures with their hidden force have struck sharp and lasting impressions on our minds. Their imprint has etched itself on the language and grammar of Christian faith and Western culture.

Why then do traditional Bible dictionaries and reference works offer so little help to explorers of the Bible's galaxy of verbal pictures? They excel in describing the climate, borders and location of Galilee or Sinai. But they are often blind to the artistic expressions and deaf to the musical meanings that echo from within the world of the biblical text.

The Dictionary of Biblical Imagery is the first contemporary reference work dedicated to exploring the images, symbols, motifs, metaphors and literary patterns found in the Bible. More than that, it examines the Bible's universal archetypes or master images--including the plot motifs and character types that recur throughout life, literature and the Bible.

This unique dictionary explores the dazzling variety in which the Word of God comes dressed in clothes of everyday life. It traces the trail of images from Eden to the New Jerusalem. It captures the plotted patterns of biblical narrative. It surveys the imaged texture of each book of the Bible. In short, The Dictionary of Biblical Imagery is an inviting, enlightening and indispensable companion to the reading, study, contemplation and enjoyment of the Bible.

Features & Benefits:

"People think with pictures in their heads. The Bible is God's picture book even though it is all in words. The Dictionary of Biblical Imagery helps us to see the verbal pictures that we may have missed and then helps us to make sense of them. The Dictionary is a helpful tool for Bible study—and it's even fun to read."

"The Dictionary of Biblical Imagery is a creative and usable reference tool that will enable a wide range of Bible students to read the Word of God with fresh insight and new understanding. This informative and imaginative dictionary—unique in its purpose and approach—will prove to be immensely helpful for scholars, pastors, teachers and laypeople alike."

"InterVarsity Press is to be commended for boldly going where no Bible dictionary has gone before. Where else can you get articles on 'Apocalyptic' on the one hand and 'Dog' on the other, 'Battle Stories' on the one hand and 'Teeth' on the other, 'Rhetorical Patterns' on the one hand and 'Left, Left-Handed' on the other? Here we have a full-course meal for the heart and mind, which reminds us that while image is not everything, imagery often is; while plot is not the whole story, story is often the whole point. I don't often recommend dictionaries as good bedtime reading, but in this case I will make an exception. In short, sell the dog and buy this dictionary!"

"No one can understand the Bible well without some understanding of its images, symbols, metaphors and poetic language. But surprisingly, until recently there have been virtually no reference books to assist the serious Bible student in this area. Now IVP's Dictionary of Biblical Imagery has arrived to meet this glaring need. Its entries cover hundreds of biblical images, terms and symbols in an informative and engaging manner. It is an important reference tool, and it will be greatly used and valued by preachers, teachers and other Bible students for generations to come."

"The human mind is a picture gallery, and we live by the images found in it. This massive and careful work can aid us all in glimpsing the multitudinous pictures that are given us in the Scriptures to transform our lives."

"As we preachers strive to make our sermons concrete, vivid and engaging, The Dictionary of Biblical Imagery will be indispensable. This reference work has immediate application for preaching and teaching within the church. It will help turn us preachers away from our flat-footed toes toward biblical poetry. On almost every page, with every entry, the imagination is sparked, creative juices begin to flow, and we preachers will be led not only to faithful and biblically informed preaching but also to preaching which is interesting."