This volume brings together disparate views about biblical texts in the books of Samuel, Chronicles and Ezra-Nehemiah and examines their influence in the life of contemporary communities, demonstrating how today's environments and disorders help readers to acquire new insights into such texts.

The contributing scholars hail from different continents - from East Asia to the United States to Europe to South Africa and Israel - and count themselves as members of various Jewish and Christian traditions or secularist ways of life. But, in spite of their differences in location and community membership, and perhaps in the spirit of contemporary global discontents, they share preoccupations with questions of ethics in politics and life, 'proper' death, violence and social exclusion or inclusion. This volume offers readers a deeper understanding of how politics and faith can be melded, both in ancient and contemporary contexts, to serve the interests of certain classes and societies, often at the expense of others.

Athalya Brenner-Idan is Professor Emerita of HB/OT at the University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands and Professor in Biblical Studies at Tel Aviv University, Israel.

Gale A. Yee is Nancy W. King Professor Emerita of Biblical Studies at the Episcopal Divinity School, USA.