The Old Testament draws on the most recent research to provide a fully illustrated introduction to the background necessary for an understanding of the Old Testament. The four clear sections build up a complete picture of the people who created the Old Testament and the world in which they lived. Part I explores the geography, ecology, social and political organization of Old Testament Israel, and then Part II outlines its history and religion. Part III examines the literary and sociological influences on individual books of the Old Testament as a single collection, the creation of a living community shaping and reshaping its literature.