This post is a re-blog of my post at Rolfing Unshelved.
This post is part of a series entitled Key Bible and Theological Reference Tools. This series seeks to provide one with an introduction to some key Biblical and theological reference tools. In this series one will find basic explanations, significant examples, and other information about these reference tools.
Basic Description of Dictionaries
Bible and theological dictionaries are reference tools that serve as an encyclopedia on a given topic or Biblical corpus. They include a plethora of articles (typically around 1-3 pages in length and arranged alphabetically) related to their topic or Biblical corpus.
Listing of Helpful Dictionaries
Comprehensive Bible dictionaries:
- The Anchor Bible Dictionary by David Noel Freedman.
- New Bible Dictionary by I. Howard Marshall, A. R. Millard, J. I. Packer, and Donald J. Wiseman.
- Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary by C. Brand, C. W. Draper, A. England.
OT dictionaries and dictionaries of OT corpuses:
- New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis by Willem VanGemeren.
- Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch by
- Dictionary of the Old Testament: Historical Books by
- Dictionary of the Old Testament Wisdom, Poetry & Writings by Tremper Longman III & Peter Enns.
NT dictionaries and dictionaries of NT corpuses:
- New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology by Colin Brown.
- Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels by Joel B. Green, Jeannine K. Brown & Nicholas Perrin.
- Dictionary of Paul and His Letters by Gerald F. Hawthorne, Ralph P. Martin, and Daniel G. Reid.
- Dictionary of The Later New Testament & Its Developments by
- Dictionary of New Testament Background by Craig A. Evans and and Stanley E. Porter.
- The Eerdmans Dictionary of Early Judaism by
Dictionaries of Biblical theology:
- New Dictionary of Biblical Theology by
- Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology by Walter A. Elwell.
Dictionaries of theology and Christian thought:
- New Dictionary of Theology by
- Evangelical Dictionary of Theology by Walter A. Elwell.
- The Dictionary of Historical Theology by Trevor A. Hart.
- Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs by David W. Bercot.
Dictionaries of Biblical imagery:
Dictionary Sample
New Dictionary of Biblical Theology by Brian S. Rosner, T. Desmond Alexander, Graeme Goldsworthy, D. A. Carson (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2000). 418-419.
Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible by Kevin J. Vanhoozer (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2005), 258-259. * Click photo for larger image.
* This post’s information can be found within Rolfing Library’s research guides. See the guide to dictionaries here.
Kirk E. Miller 