How useful is the 3 volume set, The Context of Scripture?
Thanks
I suppose it depends on how you might wish to use it. Basically, in Logos, you have COS, ANET (Ancient Near Eastern Texts), and Ras Shamra Parallels (in addition to the journals and monographs).
- COS and ANET can link together with multiple indices. But COS has Bible references that you can link to using a CitedBy panel. I assume (don't know) that the Factbook references them (ancient texts). ANET is 1978; COS is about 2002. There's an update to COS in 2014, which Accordance has; Logos doesn't.
- Ras Shamra Parallels is similar but concentrates on Ugarit, and has a broader linkage (hints of parallels).
In terms of usage, probably there's two. (1) Preparing OT sermons, it's handy to see 'at the time' parallels, which give veracity to the sermon listener (and can spice up the discussion). And (2) the person studying near eastern parallels (ie creation accounts, etc).
COS has the added benefit of introductions that are informative to each text. Per volume, COS is arranged by country, then type (Egypt, Hittite, etc), while ANET is arranged by type, then location.
Really, it depends on your use. Personally, I use Chicago Assyrian Dictionary / Hebrew Parallels, which is considerable larger, and parallels the OT in very detailed ways.
But CAD isn't available in Logos but ANET and COS are. 🙂
Lew Worthington: But CAD isn't available in Logos but ANET and COS are. 🙂
Quite true, and probably never will ... I very much doubt the CAD volumes were ever digitized ... multiple printers over the years, etc.
But CAD vs COS/ANET illustrates sort of a unbridgable gulf. Akkadian records are both numerous, and geographically wide-spread over time. They detail the everyday, and how people thought ... they were quite verbose. COS and ANET largely document the richie-riches of each country. Use in the OT is thus pretty limited ... mythic narritives, poetic matches in Egypt, etc.
Family gods are an excellent example, of what could happen if someone hid the god under their saddle. I'd assume a considerable amount of laughter.
I'm hopeful that CAD and other, similar projects (e.g., Sumerian -- not that I can do THAT stuff!!) will soon be available digitally. But wow, I digress. Sorry.
Thanks for your input. This input has helped me think about whether to acquire the set.
There are actually 4 volumes. I don’t know why the other one is still not available in Logos 🤷🏻♂️
DAL
Thanks for mentioning that (COS, Vol. 4). This thread talks about it and provides a Feedbear link for voting for it.
DMB: Quite true, and probably never will ... I very much doubt the CAD volumes were ever digitized ... multiple printers over the years, etc.
While not in Logos, you can download the free PDF versions direct from the University of Chicago from here.
I've been glancing through some references made by HALOT to CAD and while I won't be doing to grunt work for every word, it is nice to have if I wanted to dig deeper. Would be nice to convert it to a personal book but the files seem to be locked down.
I've called for CAD and another resource here multiple times, Akkadian Lexical Companion for Biblical Hebrew Etymological, Semantic and Idiomatic Equivalence With Supplement on Biblical Aramaic.
The latter is fantastic for Hebrew, and currently only $25 at Amazon in hardcover instead of $125!
"The whole modern world has divided itself into Conservatives and Progressives. The business of Progressives is to go on making mistakes. The business of Conservatives is to prevent mistakes from being corrected."- G.K. Chesterton
Morgan Bradley: While not in Logos, you can download the free PDF versions direct from the University of Chicago from here. I've been glancing through some references made by HALOT to CAD and while I won't be doing to grunt work for every word, it is nice to have if I wanted to dig deeper. Would be nice to convert it to a personal book but the files seem to be locked down.
Thank you; hopefully others can benefit. I got the whole set (plus an extra 'A'). I'd forgotten they were PDF'd ... digitized!
A rabbi living in Portland originally collected mine ... apparently one by one over several years ... he signed each, as he grew older. Apparently, he retired in Phoenix and couldn't let them go. They ended up on the next mountain over, where I used to hike; still pricey. I read them like novels, they're that fascinating.
Since this is a thread on COS, maybe it's a good a reminder that the Raging Torrent in Logos is another ancient literature source, and more recent.
I was reading the accounts of Sennacherib's attack on Judea in RT, and the translator noted he'd updated his translation from COS v2.
DMB: Since this is a thread on COS, maybe it's a good a reminder that the Raging Torrent in Logos is another ancient literature source, and more recent. I was reading the accounts of Sennacherib's attack on Judea in RT, and the translator noted he'd updated his translation from COS v2.
Very convenient since I already own that! If you're familiar with them, how much value would you consider COS to add when already having resources such as The Amarna Letters, Ancient Egyptian Literature (3 vol.), ANET, Ras Shamra Parallels, and Echoes from the Past?
Ben: I've called for CAD and another resource here multiple times, Akkadian Lexical Companion for Biblical Hebrew Etymological, Semantic and Idiomatic Equivalence With Supplement on Biblical Aramaic. The latter is fantastic for Hebrew, and currently only $25 at Amazon in hardcover instead of $125!
You can vote for the Akkadian Lexical Companion for Biblical Hebrew Etymological, Semantic and Idiomatic Equivalence With Supplement on Biblical Aramaic to be added to Logos here.
Disclaimer: I hate using messaging, texting, and email for real communication. If anything that I type to you seems like anything other than humble and respectful, then I have not done a good job typing my thoughts.
You can vote for CAD here.
Thanks for providing the links, Joseph!