This volume gives extracts from and introductions to twelve writings dealing with prominent Old Testament figures. The writings tell what happened to them, what God revealed to them and try to bring home to their readers what can be learned from their example. They give many explicit exhortations; often there is an outlook on the future intended to comfort and to encourage the readers in difficult circumstances. These writings belong to the so-called 'Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament', a term used, rather loosely, to cover writings connected with biblical books, personalities or themes, which were not included in the Hebrew or Greek Old Testament canon. The various contributions to this volume, written by experts in the field, aim at introducing readers to this fascinating collection of documents and at showing them the ways to explore this area a little further.
Leading scholars provide a commentary on various important early texts of the Jewish world outside the Old Testament, in a volume accessible to students and teachers alike.
