Comparison of Selected Bible Dictionaries
Sidebar to: What Is a Good Bible Dictionary?056
Dictionary of Bible and Religion (DBR) |
|
Editor |
William H. Gentz |
Publisher |
Abingdon, Nashville |
Pub. Date |
1986 |
Pages |
1147 |
Maps |
16 plates |
Price |
$26.95 |
How Well Do They Outline the Books of the Bible? |
Compact; thorough; theological import of book indicated. Reflects literary-critical approach. |
How Well Do They Treat Theological Themes? |
Comprehensive and thorough. Both critical and balanced. |
How Good Are the Major Articles? |
Full, discerning, very clear. No bibliography. |
How Well Do They Treat Archaeological Subjects? |
Few sites listed. Brief but able articles on the few sites. |
Harper’s Bible Dictionary (HBD) |
|
Editor |
Paul J. Achtemeier |
Publisher |
Harper & Row, San Francisco |
Pub. Date |
1985 |
Pages |
1178 |
Maps |
18 plates + index |
Price |
$27.50 |
How Well Do They Outline
|
Detailed outlines, succinct critical summary of contents, theological import. |
How Well Do They Treat
|
Excellent, though often brief. Little attention to evangelical concerns. |
How Good Are the Major
|
Full, theologically sophisticated. Comprehensive and critical. Good bibliographies. |
How Well Do They Treat
|
Comprehensive, lucid, with careful, critical evaluation of methods, findings. |
Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary (NIBD) |
|
Editor |
Herbert Lockyer, Sr. |
Publisher |
Thomas Nelson, Nashville/Camden, New York |
Pub. Date |
1986 |
Pages |
1128 |
Maps |
9 plates + index |
Price |
|
How Well Do They Outline
|
Detailed outlines in yellow then good summaries and evangelical interpretations. Light on literary-critical treatment. |
How Well Do They Treat
|
Includes most items of interest to evangelicals. Clear, not very imaginative. |
How Good Are the Major
|
Conservative in outlook. Well written and illustrated. Good picture of Judaism in articles of special Christian import. |
How Well Do They Treat
|
Brief but competent. Critical treatment of findings. Little attention to work at sites. |
New Bible Dictionary (NBD) |
|
Editor |
J. D. Douglas and N. Hillyer |
Publisher |
Inter-Varsity and Tyndale House, London and Wheaton, IL |
Pub. Date |
1962, 1982 |
Pages |
1324 |
Maps |
No maps; detailed index |
Price |
$24.95 |
How Well Do They Outline
|
Full outlines and discussions of history, composition. Evangelical interpretations, conservative dating. |
How Well Do They Treat
|
Follows conservative lines. Clear, interesting treatments. Good bibliographies. |
How Good Are the Major
|
Very comprehensive. Non-biblical sources used well. Balance and tone generally impressive though treatment of Moses’ authorship of Pentateuch shows credulity. |
How Well Do They Treat
|
Fine articles. Difficulties clearly laid out, treated fairly. Good treatment of site work. Good bibliographies. |
New Westminster Dictionary of the Bible (NWDB) |
|
Editor |
Henry S. Gehman, illustrations edited by Robert B. Wright |
Publisher |
Westminster, Philadelphia |
Pub. Date |
1970 |
Pages |
1027 |
Maps |
16 plates + index |
Price |
$22.95/$25.95 (thumb-indexed edition) |
How Well Do They Outline
|
Brief outlines and discussion of contents. Critical issued reviewed. |
How Well Do They Treat
|
Brief and not wide-ranging. |
How Good Are the Major
|
Long, clear summations of Biblical material; weak on critical evaluation. |
How Well Do They Treat
|
Works too hard to make Biblical and archaeological evidence dovetail. Otherwise, well done. |
Today’s Dictionary of the Bible (TDB) |
|
Editor |
T. A. Bryant |
Publisher |
Bethany House, Minneapolis |
Pub. Date |
1982 |
Pages |
678 |
Maps |
14 plates |
Price |
$15.95 |
How Well Do They Outline
|
Capable outlines with treatment of some critical issues. Argues for unity of Isaiah 1–66, Isaiah’s authorship, Moses as author of Pentateuch. |
How Well Do They Treat
|
Clear; includes assertions on theological points rather than cogent arguments. Biblical evidence well summarized. |
How Good Are the Major
|
Short treatments of even the most important subjects. Clear, simple language offering Biblical evidence and then commenting on theological meaning. |
How Well Do They Treat
|
Asserts that archaeology cannot establish the Bible’s truth. Archaeological work briefly treated if at all. |
Young’s Bible Dictionary (YBD) |
|
Editor |
G. Douglas Young and George Giacumakis, Jr. |
Publisher |
Tyndale House, Wheaton, IL |
Pub. Date |
1984 |
Pages |
640 |
Maps |
1 map enclosed, containing index |
Price |
$9.95 |
How Well Do They Outline
|
Most books not outlined. Short identifying paragraphs. Exceptions: Isaiah, Gospels, Pentateuch. |
How Well Do They Treat
|
Careful presentation of Biblical evidence. Little systematic treatment of theological themes. Essays discursive and informal. |
How Good Are the Major
|
Full articles on only a small number of subjects including gospels, scripture, Jerusalem, Christ, sacrifice. Written in informal style. |
How Well Do They Treat
|
Short, up-to-date summaries of archaeological findings at some sites, long treatment of other sites. |
Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary (ZPBD) |
|
Editor |
Merrill C. Tenney |
Publisher |
Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI |
Pub. Date |
1963, 1964, 1967 |
Pages |
916 |
Maps |
16 plates + index |
Price |
$21.95 |
How Well Do They Outline
|
Good analysis of contents; sometimes supplemented by discussions of literary, historical, theological issues. Detailed outlines for some books, others none. |
How Well Do They Treat
|
Lengthy, detailed summaries of Biblical evidence on some articles, others developed systematically with reference to Biblical texts. Full treatment of evangelical themes. |
How Good Are the Major
|
Long, excellent articles on many subjects. Articles often presented from evangelical viewpoint. |
How Well Do They Treat
|
Careful reports on archaeological work at a few sites (e.g. Jericho, Shechem) but most articles on Biblical sites contain no mention of archaeological findings at all. Good general article on archaeology and the Bible. |