We have dealt with the need to tap into the intellectual output of the ancient Mediterranean world — the Bible’s own context – in order to start thinking the thoughts of the biblical writers.
Today we will direct you to the best volumes and websites for English translations of ancient literature pertinent to biblical studies. We will focus on the civilizations that give the OT its context – the civilizations of the ancient Near East (ANE). We recommend books (whether hard copy or digital form) as well as websites for tapping into ANE literature.
This summary outlines recommended resources and websites for accessing English translations of ancient Near Eastern literature relevant to biblical studies.
Main Resources and Collections
- The "Context of Scripture" (COS) is a three-volume, up-to-date academic anthology covering all ANE civilizations, available in print and digital formats.
- Pritchard's "Ancient Near Eastern Texts" (ANET) is a one-volume, cost-effective collection of key texts, also available digitally.
- The Society of Biblical Literature's "Writings from the Ancient World" series offers 16 volumes on specific texts, available as a set or individual volumes.
Civilization-Specific Resources
- Egypt: Miriam Lichtheim's three-volume "Ancient Egyptian Literature" and John Foster's single-volume anthology provide broad coverage.
- Mesopotamia: Benjamin Foster's "Before the Muses" (two volumes) and "From Distant Days" offer extensive mythic and poetic texts; Thorkild Jacobsen's "The Harps that Once" focuses on Sumerian poetry.
- Ugaritic: Simon Parker's "Ugaritic Poetry," Nicholas Wyatt's "Religious Texts from Ugarit," John Gibson's "Canaanite Myths," and Coogan & Smith's "Stories from Ancient Canaan" provide translations of major epics and myths.
- Smaller civilizations like Hittites, Phoenicians, Moabites are primarily covered through COS or ANET.
Web Resources for Free Content
- ETANA (Electronic Tools Ancient Near East Archives) offers core texts, historical documents, and translations, including the "Abzu" collection for Akkadian materials.
- Internet Sacred Texts Archive provides organized, public domain translations of various ANE texts.
- Internet Archive hosts scanned books and resources in the public domain, accessible via keyword searches.
Summary
- These resources facilitate access to ancient Near Eastern literature in English, essential for understanding biblical context.
- Printed anthologies and series are comprehensive but often costly.
- Online sites provide free, though sometimes older, texts requiring user navigation.
- Combining these sources enhances biblical studies by integrating primary ancient texts.
